While a lot of gravel bike makers have differentiated into either race or adventure, the all-new Basso Palta 3 doubles down on the idea of, “Why not both?”
Do you really need separate gravel race and gravel adventure bikes? Basso doesn’t think so. What makes gravel bikes great is their versatility. So maybe don’t feel like you have to have a different gravel bike for every different type of gravel riding.
The new Palta sits firmly in the middle, and I think that’s a good thing. It offers a light carbon frameset with enough aero influence to go really fast, quick-handling geometry that’s still plenty capable on the roughest gravel tracks, ample tire clearance to get far off the beaten track, and enough carrying capacity to handle almost any bikepacking trip you can imagine.
2026 Basso Palta III, one gravel bike to rule them all
This new Palta 3 is Basso’s third generation of the Italian bikemaker’s dedicated gravel platform – named for the ‘mud’ it always ends up covered in the local Veneto dialect in northern Italy, where Basso uniquely still molds their carbon frames and forks. I rode the first Palta in 2018 that still retained a much more road-adapted fit, then the Palta II in 2021, which increased tire clearance significantly and provided a more upright fit. Now, the Basso Palta 3 takes it a next step further with bigger tire clearance again, geometry & fit refined for fast-paced everyday gravel riding AND racing, improved rider comfort, and greater carrying capacities.
What’s new?
The biggest improvements in gen 3 vs. gen 2 come in speed, comfort & control.
The new bike reduces aero drag by a claimed 18% due to reduced frontal area, even though it doesn’t look all that aero. A lot of the seems to come from sleeker fork legs, a more refined downtube shape and optimized stays out back. At the same time, the new Palta 3 increases BB stiffness by 19% and rear end stiffness by 12% to improve power transfer. Yet headtube stiffness was dialed down 15% to make the bike more comfortable under your hands, and smoother to steer through rough, chattery gravel tracks.
Tweaked geometry to go faster, further
Making sure to better fit more riders, Basso added a sixth size, while keeping the overall range of frame Reach figures mostly unchanged. Head & seat angles are effectively unchanged, but chainstays and wheelbases grow incrementally to fit bigger tires and improve off-road stability. Then, Stack figures do increase a bit. But now with more size options, riders can often size up or down to get the feel they desire.
More storage, but less weight
A new internal storage compartment secured by a Fidlock closure helps riders haul more gear. And the bikes come with two waterproof bags to make it easy to store ride essentials inside of the relatively narrow downtube. Plus, the bike now adds bolt-on mounts above and below the top tube to secure bags without the need for straps.
And there’s a new mount under the downtube that pairs with a special Vibram rubber frame guard designed to soak up energy from rock strikes, protecting the carbon frame underneath.
Another key improvement is light weight. Even with the addition of internal frame storage, the new Palta 3 is about 10% lighter than its previous generation, now down to 970g for a raw M-sized frame.
Tech details
- carbon frame made in Italy from a hi-mod mix of Torayca carbon: 70% T800, 20% M40JB & 10% T700
- full carbon tapered steerer fork also made in Italy with the same Torayca carbon mix
- fully integrated internal cable routing through the headset, featuring lifetime Solid Lubrication Tech headset bearings
- 50mm max frame tire clearance, 52mm max for the fork
- integrated downtube storage with mechanical latching Fidlock magnetic closure
- two “rugged, anti-abrasion” internal frame storage bags, included with all frames
- custom Vibram multi-material downtube protector
- BB86 PressFit bottom bracket
- 12mm thru-axles & flat mount disc brakes
- concave D-shaped aero Heart carbon seatpost, clamped with 3-bolt vibration-damping Basso 3B gen II clamp
- a special Knog LED taillight (sold separately) for the unique seatpost shape
- custom fit, bolt-on aero Basso x Apidura bikepacking bags available separately
- new Palta 3 frame weighs 970g (raw Medium frame, including the internal storage cover with Fidlock hardware)
- UCI-approved for racing
- frame backed by a 5-year warranty
Basso Palta 3 – Pricing, options & availability
The all-new Basso Palta 3 is available starting today through your local Basso dealer, in limited quantities at first, but ramping up through the spring. It comes in six stock sizes, and three paint jobs. Pick from simple Carbon Chrome showing off the carbon, the sparkly green Galaxy Dream, or the beige and black that I rode called Purple Dust.
A Palta 3 frame kit is the most accessible place to start from $4795 / 3300€, including frame, fork, headset, Vibram Diamante protector, alloy Basso Strato stem, carbon Basso handlebar & 15mm setback Basso Heart carbon seatpost.
Every new Basso Palta is built to order, giving the buyer tons of complete bike options. Basso offers Shimano GRX groupsets in mechanical 1×12, 2×12, and electronic Di2 2×12 options; then, there are SRAM Force & Red AXS Xplr 1×13 builds. And you can pick from alloy Microtech (Basso’s house brand of components) MX25, carbon Grecale, and either carbon Zipp 303 Xplr S or super wide SW wheels. Then, multiple integrated or semi-integrated carbon Basso cockpit options, as well. It’s really up to you, what exact build you want, and how much your budget allows.
The GRX 1x build with alloy wheels starts at $5995 / 4300€. Force Xplr with alloy wheels starts at $7295 / 5400€. Upgrading to carbon wheels adds 700€, and upgrading from the separate bar & stem to Basso’s one-piece carbon Fuga or Levita cockpit adds an extra 250€.
And at the top with all the bells and whistles, the SRAM Red AXS Xplr build that I test rode with Zipp 303 Xplr SW wheels sells for $11k / 8750€.
