The rider’s ride

Sarto Asola Disc, £9,900, vielosports.com

Sarto is an Italian custom frame fabricator and this is the disc version of its enduring climber’s frame. It uses classic tube profiles to balance light weight with rigidity and when I first rode it in 2018 it was one of the only disc brake bikes at that time that didn’t incur a weight penalty over rim brake designs (as pictured this bike weighs 6.99kg). That’s less rare now, but the Asola Disc still manages to hold its own as a consummate climber.

Sarto has been smart in balancing the bike’s aggressive characteristics with a high degree of comfort. There is clearance for 32mm tyres to add cushion and grip and the stack is a little taller than you’d expect for this frame size. That meant I could create an ‘all-day’ ride position without any spacers under the stem for extra style points.