Looks like we have another update from the UCI for their approved frames list. This round sees multiple brands get their first bikes approved.
Right at the top of the list is the new 3T Strata. This aero road bike was recently announced by the Italian brand, and features aerodynamic treatments with wider tire clearance and a lack of a mount for a front derailleur. This is sure to make SRAM happy, as they have been campaigning the death of the front derailleur, but the idea hasn’t exactly taken hold in the road world yet. The frame is optimized to run wider tires, making it a more comfortable, and possibly more capable bike. Removal of the front derailleur makes the bike more aerodynamic by not having the front mech hanging out in the wind. 3T claims that even with a 2×11 drive train, you only have 14 unique, usable gears. Moving to a 1×11, you can still run a pretty wide range of gears, but from experience, you do tend to lose a little top end or bottom end, depending on how you set up your gearing.
Czech brand Festka also added with Spectre and Spectre Track frames to the list. If the bike looks familiar, it is because it was previously known as the One RS. They shortened the head tube and chain stays, yet lengthened the wheelbase.
Another Italian brand, Gios, adds their Aero Lite road frame, and Aero Master Time Trial frames. Each bike is their top of the line race machine in full carbon. Australian brand, Johnson Bicycles adds their Cavalier road frame. This full carbon race machine has similar geometry to their Esquire line, but adds aerodynamic touches.
One of our favorite brands, Van Dessel, adds their Motivus Maximus road frame in both rim and disc brake variants. We reviewed the previous version of the bike back in 2015 and found it to be a very capable and dynamic bike. A new version was released earlier this year, and raced successfully by the CCB/Velotooler and Mellow Mushroom teams. We’ll have the new Motivus Maximus and Full Tilt Boogie cyclocross bike coming into the East Coast service course in the next few months.
February Frames And Wheels
March Frames and Wheels
More March Frames
More March Wheels
April Frames
More April Frames
May Wheels
May Frames
June Frames
July Frames
Early August Wheels
3T Cycling
Strata – Four sizes from S-XL
Approved 8/15/17 – 3T-STR-RD
Festka
Spectre – Twelve sizes from 50-61
Approved 8/10/17 – FEST-SPRD-RD
Spectre Track – Eight sizes from 51.5-60.5
Approved 8/10/17 – FEST-SPTR-TR
Gios
Aero Lite – Five sizes from 48-56
Approved 8/11/17 – GIOS-AERL-RD
Aero Master – Four sizes from 46.1-52.2
Approved 8/18/17 – GIOS-AERM-TT
Johnson Bicycles
Cavalier – Seven sizes from 45-58
Approved 8/10/17 – JOHN-CAV-RD
Van Dessel
Motivus Maximus Rim and Disc – Six sizes from 48-60
Approved 8/16/17 – VADE-MMAX-RD
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
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