RIDER PROFILE - UCI/Gravel Earth Series/Life Time Grand Prix-style racer aiming beyond champagne gravel, chasing speed and performance on every ride.
DESIGNED FOR - Races and rides where every watt counts and the scenery is only noticed when watching the recap.
COMPARED TO - Evolved from the Racemax ITALIA, every feature has been refined to the next level: tyre clearance up to 51 mm WAM, updated geometry, integrated downtube storage, and rear light system.
The gravel scene is evolving rapidly. No sooner are bikes with 'forward thinking' geometries and tyre clearances launched, they are out of date and companies are left scrabbling to catch up with the market evolution.
Not 3T.
To be fair, this is largely becasue they are truly gravel (gravel-aero) focused, which means their attention is squarely on the scene. Coupled wth a range that is broad and deep when it comes to niches, 3T have been at the front of the pack for a while. BUT - even better, their in-house production also means they are more nimble than many, and able to react quickly to changes in demand.
Within the 3T lineup, the Racemax² Italia represents the most race-oriented gravel bike, built to perform at its best on fast and smooth surfaces.
Its geometry stays true to the principles of "realfast gravel", an ideal balance between performance and comfort that allows every racer to maintain peak efficiency for longer. Compared to the first-generation Racemax Italia, handling has been refined with a steeper head angle, stability enhanced through a bigger bottom bracket drop and revised fork offset, while responsiveness benefits from shorter 420 mm chainstays.
Featuring new geometry with increased tyre clearance up 6mm to 51mm WAM, integrated downtube storage and a rear light housed inside the seatpost.
The new Racemax Italia is Made in Italy, with Jazz Carbon.
Those who waded through my descriptions of last seasons bikes will appreciate that the technology behind the frame construction of the latest Racemax has not changed - it now simply has a name. JAZZ.
Mmmm. Niiice. (For those of you of a certain age!)
To save too much tedium, in a nutshell, JAZZ Carbon is 3T's proprietary combination of dry carbon fibre wound automatically using a filament winding technique, followed by resin application through Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM).
The processes allow 3T to control fibre placement for optimal strength and stiffness. 3T developed its own filament winding machine, which can wind fibres at zero degrees, a feat that others can't achieve, ensuring better stiffness. In addition, different fibres can be woven into the frame, enabling customisation based on customer preferences, including drivetrain choice.
The technique is dry, with resin is added later, reducing waste compared to traditional methods like pre-preg, which involves pre-impregnated fibres that limit flexibility and cause waste. The process is combined with Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), which injects resin after the fibres are placed, creating a cleaner, more consistent surface and improving product strength. By separating the resin and fibre, 3T can tailor each for specific needs, speeding up curing times and lowering temperatures.
Overall, filament winding automates 90% of fibre placement, reducing both material waste and energy consumption significantly.
The key changes on the new Racemax2 were - as you might expect - driven by tyre width. For 3T this is not a problem, as their philosophy centres on tyre width and the aero you build around it.
Since the launch of the first Racemax in 2020, tyre trends have shifted towards wider profiles.
The Racemax2 Italia now accommodates tyres with a real width of up to 51 mm (Width-as-Measured) with 1x setups and up to 48 mm with 2x configurations. Cocurrent with the wider tyres are changes to the geometries to both accommodate and counter the positional changes that result, in order to keep the platform Fast, balanced and confidence inspiring. In fact, despite wider tube profiles and wider tyres, the new Racemax is actually a solid 1.5% faster than the chassis it replaces. This improvement comes from even cleaner lines and details, such as a 'nose' on the narrow headtube and front caliper bolts shielded by a cover plate.
At the front end,the Racemax2 frameset is supplied with the MORE Integrale system in partnership with Superghiaia Integrale LTD bar. TheMORE Integrale allows the exact same headtube shape for internal and external cables for a svelte look and gives you all the benefits without the drawbacks. Aside from being able to spec your choice of any 3T Integrale bar and its width, as well as stem length at point of order, the system allows for small height adjustments (and future stem length changes) without disconnecting or resizing the brake hoses.
For those that seek adventure further afield, the MORE stem can be removed completely for travel without the need to disconnect the brake hoses and it is compatible with 1x & 2x Sram and Shimano electronic groupsets or 1x mechanical groupsets. All this and the MORE stem also comes supplied with a dedicated K-Edge GPS Mount too.
The icing on the cake though, is the provision of a CeramicSpeed SLT Bearing (Solid Lube Technology) headset. Essentially this means you will never have to replace the headset, saving money and time long term on servicing which, with a normal bearing, requires the removal and re-bleeding of the brakes in order to replace the bearings.
Faster and more adept than ever, the RACEMAX2 features cleaner lines courtesy of the bolt cover plate as mentioned, and enclosed thru-axles. The design is further enhanced by two new integration features:
The downtube houses a storage compartment (made of carbon, not plastic) that shields tools and tubes from the elements, with a wide opening and a secure and stable Fidlock closure to avoid chatter.
Secondly the seatpost now integrates a practical rear light, perfectly aligned with the frame’s design to enhance aero. This is removable and a cover is supplied for those looking to load the back with bags. If you're not - the light is not just a token effort - it is very bright and will keep you visible to your competitors through the dust you kick up as you send it into the distance.
If you are all about speed and have no need of downtube storage, the Racemax Frames are also available built without the storage. Please get in touch if this is your preference. Lead times are the same regardless of variant.
Suffice to say that the RaceMax2 Italia is the bike for you if you want road bike speed both on and off road, enhanced through proprietary manufacturing that delivers best in class reactiveness and handling and built using the company's latest refinements of their REALFAST aerodynamics: rear wheel cut out, narrow headtube, bottle shielding downtube and aero profile tubing all round!