Stromm Raktt: The Fastest Road Bike at Sea Otter Classic? 

When I rolled by the Stromm cycles booth, it wasn’t the Raktt that first caught my eye, it was their track bike. Then, as if appearing from nowhere (a display table in the middle of the booth), was the Raktt. Along with it was a placard and some wildly specific and transparent data about speed, aerodynamics, and design. We met with the folks from Stromm and got the lowdown on what looks to be a very appealing bike, especially for those with the need…the need for speed. 

Stromm Cycles Raktt – What is it? 

Stromm Cycles rolled into the show with a seriously bold claim: their new Raktt aero road bike saves you 10 watts at 40kph and—hold onto your aero socks—30 watts at 60kph. Yep, thirty. That’s not just marginal gains territory; that’s faster than the most popular aero road bike on the market. 

How is the Raktt so Fast?

You know the drill—some chart shows “20 watts saved,” but it’s buried in fine print: tested at 50kph in a wind tunnel with no rider, yaw, or context. Cool story, bro.

Stromm’s taking a different tack here.

Instead of cherry-picking best-case scenarios, they give us the whole picture—”Cruising Speed” and “Sprint Speed.” Translation? Real speeds that real riders ride. Think sprited ride tempo (where marginal gains rack up) and full-send sprint mode (where you need everything working for you)—a real road ride or race. 

The aero data isn’t just for head-on wind. Stromm’s showing full yaw sweeps because the truth is, you’re rarely riding in a perfect wind tunnel vacuum. Your bike moves, your legs move, and the guy next to you swerves. All that creates real-world yaw, where Stromm says the Raktt really shines.

What about efficiency at larger (+/- 10)at larger yaw angles? Stromm’s betting big that those moments of crosswind, motion, and pack dynamics are where the Raktt pulls away. They’ve even got a full whitepaper for the aero nerds, so I don’t get crushed in the comments. Dig into the data HERE. 

Stromm’s digging into the details with a side-by-side look at airfoil shapes—specifically, what’s now fair game under the updated UCI rules versus the old-school 3:1 limitations. With the handcuffs off, there’s some extra speed to be found. But here’s the kicker: this comparison is more of a best-case snapshot. A poorly executed 3:1 section can fall apart quickly in terms of aero performance, while the newer, thinner profiles offer more stability and more room for innovative design to shine.

Looks Fast, Not Ugly

Visually, the Raktt doesn’t look like a crazy, superfast machine; it’s fairly good-looking. Everything about the frame screams, “Don’t slow me down,” but in a cool way (or at least to me): Sharp lines, zero fluff, and the kind of lean design that looks fast and space-age just standing still. There’s almost no curvature to speak of—like someone ran a stealth bomber through a CAD program.

Front to Back Raktt

Up front, the Raktt brings a unique fork/headtube combo reminiscent of the fastest of the fast bikes on the World Tour circuit. It’s aggressive, narrow, and—according to Stromm—it’s the slimmest headtube on a production road bike. What bearing would something like this use? Stromm says it is a standard 1-⅛” with a round steer tube. 

What are those bars? These (from the show) are 3D printed, but they are waiting for the completed bars to arrive. They boast nearly every combination you’re looking for. They’re offering two one-piece carbon bars: one super narrow (33/36cm), one more traditional (36/39cm).

The fork flares resemble the design of Stromm’s track bike (if you haven’t seen it—it’s worth checking out) and the BMC Teammachine R. 

Geometry, Stiffness & Practical Bits

Geometry leans racy, as expected. Most sizes sport 74° seat angles and zero-setback posts—designed to slam you forward and keep your watts going that way. There are six sizes total (48–61cm), and Stromm is adamant that the Raktt hangs with (or beats) top-tier bikes in stiffness and handling. That also means the bike might not be the best for your tour of the English countryside. The geo and stiffness might translate into a rougher ride. 

The Stromm Raktt is SRAM UDH compatible, and clearance for 34mm tires was measured. Weight? Stromm’s keeping that close to the chest—for now. However, we’re told that the numbers will come closer to delivery.