Italian suits, supercars, food and bikes can be considered the pinnacle of quality and performance. 3T is continuing that with their Italian-made Strada Italia. At first glance, the specs look the same as the Strada 2.0 introduced last year, but they are actually slightly different. So, not only does the Strada Italia have an even more refined and capable frame, it’s built using their in-house carbon filament-winding process that they use with their other bikes in the Italia lineup.
Like most manufacturers, 3T has built their traditional carbon framesets using partners in Asia. While there is a ton of expertise in those renowned factories, there’s something to be said about controlling the entire process from tip-to-tail and that’s what 3T’s Italia lineup is. Each 3T Racemax, Extrema and Strada Italia are built using dry carbon filament winding instead of pre-preg carbon sheets. The end result is a pinpoint layup that optimizes the exact placement of fibers and reduces excess material for a cleaner out-of-mold surface finish. And, it’s all made and finished in their Bergamo headquarters.
With anything Italian-made, the 3T Strada Italia does come in at a higher price point. The economics of selling carbon bikes always includes the need to recoup the initial setup, engineering and tooling costs — all of which need to be considered here. 3T has made their own machines, using skilled engineers and the resulting product promises to be Italian in every way — notably performance and ride feel.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Strada, it was revamped last year and the Strada Italia takes that update and tweaks it further with tire clearance up to 35mm. The updated geometry is also even more approachable for real-world riders with slightly more stack than the regular Strada 2.0. Of course, all cables run internally and it is designed exclusively for electronic groupsets. Notably, both front and rear brakes are direct-mounted to eliminate mounting adapters — something that sets 3T frames apart from the crowd. The Strada also uses a UDH derailleur hanger and features a removable front derailleur mount so you can go 1x in the cleanest way. It’s a beautiful, racy and (reportedly) comfortable bike that both uses larger-volume tires and an optimized frame design for compliance and power transfer.
As I highlight some key features with the frame sets, you’ll see the three painted colors (Verde, Bianco, Rosso). It’s also available in the ultralight Project X or ready-to-paint framesets. Framesets come with bar, stem and seatpost and start at $6599. Complete builds start at $8699 and go up from there.
More Info: Visit 3t.bike
Images courtesy 3T.
