“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>
Welcome to Velo’s Sea Otter Classic coverage, where we share our favorite things we’ve seen at the 2025 show. Bikes, components, everything racing, and more: if we think it’s cool, you’ll see it. See the rest of our coverage here.
Let’s get to it: Stromm claims that its Raktt road bike is 10 watts faster at 25 miles per hour (40 kph) across “the yaw ranges we know matter,” which we assume is across the +/- 10 degrees as tested. As speeds go up, Stromm claims the bike is a somewhat shocking 30 watts faster at 37 miles per hour (60 kph), the speeds where you’re sprinting.
That’s a lot of heady claims for a bike that looks like it has had every bit of fat trimmed. Seriously. There are hardly any curves to be found here, with lots of straight lines and sharp edges. In the best way possible, it looks lean, mean, and ready for the business of going fast.
Stromm makes a big deal of something it calls “transient aero,” which comes from a combination of different flows as folks ride along. There are yaw angles that come from crosswinds, riders around you, and your legs; the changing nature of those yaw angles as one rides along is where the phrase comes from.
As a result, Stromm claims its Raktt makes forward thrust in any wind condition. That claim is specific to the design around the seat tube area, which Stromm says takes advantage of the way air flows asymmetrically around a rider. Legs, however, create a more consistent yaw angle, allowing the seat tube to be designed in a way to takes advantage of the data.
Other things here feel unabashedly speed-focused. There’s a bayonet-style head tube and fork area, similar to what one might see on the Cervelo S5 and Colnago Y1Rs. That creates a narrow and quite long head tube area, one that Stromm says is the narrowest head tube on any production road bike on the market.
The fork bows out to the side in much of the same way as the BMC Teammachine R, and an array of track bikes in recent years.
Stromm has also developed a pair of one-piece carbon handlebars to match. One bar gets a 33 cm top with a 36 cm drop, while the more traditional bar gets a 36 cm width up top and a 39 cm width in the drops. Thankfully, Stromm says the Raktt has a 1 ⅛-inch steerer, allowing for use of just about any handlebar and stem combo.
The Raktt comes in six sizes, from 48 cm to 61 cm. While most of the geometry is fairly standard, most sizes get at least a 74-degree seat tube angle and a zero-setback seat post. Speed is the most important factor here, and Stromm is serious about rider positioning.
Not to be outdone, Stromm also says the bike “matches or exceeds other top race bikes in stiffness and handling,” though it is obvious that speed and aerodynamics take precedence over ride smoothness here.
Elsewhere, the Raktt gets a SRAM UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) and clearance for 34 mm tires width as measured (WAM).
Stromm says it doesn’t have weights at the moment, though they should be available closer to delivery dates. Pre-order is open now, and bikes should start shipping later this summer.
Truthfully, the claims are all quite impressive. But while Stromm says it has the data to back everything up, other brands that have released aero race bikes in recent memory have offered up similar yaw angle charts. Either way, we’re quite excited to see where this bike goes.
You better believe we requested a Stromm Raktt for review. Stay tuned.
Gallery
