3T has launched the most affordable version of the Exploro gravel bike yet, with the Exploro Pro Rival coming in a shade under £3,600 in an all-road build with SRAM Rival components.
The Exploro was first launched in 2016 and back then it was something of a Frankenstein machine, with a drop-handlebar and aero-inspired tube profiles combined with 650b wheels and chunky tyres at a time when gravel bikes were still only emerging.
The gravel movement has, well, moved on since then, but the third-generation Exploro is still one of the most forward-thinking adventure bikes out there. It’s suitable, 3T says, "for anything from fast tarmac group rides to the toughest gravel roads, singletrack and multi-day bikepacking tours."
The Exploro Pro Rival’s £3,599 / €3,599 / $3,599 price tag makes it the cheapest Exploro that 3T has ever produced, although it’s undoubtedly still a significant chunk of change.
The bike uses an Exploro Pro frame, as opposed to the Exploro Team and Exploro Ltd frames found further up the range. The tube shapes are the same but there's a slight increase in weight to a claimed 1,190g for a medium frame, compared to 1,090g for the Exploro Team and 990g for the flagship Exploro Ltd.
The Exploro Pro Rival gets, as the name suggests, a SRAM Rival 1x11 groupset with hydraulic disc brakes and 160mm rotors.
The rest of the build is comprised of Fulcrum Racing 7 DB wheels, Schwalbe G-One All Round tyres (700 x 38c), a WTB Volt saddle and 3T finishing kit. The Exploro Pro Rival can still accommodate 650b wheels and tyres for more adventurous riding.
The launch of the Exploro Pro Rival follows the release of the premium Exploro Team Force Eagle eTap Torno (that’s a mouthful…) last month. That bike comes with a mix of wireless road and mountain bike components from SRAM.
The shifters and brakes come from the Force road groupset, while the rear derailleur is taken from the Eagle XX1 AXS mountain bike setup and is paired with a super-wide 11-50t Eagle cassette.
A carbon fibre 3T Torno single-ring chainset keeps things decidedly premium and a ‘Caribbean blue / burnt orange’ paint job finishes off this special edition build.
The price? £6,499 / €6,499 / $6,499. That makes it the most expensive bike featuring the Exploro Team frame, before you move onto the top-end Exploro Ltd builds.
