3T's new Ultra² Italia uses a clever part-automated "Fusion Carbon" process to build a 1,199g frame in Italy for roughly a third less than its hand-laid models — bringing made-in-Bergamo carbon within touching distance of Asian-made pricing, if you can live with the weight.
Fusion Carbon: Italian-made, a third cheaper
3T has long sold a story most rivals can't: carbon frames designed and built in Italy. The problem has always been cost — its hand-laid Jazz Carbon process is slow and labour-intensive. The Ultra² Italia is 3T's answer. It debuts Fusion Carbon, a hybrid method that keeps 3T's proprietary dry-filament winding and Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) but swaps the fiddly hand-built lugs for pre-moulded joints, letting the work be largely automated while staying entirely in-house at the Presezzo factory.
The numbers are striking. Per Bikerumor, a head lug that once needed about 70 individual pre-preg pieces now uses just 6, so 3T can build 3–4× as many frames with the same machines and staff. The upshot: a frame that costs roughly a third less to make than 3T's other Italia bikes, and a frameset only about 25% (~€850 (~R15 900)) dearer than the original, made-in-China Ultra — while throwing in 3T's integrated carbon aero bar and stem.
Fusion Carbon, by the numbers
Source: Bikerumor / 3T
“The much more automated, but still entirely in-house RTM process means they can produce 3-4x as many, using the exact same machinery and workers.”
What it weighs — and the catch
View data table
| Weight (kg) | |
|---|---|
| Ultra² + DT susp. fork | 10.68 kg |
| Ultra² + rigid carbon fork | 9.68 kg |
| Original Ultra (27.5") | 9.14 kg |
| RaceMax² Italia | 9.11 kg |
That comfort comes at a price on the scale. The Ultra² Italia's geometry is the most relaxed in 3T's gravel range — a 10mm taller stack than the Extrema, head angles from 69° (S) to 72° (XL), and clearance for up to 57mm tyres on the rigid fork (around 50mm with the suspension fork; 47mm minimum recommended). But in the suspension build Bikerumor weighed it at 10.68kg, roughly 1.5kg over 3T's RaceMax². The reviewer was comfortable justifying the extra 500g over a rigid carbon build, but admitted the full 1.5kg of the suspension setup is harder to swallow if you're only after comfort.
Rigid fork or suspension?
Fango rigid vs DT Swiss suspension
| Rigid (Fango Ultra²) | Suspension (DT Swiss F 132 One) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fork weight | 450 g | 1,350 g |
| Front travel | 0 mm | 40 mm |
| Max 700c tyre | 57 mm | 50 mm |
| Remote lockout | — | Yes |
| Frameset price | €3,999 (~R75 000) | €4,998 (~R93 700) |
Specs: 3T / TOUR
What the reviewers say
Three outlets on the Ultra² Italia
Independent verdicts from across the cycling press — follow each link for the full review.
Plush, but heavy with suspension
“Beyond the fork, clearly, 3T have done well with comfort levels, without compromising a snappy ride.”
Read the full reviewA comfort-first 3T
“The bike emphasises comfort and thus sets itself apart from the brand's race-oriented bikes.”
Read the full reviewBridges Racemax and Extrema
“more comfort, more grip, more possibilities — while still retaining that clear 3T focus on efficiency and speed.”
Read the full reviewThe honest balance
- Italian-made carbon at roughly a third less cost than 3T's hand-laid Jazz Carbon Italia bikes
- Genuinely comfort-biased: 10mm taller stack, 57mm tyre clearance, designed around a 40mm suspension fork
- Frameset includes 3T's integrated carbon aero gravel bar and stem
- Internal Fidlock downtube storage plus full rack, fender and cargo mounts
- Reviewers praise a plush ride that stays 'snappy'
- Heavy in suspension trim — 10.68kg (M) tested, ~1.5kg over the RaceMax²
- Still premium money: €3,999 (~R75 000)+ frameset, up to €7,999 (~R150 000) / $5,899 (~R97 300)+ complete
- Made-to-order with an 8–10 week lead time
- Slight weight penalty vs 3T's hand-laid Jazz Carbon (3T says it's still being optimised)
- Bikerumor's test bike showed a tyre-clearance/toe-overlap quirk, attributed to a build mix-up
A genuinely clever bit of factory engineering that drops made-in-Italy carbon to near-Asian pricing. Brilliant for bikepacking and all-day gravel; weight-watchers and racers should look at the RaceMax² instead. This is our editorial read of published reviews and specs, not an independent test.
Tap to vote — see how readers lean
Buyer's questions
Where is the Ultra² Italia made? +
At 3T's own facility in Presezzo, near Bergamo in Italy, using the new in-house Fusion Carbon process — the same site that builds 3T's other Italia models.
How can an Italian-made frame be this much cheaper? +
Fusion Carbon part-automates the lug build: about 6 pre-moulded pieces per head lug instead of ~70 hand-laid ones, letting 3T make 3–4× as many frames with the same staff and machines, cutting frame cost by roughly a third.
How much does it cost? +
Framesets start at €3,999 (~R75 000) (about $4,599 (~R75 900)); complete bikes run €4,999 (~R93 700)–€7,999 (~R150 000) (from about $5,899 (~R97 300)). The DT Swiss suspension fork adds roughly €1,000 (~R18 800) / $1,100 (~R18 200). These are EUR/USD figures — South African pricing depends on local import and stock.
What tyres fit? +
Up to 57mm (700c/29") with the rigid Fango fork, around 50mm with the DT Swiss F 132 One suspension fork. 3T recommends a 47mm minimum.
Rigid or suspension fork? +
The 40mm-travel DT Swiss F 132 One adds plushness but about 1kg, pushing the test bike to 10.68kg. The rigid carbon build (~9.68kg) is the lighter, racier and cheaper pick — choose suspension only if rough multi-day terrain is your priority.
Sources & further reading
- 3T Ultra² Italia, Made of Fusion Carbon in Italy: Review — Bikerumor
- 3T Ultra² Italia — comfort-orientated gravel bike from Italy — TOUR Magazin
- Beyond Gravel as You Know It: Introducing the Ultra² Italia — 3T (official)
- Ultra² Italia — builds, framesets & pricing — 3T (official)
- The new 3T Ultra² Italia — BikeSuperior
The Ultra² Italia's real headline isn't the bike — it's the factory. Fusion Carbon lets 3T sell Italian-made carbon for close to Asian-made money, and the result is a hugely capable, comfort-biased gravel and bikepacking platform with proper tyre clearance and suspension-readiness. The honest caveat is weight: in full suspension trim it's a 10.6kg-plus machine, so racers and gram-counters are better served by the RaceMax². But for all-day and multi-day riders who want made-in-Bergamo carbon without the usual premium, it's one of the most interesting gravel launches of the year.
