SWI Thrama lightweight carbon road bike reunites Paolo Bettini & Luca Paolini

SWI Cycling Thrama is another all-new ultralight, ultra-premium carbon road bike backed by former pro cyclists, but this one is made entirely in Europe. Featuring some impressive handmade and even customizable carbon manufacturing tech, SWI started off with former pro Luca Paolini for development & testing. But it wasn’t long until Paolini’s ex-teammate and 2x World Champ and Olympic champion Paolo Bettini joined in on the project, as well…

SWI Thrama lightweight carbon road bike

The SWI Thrama was developed as a halo road bike for cyclists looking for the best of carbon craftsmanship, advanced material tech & modern features, of course, all made in Europe and made ultra-lightweight. The result is both a low-key carbon bike, but also one packing the best that lightweight carbon bike builders have to offer today.

Bettini says he jumped at the chance to get involved after his first rides on the bike saying, “As soon as I tried Thrama I realized that I was dealing with a product of the highest level, both in terms of performance and comfort. It has an elegant and at the same time attractive design, but what is breathtaking is the responsiveness of the frame and the precision of riding is really out of the ordinary. The secret of this bike goes beyond what you see; it is hidden in its soul, in its most intrinsic technical features.”

Tech details

Designed & engineered in Switzerland, the one-piece monocoque Thrama frames are manufactured in Italy from 14-19 “ultra-thin” UD M40J/M46J carbon layers, topped off in T700 3K weave.

The result is an ultralight weight claim range between 650-760g, depending on size, with SWI calling their true monocoque manufacturing method unique, molding the front & rear triangles at once, but even allowing custom molds for custom geometries.

The SWI Thrama is available in a wide 7 size stock range (48-60cm). But interestingly enough custom geometry is possible, SWI just reminds that it means creating a one-off custom mold which won’t be cheap. But it is an option.

The bike features completely internal cable routing, suitable only for electronic 2x drivetrains with flat mount disc brakes, a round seatpost with wedge-style clamp, a PressFit bottom bracket, 12mm thru-axles, and 1.5″ headset for the 400g full carbon tapered steerer fork.

The SWI Thrama is also guaranteed for life against defects, and also includes a crash replacement program that also covers components too.

SWI Thrama road bike – Pricing & options

All frames come finished with a molded-in downtube logos and standard translucent matte black paint that shows off the 3K carbon underneath, but custom paint & alternate graphics are also possible as an upcharge. The 2120g SWI Thrama frameset sells on its own for 7900 CHF including: frame, fork, Vision Metron seatpost & 5D ACR integrated handlebar+stem.

Or you can splurge on the complete Thrama Di2 Disc 12v build for a whopping 19,163 CHF including a new Dura-Ace Di2 12-speed groupset with power meter and Lightweight Meilenstein EVO Schwarz edition tubeless 48mm carbon wheels at a claimed weight of 6.748kg. There are also Campy Super Record EPS & SRAM Red builds and DT or Shimano D-A wheel options that will get your price down a shade under 15,000 CHF.

The bikes are sold consumer-direct, but SWI Cycling also invites all potential buyers to visit them in Zug, Switzerland to test out the bike (or they will come to you) and get a complete 3D Dynamic Fit before purchasing. SWI Thrama bikes are available now, but are made-to-order with a 60-day lead time.

SWI-cycling.com