3T Launches Low-Cost, Carbon-Fibre Aerobar

3T has developed the Aura, a new, low-cost, carbon-fibre aerobar. The Aura shares its basic architecture with Mistral, but its basebar has the simplified top skin of 3T’s other new-for-2010 aerobars, and top-mounted extension clamps. This means that the Aura foregoes the multiple elbow-rest positions of Mistral, but is lighter.

The Aura comes with S-bend extensions as standard, but owners will be able to swap in any of 3T’s range of extensions, including the Christian Vande Velde Special Edition ‘deep-S’ bends. The Aura, like all of the 3T 2010 cockpit components, complies with UCI and ITU rules so can legally be used in all pro races.

“We are offering this component to OEMs at a very attractive price,” said 3T CEO Rene Wiertz. “The market for fully built-up triathlon bikes is ultra-competitive. The OEM version of the Aura gives them the opportunity to fit all-carbon-fiber bars for only a few Euro’s more than the old day’s technology alloy bars.”

After an intense program of rider testing and detail refinemens the iF Design Award winner Palladio seatpost has been put on the market by 3T. The seatpost’s major innovation is the patented DiffLock mechanism, which eliminates the need for high-torque bolts to achieve a stable, secure fixing for the saddle. DiffLock is premised on the difference between two concentric, interlocking toothed rings, and lets the user set the saddle angle very precisely, to within a half-degree of rotation, and lock it down securely with no effect on saddle position.

“It’s been a long time coming,” commented René Wiertz. “But now we are confident that Palladio’s production engineering matches its design concept. In particular, we have improved the seatpost’s all-round usability.”