3T Exploro Racemax Ekar 1x13

If you were wanting to get a bit more comfort over rockier terrain, then you have plenty of space to work with.The 3T Exploro Racemax Ekar 1x13 is a great gravel bike option for those who are looking to go fast on untechnical terrain. The handling is great for high-speed stability, there is plenty of comfort, and the generous tyre clearances make it suitable for rougher terrain too.

Buy 3T Exploro Racemax Ekar for £4,999 from eBay 

Taking the RaceMax out for the first time, it was easy to see this as a strong option for keen gravel racers and those who like to ride long on untechnical, faster gravel. Get this thing going on a long, straight and decently surfaced stretch of gravel and you're going to be rewarded with speed and stability.

Flying along the wide and open tracks around Salisbury Plain highlighted everything that is good about this bike. The geometry allowed me to get into a position that is very close to my road race bike, and seeing as most aero drag is caused by your body, it's crucial to be able to adopt an aero riding position if you're looking to go fast.

A few rides around the Plain's perimeter path left me with no doubt where this bike belongs. It is incredibly happy to sit at a good cruising speed for mile after mile, and the faster you go the better the bike gets.

If you were wanting to get a bit more comfort over rockier terrain, then you have plenty of space to work with.

Handling

Turning the bike onto some of the more technical trails around me and it wasn't as at home. The handling is just a bit on the slow side for it to really be able to whip through tight corners, but that is the trade-off for the excellent planted feel at higher speeds.

I felt as though the front wheel was way out in front of me, which is a marked difference to the way the Specialized Crux that I tested back in March felt on technical trails.

But while the bike isn't as capable in tight corners as something like the Crux, it is a dream to point into a high-speed corner. The bike tracks really well and the composure of the ride means you can simply sail through bends without getting rattled around.

So in terms of where the handling excels, this is definitely one for faster, more open gravel roads rather than tight trails.

Groupset

I really like the look of Campagnolo's Ekar and for gravel riding it works well, but not perfectly. The braking is brilliant, with a progressive feel and plenty of control, but I didn't get on with the thumb shifter.

Let's start with some of the good stuff. The shifting, on the road and gravel, is very crisp and accurate across the wide-range cassette.

As it's a 1x groupset (just one chainring), the 9-tooth smallest sprocket means that, when it's paired with the 38T chainring, you get plenty of gear to push against on road and faster gravel sections.

At the other end of the cassette, the 42T was easily low enough to get me up the steeper gravel climbs in my area, and the jumps between all the sprockets never left me feeling like I was in between gears.

The one annoying feature of the groupset comes thanks to Campagnolo's insistence on sticking with a thumb shifter to actuate changes to a harder gear. For me, the shape of the Ekar thumb paddle is completely wrong. Okay, so it does give you slightly better access with your hands in the drops than the road models, but it looks ugly to my mind and sits awkwardly when you've got your hands on the hoods.

While the groupset is, in general, very good, if it was a choice between this and Shimano GRX, I'd pick Shimano's offering just because of that annoying Ekar thumb paddle.

Finishing kit

At the front end, you've got a carbon 3T bar offering a lovely position in the drops that really inspires confidence when descending on technical trails.

It's also quite a comfortable front end, which is always nice, and that is despite the fact that this test bike came with relatively narrow 35mm tyres, though there's clearance for much wider.

I had to swap out the stock stem and replace it with a 120mm unit I had in the parts box to get my fit. That was the only change I made.

I really like the Fizik Argo fitted to our test bike. It's actually the first Fizik saddle I've been able to use, so it's nice to not have to swap one out for once.

Cable routing

While we're around the front end and finishing kit, I do want to address the routing of the brake hoses.

These loop up beside the stem and are then routed through the top of the top tube, which I don't think is the most elegant way of doing things. It is something 3T has done for a while and I really wish it would pack it in.

Wheels

This bike is rolling on a set of Campagnolo Levante hoops, though the stock model comes with a 700c Fulcrum Rapid Red 900 wheelset.

Jamie Williams is presently testing a set of Levante wheels, so I won't say too much, but I think these are some of the best gravel wheels on the market.

Tyres

On those wheels are 700x35mm Vittoria Terreno Dry tubeless tyres. They are ideal for the fast straights where the 3T excels, thanks to their slick central tread.

I'd have liked something a touch wider, however, just for a bit more comfort and while they do well over dry roots and rocks, they're not the best when the rain starts to fall. If you're mixing your gravel riding with lots of road miles, then these are a great option.

Value

It's a great bike to ride, and it does pretty well on value compared with rivals.

The closest stock build to our test bike that I can see comes in at £4,999, featuring Fulcrum wheels rather than the Campagnolo Levante hoops you see here.

If you're dead set on an aero gravel bike, the Ridley Kanzo Fast is £4,909. We're still trying to get one in for testing, but it is proving tricky. But if you're going by the spec sheet, it looks to score slightly worse in terms of value as you get the lower-spec Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 wheels rather than the Exploro's 900.

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You'd also do well to take a look at the Lauf Seigla Weekend Warrior, which Jamie tested for our sister site off.road.cc in May. That came in at £4,180 with a SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset.

I'd also throw the Specialized Crux into the ring because I found the ride addictive when I tested the £11,700 S-Works Crux earlier in the year. But even the Specialized Crux Expert with SRAM Rival eTap AXS costs a stonking £6,300.

Conclusion

This is a very good bike, though whether it's the best choice for you will depend largely on the sort of gravel that you ride. If you have endless stretches of open and well-graded gravel locally, or that's what you tend to head for, you're looking at the ideal bike. For tighter, twistier stuff there are better options out there.

Verdict

Fast on the open stuff and very stable at speed – this is a great gravel race bike