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With its patented variable-geometry mold system, Gregario is evolving the VERA AR into a true platform capable of producing a variety of fully customized monocoque frames. An endurance version of the VERA AR has been announced, ahead of the arrival of a gravel model, the VERA GR.
The Italian manufacturer Gregario is expanding its VERA concept. Initially developed around a single frame, the VERA AR, its patented variable-geometry mold system has now become a true design and manufacturing platform. The goal remains the same: to produce fully customized monocoque frames with geometry tailored to the millimeter for each rider, but this technology can now give rise to several types of bikes.
Officially founded in 2019 by engineers Salvatore Botrugno and Paolo Baldissera, Gregario is based in Mondovì, Piedmont. The two partners, graduates of the engineering faculty at the Politecnico di Torino, have been working for several years on solutions to overcome the limitations of standard frame sizes. Their VERA technology is based in particular on a modular, adjustable mold with variable geometry, capable of producing a fully customized monocoque frame.
Until now, this technology has been primarily associated with the VERA AR, an aerodynamic road bike designed to combine integration, performance, and precise adaptation to the rider’s body type. Gregario is now taking a new step forward by transforming VERA from a single model into a platform.
One Principle for Multiple Frames
When designing the VERA mold, Gregario initially chose to focus on a single product. The VERA AR was thus the first concrete application of this technology. But the mold’s modular architecture already made it possible to envision more significant developments.
The ability to modify certain geometric parameters without having to design and manufacture a completely new mold opens up new possibilities for the production of monocoque frames. It becomes possible to develop different versions based on the same technological foundation, varying factors such as angles, tube lengths, cross-sections, stiffness, and even the available tire clearance.
“When we started working on the VERA mold, our main goal was to solve a specific problem: how to manufacture a fully monocoque frame that was truly tailored to a cyclist’s exact measurements. Over time, we realized that we had developed much more than just a tool for making custom frames. We created a technological platform,” explains Paolo Baldissera, co-founder of Gregario.
This approach helps blur the lines between different categories of bikes. A race frame and an endurance model, for example, can share part of their design while featuring different geometries and characteristics. The same logic can apply to certain gravel configurations.
The VERA AR in its endurance version
The first tangible evolution of the platform involves the VERA AR. The aerodynamic frame can now be adapted for use more geared toward endurance and long distances, without compromising its monocoque design or its identity.
The mold allows certain dimensions to be modified to achieve a riding position better suited for long rides. Tire clearance has also been adjusted.
The VERA AR’s fork already accommodated tires up to 36 mm, while the rear triangle was limited to 32 mm. Gregario has developed a new frame module for the rear triangle to increase this capacity. The chainstay length thus increases from 405 to 412.5 mm, and the actual tire clearance reaches up to 36 mm. This new configuration also introduces UDH compatibility.
The VERA AR can now be configured in two ways: as an aerodynamic road bike designed for performance, or as a more endurance-oriented version, offering greater flexibility in terms of riding position and tire selection. This evolution marks the first concrete commercial application of the VERA platform concept.
A VERA GR Designed for Gravel
The next step will be the VERA GR, a version specifically designed for gravel riding. The differences from the VERA AR will be more significant this time. Gregario plans, in particular, to modify the fork geometry and the frame’s handling to meet the specific demands of off-road riding. However, certain parts of the mold will maintain continuity with the existing platform.
The cockpit will also follow this modular approach, with the option to integrate flared handlebars suited to various gravel riding styles.
The VERA GR will therefore not simply be a VERA AR equipped with wider tires. It will be a bike designed specifically for gravel riding, while utilizing the same design and manufacturing architecture.
A platform for a wide range of configurations
For Gregario, this evolution responds to the diversification of cycling disciplines. From road racing, aero, endurance, all-road, cyclocross, gravel racing, gravel adventure, bikepacking, time trials, and track racing, there are now numerous categories, but the lines between them are sometimes less distinct.
VERA technology is designed to enable Gregario to accommodate this diversity without creating a multitude of molds and completely independent models. The idea is rather to have a technological foundation capable of evolving according to the cyclist’s use and needs.
“Our goal isn’t to build an ever-larger collection of standalone models. It’s about creating a system that allows us to design the right bike for the right use, without the technical constraints imposed by traditional molds. For us, innovation lies in the design freedom offered by this platform,” explains Salvatore Botrugno, co-founder of Gregario.
The Italian manufacturer thus upholds the principles that have guided the development of the VERA since its inception: full monocoque construction, engineering-driven design, Italian manufacturing, and fully customizable geometry.
With this evolution, Gregario seeks above all to reverse the usual logic of custom frames: rather than asking the rider to adapt to a standard size, the bike is designed to adapt precisely to its rider.
More info: gregariocycling.com
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