New adventure gravel bike is designed for all-road ultra-endurance events
3T has announced the Extrema Italia, a category-blurring, aerodynamically optimised adventure gravel bike.
Slotting in next to the RaceMax Italia (a version of its Exploro RaceMax produced in Italy) in 3T’s line-up, the Extrema Italia is said to be built for “the toughest race courses and fast adventures”.
Though it has a similarly shaped carbon frame to the RaceMax Italia, 3T says the Extrema Italia incorporates features aimed at making it more capable for endurance and adventure cycling.
These include a more relaxed geometry, mounts for bikepacking bags, dropper seatpost compatibility and clearance for up to 57mm-wide tyres on 700c or 29in wheels.
3T says the latter means riders can obtain similar levels of grip as on cross-country mountain bikes, but with a more aerodynamic rider position.
The choice is yours
While it may seem something of an oxymoron to produce an aerodynamically optimised bike designed to be laden with luggage, 3T says the Extrema Italia is built primarily with versatility in mind.
It can be an adventure bike capable of slowing down and enjoying the scenery one day, then a go-fast racing machine the next.
According to 3T, the Extrema Italia’s “3Touring geometry… guarantees increased comfort relative to the Racemax” but still sits within what 3T would describe as “performance” gravel geometry.
| Size | 51cm | 54cm | 56cm | 58cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended rider height (cm) | 157-171 | 168-180 | 176-186 | 183-195 |
| Stack (mm) | 547 | 570 | 590 | 610 |
| Reach (mmm) | 358 | 368 | 376 | 384 |
| Head tube length (mm) | 142 | 158 | 175 | 196 |
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 69.1 | 70.5 | 71.5 | 72 |
| Bottom bracket drop (mm) | 79 | 76 | 76 | 74 |
| Seat tube angle (degrees) | 73.5 | 73.4 | 73.4 | 73.4 |
| Seat tube length (mm) | 466 | 491 | 521 | 549 |
| Top tube length (mm) | 529 | 547 | 561 | 575 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1,044 | 1,036 | 1,040 | 1,050 |
| Front centre (mm) | 620 | 612 | 617 | 626 |
| Chainstay length (mm) | 437 | 437 | 437 | 437 |
Though there are no mounts on the seatstays or chainstays, 3T has included triple mounts on the fork legs for attaching relevant accessories.
Aside from its big tyre clearances – which 3T says enables the use of 29er mountain bike tyres in sizes 2.1 to 2.2in – the Extrema Italia also has a round seatpost to enable the use of dropper or suspension seatposts.
This, 3T says, helps it perform better on more technical trails and off-road descents.
The rest of the frameset is aerodynamically optimised, with large truncated aerofoil tube shapes used throughout.
This combination of aerodynamic efficiency and off-road capability makes it perfect for all-road ultra-distance events, according to 3T.
Genre-blurring builds
As you might expect, the three build specifications for the 3T Extrema Italia are designed to lean into its ‘extreme’ intentions.
This sees SRAM AXS wireless electronic groupsets in a mullet configuration (a combination of drop-bar shifters with mountain bike gearing) on all builds, with chunky, 700x50c Continental Race King tyres on carbon gravel bike wheels and a two-piece 3T aero cockpit.
Prices start at £6,697 / $7,799 / €7,299 for a build featuring a mix of SRAM Rival eTap AXS and SRAM GX Eagle Transmission AXS, paired with Zipp 303 S wheels.
The flagship build costs £9,625 / $11,599 / €10,499 and gets a mix of SRAM Force AXS and SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission AXS, along with 3T’s Discus 45|40 LTD wheels.
The two higher-priced builds also feature a Rockshox Reverb AXS XPLR wireless dropper post.
The Extrema Italia frameset uses SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH), with all builds getting SRAM’s direct-mount Eagle Transmission rear derailleurs.
Both builds feature 1x drivetrains, with the option to upgrade the stock SRAM Rival crankset to a 3T Torno Wide alternative – an updated version of 3T’s existing Torno LTD carbon crankset.
It will also be possible to purchase the 3T Extrema Italia as a frameset, which includes the frame, fork, cockpit and a standard 3T carbon seatpost. Frameset prices start from £4,593 / $5,499 / €4,999.
The frame is designed for electronic groupsets only, meaning there’s no compatibility with the new range of 12-speed, mechanical Shimano GRX groupsets.
There are no builds with 11-speed Shimano GRX Di2 either, but 3T says the frameset can accept a front derailleur mount and a GRX Di2 (or SRAM AXS) front derailleur.
This indicates compatibility with Shimano’s electronic groupsets will be an option, although it notes that using a front derailleur reduces rear tyre clearance somewhat.
3T says an unpainted Extrema Italia frame weighs 1,090g in a size 54cm, while the fork weighs 420g. Claimed weights for complete builds were not available.
3T Extrema Italia SRAM Force D2 / XX SL Eagle Transmission AXS 1×12
- Price: £9,625 / $11,599 / €10,499
- Frameset: 3T Extrema Italia Integrale
- Drivetrain: SRAM Force D2 / XX SL Eagle Transmission AXS with 3T Torno Wide crankset
- Wheelset: 3T Discus 45|40 LTD Carbon Ti hubs
- Tyres: Continental Race King, 700x50c
- Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR 27.2mmm, 350mm long (travel 50mm)
- Handlebar: 3T Aeroghiaia Integrale LTD
- Stem: 3T More integrale
- Saddle: San Marco Shortfit
- Claimed weight: Not given
3T Extrema Italia SRAM Rival / GX Eagle Transmission AXS 1×12 (with 3T Torno Wide crank and Rockshox Reverb dropper post)
- Price: £7,612 / $9,199 / €7,299
- Frameset: 3T Extrema Italia Integrale
- Drivetrain: SRAM Rival / GX Eagle Transmission AXS with 3T Torno Wide crankset
- Wheelset: Zipp 303 S
- Tyres: Continental Race King, 700x50c
- Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR 27.2mmm, 350mm long (travel 50mm)
- Handlebar: 3T Aeroghiaia Integrale LTD
- Stem: 3T More integrale
- Saddle: San Marco Shortfit
- Claimed weight: Not given
3T Extrema Italia SRAM Rival / GX Eagle Transmission AXS 1×12
- Price: £6,697 / $7,799 / €7,299
- Frameset: 3T Extrema Italia Integrale
- Drivetrain: SRAM Rival / GX Eagle Transmission AXS
- Wheelset: Zipp 303 S
- Tyres: Continental Race King, 700x50c
- Seatpost: 3T Carbon 27.2 round seatpost, zero offset
- Handlebar: 3T Aeroghiaia Integrale LTD
- Stem: 3T More integrale
- Saddle: San Marco Shortfit
- Claimed weight: Not given
3T Extrema Italia frameset
- Price: From £4,593 / $5,499 / €4,999
- Frameset: 3T Extrema Italia Integrale
- Seatpost: 3T Carbon 27.2 round seatpost, zero offset
- Handlebar: 3T Aeroghiaia Integrale LTD
- Stem: 3T More integrale