3T Exploro RaceMax Gravel Review

In the 3T family, ask for the Exploro RaceMax. The brand’s new Gravel bike that looks like a road bike, rides like a road bike, but shreds gravel like a mountain bike. And we immediately wondered why this latest-generation, high-end machine was available in a 27.5’’ configuration? Let’s quickly stop torturing our minds to find the answer, and in doubt, let’s immediately seize the opportunity offered by Viabike – this bike shop in Portugal with whom we quickly became friends during our holidays in Viana Do Castelo, in the northwest of this beautiful country. And who thus offered us a test ride for a few days on this supreme bike equipped with 650b wheels and a tire width of 52…

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: DR

Opening up to the unexpected is sometimes far from easy. And to be ready for a pleasant surprise, in addition to a good pair of eyes and a good dose of open-mindedness, you often need to be in the right place at the best possible time. But for once, we decided to abandon all our pre-set choices of premeditated encounters and discoveries to make room for random surprises. So, a double encounter with the friendliest bike shop during our holidays in Portugal and with the Italian bike brand 3T, which we rediscovered in a version we didn’t yet know…

=> SEE ALSO : 3T Strada Pro Test

The 3T brand

Initially, 3T was primarily a brand of components and peripherals. Then the brand also became a reference for bike frames. Today, it is synonymous with innovation. To name a few: aero frames, wide tires, wide rims, reduced head tube width, brake caliper mounting without adapters. In short, a whole series of innovations that paved the way for another cycling practice: Gravel.

The man behind 3T is well-known. It’s Gérard Vroomen. Once at Cervélo and also the founder of the Open brand, no less. So this isn’t his first attempt. A long time ago, he used to repeat to anyone who would listen that “Aero is everything“. The fact is that a little over ten years later, we are still there. And he took the opportunity to break many rules of good conduct. And at Viabike, they seem to like that: “thinking outside the box“.

In short, wide tires are good for comfort but also for performance. Starting on the road: “if my bike is comfortable, I’ll ride faster“. The 3T Strada, for example, is optimized for tires up to 30 mm in diameter on the road. Still not very common today, although we saw them on the last Tour de France, notably with Pogacar. As for the Exploro, you’ll see, it’s a fast road and Gravel bike that can do everything. The bike also seems to attract a lot of people. We had already heard about it in the corridors of Mohawks in Taverny in early spring. It’s also found on road sportives as well as on Gravel and also on long distances (Gravel or not). The Exploro Racemax is dedicated to gravel and, above all, it brings 27.5 wheels back into play, thus providing a lot of reactivity with an increased tire width.

And now, with this particular Gravel bike, we’ve reached a new stage. We can go beyond 60 mm in tire diameter. Yes, indeed! You read that right, over 60 mm. And even 61 mm to be precise, or 6.1 cm. Take your ruler and place it above your current tires. Done? There you go! It’s VERY wide. The brand’s promise is “The most extreme Gravel bike“. Does it work?

Viabike

Viabike is a bit of our favorite discovery of summer 2023. It’s the famous Portuguese shop that, through its owner Jose Viana and his right-hand man Rafael Correia, offered us this test ride in a completely friendly way, right after a discussion at the counter that had almost nothing to do with it. The shop is headquartered in Viana do Castelo, in the parish of Darque, along Estrada Nacional 13. The shop sells mid-to-high-end, even very high-end bikes, as well as other world-renowned equipment. All supported by a five-star sales and repair service… If you’re ever on holiday in the region north of Porto, make a detour, it’s worth it.

And now the 3T Exploro RaceMax

Now that the context is set and we know that it was after leaving a rather famous American brand more road-oriented in 2011 that Gérard Vroomen became interested in the old Italian component brand to then add frames and complete bikes to the catalog of wheels, seatposts, stems, and handlebars, it is the Gravel segment that will interest us in this article. Indeed, Gravel enthusiasts will remember that it was in 2016 that the first ideas for 3T’s new face as a bike brand were born when they rolled out the Exploro, written by Vroomen and oriented “off-road“. As obvious as Gérard Vroomen’s adoption of mountain biking and Gravel was, it was equally clear that he was not willing to abandon the fast aerodynamic design roots that made him famous at Cervélo.

The frame

Due to its profile and tube shapes, the new RaceMax is the most sculpted frame we have ever tested. From the curved seat tube to the down tube that widens from 46mm to 75mm to hide water bottles from the wind, aerodynamic cues abound throughout the bike. And as we hinted at the beginning of the article, the frame is designed to work with either 700c or 650b wheels. And in fact, before giving you more details, having room for big tires helps provide an opportunity for better handling.

Next, to help compensate for the height at the front, the RaceMax fork has a length of 370 mm (usually it’s more often 400) while leaving room for larger tires. And for disc mounting, it will be 160 mm, of course. For anyone wondering about the difference between the 3T Exploro and the Open WI.DE, which was long so dear to the brand’s boss before he took over 3T, the main distinction is that the former will accept a double chainring drivetrain and up to a 46-tooth large chainring as we have in our test configuration, while the latter is single-specific with a 42-tooth limit. Finally, for information, from XXS to 61, including 51, 54, 56, and 58, there are therefore six frame sizes for the Exploro RaceMax, each with size-specific tubes.

The groupset

Our test bike was equipped with a Sram Force AXS drivetrain using a 46-tooth large chainring and a 33-tooth small chainring, all mounted with 172.5 carbon cranks and an Eagle 12-speed 10-33 cassette. The bike finally rolled on a pair of Fulcrum Rapid Red 900 650b wheels with a 30 mm rim depth (with an internal width of 28 mm) mounted with XC-TRAIL GRAPHENE 2.0 tires in 27.5×2.1, thus 52 mm in diameter. The other hard parts were all 3T branded in-house, with a frame-specific seatpost and an Aeroflux handlebar mounted on a 3T stem with an inverted-mount faceplate.

How did we choose this tire diameter?

The choice of tires on this bike was an important decision. Especially for the use we wanted to make of it. We are in a seaside region where sand is abundant. So it wasn’t just for riding on tracks and trails; we also wanted to ride on the beaches of the north of this beautiful country. And also to venture onto the large rocks in the hinterland. In this case, the right tire choice can make all the difference. It affects essential aspects such as comfort, performance, and balance on the terrains we had chosen to explore. That’s why the idea of a 650b wheel instead of the traditional 700, thus allowing for much larger tires (52 in my case compared to 32 on my personal Gravel bike), was the one that Jose, the owner of Viabike, encouraged me to accept. We thus developed together a very unique configuration that would prove to be the most beautiful discovery of summer 2023.

Generally, the most balanced Gravel tire has a diameter of 700 mm (the most common size for road wheels) and a width or volume of 32 to 40 mm. It should also have a tread with a rolling profile and some knobs. This allows for good grip without losing the feeling that the bike moves with agility with each pedal stroke. A good combination for trails and tracks, but without giving up asphalt.

On the other hand, most Gravel cyclists, like mountain bikers, opt for tubeless tires. This system, as we saw in a previous article, prevents punctures and allows you to ride with low pressures, as the risks of blowouts or pinch flats are minimized. This allows for better grip and greater lightness. This was therefore our case…

While the ideal Gravel tire width is the subject of much debate, we let Viabike convince us this time. Indeed, there is a wide range of sizes, also due to the versatile and multifunctional nature of bikes and the routes we take. And to establish an intermediate or reference point: the standard size for a Gravel tire would be 700×40 mm. This would be the same diameter as a road bike, which reinforces its rolling qualities. But on the other hand, the fact that the section is 40 mm would offer a good base or good ground contact, without being an excessive drag. And from there, you can also choose to increase or vary the dimensions depending on the routes you plan to take, but also on your riding style or the tire clearance the bike itself allows. And for this time, as the bike allows it, we chose 52…

52mm width & 650b Diameter

Here, I’d say we’re entering the Gravel+ category, which allows us to tackle very technical sections or trails with an irrefutable condition: our wheels had to be 650B. 52 mm is a size that can be equivalent to a narrow MTB tire for you to realize (2 – 2.10″). This is suitable for Gravel routes with very technical sections, descents, and some trial passages, also called Gravel+. And in this case, as we did, it is highly recommended that the tires be tubeless to contain the weight increase and achieve maximum performance at low pressure (between 1.5 and 2 bars).

Finally, while Gravel has adopted the standard road diameter (700C), in our test we returned to an intermediate diameter (650B) that reigned supreme on mountain bikes 10 years ago. Both have their own strengths. The 700C: in inches, this is equivalent to 28″. It’s a size more focused on flat and rolling terrain, more stable at high speeds, and associated with tire widths between 32 and 45 mm, approximately. The 650B diameter is equivalent to a 27.5-inch wheel. A size that has therefore benefited from the growth of Gravel to make its comeback. The 650B or equivalent to 27.5″ wheels was introduced into Gravel as more robust and radical bikes were created, as in the case of this marvel we tested with elements inherited from mountain biking. After this test, this is the wheel diameter we recommend for technical routes, with curves, narrow trails, and obstacles. A 650B wheel is more responsive, quicker to react, and more agile.

In use

Just like with dual-sport motorcycles, a popular criticism arises… implying that despite the desire for this type of Gravel bike to perform well in sand, mud, dirt, and cobblestone environments, they are limited in truly being capable in each context independently. Except that for us, the new Exploro RaceMax is one of the few Gravel bikes we have tested that was truly capable of notable performance on all surfaces. There are still a few nuances to consider, mainly between tires and gears… Around our occasional environment, which was that of this magnificent seaside resort of Viana Do Castelo, everything is set up for this bike to be fully utilized. Large rocks in the mountains, lots of sand, roads with large deformed cobblestones damaged by the weight of agricultural machinery, jerky bumps, very tight turns, arduous gradients, series of deep ruts. And all these elements would have made our lives difficult with any other bike than this 3T Exploro RaceMax. Moreover, these famous wide tires brought excessively appreciable comfort to the frame, which is itself very rigid.

Finally, even for the steepest sections we climbed (sometimes beyond 20% for a few meters), the gear range offered (46-33 at the front and 10-35 at the rear) allowed for pain-free pedaling, with the AXS shifters providing ultra-fast and precise gear changes. On descents, the 46 × 10 high gear easily reached speeds over 50 km/h. In terms of handling, this is the only drawback. Indeed, the 3T raised some doubts for me. In the dirt, the front geometry made the bike a bit unstable in my opinion, especially on winding and tight sections. And where the massive tires shone off-road, on the road, they made fast cornering a bit difficult, sometimes requiring extra counter-steering space to achieve the type of turn I would have had with a thinner tire. In my (short) list of nitpicks, I would include the inverted seatpost clamp, which makes adjustment difficult with a multi-tool. And finally, another positive detail, I have the impression that the rear triangle is designed to simultaneously improve aerodynamic efficiency and tire clearance.

The verdict

Regarding the Gravel category, we cannot think of another brand that has pushed the concept as far as 3T. And of course, as difficult as it may be for each of us to gain real benefits from the aerodynamic advantages integrated into the RaceMax. The least we can say is that Vroomen’s bikes have brought new energy not only to the 3T brand but to the Gravel market itself. And I emphasize here the very tangible advantages of a performance-oriented bike that is as capable off-road as it is on-road – truly, all with just a simple tire change.

I had already discovered it earlier this year with the Santiago AL from Officine Mattio, but there really is something magical and fun about varying terrains during a bike ride, and this Gravel bike loaned by Viabike is another perfect example of that. Moreover, its road bike geometry makes it the fastest Gravel bike I’ve ridden to date, while remaining extremely capable on demanding routes. So, if you’re looking to do particularly difficult rides or rides that commit you to durations similar to ultra-endurance formats, the RaceMax is the bike for you. In fact, we tested it with 52mm tubeless tires, but as we wrote above, it even accommodates tires up to 61mm! The aerodynamics are so well-engineered that even with these large knobs, we managed to overtake road bikes on the road.

Finally, with its compact geometry and sleek design (internal cable routing and integrated seat clamp), the RaceMax is an aero Gravel bike that allows for spectacular accelerations while maintaining impeccable grip on all surfaces. With this configuration, 3T has succeeded in creating a bike that gives the same sensations as a road bike. The same responsiveness on accelerations and at startup. But which can, at the same time, absorb the steepest climbs and the most winding descents as if we had a high-end mountain bike between our legs. In short, this 3T Exploro RaceMax in its Max version is the pleasant surprise of this summer 2023, and now, all that remains is to test it one day in its Race version, and therefore with 700c wheels…

=> SEE ALSO : All our Gear Tests