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review

Sarto Raso Frameset

9
£7,520.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Stunning ride quality and behaviour on the road from an exceptionally built hand-made frameset
Stunning build and finish quality
Smooth ride feel
Impressive stiffness where it's needed
Full custom geometry available
Weight: 
7,080g
road.cc Recommends

This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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It's fair to say that the Italian company Sarto occupies a place at the high end of the bike market – and the Sarto Raso is a stunning representation of that. It's truly striking to look at, and the very stiff frame delivers a sublime ride quality. The result is a fantastic road bike for those of us who want speed, low weight and aesthetics – and it's also a bike that's pretty much guaranteed to draw a crowd.

Our best road bikes buyer's guide rounds up our top choices from just £300 upwards.

> Buy now: Sarto Raso frameset for £7,520 from Sarto

Ride

Sarto describes the Raso as a bike created to unite race speed with endurance comfort – and considering how stiff the frame is, it does an excellent job even on the poor road surfaces that many of us in the UK are all too familiar with.

It's worth pointing out that when Sarto says endurance, it doesn't mean the Raso has relaxed geometry, but rather it's down to the quality of the carbon fibre lay-up and design that makes it a very comfortable choice for long-distance riding.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - down tube 1.jpg

As with all of Sarto's frames, the Raso can be made to a custom geometry, but even our bike's stock frame focuses on a relatively aggressive ride position for aerodynamics and getting the power down. That's especially the case with the cockpit slammed, as it is here.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - stem 2.jpg

The position I could achieve on the Raso felt absolutely great. Nothing felt too stretched or extreme, but I could get a good drop from the saddle down to the handlebar, so that when I needed to, I could get low to drop my centre of gravity or aero to get out of the wind.

2023 Sarto Raso riding -2.jpg

When descending, being able to get that low centre of gravity makes a big difference to how planted and sure-footed a bike can feel – and it certainly works here.

2023 Sarto Raso riding -5.jpg

The Raso's handling is quick but well balanced. It feels comfortable when you push it into any corner at speed, even the off-camber ones on the descent I use for testing each review bike's behaviour.

2023 Sarto Raso riding -9.jpg

Thanks to the lack of any front-end twitchiness, the Raso is an easy bike to ride very quickly, while the carbon frame and fork offer a smoothness that doesn't feel jittery over rough road surfaces.

2023 Sarto Raso riding -7.jpg

It can also take tyres up to 35mm wide, which is something I really wasn't expecting. This can soften the ride a little and provides a little more confidence, thanks to the ever so slightly larger contact patch compared with the test bike's 28mm rubber.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - tyre.jpg

In fact, for a bike that screams peloton-ready racer to in terms of aesthetics and geometry, the Raso is a very pleasant place to be and rewarding too.

2023 Sarto Raso riding -6.jpg

The build we have here weighs 7.08kg, so the Sarto feels lively and responsive to your commands. Acceleration, whether from a standing start or when rolling, is brisk, and climbing is an absolute joy. The fact that the Raso is so stiff helps both of these aspects of your ride too.

2023 Sarto Raso riding -8.jpg

When it comes to the quality of the ride, I can't fault the Raso at all. It's so comfortable that it's a great bike to ride over long distances, such as a sportive or gran fondo, or for tapping out a flighty century at the weekend – yet it is so responsive that it works just as well as a fast race machine.

Frame and Fork

You may have seen the price of the Raso's frameset and drew a sharp intake of breath. It ain't cheap, but there is a reason for that.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - seat stays.jpg

Sarto makes every frame in-house right from the very first prototype to the finished product. This also means that any frame in its line-up can be made to a custom geometry.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - rear.jpg

The process starts with the creation of the tubes required from carbon fibre sheets – there's no off-the-shelf tubing here. It's then ready to be built into a frame using a tube-to-tube design, rather than the lugs that some other brands use for connecting their frame tubes.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - bars 3.jpg

Sarto says that every tube can be created to a precise length for a 100% custom frame, if that is what you require.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - head tube badge.jpg

With the tubes joined together, Sarto's frame builders then wrap the joints with layers of carbon fibre to create structural rigidity and the various other characteristics required from the bike. On custom frames these pieces are all cut to suit each one individually.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - front.jpg

You can choose from various bottom bracket options from press-fit through to threaded, and you can also choose between different cable routing options.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - bottom bracket.jpg

Our bike has Sarto's stock geometry, although the process is no less involved, and all bikes are finished with fully customisable graphics and a stunning paintjob.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - down tube detail.jpg

The photos here really don't do the colour and depth of the finish justice.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - down tube 2.jpg

As you'd expect for a bike of this style, it isn't adorned with loads of mounts, just a couple of water bottle cage positions and that's your lot – which, to be honest, is all you need.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - bottle cage.jpg

The 12mm thru-axles and flat mount calliper points give a clean, minimalist look that is further increased by the full internal cable/wire/hose routing from the handlebar all the way until they exit the frame and fork just a few millimetres away from the components that require their input.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - rear disc brake.jpg

An integrated seatpost clamp finishes things off.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - seat tube junction.jpg

The Raso is available in seven stock sizes ranging from XXS to XXL. Those offer effective top tube lengths of 505mm to 590mm respectively.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - frame sticker.jpg

Our medium has a top tube measuring 550mm, a 510mm seat tube and a 147mm head tube.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - head tube.jpg

Stack and reach figures come in at 545mm and 393mm, while the head angle is 72.5° and the seat angle a steep 74°.

2023 Sarto Raso Super Record Wireless - 2.jpg

In terms of weight, Sarto says that an unpainted medium frame tips the scales at 890g, with the fork adding 360g.

Value

If you want to purchase a Raso in the UK then Sarto have a network of seven dealers who sell them as framesets, which can then be kitted out to the customer's specific requirements.

The frameset, or 'frame kit' as Sarto calls it, costs £7,520, which includes the frame, fork, headset, seatpost and two bottle cages.

Sarto says our build, which includes Campagnolo's new Super Record Wireless groupset (full review coming very soon), Bora Ultra WTO wheels, Continental's GP5000 tyres and Selle Italia 3D-printed saddle comes in at around €16,700 if you were to buy it direct from Sarto, so around £14,300 depending on the exchange rate.

That build includes Sarto's own carbon fibre integrated cockpit, which is also available in seven sizes. It's very comfortable with a flat, wing-shaped top and a smooth curve to the shallow drops. One thing I do like is the slight flare, which increases the bar's width from the hoods to the drops.

Ever since I've been riding gravel bikes, which tend to come with flared bars, I've switched to using them on my road bikes too, as the wider stance gives better control when you're riding in the drops. Sarto's offering has 10.75° of flare, which is 25mm each end.

The price actually compares well to the Colnago C68 that I have been testing alongside the Raso. With a similar build, albeit with the wired version of Super Record EPS, but featuring the same Bora wheels, the C68 will cost you £14,999.95. So, five pence short of 15 grand...

The Pinarello Dogma F that Aaron reviewed recently also came with a wired version of Super Record Wireless, but with a pair of Campagnolo's Hyperon Ultra wheels rather than Boras. This is a little cheaper at a mere £12,400.

Conclusion

Owning a Raso is without doubt a serious investment but even with our test bike's off-the-shelf geometry, the quality of the ride is amazing, and this is matched by the high-quality build and stunning paintwork, which I feel make the price justifiable. The Raso is a beautiful bike to ride, superbly balancing performance with comfort.

Verdict

Stunning ride quality and behaviour on the road from an exceptionally built hand-made frameset

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Sarto Raso Frameset

Size tested: 55cm

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

The frame kit includes the frame, fork, headset, seatpost and two bottle cages.

Our build uses Camapgnolo's Super Record Wireless groupset and Bora wheels, fitted with COntinental's GP5000 tyres. Sarto's own carbon seatpost and cockpit finish the spec along with a Selle Italia 3D saddle.

Tell us what the bike is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Sarto says: "Created to unite race speed with endurance comfort, Raso is an aero road bike built to set records and smooth the roughest roads."

It definitely has the balance of speed and comfort.

Where does this model sit in the range? Tell us briefly about the cheaper options and the more expensive options

The entry price for a frame kit is £7,520.

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
9/10

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

Stunning build quality and the paint finish is one of the best I've seen.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

Sarto says that the Raso uses uni-directional carbon fibre for the outer lamination, with M46J/CN80/T800 for the inner lamination.

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

As mentioned in the review, the geoemtry is on the racy side of things, but it's so aggressive that it makes it difficult to ride at normal speeds.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

The stack and reach figures are fairly typical for this style of bike in this size.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Very comfortable. For a stiff bike Sarto has managed to give the frame and fork a smooth feel to its ride.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

Stiffness too is excellent, with no flex anywhere that deals with power transfer.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Power transfer is very good, thanks to the Raso's stiffness and low weight.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so was it a problem?

No

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively neutral or unresponsive? On the quick side of neutral.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

The Raso has direct, quick handling, but just manages to keep things on the controllable side of twitchy.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

The GP5000 tyres are supple and the 3D-printed saddle is comfortable.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

The Bora Ultra wheels are very stiff, which makes them ideal for all kinds of performance riding.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

The wheels are very light at a claimed 1,420g, which helps the Sarto feel very responsive.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
 
9/10

The drivetrain

Wheels and tyres

Controls

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

How does the price compare to that of similar bikes in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

While far from cheap, of course, I think its price compares well with the handbuilt Colnago C68 that I'd consider one of its closest rivals.

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
5/10

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Raso is a stunning bike to ride for those of us who want a blend of performance and comfort, and while not exactly cheap, I'd say it's reasonably priced when you consider its handmade construction, the excellent attention to detail and its overall quality. All things considered I'd say the finished product is exceptional.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 44  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the Tech Hub here at F-At Digital, our senior product reviewer Stu uses the knowledge gained from putting well over a 1,000 products through their paces (including hundreds of bikes) to write in-depth reviews of a huge range of kit. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 160,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. Although, as he spends a fair bit of his time reviewing ebikes these days he's becoming an expert in letting the motor take the strain. He's also waiting for 23mm race tyres to make a comeback!

Add new comment

9 comments

Avatar
Dhill | 4 months ago
1 like

I was lucky enough to buy this bike last week. Didn’t go with the campy, but SRAM red and up graded wheels. With Burke saddle and bars adding a few quid but saved a few pounds. Looking forward to some sportive rides abroad later this year. I have a few lined up in the USA and Oz. Some training camps on Tenerife should be nice. Only problem is having to forgo a new car until next year. But with the cost of living we have to all make sacrifices.

Avatar
Cugel replied to Dhill | 4 months ago
0 likes
Dhill wrote:

I was lucky enough to buy this bike last week. Didn’t go with the campy, but SRAM red and up graded wheels. With Burke saddle and bars adding a few quid but saved a few pounds. Looking forward to some sportive rides abroad later this year. I have a few lined up in the USA and Oz. Some training camps on Tenerife should be nice. Only problem is having to forgo a new car until next year. But with the cost of living we have to all make sacrifices.

I hereby award thee a first clarss "Consumer-Polluter of The Year" award. Milton Friedbloke would be proud of 'ee.

BTW, watch out for the forest fires in Tenerife and the USA (and the floods). When in Oz, beware the $1999 per ride fine for lack of polystyrene hat. But if you want to "be lucky enough" with such hats, there are plenty that cost $lotsa and also look mad.  1

Avatar
anagallis_arvensis | 4 months ago
0 likes

£7k for a frameset!! Is cycling disappearing up its own arsehole? I see wheel sets costing over £1k as budget in the cycling press these days and £2k bikes as entry level. If I were to believe what I read in the cycling press I would think cycling was not for me. Can we have reviews of things people can actually afford sometimes?

Avatar
KDee replied to anagallis_arvensis | 4 months ago
2 likes

It's not often that road.cc reviews bikes like this. It's a custom built carbon bike, and from what I've read elsewhere they really can make what you need. And that costs money. There are plenty of reviews of cheaper road bikes on here, and also plenty of exotic stuff. It's good to have a mix. 

Avatar
Cugel replied to KDee | 4 months ago
0 likes
KDee wrote:

It's not often that road.cc reviews bikes like this. It's a custom built carbon bike, and from what I've read elsewhere they really can make what you need. And that costs money. 

Surly sim mashtake, as they don't make "what you need" but "what you can be induced to want, if you're daft enough and don't mind wasting money".

Have you heard of the law of diminishing returns? Best obeyed by all without the Midas touch.   1

Avatar
rjfrussell | 4 months ago
0 likes

I was quite a way through the review before I properly took on board that the price quoted is for frame set only.

 

Blimey!

Avatar
KDee replied to rjfrussell | 4 months ago
0 likes

Yeah, but you do get a couple of repainted Bontrager bottle cages too!

Avatar
mctrials23 replied to rjfrussell | 4 months ago
1 like

Was going to write the same thing!

Avatar
KDee replied to mctrials23 | 4 months ago
0 likes

I actually think they're excellent bidon holders...but they seem a bit out of place on this frame 

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