# Factor Bikes

> Factor Bikes is a high-performance bicycle manufacturer and engineering-first brand that designs, prototypes and manufactures carbon-fibre frames in-house. Founded in its modern form in 2016 by carbon-fibre pioneer Rob Gitelis (with co-ownership from four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome since 2021), Factor builds UCI-legal racing bikes across road, gravel, mountain, triathlon/TT and velodrome disciplines. Tagline: "Never Status Quo."

Storefront: https://factorbikes.com (default USD pricing, region selector in header).
Customer contact via the on-site form at https://factorbikes.com/contact-us; general enquiries to sales@factorbikes.com.
Social: facebook.com/factorbikes, instagram.com/factorbikes, youtube.com/@factorbikes.
Platform: Shopify Oxygen (Hydrogen-based headless storefront).

## About Factor

Factor Bikes is a high-performance bicycle manufacturer and engineering-first brand, building UCI-legal racing bikes across road, gravel, mountain, triathlon and velodrome. The company designs, prototypes and manufactures its frames in-house, which the brand frames as the source of its speed of innovation and uncompromising control over performance. Factor's founder Rob Gitelis combines a former WorldTour racing career with chemical-engineering training and decades of carbon-fibre manufacturing in Taiwan, where he built bikes for many of cycling's most respected brands before launching Factor as a brand of its own.

Factor's core engineering team is Rob Gitelis, Graham Shrive, Stuart Munro and Mike McGinn. The company owns the full development chain: research, concept, design, engineering, prototyping, testing, manufacturing and paint — a level of vertical integration few bike brands match. Every Factor bike begins with a short "purpose statement" that becomes the north star for development (e.g. the O2 VAM brief: "Nothing this light is this fast, and nothing this fast is this light"). Factor's component arm Black Inc designs and produces the wheels, integrated bar-stems and seatposts that ship on its bikes.

## History

Factor's modern story begins with Rob Gitelis. A WorldTour pro in the 1990s and a chemical-engineering graduate of the University of Miami, Rob travelled to Taiwan in 1996 and entered the world of bicycle manufacturing. He applied racing instincts to engineering problems and pioneered early applications of carbon fibre in performance bike construction, becoming the quiet force behind some of the most respected brands in cycling — "the outsider with insider knowledge."

The Factor name itself goes back to 2007, when BF1 Systems — a Norfolk-based motorsport engineering company working at the pinnacle of Formula performance — released the Factor001, a £25,000 training bike that BikeRadar called "leaps ahead of anything the cycling world has even envisaged." In 2013 BF1 developed a follow-up concept, the Factor Vis Vires, a skunkworks experiment that won design awards. BF1 wanted a visionary to turn it into a brand and approached Rob.

The deal was finalised during the 2016 Tour Down Under and Factor in its modern form was born. Within nine months, before producing even 250 bikes, Rob signed the AG2R team to ride Factor in the WorldTour. Less than a year later, Factor bikes were on the start line of the 2017 Tour de France — the fastest rise to the top tier of cycling in modern history. The team raced a then-unreleased Factor O2, which Romain Bardet rode to a stage win and a podium in the general classification.

In 2021, seven-time Grand Tour winner and four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome joined Rob as an investor and co-owner. Other investors include Australian tech billionaire Scott Farquhar, Point King Capital and Skip Capital.

In 2024, Factor launched the OSTRO VAM at the Tour Down Under — independently tested as the world's fastest road bike — and Stevie Williams won on it in its debut race.

Source: https://factorbikes.com/about/our-history

## Mission

Factor's stated philosophy is "Engineer. Design. Evolve." The brand positions itself as a partner in possibility — bikes designed to be beautiful at rest but complete only in motion. The team frames its work as the relentless pursuit of meaningful speed and capability rather than novelty for its own sake. "Never Status Quo" is the company's tagline and animating principle.

Source: https://factorbikes.com/about/our-mission

## Product range

### Road bikes

- [All road bikes](https://factorbikes.com/bikes/road-bikes): Category landing page

**OSTRO VAM** — *"The Factor OSTRO VAM is a sub-7kg aero road bike. 250g lighter and 7W faster than its predecessor. Nothing this fast weighs this little. Raced at the WorldTour."* Launched at the 2024 Tour Down Under and ridden to victory by Stevie Williams on debut. Frame 900g; 32mm tire clearance; seven sizes (45–61). Key features: super-thin 15mm aero seatpost, aero integrated bottle cages (the bike is actually faster with the seat-tube cage mounted and no bottle than with no cage), CeramicSpeed T47A bottom bracket, Black Inc Integrated Aero Barstem, Black Inc 48|58 wheelset. The "VAM" suffix is from Italian *velocità ascensionale media* (average ascent velocity), a nod to the bikes' low weight. From $5,999. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/ostro-vam

**ONE** — *"The Factor ONE is a UCI-compliant aero road bike engineered to the absolute limits of what's now possible. The world's fastest road bike, built to win."* Distinguished by the Bayonet Fork + "Chin" Fairing system, which holds its aerodynamic advantage beyond 15° yaw where competitors fall apart, and by an integrated bar system without a traditional stem (sizes 1–5 correspond to 110–150mm equivalent stem lengths). 34mm tire clearance. Identical steering geometry across all frame sizes, including the smallest — a rarity in high-performance road bikes. Won a stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné on its unannounced prototype debut. From $7,599. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/one

**O2 VAM** — *"The Factor O2 VAM is a carbon aero climbing bike from 6.4kg. Nothing else this light is as fast. Nothing this fast is as light. The definitive aero climbing bike."* From 6.4kg out-of-the-box for a 54 with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, leaving headroom to add pedals/cages/transponder and still hit the 6.8kg UCI minimum. In the wind tunnel at 0–5° yaw, only 5W behind the OSTRO VAM, which is itself the fastest aero bike on the market. 700g frame; 32mm tire clearance. Features the new Black Inc 28|33 wheels (1,146g tubeless clincher pair), 10mm-minimum-thickness top tube for controlled compliance, and an external seatpost. From $6,899. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/o2-vam

**MONZA** — *"The Factor MONZA is a carbon road bike built for those who race Sunday and train Monday. WorldTour handling and aerodynamics in a real-world, race-ready package."* Built around the principle of "Race Sunday, Train Monday" for committed amateur racers who balance family and careers with serious training. Embodies the OSTRO VAM's essence at a more accessible price without the flagship's integration complexity. In-frame storage (fits two tubes, two CO2 cartridges and a patch kit) eliminates the need for a saddle bag and saves up to 6W of drag. 34mm tire clearance, UDH compatible, seatpost-mounted Di2 battery, two-clamp seatpost system, sleek mounting options for lights and radar. Black Inc 45 wheelset. From $4,099. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/monza

**MONZA VEXX Edition 2026** — *"The Factor MONZA VEXX Edition offers a race-ready carbon road frameset featuring the unmistakable VEXX graphic design raced at Paris-Roubaix."* Designed by Belgian artist VEXX, paired with the Black Inc FIFTY EIGHT wheelset for Paris-Roubaix race day. The Roubaix-ready build offers greater vertical compliance via steel-spoked wheels and a 23mm internal rim width for racing on wider tires at low pressures. From $4,399. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/monza-vexx-edition-2026

**Bugatti Factor ONE** — *"The Bugatti Factor ONE is a limited-edition luxury road bike combining Bugatti's design DNA with Factor's advanced engineering and carbon frame technology."* Non-UCI-legal limited-edition collaboration with Bugatti, restricted to 250 numbered units worldwide. Built on the Factor ONE platform with a wider 147mm fork stance (vs the UCI 115mm limit), Black Inc Bugatti Hyper 62 wheels with co-moulded rim-to-rim carbon spokes (1,298g/pair), 3K twill carbon weave to match Bugatti's automobile finish, SRAM Red AXS with custom Bugatti-branded CARBON-Ti chainrings, THM carbon crank arm, SRM ORIGIN PM9 powermeter, CARBON-TI brake rotors and Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT tyres with French Racing Blue sidewalls. Features the "Dancing Elephant" emblem by Rembrandt Bugatti at the front of the bike and ships with a bespoke Factor / Post Carryco. Loomer travel bag. From $23,599. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/bugatti-factor-one

### Gravel bikes

- [All gravel bikes](https://factorbikes.com/bikes/gravel-bikes)

Factor positions its three gravel bikes along a single spectrum: ALUTO (Race Balance) → SARANA (Race Endurance) → Ostro Gravel (Race Speed).

**ALUTO** — *"The Factor ALUTO is a race-bred carbon gravel bike. Agile, centred, and built to go long. From dirty short courses to 300km adventures. For riders who do it all."* Race-tuned geometry: short chainstays, lowered bottom bracket, slightly slacker head tube than the OSTRO Gravel, and a slightly higher stack for adaptable fit. 47mm rear / 52mm front tire clearance (geometry optimised around 45mm). 1x and 2x compatible (electronic only, hydraulic brakes only). UDH rear dropout. Standard round 27.2mm seatpost — dropper-post compatible. In-frame down-tube storage. From $4,099. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/aluto

**SARANA** — *"Designed for fast gravel racing over long distances, the Factor SARANA combines performance handling, stability, comfort, and wide 57 mm tyre clearance."* Factor's ultra-distance race platform, positioned for events measured in days rather than hours where riders are self-supported. Developed with Canadian ultra racer and 2025 Unbound XL champion Rob Britton, tested across British Columbia. Distinguishing engineering: a leaf-spring seat-stay system with dropped stays and a subtly offset seat tube creates in-plane flex (18% reduction in vibration amplitude vs previous endurance baselines) while keeping the rear end tight (425mm chainstays across all sizes). 71.5° head tube angle, 80mm bottom-bracket drop, 65mm trail (tire-size dependent). 57mm / 29×2.2-inch tire clearance. Compatible with rigid or 30mm-travel suspension forks. 30.9mm dropper-post ready. T47 wide bottom bracket. Large downtube in-frame storage with custom bag, plus Post Carry-designed frame bags. Black Inc FORTY SIX gravel wheels and Black Inc HB05 Integrated Barstem. Sizes 49–58cm. Two colourways: Cyan Blue, Prismatic Gold. From $5,199. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/sarana

**Ostro Gravel** — *"The Factor OSTRO Gravel takes its win-everywhere mentality from the OSTRO VAM. Developed to dominate with aero, handling, stiffness and low weight. 45mm tyre clearance."* Best-in-class 900g frame weight; 45mm tire clearance in both 700c and 650b; sized-based fork offsets across frame sizes for consistent handling. Zoned-aero strategy: front of the bike optimised for aerodynamics, rear optimised for lightness and ride quality. UDH compatible, T47 threaded bottom bracket. Electronic shifting and disc brakes only. Black Inc THIRTY FOUR carbon gravel wheels. Endorsed by 2022 Gravel World Champion Adam Roberge. From $5,999. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/ostro-gravel

### Mountain bikes

- [All mountain bikes](https://factorbikes.com/bikes/mountain-bikes)

**Lando XC Fox** — *"The Factor LANDO XC FOX Premium Package with Black Inc 27 carbon wheels. Build your full suspension carbon XC frameset with FOX Factory suspension."* Lightweight 29er full-suspension cross-country race bike, now powered by FOX Racing suspension throughout: FOX Factory 34 fork (115–120mm travel), FOX Float SL vertical shock, and FOX Transfer SL dropper post. Vertically-oriented shock concentrates forces in the bottom-bracket region, allowing a svelte top tube. Boost 148mm rear spacing, T47x88.5 bottom bracket, 2.4-inch tire clearance with mud, CeramicSpeed bearings, Black Inc TWENTY SEVEN wheels. 2,100g frame weight including shock. From $5,199. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/lando-xc-fox

**Lando HT** — *"The Factor LANDO HT is a carbon hardtail 29er built to shred the competition. For XC racers, gravel crossover riders, and marathon enthusiasts. Suspension or rigid fork."* 850g frame. Designed for either a 110mm-travel suspension fork or the Black Inc Fully Rigid Fork — the rigid build pulls double-duty as a fast gravel platform. Thin seatstays with a kinked design enhance vertical compliance. Flat-mount rear brake allows a fully carbon chainstay. Boost spacing, T47x88.5 bottom bracket, 2.4-inch tire clearance with mud. From $3,599. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/lando-ht

### Triathlon and time trial

- [All TT/triathlon bikes](https://factorbikes.com/bikes/triathlon-bikes)

**SLiCK** — *"The Factor SLiCK is a dedicated triathlon bike built for pure performance. OSTRO VAM-derived aerodynamics combined with practical integration for Ironman and half-Ironman racing."* In-frame storage under the down tube (with a purpose-built bag for tubes, levers and tools), bento-box and hydration mounts on the top tube. Aero-profiled tubing borrows from OSTRO VAM and HANZŌ Track. Importantly, the standard 1-1/8" steerer means the SLiCK can be packed, travelled with, and rebuilt easily — and accepts third-party base bars/extensions. Available in two builds: SLiCK (SRAM Force + Black Inc FIFTY EIGHT) and SLiCK Premium (SRAM RED AXS with power + Black Inc SIXTY TWO). Frame 1,250g, 32mm tire clearance. From $5,499. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/slick

**HANZŌ** — *"The Factor HANZŌ is a UCI-compliant time trial bike engineered to the absolute limit of current design regulations. Purpose-built for serious TT and fast triathlon racing."* Frontal tube minimum-cross-section dropped from 2.5cm to 1cm enabled a 31% reduction in projected area versus the SLiCK. One-piece fork with external steerer and integrated mono-riser replaces dozens of bolted/stacked components. Wide fork-leg and seatstay stance manages airflow around the rider's legs and wheels. Penalty-free pad stack with CAD profiles shared to AeroCoach and WattShop for third-party aero extension compatibility. 1,150g frame; 28mm tire clearance; 1" headset bearings. Endorsed by Alex Dowsett. From $6,899. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/hanzo

### Velodrome / track

- [All track bikes](https://factorbikes.com/bikes/track-bikes)

**HANZŌ Track** — *"The Factor HANZŌ Track is a carbon pursuit track bike developed for the Australian national team. Purpose-built for velodrome racing at the highest level in the world."* Developed over 2+ years with Aus Cycling; raced at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the programme set world records. Wide-stance fork manages airflow around the rider's legs to keep the channel between rider and frame clean. Swept-back seat post maximises space between the rider's legs and the leading edge. Sculpted narrow head tube; specially designed bearings positioned within the slim steering column. Co-developed with Black Inc ZERO Track disc wheels with buttressed internal flanges and TexTreme Spread Tow polished outer layer. 23mm tire clearance, T47 bottom bracket, 76-tooth max chainring. From $11,299. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/hanzo-track

**HANZŌ Track Paris Edition** — *"The Factor HANZŌ Track Paris Edition is the pursuit bike raced at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Handcrafted carbon layup, Black Inc ZERO Track wheels, built for world record speed."* Same chassis as the HANZŌ Track, tuned for world-record performances on the velodrome. From $59,999. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/hanzo-track-paris-edition

**Raiden** — *"The Factor RAIDEN is a carbon velodrome track bike for mass-start racing. Born from HANZŌ Track and OSTRO VAM development, built to dominate Sprint, Madison, and Omnium events."* Fuses learnings from the OSTRO VAM (group-handling, modern foil shapes) and the HANZŌ Track (chainstay/seatstay stiffness, aero efficiency). Accessible race-ready geometry across a wide range of rider sizes. Rail-style seatpost for versatile saddle adjustment, standard 1-1/8" round steerer, standard T47x68mm bottom bracket — Factor explicitly chose standard parts for easy maintenance. Vision Metron Track handlebar with multiple hand positions, FSA SMR-II stem. Compatible with Black Inc SIXTY or Black Inc ZERO Track wheelsets. 76-tooth max chainring. From $4,899. https://factorbikes.com/bikes/raiden-track

## Equipment and lifestyle

- [Equipment](https://factorbikes.com/equipment): Black Inc — Factor's in-house wheel and component brand — plus parts and accessories. Wheels include the Black Inc 48|58, 28|33, FORTY SIX, FIVE, Twenty Seven, SIXTY Track and Zero Track. Components include integrated bar-stems, seatposts, road stems and consumables. Factor works directly with SRAM and Shimano to define drivetrain options on configured bikes.
- [Emporium](https://factorbikes.com/emporium): Apparel and lifestyle goods — race bags, drawstring bags, umbrellas, travel tumblers, shoe covers.
- [Prisma Studio](https://factorbikes.com/prisma-studio): PRISMA STUDIO+ custom paint programme. Specify base colour, accent and seatpost colour, frame logo colour, seatpost/barstem logo colour and wheelset finish; choose gloss or matte; hand-painted in-house. Available across OSTRO VAM, OSTRO Gravel and O2 VAM.

## Racing

- [Factor Racing](https://factorbikes.com/factor-racing): The pro programme. Factor entered the WorldTour with AG2R in 2017, broke into the Tour de France in record time, and has continued to support pro teams and athletes through subsequent seasons.

## News and stories

The complete, regularly updated journal is at [factorbikes.com/news](https://factorbikes.com/news). A handful of evergreen pieces are linked here for context:

- [Factor ONE story](https://factorbikes.com/news/factor-one): The launch and engineering rationale of Factor's UCI-aero flagship
- [Celebrating the OSTRO VAM](https://factorbikes.com/news/celebrating-the-ostro-vam): Why the OSTRO VAM represents the core of Factor
- [Bugatti Factor ONE](https://factorbikes.com/news/bugatti-factor-one): The story of the Bugatti collaboration build
- [Explore Our History](https://factorbikes.com/news/explore-our-history): Factor's origins from Taiwan and BF1 Systems through to today
- [Factor Origins: Part Three](https://factorbikes.com/news/factor-origins-part-three): Deeper dive into the founding chapters
- [Modern Adventure Pro Cycling recap](https://factorbikes.com/news/modern-adventure-pro-cycling-recap): Team partnership behind the ONE in the WorldTour

## Buying and ownership

**How to buy.** Factor sells direct online at factorbikes.com and through a network of authorised retailers worldwide. Customers who buy direct work with Factor's team for support; customers who buy through a retailer should work with that retailer for warranty claims and service. Find a Retailer: https://factorbikes.com/find-a-retailer

**Delivery.** Free worldwide delivery on bikes and framesets ordered online, with country exclusions. Excluded shipping destinations from factorbikes.com include parts of mainland Europe, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, New Zealand and many more — see the full list at https://factorbikes.com/delivery-returns (the list is updated as Factor's distribution arrangements evolve). Complete bike build and delivery typically takes 30–120 days depending on specification and Prisma Studio customisation; in-stock framesets ship faster.

**Returns.** 14 calendar days from delivery date to initiate. Items must be unused, in original packaging, with proof of purchase. A 4.5% restocking fee applies to accepted returns. Customers pay return shipping. Once a component is installed it is no longer eligible for return or exchange. https://factorbikes.com/delivery-returns

**Warranty.** Limited Lifetime Warranty on frames and framesets for the original owner, against defects in materials and workmanship. One-year warranty on Factor components subject to normal wear and tear. Third-party components are covered only by their manufacturer's warranty. Cosmetic wear (paint, fading, decals, scuffs from the Black Inc Aero Bottle Cage), normal wear and tear, accident damage, improper use, unauthorised modifications and single-piece press-fit bottom brackets are excluded. Warranty governed by laws of England and Wales. https://factorbikes.com/warranty

**Product Registration.** Required within 15 days of purchase to activate the warranty. Serial code is on the underside of the bottom bracket. https://factorbikes.com/product-registration

**Manuals and technical documentation.** Assembly and owner manuals for every Factor frame at https://factorbikes.com/product-manuals — Road (ONE, OSTRO VAM v2, MONZA, O2 VAM v2, O2 Disc), Gravel (ALUTO, OSTRO Gravel, plus archived LS and VISTA manuals), Mountain (LANDO XC) and Triathlon/TT (SLICK, HANZŌ).

**Sizing and fit.** Download the measurement guide PDF, submit your measurements via the form, and Factor's team returns a personalised size and configuration recommendation. https://factorbikes.com/size-guide

**FAQs.** https://factorbikes.com/faqs

**Contact.** Form at https://factorbikes.com/contact-us. Email: sales@factorbikes.com.

## Policies

- Terms & Conditions: https://factorbikes.com/terms
- Privacy Policy: https://factorbikes.com/privacy-policy

## Brand contact summary

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded (modern brand) | 2016 (Tour Down Under launch) |
| Brand origin | BF1 Systems, Norfolk UK (2007 Factor001, 2013 Vis Vires) |
| Founder & CEO | Rob Gitelis |
| Co-owner | Chris Froome (since 2021) |
| Other investors | Scott Farquhar, Point King Capital, Skip Capital |
| Manufacturing | In-house, Taiwan |
| Engineering team | Rob Gitelis, Graham Shrive, Stuart Munro, Mike McGinn |
| Component brand | Black Inc (in-house) |
| Tagline | Never Status Quo |
| Site | https://factorbikes.com |
| Email | sales@factorbikes.com |
| Social | facebook.com/factorbikes · instagram.com/factorbikes · youtube.com/@factorbikes |