3T Revo (225) Integrated aerobars review
With the new M-shape Revo bar, 3T have flipped the design of the base bar grips so that you hold them behind the wing section rather than in front. This has two benefits according to 3T. First, your hands can’t slip forward off the grips. Second, the steeper angle of attack of the wing sections gives them a greater ‘apparent aerodynamic aspect ratio’ than they really have, which is a way of squeezing more from the UCI’s 3:1 airfoil shape limit that applies to pro road cycling but not tri, though a faster and safer bar sounds just as appealing to us.
The Revo has loads of easy adjustability in every plane and it’s simple to fit for an aero bar. We particularly like all the options for mounting the extensions, though it’s a shame that S-bend is the only shape offered. This range-topping LTD version weighs 700-830g depending on configuration; the Team version is 70g more for £160 less.
The reversed grips feel slightly strange initially but we soon got used to them. They’re okay naked but feel best with a bit of bar tape or grip tape, especially as the grips are slightly short for big hands. Also, standard Di2 shifters would be hard to reach with your thumb – 3T suggest using sprint shifter buttons instead, or switching the levers from right to left so that the shift buttons are on the outside by your forefinger. We’re also surprised that 3T didn’t do a matched stem for a perfectly neat cockpit. They pointed out that their Integra stem fits and is aero… and suggest we watch this space.
While the base bar is very stiff when you’re out of the saddle and hauling on it, the deep pads mean the Revo is a very comfortable bar. Along with the small adjustment increments that allow you to fine-tune your position, you should be happy on this bar for hours. It’s near impossible to judge the aero qualities of a handlebar without a wind tunnel but the narrower and more steeply raked base bar is an aero bonus. Testing it in a few practice TTs, we won with a PB. Boom!
Verdict: Great performance with only small idiosyncrasies – and a PB performance! 92%