3T Revo Aerobars – First Look
The first result of Gerard Vroomen’s tenure at 3T, the Revo rethinks traditional aerobar design by offering a shallow dropbar to grip while improving aerodynamics. If you’ve ever raced in...
The first result of Gerard Vroomen’s tenure at 3T, the Revo rethinks traditional aerobar design by offering a shallow dropbar to grip while improving aerodynamics.
If you’ve ever raced in the rain, tackled a tricky decent on your TT bike, or pedalled out of T1 with wet, slippery hands, you’ll appreciate how precarious it can feel holding onto regular aerobar bullhorns. It’s this traditional lack of control, security and comfort that the 3T Revo remedies.
Unlike the conventional bullhorn design, which originated at 3T in the mid 1980s for Francesco Moser’s World Hour Record bid, the Revo’s reverse grips ensure there’s no chance of your hands slipping forward off the bars.
This redesign gives a secure and comfortable position when descending or skimming over rougher roads and creates a more planted feel, allowing you to confidently take corners at speed. Meanwhile the bars’ stiffness also sharpens up handling when sprinting. While the grip shape has changed, the grips themselves remain in the same position as regular bullhorns so body position is unaffected.
Speaking of body position, the Revo follows 3T’s hallmark of excellent adjustability – a bike fitter and aero-tweaker’s dream. From bar stack height and pad angle to extension length, you can be sure of a comfy and fast cockpit set-up thanks to a variety of supplied bolts and spacers. This also includes a bridge mount to give a wider, supported pad set-up. There’s even an optional Xlab hydration system designed to fit specifically to the bridge.
The Revo Team features a carbon basebar with alloy cradles and extensions.
Stack height is adjusted with a selection of spacers, which slot neatly together.
This ingenious little bolt allows easy adjustment of extension length.
The neoprene pads keep forearms comfy in an aero tuck position.
The cradles have loads of adjustment options to get your bike fit spot on.
If you want an ultra-comfy wide pad, wide extension setup, the Revo has you covered.
With security, comfort and fit all ticked off the time trialist’s checklist, aerodynamics is naturally the other key factor to consider. 3T’s Realfast ethos means that the team puts its efforts into testing at realistic speeds in realistic conditions to mimic real-life riding conditions.
The result of the Revo’s testing confirmed that the increase in frontal area of the drops is offset by the improved aspect ratio of the basebar wing (the ratio between the length and thickness of the wing), meaning no aerodynamic penalty for the added control and security.
The internally routed basebar is made from unidirectional carbon for lightness, strength and beautiful looks. The Team and Team Stealth versions of the bar feature lightweight alloy extensions and cradles while the top-end Ltd edition comes with carbon extensions and pad cradles to shave a few grams for the most weight-conscious riders.