The perfect harmony between aerodynamics and comfort.
Its innovative design, meticulous attention to detail, and optimized features make it a top choice for cyclists seeking speed and an exceptional riding experience.
The goal behind its design was to optimize both aspects, as without comfort, maintaining an aerodynamic position would be challenging. By pushing the limits of aerodynamics and comfort in every detail, the New Strada features two distinct zones: the speed zone and the comfort zone.
In the speed zone, located at the front half of the bike, you’ll find features such as the ultra-deep yet narrow head tube, the enveloping down tube, and the blade fork. These elements contribute to reducing wind resistance and maximizing speed. The aerodynamic design in this zone allows cyclists to cut through the air with minimal drag, enhancing their performance.
On the other hand, the comfort zone of the New Strada focuses on providing an optimal riding experience. It incorporates a curved seat tube, slim seat stays, and an exposed long seatpost. These features work together to improve comfort without compromising aerodynamic efficiency. The curved seat tube, in particular, covers more of the rear wheel, reducing vibrations and providing additional comfort during long rides.
A standout feature of the Strada is its optimization for wide tires. The bike is designed around wider tires, recognizing that tires play a crucial role in providing flexibility and absorbing bumps from various road surfaces. Wider tires are especially effective in reducing vibrations caused by cracks, curbs, cobblestones, and potholes. Additionally, wider tires have a shorter contact patch, resulting in lower rolling resistance and overall better performance. With the Strada, cyclists can enjoy the benefits of wider tires, allowing them to maintain both speed and comfort during their rides.
New Strada Rival AXS: Excellent Aerodynamic Performance
The Strada‘s commitment to aerodynamics is evident in its design, leading to a global trend of increased tire clearance in aerodynamic bikes. The 3T team, led by Chief Designer Gerard Vroomen, conducted extensive real-world testing to ensure optimal aerodynamic performance. They tested the bike at different speeds, incorporated “dirty parts” like bottles in the tests, and even evaluated the bike’s performance in dirty and muddy conditions. This attention to detail and real-world testing sets the Strada apart and ensures its excellent aerodynamic performance.
Furthermore, the Strada features the Aero 3T Integrale Cable Integration system, allowing for internal cable routing to reduce aerodynamic drag. The challenge was to hide the cables while maintaining a narrow head tube and using the same narrow bearings as the original Strada model. The result is a visually stunning design that optimizes aerodynamics. The cables are discreetly hidden within the 3T Apto Integrale stem, which not only enhances the bike’s aesthetics but also provides full adjustability for achieving the perfect fit. This combination of beauty and functionality ensures that cyclists can maintain an aerodynamic and comfortable position.
3T’s meticulous attention to detail is evident throughout the bike’s design. Features such as the minimalist crown, continuous fiber crown, Sqaero fork legs, and maximized curved cutout demonstrate their commitment to optimizing every aspect of the bike for performance and comfort. The curved seat tube, in particular, plays a significant role by covering more of the rear wheel, providing additional comfort while minimizing aerodynamic compromises.
The Strada also incorporates a 32mm lower head tube, which tapers down toward the water bottle cage to perfectly fit the airflow around the front tire. This design choice ensures a smooth transition of airflow and reduces turbulence, further enhancing the bike’s aerodynamic performance.
Other notable design features include the narrow and deep head tube, which combines a narrow profile for aerodynamics with a deep airflow guide. The narrow steerer houses a large 1.5″ lower section of the head tube to achieve the best strength and stiffness.
To accommodate this large 1.5″ steerer tube within the narrow 1.125″-1.25″ steerer tube cups, a custom ultra-sleek and high-load headset called the 3T MinMax Integrale is used.
As for the brakes, the Strada features a direct mount front brake, eliminating the need for a flip-flop adapter to adjust the brake rotor size. This design choice simplifies the brake setup and ensures optimal performance without additional components.
To achieve a clean and efficient performance, the Strada incorporates a self-aligning wedge clamp system that allows for greater clamping forces with lower torque. Additionally, the Ritchey rail clamp sets a new standard for road bikes, available for both round and oval rails, offering a secure and versatile seat clamp solution.
▸ Road bicycles ▸ 3T