Sarto Cima Review: 1,000 Miles on the New Cima

I've owned a lot of bikes. Hundreds, actually. The ones I love most aren't necessarily the lightest, the stiffest, or the fastest. They're the ones that make me want to ride.

After 1,000 miles on my Sarto Cima, this is one of those bikes.

How this bike came to be

We got to help with the development of the Cima, in a slightly unusual way. The plan was for me to get an early bike and provide feedback on the overall package, fit, and ride characteristics. But I was slow to settle on my geometry, and since we knew the Cima was coming, we ended up selling two frames to clients before my own prototype even arrived.

Our role wasn't to engineer the frame or determine whether it was structurally sound. That's Sarto's expertise. Enrico knows how to design and build a bike. We were there to offer another perspective, drawing on our experience fitting, building, and riding Sartos over the years.

After owning six of them myself, I had a pretty good idea of what was coming.

What I asked for

I'd been riding a LOOK 795 Blade RS, and it changed what I wanted. I loved how small and compact it felt. I'd also dropped my saddle 10mm on the advice of my friend and sometimes coach Craig Upton, and shortened my reach to the bars. So I asked for a shorter, lower front end and quicker steering, closer to a modern pro race bike.

When I told Enrico, he explained that Sarto leans toward comfort and smoothness alongside performance. That's a big part of why their bikes are so easy to ride all day, and I love it. This time I wanted to see how far we could push the Cima the other way.

The ride

My first ride wasn't "oh my god, amazing." It was more pure curiosity: okay, what am I going to notice here?

I've always said it takes more than one ride to really know a bike, and this was no different. So far, so good was about where I landed, and I wanted more miles before making any changes or drawing conclusions.

By around 250–300 miles, I'd ridden it over enough different terrain to get a proper feel for it. And the more I rode it, the more I liked it.

The fit is the first thing Sarto nailed. I like to feel on top of a bike rather than in it, and I like a compact bike that reacts right away. It's the same thing I want from a racing motorcycle: flick it into a corner with almost no effort.

The Cima does that.

It's precise and playful, sprinting feels great, and on long climbs it's a pleasure. My favorite test for a bike like this is the climb from Stinson Beach up Panoramic Highway, past Rock Springs, up to West Peak. That's the one that tells me what a bike is really about.

I'm not a weight weenie, though I love refining a build. I care more about how a bike gets to its weight than the number itself. I want components that work well, are dependable, and make sense for the bicycle. If they're lighter too, even better.

My Cima started a little over 15 pounds. After experimenting with different components, I got it down to around 14.9. More recently, I installed a set of Duke Strada 36 wheels with Sapim carbon spokes, weighing just 988 grams for the pair. Add some very light Tufo Comtura Prima TT tires and a Sixweel titanium cassette at just 125 grams, and the bike now weighs 13.88 pounds.

The Tufo tires are a recent addition, so I can't say much about their durability yet. I'm curious to see how they hold up.

What impresses me is that even at this weight, the Cima still feels great. I've owned extremely light bikes that felt lifeless. They were objectively fast, but they didn't feel fast. They didn't make me particularly excited to ride.

The Cima is the opposite.

I've owned extremely light bikes that felt lifeless. They were objectively fast, but they didn't feel fast.

Chad Nordwall

How it's built

As pictured

Lightweight setup

Photos show the bike on the Duke Strada 56s. The 13.88 pound weight is with the Strada 36s.

The trade-off

There's one trade-off. I asked for quick handling over high-speed stability, and on fast corner entries, somewhere north of 30 mph, the front end can feel a little light.

It doesn't bother me day to day, but I notice it when I'm really pushing.

If I ordered another tomorrow, the only thing I'd ask Enrico to change is a touch more high-speed stability on corner entry, without taking away the playfulness and agility that make this bike what it is. Whether that's a small geometry adjustment or a change in how my weight is distributed over the bike, it's something I'd like to explore.

That's specific to my bike and the geometry I requested. Sarto's stock geometry has excellent stability while still handling quickly.

And that brings me to something we're increasingly focused on at Above Category: Sarto's stock program.

You get the same approach to construction and craftsmanship, with a shorter wait and a more accessible price than a fully custom frame. And for a lot of riders, the stock geometry is going to be exactly what they need.

The fun part for us is figuring out which version makes sense for each person. Not everyone needs custom geometry, and I'm certainly not going to recommend it just because it's available.

We're working closely with Sarto on the stock program, including options that should eventually make delivery considerably quicker.

Who it's for

Riders who want something a little different. A bike you won't see all over your group ride.

People who appreciate things built by a small, family-run company that's been at it for almost 70 years, and who like a smooth, light bike that will go as fast as they're willing to push.

It's beautifully built, designed and manufactured in-house in Italy, with several distinctive carbon finishes and plenty of paint options. You can make it as understated or as elaborate as you like.

Who it's not for

If your dream has always been to own the same bike you see racing in the Tour de France or Paris–Roubaix, I completely understand that. You should buy the bike you've always wanted.

But if you're interested in something a little less common, built by a small Italian company with decades of experience, the Cima deserves a serious look.

And if you need a new bike this week, Sarto probably isn't your answer. Although we're working on making that wait a lot shorter.

Why Sarto

It's a family business still building carbon frames in Italy. You're getting something made by people who've spent decades getting good at it.

For roughly what you'd spend on a frameset from several of the larger premium brands, you can get a Sarto. I think that's pretty cool.

We've delivered quite a few over the years, and the feedback has been consistently good. Several customers have gone out of their way to tell me how much they enjoy theirs.

I'm always a little surprised I don't see more of them on the road.

Then again, I kind of like that.

I usually build a bike, ride it at least 1,000 miles, and then decide whether it stays built or it's time to try something else. Taking a bike apart doesn't mean I didn't like it. Sometimes another bike just fills the same role.

But occasionally something comes along that's different enough, and enjoyable enough, that I want to keep it ready to ride.

The Cima is one of those.

I'm not taking this one apart.

I like it too much.