Back in June 2020, the name of our newest gravel bike depended on which wheels you took home. With 700c wheels, it was the Exploro Race. With 650b wheels and bigger tires, it was the Exploro Max. Same frame, two builds, two ideas about how to spend a Saturday. If you’ve ever wondered where the name Racemax came from, there it is.
Six years on, there’s a new detail on the top tube. Look closely. There’s a + after Racemax.
How we got from Race and Max to ² and +
In 2021, the first Racemax ITALIA frames came out of our factory in Presezzo, just outside Bergamo. At the time, the frames we made in Italy shared their design with our frames made in Asia. Put the two side by side and you’d recognize the same bike. How the carbon took shape inside those tubes was a different story. In Presezzo, we could develop the frame and the process for making it together
Over the next few years, each side of the family picked up a name that told you something about the bike. In 2023, the Racemax ITALIA went Integrale, taking the cables completely out of sight.
In 2024, we began painting our frames made in Asia at our own facility in Montello, near Bergamo. That’s when the Racemax became the Racemax WPNT. The name says what we do there. We Paint.
Then, in 2025, we went back to the drawing board for the Racemax² ITALIA. Everything from the front end to the shape of the rear triangle was up for reconsideration. The little ² marked a new generation. This year, that generation gains the Racemax² ITALIA X, with exposed carbon that lets you follow the path of the fibers we wind in Presezzo. Read the story of the Racemax² ITALIA.
For the Racemax+ WPNT, we started with a different question. What do people love about the original Racemax, and what would we change for the way they ride it today? We wanted to keep the recognizable silhouette and the feeling that makes you pick up the pace the moment the pavement ends. We also wanted room for today’s tires, a better chance of finding your fit, and a price that put the bike within reach of more people.
That’s why we’re introducing the +. Where the ² marks a new generation, the + marks a substantial evolution of a design that still has plenty of riding ahead of it.
More room where it counts
On the first Exploro Race and Exploro Max, wheel choice told you a lot about the ride you had in mind. Today, riders are lining up for fast gravel races on 700c tires wide enough that, a few years ago, they might have reached for the 650b wheels. Smaller changes matter, too. A little more tire volume can let you ease off the pressure for a washboard descent and still enjoy the fast miles on the way home.
We optimized the aerodynamics of the Racemax+ WPNT for 700c tires measuring 38 to 48 mm wide. With a 1× drivetrain, there’s room for a tire up to 51 mm wide, with a maximum wheel radius of 363 mm. With a 2× drivetrain, the maximum width is 48 mm. Those are actual dimensions with the tire mounted on the rim. That’s what we mean by WAM (Width As Measured) and RAM (Radius As Measured). The number printed on the sidewall only tells part of the story.
You can see how we made use of that space by looking at the bike from the side. The seat tube still follows the curve of the rear tire closely, one of the easiest ways to recognize a Racemax from across the road. Up front, the down tube starts narrow behind the front wheel, then widens to shelter the bottles you’ll be carrying on an actual ride.
Six sizes, and a closer look at the ride
The Racemax+ WPNT comes in six sizes, from XS through XXL. Offering that choice matters on a bike built to go fast. You want a position you can settle into for the better part of a day, including the last few miles when somebody inevitably decides it’s a race.
Compared with the previous Racemax WPNT, both stack and reach grow by 3 mm on every size except XS. The changes you’ll feel most clearly on the move are at the wheels. The 425 mm chainstays and increased fork offset help the bike hold its line on loose ground. A steeper head angle keeps the steering responsive when you spot a better line halfway through a corner.
More riders
Carbon gravel bikes are exclusive by nature. We believe the gravel culture we’ve helped build should be open to everyone. For that to mean something, it has to show up in the price of a bike.
We designed the Racemax+ WPNT in Italy and focused on the essentials for fast gravel, leaving out extras like in-frame storage. Our manufacturing partners in Asia produce the frame in prepreg carbon. From there, it goes to Montello, where we paint each frame and assemble every complete bike.
Those choices put the Racemax+ WPNT within reach of more riders. As you’d expect, it’s more affordable than the bikes in our ITALIA and ITALIA X ranges. What might surprise you is how it compares with the bike it grew out of. In Italy, the Racemax+ WPNT costs about €1,000 less than the previous Racemax WPNT with a comparable build.
Choose your build
If you like the feel of a mechanical shift, the Shimano GRX 1×12 build pairs a 12-speed drivetrain with Fulcrum LITE GR wheels. Prefer electronic shifting? The SRAM Rival XPLR AXS 1×13 comes with a choice of wheels. Go with the Fulcrum LITE GR or step up to our 3T Discus 40|30 carbon wheels.
There’s one more option thanks to our dealers. They asked for a SRAM Force XPLR 1× build, so we added one. Ask your 3T dealer about ordering it.
If you already know exactly what you want to ride, you can start with the frameset. The 3T Semi-Integrale system conceals up to three cables and works with mechanical 1× or electronic 1× and 2× drivetrains. The frame also uses a Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH).
Pick your color. Find your stretch of gravel.
The Racemax+ WPNT comes in Foresta Green, Vela Beige, and Quarzo Grey, all painted in Montello. Where you take yours is up to you. Maybe you’ve picked a race and circled the date. Maybe there’s a stretch of gravel on your usual loop where one friend always goes early, and next time you’d like to be on their wheel. We had both rides in mind.
The Racemax+ WPNT. Built to go fast. For everyone who wants to.