When 3T launched the Strada, they knew a 1x set up for the road was going to be a bit controversial, and maybe ahead of its time. Though they stand by their commitment to a 1x future, the new Strada Due offers the same aerodynamic advantage in a wide tire platform, but with the versatility of a dual ring setup.
“When people talk to us about the STRADA, it is usually the 1x drivetrain that gets the most attention,î Rene Wiertz, CEO of 3T, elaborates. “It’s very visible and a bit controversial, so that makes sense. But as we’ve said from the start, the most important feature of the STRADA is actually that it is the first aero road bike optimized for wider tires, up to 30mm.”
The main idea behind the Strada is an aerodynamic frame that is made to run a 30mm tire or larger. Most aero road bikes are designed for 23 or 25mm tires, but the industry continues to move to wider tires for better handling and ride characteristics.
“It’s pointless to have an aero road bike that tests fast with 21mm tires when you run it with 25’s, says Wiertz”. Or even worse, when the 28’s or 30’s you want to run don’t even fit. The STRADA solves that by starting out with wider tires and then designing the aerodynamics around it.”
The 1x drivetrain is a more aerodynamic design as it removes the front derailleur and mount, which creates drag as air moves by the seat tube and crankset. It also allows designers to create tube shapes and wheel cut outs to make it as aerodynamic as possible. 3T claims the 1x drivetrain saves about 8 watts and about 300g in weight.
“But when 3T launched the STRADA, we also said it was our concept bike for what an aero road bike would look like in 5 years,” adds Gerard Vroomen, Head of Design at 3T. “Why did we say 5 years and not today? Because we know that some technologies and people need a bit of time.”
Not everyone is ready for a 1x road setup. For cyclocross and gravel, it is less of an issue as both disciplines tend to go with higher gearing to match the lower speeds they see and the extreme conditions they face. For road though, many riders are not willing to give up range on one end or the other. 3T does offer wide range cassettes to help manage this, with options that feature tighter jumps from one gear to another on one end of the cassette or the other. For example, when sponsored team Aqua Blue Racing heads to the mountain, they can use a 3T cassette that has tighter steps between the larger end of the cassette to make the jumps less severe. On the other hand, on flatter days, they can swap in a cassette that has closer jumps on the smaller side of the cassette to make the jumps less intense when the focus is on speed.
With the new Strada Due, the frame is focused on electronic drivetrains to keep the frame as aerodynamic as possible for a 2x set up. The Due shares the same stiff frame and similar aero design as the original, but adds a mount built in for a front derailleur. Thru-axles and disc brakes also follow along not he new frame.
“So 1x already works great for certain people and certain groupsets (mostly SRAM and some Shimano),” continues Vrooman. “Yet in other situations, 2x is still preferred (especially with electronic groupsets; Shimano Di2, SRAM eTap or Campagnolo EPS).”
The Strada Due will sit alongside the Strada, which is available at the Team level as a frame or a complete bike, the Strada Pro. Aqua Blue will also have access to the new frame as they continue to race throughout Europe. Considering they won the King of the Mountain on a the 1x Strada at the Tour de Suisse the team will continue to use the 1x frame as conditions warrant.
For now, the Strada Due will be available as a Team level frameset in five sizes from XS-XL. At $3,800, the grey and black frame will be available later this month.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
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Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
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Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
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