ELARA

Across all disciplines, Factor’s advantage is a willingness and ability to make fundamental changes to designs even when deep into the development process. The ELARA design process is a prime example. What may have started as an OSTRO Gravel update quickly morphed into a complete redesign. If our engineers and industrial designers hold the key to the process, it’s because they also listen to the rider feedback to provide essential guidance. For the ELARA, Magnus Bak Klaris, 2025 Gravel Earth Series winner, provided the crystal-clear input that completely reset the design brief.

It became clear that the ELARA needed to support the option of running 57 mm tyres front and rear, something the engineers initially considered excessive for a high-speed race bike. But at the speeds these riders hold, the impacts are amplified. Larger tyres don’t just absorb shock, they reduce rolling resistance across broken surfaces and drastically lower the risk of punctures. This feedback sent the Factor engineering team back to the drawing board and within four months, a full prototype was ready for race-testing, the result was a gravel bike that Magnus Bak and Romain Bardet reported to be noticeably faster. The 57 mm clearance was locked in, and the frame had evolved into something radical: a fast, race-focused design that fits 2× drivetrains, while keeping the thoroughly Factor handling.

Since the ELARA geometry takes its cues from Factor’s road platforms, it succeeds in keeping the handling sharp and responsive while pairing the frame with 57 mm (2.2-inch) tyre clearance. This wide tyre clearance is not to add adventure to the mix; it’s designed specifically so the rider can keep the speeds super-high even in the midst of the rockiest conditions. With head tube angles ranging from 71.3 to 71.5° and offsets that yield a trail of 61 mm, the ELARA’s handling hits the sweet spot for agility off-road. The tight chainstays, ranging between 420 mm on the smaller sizes to 425 mm on the larger, contribute to the snappy handling, while an offset seat tube junction allows the rider to run 57 mm tyres with a 1x setup.

The geometry works with this setup thanks to the longer reach, reduced trail and lower bottom bracket compared to its predecessor. This is key for the handling, especially with the larger tyres. It helps to manage the center of gravity and plants the rider better within the bike. The position feels familiar for a road racer while remaining composed over gravel. The high-speed stability coexists with intuitive agility. Using a true monocoque mould, not a front triangle bonded to the rear stays, the lay-ups are tuned around torsional stiffness and impact control rather than comfort curves. The frame is lighter than its predecessor yet measurably stiffer at the bottom bracket and head tube junctions.