It was the most talked about bike of 2017 and has seemingly kept that title so far in 2018. That bike, of course, is the 3T Strada.
The creation of Cervélo co-founder Gerard Vroomen, the Strada is a bike that does away with tradition and follows its own rules.
While it has been received like Marmite it has certainly created headlines with Vroomen even stating, 'if I wanted a normal reception I’d have made a boring bike.'
Buy your Cyclist Track Day tickets here
Image 2 of 14
So what's so different about the 3T Strada?
Well the frame has incorporated many trends more regularly seen on 'all-road bikes' such as room for wide 28mm tyres, disc brakes and most importantly a 1x drivetrain.
This was all conceived in a bid to remain aerodynamic and comfortable. Doing away with a front derailleur helps with cleaner airflow around the bottom bracket while the wider tyres offer a more supple ride without affecting rolling speed.
The big 'but' that surrounds this revolutionary frame however is the question of limited gear selection. 1x cuts the number of gears at your disposal into half which causes a Catch 22.
Image 3 of 14
You can either choose a cassette with smoother jumps between gears with a limited overall range or a good range that has you constantly searching for the right gear half way up the block.
While 3T has gone some way in addressing this with the 9-26 plus a 32 'bailout' gear cassette, the jury will remain out for quite some time.
Luckily, you can become part of that jury at the Cyclist Track Days in which the 3T Strada will be among the fleet of top road bikes on offer to test at four events across three purpose-built tracks.
Held this Spring, you will get the chance to test the Strada among other bikes from the likes of BMC, Canyon, Bianchi, Cannondale, Specialized and many more.
Also on the day, ticket holders will be treated to a hot lunch, a Cyclist goody bag and most importantly unlimited cycling. There will also be members of the Cyclist editorial and experts from the brands on site to talk you through the technical aspects of the bikes.
Buy your Cyclist Track Day tickets here
Cyclist Track Days 2018
Saturday 14th April: Lee Valley Velopark, London
Sunday 15th April: Lee Valley Velopark, London
Sunday 29th April: Castle Combe, Wiltshire
Sunday 20th May: York Sport Village, Yorkshire
