Access All Areas With the Sarto Raso Gravel Wide

In recent years, the world of gravel bikes has seen more seasonal trends than a catwalk in Milan. However, the latest fast fashion, the era of big volume rubber, which Sarto of Italy has embraced with its new Raso Gravel Wide bike, feels like one trend that’s here to stay.

The ‘Wide’, though, isn’t so much a new model as a clarification. When Sarto launched the Raso Gravel last year, you could already choose how much max you wanted, from 48mm at the ‘smaller’ end, to 55mm (2.2″) at the top. But, given the story of how this race-winning gravel bike came to the trail and its immediate popularity in the Italian brand’s line, Sarto felt that the variant with the biggest clearance deserved its own designation. Hence, today’s release of the Sarto Raso Gravel Wide.

It’s fair to say that the Raso Gravel / Wide wouldn’t have come to pass had it not been for the outsized role played by American pro gravel racer, Skyler Taylor. As he told Sarto in a recent journal piece, “From the outset, I had some very specific requirements, especially around tire clearance, and Enrico (Sarto’s CEO) was keen to learn about my experiences on the race scene that informed my thinking.”

Before signing Skyler as Sarto’s sole pro gravel racer, the team over in Venice engaged with the Marin County man to get his input on what was then the fledgling Raso Gravel design and concept. “I suggested designing the bike around larger tires, specifically the 2.2 Continental Race Kings, because extensive testing showed they performed best across various terrains,” said Skyler. Adding that the Sarto team were extremely receptive to his input, “literally shaping the entire design of the Raso Gravel around my suggestions.”

Of course, no bike should be just about a single feature. Although Sarto went big on clearance, according to Skyler, Enrico and his team looked beyond tires, integrating his “ideas about geometry, clearance, and component compatibility, often tweaking other aspects of the frame to complement these key requirements.” What Skyler is referring to is the Raso Gravel’s 2X drivetrain compatibility on the 48mm tire clearance version, and the ability of the larger – now, Wide – version to run a 52-tooth 1x chainring despite its mammoth clearance, a necessity for topping the podium on the pro gravel scene (of which Skyler is no stranger).

But how does it ride? Regroup’s Pete rides a custom 1x Raso Gravel and swears by its road-like handling, pace and lively feel. His experience with bikes cuts across steel and a Pegoretti Marcelo, his main whip for the past six years. As its many fans attest, the Marcelo road bike handles like magic. But as Pete told us, for him, “the Raso Gravel feels like it comes from the same place, one of true performance, where speed and sensation combine to create something that goes beyond specs, shape and story.” That a carbon fiber gravel bike can ride beside an Italian steel road bike of such pedigree might tell you all you need to know about Sarto. And then there’s Skyler himself, who reported that after getting his Raso Gravel built up and taking it for a first ride, “I realized I was riding something pretty wild. It’s an amazing bike.”

Choosing the right Raso Gravel for your ride, either the OG, which still boasts huge clearance, or the new Wide, depends only on what you want from the bike. If you’re looking to ride the biggest tires you can find, the choice is clear – go Wide. But if you want to ride 2x with say, 45mm tires (Pete’s choice of rubber) and sit astride road and trail, go with the original Raso Gravel’s smaller variant.

If you’re still between bikes, drop us a line or swing by for a ‘spro and a chat (other beverages are available). As with the entire Sarto line, whatever you want from your ride, with our Regroup Custom program, we’re here to bring your dreams to life.