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Find Your Fit: Nimbl Shoes Size Guide

TECH TALK

Find Your Fit: Nimbl Shoe Size Guide

Finding the perfect fit is crucial for high-performance cycling shoes—and Nimbl is no exception. Here's how you do it.

WORDS

Regroup

VIDEO/PHOTOS

Regroup

You're ready to turn the dial on a pair of Nimbl cycling shoes, but what size are you? Whether you're upgrading to the Ultimate or eyeing the AIR, dialing in the right fit ensures you get the most out of your ride. Luckily, there's a simple and accurate method to measure your feet and determine your ideal Nimbl size.

Nimbl has a handy guide to finding the perfect shoe size on its site, but we thought a video demonstrating the process might be equally helpful. So we pulled out paper and pens, got hold of a pair of feet and chose some Nimbl shoes from the shop (also available on the Regroup site for those near and far from Arizona) to illustrate the point. We added titles to the video to explain each step and wrote them here, too.

 

Give it a watch, and if you still have questions after watching the film and reading the above, please drop us a line. Shoe sizing is somewhat personal, but having ridden the entire Nimbl range, we’ve got a lot of insights and the benefit of hundreds of miles under our feet to help you get up and riding.

How to Find Your Nimbl Shoe Size

  • Take a sheet of paper. Place it on solid ground
  • Place your foot in the center of the paper
  • Using a pen, trace the outline of your foot or ask a friend to help
  • Flip the paper over and repeat for your other foot
  • Using a measuring tape, measure the length of the outline of your foot (we recommend centimeters).
  • Now, measure the width at the widest point. Repeat for the outline of your other foot.
  • Record your measurements for each foot
  • Compare your measurements to the Nimbl sizing table in the video or on each Nimbl product page on our site.
  • If you’re between sizes, choose the larger size
  • If one foot is bigger than the other, use that foot to determine your shoe size
If you still have questions after watching the film and reading the above, please drop us a line. Shoe sizing is somewhat personal, but having ridden the entire Nimbl range for some time, we’ve got a lot of insights and the benefit of hundreds of miles under our feet that might help you find your perfect Nimbl fit.

An Orbea Ordu, One Big Ride and Love at First Sight

INTERVIEW

An Orbea Ordu, One Big Ride and Love at First Sight

Most big rides still end at home. Not the one our client and friend, Mike, took across the States. We spoke to him about his epic trip along Route 66.

Mike Finnegan with his unique Regroup Custom Orbea Ordu.

WORDS

Regroup staff

PHOTOS

Regroup

When most of us head out for a big ride, if we’re not waylaid by errant sealant or an inspirational muffin, we still hope to be back by dinner. Others take the idea of a big ride to extremes, like Mike, a customer and friend of Regroup, who decided to see the whole States from the saddle and ride cross country from Santa Monica to D.C, taking in as much of the legendary U.S Route 66 along the way. He didn’t make it back for dinner, but he did enjoy many excellent adventures and raise much-needed funds for a project that means the world to him. In January, we connected with Mike to hear his story and what went down on a roadway that resonates with adventure, freedom and the pursuit of the unknown.

Hey Mike, nice to meet you.

You too, Pete.

So you rode across the States.

Haha, yes indeed.

Walk us through the when and wherefores of it all.

We pushed off from Santa Monica Pier in 2021, with about 150 fellow cyclists to ride me out of town. Like me, they were all members of the Major Taylor cycling club, of which LA has a big community. It was a great way to start the journey!

And you aimed to finish the ride in Washington D.C.

Correct. I picked D.C. because I started my career in the Peace Corps, and the headquarters for the Peace Corps is in D.C., as is the embassy of Niger, where I had my first teaching assignment. The idea of going west -to-east came about to try to benefit from the winds, which are more likely than not to blow in that direction. And it worked. We had a few days where I averaged over 20mph.

Dreamy days, indeed. What was your cadence for the trip, and what were your planned miles and rest days?

I planned to ride 100 miles a day for three days, then take a rest on the fourth. And that’s how it played out, except towards the end when I upped the riding to five days in a row just to get it done. My crew were tired, I was tired, and you know, the excitement of the finish line.
Mike's Orbea Ordu with the addition of his name on the top tube.
ORDU OR DON'T - MIKE DID AND THERE'S NO MISTAKING THIS FRAME

You kept up a great pace, though. How long did it take?

Thanks, Pete. We completed the ride in 31 cycling days, covering almost 3000 miles. It was quite an adventure.

And Route 66 must have made it even more of an adventure. Can you speak about that aspect of the ride?

In truth, there aren’t a lot of cyclists who ride Route 66 because it disappears in a lot of places. Sometimes I had to get up on the Interstate, which felt incredibly dangerous. That was when I relied on my SAG Vehicle and support.

Isn’t cycling on the Interstate illegal in the U.S.?

It is, but in Arizona for example, they let you do it, as they know that Route 66 runs out of road, leaving you with no choice. The Adventure Cycling Association, a great resource, maps cycling routes across the U.S., so I joined the organization and purchased their maps to download to my phone. You download the routes from the Adventure Cycling Association in blocks of 200 miles, so I managed, with the help of many battery packs, to keep my phone on and able to help me navigate.

And that’s when you found Route 66 would suddenly disappear?

You’d find yourself looking at dust. No road! So, in those instances, I had to get up onto a major highway before catching a sign for Route 66 and getting back to it.

 

When they built the Interstate, they had to go over Route 66 in some places, which is why it so often disappears. However, to correct the impression that Route 66 is spotty at best, there were several day stretches where I stayed on the road and didn’t have to find an alternative. It’s still possible to travel large distances on it and get a sense of what it was in its heyday.

Why did you want to cycle on Route 66?

Mostly for historical reasons. I wanted to say that I rode my bike on Route 66 and stopped at some little motels – which still exist! But then you also see old abandoned buildings, gas stations, and cars from the 50s now shells slowly being sucked into the earth.

Echoes of America’s past.

Yes, but also continuity. You get a sense of going back in time from cycling on the road, a sense of a slower life. And so many places have been kept up quite well. Even when we’d get to a city with a modern hotel, I would hunt out some little Irish motel. I wanted that experience. It was really something.
The Orbea Ordu Time Trial Bike - a triathlete's best friend
THE ORBEA ORDU - ONE FAST WHIP

Your ride sounds like the opposite of endurance cycling, with its speed at all costs and who-cares-where mentality.

There sure was a lot of life. It had to be about the experience, the place and the people along the way.

You mentioned that you had SAG support. What did that look like?

I had been contemplating doing the ride solo. But when my friends heard about it, I got an offer from a buddy who was out of work at the time, and another, a teacher who was on summer break, and they both wanted to come along. There’s some pressure with that, of course. I might have wished to meander a bit or explore somewhere, and they might have wanted to press on, but overall, it was incredible having support and so generous of them both to offer their time.

Can you talk about the money you raised on the ride and what that was for?

With pleasure. I’ve been a teacher for most of my career. One of the big reasons for doing the ride was to leave a legacy scholarship at the High School where I had taught for the last twenty years. With the proceeds from the ride, which totalled some 50,000 dollars, I set up the Mike Finnegan Health and Wellness scholarship, which any student can apply for.

How does that process work?

It’s really tailored to a specific type of student: the minority kid with grit and character who’s had a tough start. The scholarship aims to help them get into the health and wellness space.

Adventure and altruism - I love it.

Thanks, Pete. It was the perfect opportunity to bring them both together.

Changing direction for a moment, how did you connect with Regroup?

During my research for my ride, Tucson, Arizona, came up as one of the best places to cycle and train – you might know about Mount Lemmon here and its 9000ft elevation. The GCN crew from the UK did a feature about it recently.

I’ve always wanted to ride that mountain.

It’s a good one, for sure. Anyway, after all the research, I decided to take a trip to Tucson during Spring Break of my last teaching year and use Mount Lemmon as the base for some of my training.

That’s all well and good, but I believe there’s a bigger story here.

Ah, my Airbnb! Well, the woman who hosted me at the place in Phoenix where I stayed for one night before heading to Tucson is now my wife. We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary just last week!

Are we talking love at first sight?

It was. We had that magic moment. She opened the door, and we just looked at each other.
A Regroup Custom Orbea Ordu in royal blue and red.
ROYAL BLUE AND RED FOR THE WIN

I’m welling up.

Honestly, it was magical. And the thing is, I picked an Airbnb that was way out from the airport. I never do that! I don’t know how it happened. Anyway, that night, we had beers and pizza and chit-chatted. Long story short, I had to leave the next day to train, but I left her a note, and we kept in touch, and the rest is history.

Beautiful. And with your new Arizona credentials, Regroup wasn’t far in the future.

Absolutely. My buddy told me about the shop – bikes and coffee. Come on! The first time I went, I saw this beautiful Orbea in the window. I asked if I could take it for a spin, and the guys were good enough to let me test it. They put pedals on it, and I went for a quick loop. I loved it. A few days later, it was mine, a stunning Orbea Orca and my perfect climbing bike.

That’s a good one. And now you have another Orbea, an Ordu time trial bike, if I’m not wrong?

I’ve only test-ridden it once because I’ve been recovering from an injury, but man, does it go.

Do you plan to race it?

Well, I’ve been involved with triathlons since I left university. I never did any standalone road races, and when I got some knee issues, I had to put cycling to the side. But after I retired, the fire returned, and I got my knee and race licence sorted out. And you know, I haven’t looked back. I got the bug bad!

What’s your favorite discipline?

I just love to go as fast as humanely possible on the bike. So, of course, I ride time trials. I just love it, man, the suffering, the searching for gains, the aspect of racing yourself and always trying to beat your previous time. This past summer, at 64, I beat the time I had laid down when I was 33 at the Cleves time trial. I beat it by 20 seconds. It was amazing to me that I could do that.

It just shows that it’s never too late to give it a go.

Right. That holds true for so many things in life.

On that positive note, I’ll say goodbye. Thanks for your time, Mike. It’s been a pleasure talking to you.

You too, Pete!

Regroup People: Snr Service Technician Anthony

INTERVIEW

Regroup People: Lead Tech Anthony

In a new mini-series profiling Regroup people, we talk to our Senior Service Technician, Anthony, a mechanic who breaks with tradition by being friendly and approachable.

Regroup's Lead Tech, Anthony

WORDS

Regroup staff

PHOTOS

Regroup

Over the next few weeks, we'll be shining a light on the Regroup team, the folks who make our wheels sing, our videos pop and our coffee hot. First under the grill is Anthony, our Senior Service Technician, who was reluctant until we teased him out of the workshop with the promise of a new, even slippier chain wax.

Like his fellow wrenchers, Anthony is a man of few words. Yet, unlike many of his bike brethren, he’s also sunny and optimistic, an enigma who doesn’t shoo us out of his space when we make outrageous requests (we’re looking at you, Adam). Instead, he figures it out and, in the process, delivers impeccable work.

Hey Anthony, thanks for talking to us.

It’s my pleasure.

To kick things off, tell us about your path to the bike and the bike business.

My path was multi-layered. I remember building up my first BMX cruiser when I was around 7 or 8. I rattle-can spray-painted it yellow and black – I still have that bike somewhere.

Not many people have held onto a bike since childhood.

Yeah, that’s probably true. I had a few bikes as a kid and made a lot of cherished memories. But when I think about it, I didn’t really get into bikes until I was about 18, when I came to the Polytechnic campus of ASU out here, studying to be a Mechanical Engineer. I didn’t graduate, but I did three and a half years. Some life issues I had to attend to pulled me away, and I never made it back. Anyway, while I was there, I went to a work-study initiative called the Bicycle Co-op, where I could work on my bike, with the cost borne by a portion of my tuition fees. If you were an active student, it didn’t cost anything to keep your bike in good shape unless you needed some major work.

So the Co-op was your gateway to get into bikes, proper?

For sure. It was a real learning experience because I got to work under the guy who started the program, who was an incredible technician. I don’t know whether he got his version of a bicycle degree, but he was a consummate professional. And pretty much everything passed through the shop – quill stems, old-school integrated hubs, one-piece cranks, cantilever brakes, the works.

Those technologies are a world away from what we might consider a modern bike, but I'm guessing they gave you a solid grounding that set you in good stead.

100%. The wide-span experience I got at the Co-op helps with day-to-day problem-solving here in the Regroup workshop. You develop a mechanical sympathy when you’ve seen, worked on, and fixed so many types of technologies, taken some of those disparate parts, and made something out of them. I rely on that experience daily here at Regroup when we’re creating a dream bike or working on a tune-up or upgrade in the workshop.

Anything - happy tech, happy rider.
ANTHONY ABOARD HIS CUSTOM MOSAIC GT-1​

What bike were you riding back in college?

A steel, early 70s Volkcycle frame with Gen 1 6000 level Dura Ace, friction shifters – all of that. The name suggests a German origin. It was a unique bike, though, with a quality steel frame.

Having seen your incredible Mosaic GT-1, I get the feeling you have an affinity for metal machines.

Absolutely. The Volk started my love affair with Chromoly steel bikes and the realization of how capable and adaptable they are. It informed a lot of my thinking and choices when I came to build my Mosaic GT-1 and my appreciation of what you can get from steel, aluminum or the Mosaic’s titanium frame. I like to see that craftsmanship.

Did you make any significant changes to the Volk?

Yeah. I cold-set the rear triangle and put a quick release x 135mm on it so I could run some of the more modern hubs coming out then, with the better engagement and sound everybody liked. Over the years, that bike transformed so many times, from a city thrasher with shorty bars to the road and drop bars to a capable long-distance commuter and even a gravel bike, as I could squeeze 32 tires in there.

I have a theory that unless we tinker with the things we buy, they don't stay with us. I learned that with my Pegoretti, which I've slowly upgraded over a few years. Along the way, those changes seemed to make it more 'my bike' than when I first got it.

I think that’s true. Even if you only change the bar tape, customizing your bike changes how you see and experience it for the better.

After college, you started working professionally in the bike industry, right?

Yeah, that’s right. My buddy looped me in on a role as a salesman at a bike shop. That wasn’t my forte, but it was a job. I enjoyed talking to people and helping them find the bike they needed rather than the one they wanted. I was too fond of people to sell anybody a bike I knew wouldn’t be good for them.

You didn't sell your soul.

I don’t think I could do it any other way. Anyway, I didn’t stay too long in that role, as I got the opportunity to wrench for the same company when a spot opened up. But there was a nice blending of the front and back of the shop, as I got to speak to customers and help them with their problems. I wasn’t tucked away, as most mechanics are in bike shops.
Anthony with his customary tool apron
ANTHONY IN HIS WORK GARB​

How and when did Regroup come into the picture?

Well, COVID came along and everything changed. As everyone knows, bikes were in high demand, and that changed my work day. I became a machine, or felt like it, punching out several bikes day in and day out, and I lost my reason or will to carry on with the role. I wasn’t talking to anyone. I felt like a robot.

That sounds intense.

It was. Anyway, soon after, I met Regroup’s founder, Adam, through a friend who introduced me to the Regroup social ride, which I’d enjoyed a few times. It turned out that he was looking for a mechanic, and soon enough, I went for a test day, loved it, and they seemed to like me, which sealed the deal. I admired what the brand was doing, its customer-focused ethos, the care I saw at all levels, in sight and out of sight of the customer and, of course, the amazing bikes it was putting out and the new relationships it was creating. It felt like a special place, and it still does.

I hear on the grapevine that you blew people away.

I brought my best spanners. Joking aside, I was attracted to the idea of using my whole skillset, setting a tone and being appreciated. I also got to chat with the clientele and appreciated their taste and aesthetic.

You've been with Regroup for a good while now. Can you walk us through your usual day?

My day usually revolves around doing as much as possible for our clients. For example, we have a lady who competes in high-end triathlon events, so we do a whole range of services, from optimizing her ride, suggesting upgrades that might help her towards her goals, regular maintenance, to even packing her bike up before

That's awesome.

We’re very direct and approachable, which helps us create those relationships. I’m not hidden away; I remember your name and bike, and without sounding too confident, I care about doing the best job and helping you achieve your goals for yourself and the bike.

It's been a pleasure chatting to you, Anthony!

You too, Pete!

Speed, the Sweet Life and a Tri-Composite Sarto Raso

REGROUP CUSTOM

Speed, the Sweet Life and a Tri-Composite Sarto Raso

Adam's Sarto Raso Tri-Composite All-Road Endurance Aero Bike
BUILD DETAILS

TYPE

Road road

FRAME

Sarto Raso TC

FORK

Sarto

GROUPSET

SRAM RED c/w Quarq PM + Ceramicspeed OSPW

WHEELS

Zipp 454 NSW

COCKPIT

Sarto

TIRES

Goodyear Eagle F1R 28mm

BAR TAPE

Regroup

Owning and starting different businesses over the years has resulted in more single-day travels, or the aptly named ‘suicide missions’ than I care to remember.

 

So when I had the opportunity to visit the HQ of Sarto Bikes to get a fit for my new Sarto Raso and fly from London to Venice and back in a day at the end of my last European trip in October, simple experience told me it could be a bad idea. Flying at the last minute in the continental USA is fraught with delays, cancellations, weather, traffic, angry rental car attendants and the like. What could possibly go wrong with traveling between two different countries, neither of which I was a citizen of?

 

My day started with a 4 am wake-up call at my hotel and the Paddington Express train to London’s Heathrow Airport en route to a British Airways flight to Verona. The flight was smooth, and we touched down around 11 am local time. After waiting only a couple of minutes in line, we entered the country via a simple face scan at an electronic kiosk. So far so slick. Hello Italy!

 

I’d booked a car and driver in an attempt to save precious minutes, and after recognizing my name on a placard held by a person I now think of as The Fastest Driver in the World, we were on the open road and headed for the Sarto factory. I was a bit tired and, for a while, I got lost in the Italian countryside. It was beautiful but increasingly blurred. I peaked at the speedometer, which showed a staggering 200km, or 140 miles an hour! The driver was cucumber-cool and seemed blithely unaware of my sudden panic (or other road users), so I closed my eyes and hoped for the best.

 

Thankfully, our pace maxed out on the interstate and slackened as we turned towards country roads and even greener pastures. After a few small villages, a turn into an industrial park, and a quiet, dead-end street, we arrived at the address I’d given the driver. I got out of the car and didn’t see my destination. After a quick moment of panic, I called Tommaso, my contact at Sarto, who reassured me that I was in the right place and guided me to a large, nondescript building at the end of the street.

Visiting Sarto Bikes
ADAM ON THE SARTO BIKE FIT RIG

The Sarto HQ is an unassuming industrial-esque block surrounded on two sides by open pastures. It’s strangely beautiful. But then, I like factories.

 

After a brief tour to say quick hellos, Tommaso and I took a short walk up the street to grab a bite at Sarto’s local family-run cafe. Even now, my mouth waters as I recall the flavors and the feel of the place, from my simple plate of shrimp pasta to the thirst-quenching local beer and the robust dessert espresso we imbibed at the end of our meal amidst the easy patter of Italian. There’s nothing quite like being in a foreign country and experiencing life’s simple pleasures, the excitement of a new place, the people and their prideful work.

 

Saying so long to that cafe was not easy, but we eventually returned to the Sarto factory, where I pulled out my cycling kit and got on the Fit bike. Owner Enrico, whom many of you got to meet at our Regroup in the Desert event, arrived to greet me and ask about my fit. I’d sent some data from my last fit of a few years past, and through a series of broken English back and forths, Enrico made clear that he didn’t love some of the measurements. Instead of holding to a snapshot of my form, I gave the team full autonomy to make the Sarto Raso bicycle that they’d want to ride, free from bias from me, previous fits, and my ever-growing collection of road bikes in the fleet at home. “You guys are the experts!” I said. “Build me the perfect Sarto.”

 

With the bike shoes back in their bag, we looked at several carbon samples and spent time on the factory floor, where I watched as the team transformed sheets of carbon into works of art. You’ll notice when you see my new frame the blue thread that weaves through the tubes in different places. Sarto calls this their Tri-Composite fiber, or TC for short. It’s a composite fiber infused with metal filaments, a confluence of Japanese and Italian engineering. It comes in blue, green and red versions, which feature copper, and a titanium version, which comes in grey. Another fun fact: did you know that carbon is stored in a freezer to retain its pliability? I thought it would be the opposite.

 

After a less exciting drive back (thank goodness) to Venice proper, I took the ferry to the islands and enjoyed a sunset stroll before my flight back to London. It was quite a different experience from the stormy and rainy days I spent with my wife in Venice the year prior. This time, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the charm of old Venice shone through in all its historic elegance. Despite my return flight being delayed numerous times once I returned to the airport, fellow Regrouper Pete, who lives in London and makes this trip regularly, assured me that it would all work out, and he was right.

 

It was an incredibly long day but one that I won’t soon forget. If you’re in Europe this summer and wonder if a day trip to Sarto is possible, I can confirm it is. And it’s worth it! For those looking to make a special trip to see Sarto from the States, why not let us arrange your Sarto Experience? We can liaise with the Sarto team to ensure your visit goes smoothly. And once you’re back in the States, we can pick up where you left off, receive your geo and specs from the factory, talk through your build and bring your dream bike to life.

I’m finding after 8-years of owning Regroup that giving a custom frame builder autonomy to build to the best of their ability yields a superior product. I took that philosophy to my custom Sarto Raso, and I’m beyond excited to explore what Enrico, Tommaso, and the team at Sarto have built for me. From visit to arrival at Regroup, the frame took approximately 3.5 months and wow is it a head turner.

 

I definitely felt the pressure to deliver on the promise of the frame with the build kit, so I looked to our friends at SRAM and opted for Red components throughout. We complemented the groupset with a Quarq integrated power meter and selections from Ceramicspeed to round it out. We had an OSPW RS 5-spoke floating around the shop in blue, which just so happened to match the blue TC of the frame. As for the wheels, Instagram trolls rejoice – an aero wheel on an all-road bike. For the record, the Raso is pretty aero, and in the spirit of “something new is coming,” these wheels will tide me over until early summer. More on that shortly.

 

Stay tuned for my 500-mile Sarto Raso ride review after I put it through the paces. It’ll likely come with a strong “buy” recommendation so start saving your Pennie’s today.

If this Regroup Custom Sarto Raso TC build has inspired you, contact us to discuss creating your own Italian dream.

Tracing a Line

STORY

Tracing a Line

Forced to introduce himself on pain of fixing a puncture, Pete from creative agency WBD, the brand that built the new Regroup site, traces a line back to his connection with Pegoretti, a new addition to Regroup.

The door to the Pegoretti workshop

WORDS 

Regroup

PHOTOS 

Regroup

I've been asked to introduce myself. "Tell the people, Pete!" joked Adam, Regroup's owner, when he suggested that explaining the new, sometimes u-dropping voice on Regroup's journal might be a good idea. "Although, when you tell them you're a Brit, we'll probably go out of business." Adam is drier than toast.

I’m not accustomed to being front of house, so I decided it would make more sense to introduce myself through the lens of another entity, a business, a family and my friends at Officina Dario Pegoretti in Verona, Italy, with whom my career has been and continues to be, inextricably linked. 

 

Fans of fated trysts will know of Verona as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. It’s a beautiful place boasting a medieval old town and a huge 1st-century Roman amphitheater that resembles nothing more than a sheer stone wave teetering on the verge of crashing down and submerging the many shops, cafes and cobbled streets that sit in its shadow.

Since 2018, when Pegoretti lost Dario, its founder, I’ve been going to Verona regularly. I was there only last week. Over the last seven years, it’s shaped my career more than anything else. When I started my creative agency, WBD, Pegoretti was my first client. Although back in 2018, when I flew to Verona, tasked by my friend Cristina and now co-CEO to get a new site off the ground in the immediate aftermath of Dario’s passing, I didn’t think of them as a client. They needed my help, so I went.

 

That was a strange time. If you know anything about the iconoclast that was Dario Pegoretti, you’ll know how revered he was in life. He’d become divine to large sections of the cycling community, which didn’t bode well for the brand without him behind the blue flame. People get touchy when you mess with their idols and, worse, reveal them for what they are –  fallible, flawed and grumpy when they don’t have their morning espresso. My unenviable task was to take the name over the door and show that Pegoretti was, in reality, a workshop of artisans working under one man. That man might change, but the artisans and the cycle of skills that stretched back to the era of Da Vinci and beyond would remain.

"People get touchy when you mess with their idols and, worse, reveal them for what they are -  fallible, flawed and grumpy when they don't have their morning espresso. My unenviable task was to take the name over the door and show that Pegoretti was in reality  a workshop of artisans working under one man."

PETER HARRINGTON

When I walked through the doors of Pegoretti’s ‘Bottega’, fresh off the plane from Portland, Oregon, where my family and I lived at the time, I discovered that Dario had been building a new site, but it wasn’t live. I saw his designs and read his words, but he wasn’t there anymore. Without the luxury of time, I had to interpret his work, stay true to his vision and get the site live, all within a couple of days, or face the cycling community writing us off as gone, as so many did at the time.

 

Emotions were running high. Pietro, Dario’s trusted lieutenant and quiet genius, Andrea, an astoundingly creative young ex-cycling pro and man of even fewer words, and Cristina, Dario’s best friend and former CEO of Brooks England, there to help his team, were at a crossroads. Could the brand survive the passing of its namesake? Most said no. Cristina and Pietro didn’t give a damn about what anyone thought. Pegoretti would survive because it was a family. And it did survive. And in the years that followed, it thrived. 

 

So began my relationship with Pegoretti, a daub of paint that became an unbroken line, bringing new clients who revered Pegoretti to those who didn’t know but who traced the line and then understood. In other words, any momentum we have as an agency is because of the people and place that is Pegoretti.

 

And that brings me to Regroup and another family. Adam contacted me last year, and we spoke at length. I liked him immediately and hoped we’d work together. That call kicked off a redesign project for the Regroup site that you see now, and once that was complete, we kept on rolling.

 

In Regroup and Adam, his team and family, I see the same sense of pride, hard work and fun that Pegoretti brings to every frame, the same desire to make something great, the willingness to give it everything, and the wisdom to remember what matters and keep it fun.

 

You’ll just have to forgive me the occasional British spelling and references to tea.

ARTISTS IN ARIZONA 

If you’ve browsed our Regroup Custom pages recently, you’ll have seen a new addition – Officina Pegoretti. In a world of circles, connecting both brands feels like the most natural thing, a meeting of Italophiles and builders of beautiful, high-spec custom bikes with the lifelong students of American blues, jazz, art and pop culture at Pegoretti.

 

If you would like to talk through a custom Pegoretti bike build, Regroup is the place to call or visit. And if you saw the recent Pegoretti x Silca Instagram post, now is the perfect time to kickstart your dream steel bike build, as you can now commission a Pegoretti frame painted in the brand’s freeform, entirely improvised ‘Ciavete’ artwork and for an upcharge, receive a matching Silca Hiro pump.

 

One for the road, one for home.

A Going-to-Patagonia Time ADHX 45

REGROUP CUSTOM

A Going-to-Patagonia Time ADHX 45

A Regroup Custom Time ADHX 45 Gravel Bike
BUILD DETAILS

TYPE

Gravel texture

FRAME

Time ADHX 45

FORK

RockShox Judy

GROUPSET

SRAM AXS E1 c/w Power Meter

WHEELS

Zipp 303 XPLR

COCKPIT

Zipp SL stem, bar and seat post

TIRES

Pirelli XC RC 45mm

BAR TAPE

Regroup Bar Tape

At the birth of competitive cycling in the late 19th century, the French showed the world how to randonnée, departing in droves for long, arduous expeditions up, down and across France. This distinctly all-terrain activity was called randonneuring, and its participants, known as ‘randonneurs’, were the earliest exponents of the endurance bikepacking and fast gravel movements we know today.

 

It follows then that a French cycling company, like Time, might have a unique take on the trail and what modern gravel requires. That bike is the Time ADHX 45, a European-made machine that boasts Bio-Based Dyneema®, the World’s Strongest Fiber®, BCS (Braided Carbon Structure) and RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding).

 

Recently, we had the pleasure of creating a Regroup Custom project around a Time ADHX 45 frameset, and we were impressed. In fact, we were so enamored with the bike that we inked a deal to become a Time Bikes partner and an official dealer for the brand.

 

Our client chose a paint-free finish for his Time ADHX 45, which only the very best in the business can pull off without a hitch. Other bare bottom brackets we’ve seen of late include sterling examples from both Sarto and Parlee.

 

On the ADHX 45, Time’s unique carbon weave screams sophistication. With updates to allow for wider tires, the addition of UDH, and a RockShox Rudy gravel fork for extra chattery terrain, this bike is ready to take on the trails of Patagonia, AZ, where our client plans to put the bike through its paces.

 

To bring the build to the road, we turned to SRAM and a de rigueur Red AXS E1 groupset, complete with a Quarq power meter, complemented by Zipp 303 XPLR wheels running Pirelli XC RC 45mm tires. A Zipp cockpit comprising an SL Speed Carbon stem, an SL80 Race Carbon handlebar, and an SL Speed seat post keeps the bike on track, topped off with a Fizik Antares Versus Evo R1 saddle.

 

Post-build update: On final delivery to our client, we switched out the RockShox fork for Time’s stock offering. During a test ride, we found a risk of the fork touching the frame in extreme scenarios. We’ll report back on the viability of using suspension forks with the ADHX45 as soon as we have more information.

If this Regroup Custom Time ADHX 45 build has inspired you to brevet with the best, drop us a line to get the wheels rolling.

Enrico Sarto Talks Bespoke Bikes, Ride Feel and Creating a Dream Finish

INTERVIEW

Enrico Sarto on Bespoke Bikes, Ride Feel and Dream Finishing

The CEO of Sarto Bikes, Enrico Sarto chats to us about the power of bespoke, the signature Sarto ride feel and the work behind every stunning surface.

Enrico Sarto of Sarto Bikes talking to Regoup about the brand's celebrated bespoke bikes.

WORDS 

Regroup

PHOTOS 

Regroup

Whenever I meet someone who seems genuinely comfortable in their skin, with what they are, what they are not, I always feel a sense of possibility—a feeling of forward motion and a desire to have a good chat. Enrico Sarto of Sarto Bikes is one of those people. He's energetic, enthused, calm and assured. He knows what he is and, perhaps more importantly, what his company is and what it was before him when it was his father, Antonio's company.

I’ve interviewed a lot of founders and makers from the world of bikes. There are many things that tie them together. But if I had to pick a common thread that indicates a chance of success, I’d say it’s the knowledge of self and company: if a bike CEO knows himself and what his company is, things always seem to go well. If, however, someone appears to be chasing the market, money or searching for identity and meaning, their company, like a sailboat without a pilot, will go wherever it will. It may hit upon success, but if it does, it will be accidental and the founder won’t know how to replicate it because they don’t know how they got there the first time. Most likely, their company will just hit upon the rocks.

 

“We have a purpose, a feeling, no,” begins Enrico during our recent catch-up at the Regroup in the Desert bike show. “We connect with customers who recognize our direction and our idea for what a Sarto bike is.” To that end, he says, Sarto, a company established in the 1960s that built steel bikes before embracing carbon fiber over twenty-five years ago, is laser-focused on the road and gravel experience.

 

“Our customers are typically very passionate cyclists looking for something different, a performance bike they can ride in comfort over medium to long distances,” he explains. “They want something handmade – truly handmade – by us, by our team. And custom – tailored down to each tube to not just their geometry, but their riding style, weight and power. And a thousand other things.” He pauses for a second and shrugs. “Ultimately, I think we exist to help them find space away from the stresses of life: family, work and so forth.”

 

In Italian, ‘Sarto’ means ‘Tailor’. Enrico, his wife Chiara, who works in the business and who may very well be the real boss, and his father Antonio, who still comes to the factory every day to check up on his son, are literally tailors. Their cloth is carbon fiber. Their tools are their hands, hearts and eyes, which they use to form tubes, bond, paint and bring to the road the hopes and dreams of their customers. A smattering of hi-tech machinery helps, as does a big blue autoclave, and a solar array on their roof that beams all the power its small team needs to the factory floor.

 

“We are a bespoke maker, but our bikes have a signature Sarto ride feel,” says Enrico. Can he explain that feeling? “It’s stiff enough in specific moments of the ride, like on the descent, but stiff in the best way. It’s not elastic – it’s stiff where the ride needs it.” Is he talking about a connection to the road? “Exactly. When you descend, the bike reveals itself. You should feel the road, where it’s going, and what it’s doing, like a great racing car driver who drives through their seat, not the steering wheel. If you feel it through the cockpit, it’s too late. We make bikes that allow our customers to sense the road, to ride quickly, but in complete control and comfort.”

 

Then Enrico says something that makes my eyes prick up. “If your bike is too stiff as you turn into a corner, you need to brake because you don’t feel confident.” In that one sentence, the worst of modern bikes, machines that feel like you’re propped up, perched, not as one and definitely not in control. “Our customers give us great feedback,” he continues. “What we hear most is that when they ride their Sarto, they feel connected in a way they have never experienced before.” To what’s under their wheels? “Yes, to the road, the trail. They say they feel more yet in greater comfort. From that comes confidence and speed.”

At Enrico’s instigation, Sarto has focused solely on composites for over twenty-five years, ending production of steel bikes in favor of what he saw as the future and, as he puts it, “The opportunity to create something beautiful. Too beautiful.” We can certainly attest to that. From the all-road Raso, endurance Seta Plus and the climber’s Asola, Sarto’s range is one gorgeous silhouette after another. If you’ve been into Regroup lately, you may have seen a Raso TC. This special edition Raso incorporates copper filaments within the fiber, adding an outstanding aesthetic element and elevated vibration-dampening and resilience.

 

I ask Enrico about his ability to understand carbon fiber and he’s quick to point out that he’s not an engineer. “No, but I have so much experience with the material that when someone comes to us with a request, I know how to transpose their dreams to the road and what we need to do to fabricate their frame. It’s natural for me.” The same applies when Sarto starts to think about a new model, most recently, the Raso Gravel, which debuted early this year. “I have some excellent suppliers of pre-preg carbon fiber,” he says. “One is in Tuscany, one is in Milan, one is in Veneto. And when I speak with them, I can talk openly about what we are looking to achieve with a new bike, and we chat through the various options, what might be new, what is in development and so forth.”

 

Enrico’s ability to understand carbon fiber is one of the reasons Sarto has garnered a reputation as a composite test center of sorts, with a trickle of riders and even brands bringing their frames to Enrico to test and see the truth under the lacquer. It’s not always pretty. “Sometimes a brand or a rider will find out that their frame is not so good. Maybe even dangerous,” he shrugs. “But that’s the reality of carbon fiber bikes: sometimes a frame is not what it seems from the outside.”

"You should feel the road, where it's going, and what it's doing, like a great racing car driver who drives through their seat, not the steering wheel. If you feel it through the cockpit, it's too late. We make bikes that allow our customers to sense the road, to ride quickly, but in complete control and comfort."

ENRICO SARTO

Turning to the new bike, the Raso Gravel, how did Enrico approach the fiber lay-up and overall design? “Well, it’s hard to explain,” he laughs. “Of course, we did some testing beforehand, but I had a feeling of what the frame would need, so I approached it with a general idea and made the first prototype.” How did the frame respond? “The rider who tested it felt it needed very few changes. They said it felt like a road bike for the trail, which is exactly what we wanted the feeling to be.” Later, Enrico explains, they altered some aesthetic elements but left his initial fabrication untouched.

 

A test frame is as close to stock as Sarto usually gets, although Enrico mentions that not all of its customers require the full breadth of bespoke. But, when Sarto does do bespoke, it goes to extremes. “Yes, we adapt everything,” he says. “Every single frame tube is adapted to suit each rider and their profile. And not just the length of each tube but the composition, the fibers we choose and how we lay them up.” It’s an exhaustive process that reflects the nature of what Sarto is: a tailor. “90% of what we do is custom,” notes Enrico.

 

A recent trend we’ve seen from Sarto’s ever-inspiring photos on social media is a ‘naked’ look, gloriously bare tube junctions of startling depth and texture that aptly demonstrate the craftsmanship and precision for which Sarto is revered. “Yes, it’s popular, but for us, it’s natural to realize whatever the customer wants,” says Enrico, a comment that might seem to downplay the finish but instead speaks to Sarto’s ‘beyond-bespoke’ culture. “Because each frame is the product of so many hours of work, passing from hand to hand, back and forth, we can arrive at a quality of finishing that many tell us they’ve never seen before in the world of composites. It’s nice when the customer gets a sense of the work behind the scenes from the brilliance of the frame’s surface.”

 

Perhaps the Sarto approach can be summed up in a single phrase. “I don’t like to say no!” laughs Enrico.

 

And with that, our time is up. As we head back to the show, I ask Enrico what he thinks of Arizona. “We like the weather!” he laughs. “Everyone has been really nice. Regroup has a great feeling and great people. We’re very happy to be here.”

 

If you’d like to commission a Sarto, please drop us a line.

Enrico's own Sarto Raso Gravel, on display at the 2025 Regroup in the Desert bike show.

Andrea Bortolin From 3T on the Brand’s Italia Program

INTERVIEW

Andrea Bortolin From 3T on Made in Italy, Control and Sustainable Innovation

3T's Product Manager on the brand's Italia program and how homegrown production helped make a better bike.

Andrea Bortolin From 3T Bikes

WORDS 

Regroup

PHOTOS 

Regroup / 3T

Andrea Bortolin, Product Manager at 3T Bikes, is waving his hands around like a conductor at La Scala. He's telling me about the origins of the brand's new 'Italia' program, an initiative that's brought the production of 3T bikes back to Italy after decades of exclusively off-shore manufacturing. The situation is, in itself, unique, as I'm usually faced with a screen. However, thanks to our bike show, Regroup in the Desert, this affable Italian has flown from Presezzo in Bergamo to Arizona to be with us, and, poor man, sit here with me and explain something he's probably done a few times before.

You may know 3T as an Italian brand founded in 1961, a component maker, and, since 2016, a fully-fledged manufacturer of bikes. You may have even read our interview with the CEO of Factor Bikes, Rob Gitelis, who described how, in a former life, he helped 3T off-shore many of its products to Taiwan. And most are still made there, of course, but not the 3T Italia range of bikes. No signor.

 

“Our dream has always been to bring production back to Italy,” says Andrea, with a rousing fortissimo. “So in 2017, we began the long process of investigating whether producing a line of 3T bikes in Italy was feasible and sustainable; whether it was possible or a pipedream!”

 

And possible it was, but not as the brand had been making its bikes in Asia, explains Andrea. “We had to create an entirely new process, one as close to home as possible: inside our existing HQ.” This isn’t my first Rigoletto, so I ask Andrea a difficult question and hope he doesn’t take offence. Was the Italia program a genuine engineering project or a marketing opportunity? “No!” exclaims Andrea. “It was always about the product, about being entirely Italian once again. Yes, there’s a communication part that we’re proud of, but that came later after the hard work of finding a way to produce not just one-off bikes but production runs of 3T bikes in Italy, now and in the future.”

 

But there’s nuance here. While 3T wanted to start making bikes in Italy, as Andrea talks, I begin to understand that the overarching reason was control. “Yes, we knew that if we could make our bikes under one roof, design, develop and produce in the same place, with the agility to retrace our steps, and refine or witness the result as it happened, we could make a unique product worthy of the Made in Italy label.”

What followed, he says, was a long and arduous journey of analyzing materials and production techniques before 3T’s engineers arrived at a method that incorporated proprietary filament winding and resin transfer molding, a concept that foregoes the pre-preg ‘ready-to-mould’ carbon fiber of the wider industry in favor of a process more akin to textile production. “It unlocked the project for us,” says Andrea of the filament technique. “If we had used rolls of ready-made carbon fiber, we could not have created a unique, sustainable and materially efficient product. It would have required too many hands and hours to produce each frame.”

 

With multiple machines winding threads and blending different types of carbon fibers to create tubes, the filament winding process is as beautiful as it is simple. “There are so many wonderful advantages of the technique,” Andrea adds, “one of which is that it allows us to run a single filament the length of a tube, like, for example, from the bottom bracket along the entirety of the down tube, which gives us the ability to tune ride feel in quite specific ways, and offer exceptional strength.”

 

3T’s Italia range consists of the fast-gravel Racemax Italia, the hardcore explorer’s Extrema Italia, and the road-going Strada Italia, each bike designed and made at the brand’s HQ in Bergamo. As we diminuendo away from the fundamentals of how 3T creates its Italia bikes, I ask Andrea about the brand’s design process and how a 3T frameset comes to life. “We started making bikes in Asia in 2016,” he notes, “and from the first frame, our design process has remained the same: we start with the desired tire width, and from there, we craft the geometry, the aerodynamics and the wider frame. Our design philosophy for the Racemax Italia, Extrema or Strada is the same, despite their very different ride profiles.” To that point, how does a 3T Italia bike ride? “Super reactive and very easy to handle,” he legatos. “Compared to the Racemax we make in Asia, which launched in 2020 in pre-preg fiber, the Italia version is even more reactive and even easier to handle,” he admits. “The Racemax is already a great platform, but the Italia, because of the new techniques, the control we were able to exert and the agility of in-house production, we could go further and amplify its properties and take it to a new level.”

 

I’m interested to learn more about 3T’s approach to design. “We start with tire width because it is key us to working towards a geometry that helps us make the bike’s performance accessible to everyone,” he explains. “First comes frame angles and fitting – stack and reach. We tailor the platform to help a rider stay in an aero position for a long time, efficiently and, we might say, realistically!”

"We knew that if we could make our bikes under one roof, design, develop and produce in the same place, with the agility to retrace our steps, and refine or witness the result as it happened, we could make a unique product worthy of the Made in Italy label."

ANDREA BORTOLIN

What Andrea means is that despite the speed of any of the Italia bikes, if you race one or head out for a long, hard ride or take off for a multi-day trip, 3T’s engineers would have you reach the last mile in better shape than your fellow rider, less tired from having been in a less than perfect position. “Exactly,” agrees Andrea. “Even pro cyclists are starting to realize the benefit of pulling back from sheer performance and rebalancing in favor of overall comfort at a small cost to aerodynamics. For example, it’s not uncommon for a rider to have a spacer under their stem, which would have been unthinkable in the past. But, if that rider is more comfortable for longer, they will be faster and fresher for longer, potentially negating the aero advantage that an extreme position might offer.”

 

All this talk of riding is giving me the jimmy legs. And I know there’s a Racemax and an Extrema right outside, ready for the off-road. But which one should I choose? “Well, if you are looking for a fast gravel machine, a performance-driven frameset with a road feel that fits up to 45mm tires, measured, the Racemax might be best,” laughs Andrea. “And by the way ‘measured’ is the operative word. “There is no real width standard between brands, models, tires and rims, hookless or hooked, which is why we emphasize the importance of measured width – the width of an inflated tire.” That’s the Racemax Italia; what about the Extrema Italia? “It has up to 57mm of tire clearance, while maintaining a minimum of 6mm of space between tire and frame at any point. That’s great for muddy conditions – extreme situations.” And it’s gravel sub-genre? “Racing and bikepacking. It’s a bike built for exploring and competing at a high level.”

 

Andrea mentions the 780km (485 miles) 2024 Badlands race in Granada, Spain, and the success of 3T rider Alex Martinez, who chose to ride the event with the Extrema, fitting 53mm rubber alongside a SRAM Red 1x / 13 groupset. “He won the race, taking the flag in just over 42 hours. And that with 16000 meters (52000 ft) of climbing!”

 

As if on cue, I become aware of the sound of the birds outside and a moment of calm amidst the ebb and flow of the show. Andrea recognizes it too, a fermata that marks the start of the end of our conversation. I thank Andrea for taking the time to talk. He’s a gracious and passionate representative of 3T, a vibrant reminder of the power of reinvention, of bikes and their power to reinvent. We’re excited to be part of the 3T journey wherever the road goes.

Birds in the sky, somewhere above Arizona.

In the Desert With Dream Bikes

EVENT

In the Desert With Dream Bikes

We Regrouped in the desert and it was good

We Regrouped in the Desert

WORDS / PHOTOS 

Regroup staff

Well, it happened. The first Regroup in the Desert bike show, the one we'll look back on in years to come and wonder at a world that existed before the Tour de Mars, sentient head units ("It's like you only want me for one thing") and electronic espresso. But before the future, first, the past, and some pleasant words to those who made the show such a success.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the Regroup team, our generous partners and the women of the Regroup Racing squad, the show went off like a Tour de France time trialist, with the mad energy of those crazy fools who run alongside the riders on the mountain stages.

 

From the amazing bikes and the people who made them to the great food, live music and the adrenalized static power challenge, not forgetting the incredible beverages from the Regroup Café, there was a lot to enjoy. Thank you to everyone who helped out and attended – we couldn’t have done it without you.

 

Like any live event, there were things that worked and things to refine. But, like shaving your legs before your first group ride, the important thing is to get on with it and see what happens. People might question your sanity, and things will feel unfamiliar, but when you hit 50 miles per hour in free air and feel like you’re flying, you’ll be the one laughing.

 

And since it’s never too early to start planning for next year, Regroup in the Desert ’26 is scheduled for January 31. Mark your calendars in advance because we’re just getting started.

An Emerald-Isle Mosaic GT-1 iAR

REGROUP CUSTOM

An Emerald-Isle Mosaic GT-1 iAR

Regroup Custom: A Mosaic GT-1 iAR Titanium Gravel Bike Inspired by the Emerald Isle
BUILD DETAILS

FRAME

Mosaic GT-1 iAR

TYPE

Gravel texture

GROUPSET

SRAM AXS E1 c/w Power Meter

BOTTOM BRACKET

Ceramicspeed BSA

WHEELS

Zipp 353 NSW

COCKPIT

Enve SES AR Handlebar -Integrated / Compact

BAR TAPE

Enve Bar Tape

BOTTLE CAGES

Silca Sicuro Titanium

The client for this Regroup Custom Mosaic GT-1 iAR gravel bike in cobalt grey is a former racer who recently moved back to Phoenix from NorCal. He was looking for a bike that could go fast and offer comfort without looking too comfortable, and we knew what he meant.

 

Some builds start with a call, but few phone so late at night. However, our client happened to dial while Regroup’s Adam was in Ireland, where they both fell under the spell of the Blarney Stone, talking until almost midnight about desirous dream bikes. Given how understated this titanium gravel bike is, how the grey hues meld and merge to suggest a deeper texture that belies the bike’s minimalist color palette, it was clearly an excellent conversation. We wonder if Ireland’s famously grey and windy weather inspired the paint scheme. If it did, we might suggest that Adam head to the Emerald Isle more often.

 

Beneath Mosaic’s perfectly executed paint job, there are a few noteworthy things to this build. Our client struggled with some flexibility issues, which, combined with his proportions, made him the perfect candidate for a fully custom Mosaic GT-1 with a personalized tube profile and a geometry crafted to his precise measurements. With an in-depth fit courtesy of our friends at Cyclologic, we were able to build him a stout bike (note the 34.9 ISP downtube) that could smash watts without a hint of noodle.

 

The build centers on the Mosaic GT-1 iAR (Integrated All-Road) titanium gravel frame, which won the Gravel Nationals in 2024 while piloted by California’s Brennan Wertz. It’s a superb frameset, buttery smooth, stiff and made for millions of miles. We’re not kidding – titanium bikes go forever. There’s a lot more to it than these words suggest. So call, swing by the shop or email to chat with us about your own Mosaic GT-1. We’ll have the Blarney Stone on standby.

 

We paired the frame with SRAM’s AXS E1 groupset, Zipp’s 353 NSW wheels and an ENVE cockpit (that grey tape is also ENVE). Finishing details include a Ceramicspeed bottom bracket and a Silca Sicuro titanium bottle cage.

"Our client struggled with some flexibility issues, which, combined with his proportions, made him the perfect candidate for a fully custom Mosaic GT-1 with a personalized tube profile and a geometry crafted to his precise measurements "
Mosaic GT-1 i45 Gravel BikeMosaic GT-1 i45 Gravel Bike
Mosaic Bikes Graveltexture
Mosaic GT-1 i45 Gravel Bike

If this Mosaic build has you mulling over a dream ride of your own, drop us a line to get the wheels rolling.