The new bike with traditional 2X drivetrain that Aqua Blue Sport will ride in some races to replace the 1X 3T Strada that it currently rides in every race. It means the team will now have a 1X or a 2X bike to choose from.
Having endured more than a few mechanical issues using the 1X drivetrain on its 3T Strada aero road bike, Aqua Blue Sport will begin using a tradition 2X system.
The traditional set up will be used in select races when the team rides the new Strada DUE bike.
News that the Irish ProContinental team will now have the option to ride on the 1X or 2X systems comes after some tricky experiences with the 1X bike since the start of the season.
Those came to a head at the Tour de Suisse when one of the riders, Mark Christian, had a shot at stage victory only to experience a mechanical late in the day.
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He complained the incident was merely the latest in a series of problems with the bike.
Team owner Rick Delaney publicly apologised to Christian adding “the lab rat” – an apparent reference to the 1X bike – was now costing the team results.
Aqua Blue Sport is the only team using a 1X drivetrain system.
3T's new Strada DUE is effectively a 2X equipped version of 3T's Strada that the team has been riding since the start of the year.
3T has said the new 2X Strada DUE will be compatible with electronic shifting only. But it claims that with some minor exceptions it will be the same as the Strada.
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Top, the new 3T Strada DUE frame, for a 2X drivetrain. Above, the 1X 3T Strada Aqua Blue Sport is currently racing on. The Strada DUE is being introduced and the riders will now have the choice of using either bike, depending on the types of races they are riding.
In other words, the company is clinging to the idea the frame is much more aero than regular road bikes.
And it is also keen to assure cyclists the bike remains the first aero road bike optimized for wider tyres, of up to 30mm.
The changes that must come with the Strada DUE to facilitate the 2X drivetrain include a front derailleur mount and a port for an electric wire.
3T claimed the Strada DUE boasted “the same aero and comfort benefits as the original Strada, but designed for electronic 2x drivetrains”.
“Now you can enjoy that unique mix of a very stiff, aero frame and the plush ride of up to 30mm tires in combination with the 2x drivetrain of your choice,” Strada said in an email to customers.
“The Strada DUE will be used by Team Aqua Blue in select races. As you may know, we started working with Aqua Blue at the start of this season to see how far we could take 1x.
“It’s fair to say it’s gone further than most people expected, even winning a few king of the mountain competitions including last month at the Tour de Suisse. In other races, the riders would have preferred an extra gear.”
3T then drifted into some strange logic in trying to talk up the existing 1X while introducing the 2X Strada Due as a more suitable bike for some circumstances.
“Of course pro riders find themselves in a very specific situation, often going up mountains in a peloton surrounded by 100 riders with no choice but to ride the exact pace of those around them, not their own pace,” it said in its email to customers.
“In such a situation, where they can’t go their own pace, having that extra gear can be an advantage.
“It’s interesting to hear a pro say ‘when I retire, I’ll only ride 1x but right now, there are some races I would still like 2x for’.”
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