3T Racemax 2 Italia Gravel-Optimized Bike – SRAM RED AXS XPLR Wireless Drivetrain

Description

The 3T RaceMax 2 Italia Red AXS XPLR Bike sits at the far fast end of the gravel spectrum. This is not a bikepacking rig or an adventure machine. It is a race bike built for gravel events where the pace is high, the road is mostly fast, and speed matters as much as capability. 3T calls it “realfast gravel” — a design philosophy that refuses to treat aerodynamics and off-road capability as opposites. The RaceMax 2 Italia is the fullest expression of that thinking, and it is handmade entirely in Italy to prove it.

The frame is built using Jazz Carbon — 3T’s proprietary process combining filament winding with Resin Transfer Moulding. In conventional carbon construction, sheets of pre-impregnated fiber are laid up by hand and then cured. In the Jazz Carbon process, each individual filament is wound continuously and unbroken into the tube form, maintaining its full structural integrity throughout the frame. Once the dry carbon structure is complete, resin is injected under high pressure via RTM, filling every void uniformly. The result is a denser, more consistent layup than what hand-laid prepreg typically produces. The frame weighs 990 grams in a size medium — 1,050 grams with the integrated downtube storage compartment installed. The fork comes in at approximately 380 grams. Every frame is designed, built, and painted in 3T’s Presezzo factory in northern Italy, finished in Lechler paints across four signature colorways plus Project X and Ready-to-Paint options.

The aerodynamics of the RaceMax 2 Italia represent a 1.5% improvement over the original RaceMax despite accommodating wider tires — a meaningful gain given that the baseline was already an aero-optimized gravel frameset. The gains come from a redesigned head tube with a pronounced aerodynamic nose, a fork with shielded brake calliper bolts that keep airflow clean through the front end, and a variable-width downtube that runs 54mm at the top and widens to 75mm at the base to match the tire and bottle profiles below. The rear wheel cutout is precisely fitted to the tire shape with just enough mud clearance to stay functional in mixed conditions. Compared to the original RaceMax, the geometry has been completely rebuilt — not a single measurement carried over unchanged. Head tube angle is steeper, bottom bracket height is increased for stability on variable surfaces, and the chainstays shortened to 420mm across all four sizes for sharper handling.

The drivetrain is SRAM Red AXS XPLR E1 — the top-tier gravel groupset in SRAM’s lineup — paired with a 13-speed XG-1391 cassette running 10–46T. That range covers everything from sustained flat road effort to loose, steep gravel climbs without the mechanical complexity or weight penalty of a front derailleur. The crankset is SRAM Red XPLR E1 with an integrated power meter, running a 42T single chainring. The brake calipers are SRAM Red E1 hydraulic disc with SRAM Paceline X 160mm rotors. The wheels are Zipp 303 XPLR SW — the benchmark aero gravel wheel, designed specifically for wide tubeless tires, with a carbon construction optimized for the mixed surface demands this bike was designed for. The tires are Schwalbe G-One RS in 700×45, with frame clearance for up to 51mm WAM on 1x setups or 48mm with a 2x conversion.

The integrated features deserve attention. The downtube houses a built-in storage compartment fitted with a neoprene bag and Fidlock magnetic closure — accessible without stopping, designed to carry a tube, CO2, and a multitool without adding bag volume to the bike’s aero profile. The seatpost has a proprietary design with a built-in rear light system that runs off the frame without cables or separate charging. The headset is CeramicSpeed SLT — one of the lowest-friction bearing systems available, spec’d into the frame from the factory. The handlebar is the 3T Aeroghiaia Integrale LTD, their top-tier aero gravel bar, paired with a 3T More stem that includes a K-Edge GPS mount integrated into the design. The saddle is a Fizik Vento Argo R1 Light in 140mm — a short-nose race saddle that supports an aggressive pelvic tilt and aerodynamic position on long efforts.

Specs at a Glance

• Frame: Jazz Carbon — filament winding + RTM resin injection, made in Italy; 990g size M (1,050g with storage)
• Fork: 3T Fango RaceMax 2 Integrale with compact crown, ~380g size M
• Headset: CeramicSpeed SLT 44/33 (36/45°) / 52/42 (45/45°)
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM Red AXS XPLR E1
• Shifters / Levers: SRAM Red AXS E1
• Crankset: SRAM Red XPLR E1 with integrated power meter, 42T
• Cassette: SRAM Red XG-1391, 10–46T, 13-speed
• Brake Calipers: SRAM Red E1 hydraulic disc
• Rotors: SRAM Paceline X, 160mm
• Wheelset: Zipp 303 XPLR SW (front and rear)
• Tires: Schwalbe G-One RS, 700×45
• Max Tire Clearance: 51mm WAM (1x) / 48mm WAM (2x)
• Handlebar: 3T Aeroghiaia Integrale LTD
• Stem: 3T More with integrated K-Edge GPS mount
• Seatpost: 3T RaceMax 2 Italia with integrated rear light system
• Saddle: Fizik Vento Argo R1 Light, 140mm
• Bar Tape: 3T Prendo Speed
• Bottle Cages: 3T Carbon Front Load
• Chainstay Length: 420mm (all sizes)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Colors: Brezza, Ambra, Smeraldo, Rame, Project X

Design Benefits

1. Jazz Carbon manufacturing: Continuous unbroken filament winding followed by RTM resin injection produces a denser, more consistent layup than conventional prepreg hand-lay — and every frame is made in Italy.
2. 1.5% more aerodynamic than the original RaceMax: Despite wider tire clearance, the RaceMax 2 Italia is more aero than its predecessor, thanks to the head tube nose, shielded calliper bolts, and variable-width downtube designed around the tire and bottle profile.
3. 13-speed SRAM Red XPLR with integrated power meter: The widest gravel cassette range available in a top-tier groupset — 10–46T — with factory power measurement on a 1x setup that simplifies the drivetrain without compromising range.
4. Integrated storage and lighting: The downtube compartment with Fidlock closure and the seatpost-integrated rear light keep the bike clean and functional without adding external hardware to the aero profile.
5. Zipp 303 XPLR SW wheels: The category-standard aero gravel wheel, tubeless-ready, matched to the 700×45 Schwalbe G-One RS tires that ship on the bike.

Final Take

The 3T RaceMax 2 Italia Red AXS XPLR is for riders who approach gravel like a race. If your events involve long tarmac connectors, fast gravel roads, and a finish line, this is the bike that makes the most sense. The Jazz Carbon manufacturing, the Italian construction, the fully integrated drivetrain and lighting, and the Zipp 303 XPLR SW wheels add up to a system built around one idea: going faster. At $13,899, it is a complete, race-ready gravel machine with nothing left to upgrade.

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