So it's been a big year for gravel at Sarto Bicycles. You have launched a new gravel bike, the Sarto Raso Gravel, and now you have signed your first Professional Gravel Racer Skyler Taylor in the states. Can you tell us a little about how this came about and what you are hoping will come from this relationship?
Yes, it's been an exciting year for us at Sarto, especially with the launch of the new Raso Gravel and now the partnership with Skyler Taylor. This collaboration came to life thanks to our valuable relationship with Above Category (AC), who have always been a key reference point for us during the development of new products. Skyler is one of the best contributors when it comes to product improvement — his insight is incredibly valuable, especially as we focus on creating bikes built for racing and for being fast on any kind of gravel terrain. We see this partnership as a natural step forward in our mission to push the boundaries of performance, innovation, and rider-driven design. We're truly excited to see what we can achieve together on the gravel racing scene.
It was pretty exciting when Skyler came back with his first victory, at the Highland Gravel Classic, after only having the bike for less than a week. I know this is not the Giro, but Sarto must have been pretty excited about this?
We were more than happy — and honestly, a bit incredulous too! Skyler’s victory came after just a few days of riding and training on that bike, which made it even more impressive. Of course, we know this isn’t the Giro, but seeing him win so quickly on the Raso Gravel was a huge moment for us. It’s a real testament to both his talent and the performance potential of the bike. Moments like this are incredibly rewarding and fuel our passion to keep pushing the limits of what we can build.
The gravel bike landscape keeps changing at an intense pace, it seems like Sarto is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this evolving segment. Skyler's bike has room for massive tires, are there other things we should notice about his new bike and do you see more changes coming down the road?
The gravel segment is evolving rapidly, indeed, and at Sarto, we’re excited to be right in the middle of that progression. With the Raso Gravel, we’ve focused on building a platform that not only meets the current demands of top-level racing but also anticipates where the sport is headed. Taylor’s bike, is the WIDE version built with generous tire clearance — up to 2.2" — which already exceeds what most aero-focused gravel bikes can handle.
That said, we’ve been very mindful about maintaining adequate spacing between the tire and the frame/fork even at max clearance. This space is critical for performance, especially in tough races where riders are pushing 2.1–2.2” tires for better rolling efficiency, puncture resistance, and comfort. While many bikes claim high clearance, few actually allow for those tire sizes without compromising spacing. That’s why we’ve prioritized not just fitting large tires, but ensuring they fit properly — because in real-world racing, that makes all the difference.
The European bicycle scene is different from the American scene, where do you see your heritage of making road bikes merging with this gravel?
You're right — gravel was born in the U.S. and is now spreading globally in very different forms. The American scene is all about performance and adventure, while in Europe it often blends with road cycling, and in regions like Asia, the focus is still almost entirely on road. At Sarto, our road racing heritage is a big part of who we are, and we bring that precision and performance into our gravel designs. With bikes like the Raso Gravel, we aim to meet the diverse needs of riders around the world — whether it's fast gravel racing, endurance adventures, or mixed-surface riding.
Can you share anything else you are working on, especially if it is top secret?
We're always working on something behind the scenes — but nothing we’re ready to reveal before next year.
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