Race Tech

Factor Bikes to enter pro peloton with One Pro Cycling and three UCI-legal bikes

One Pro Cycling to race the new Factor One, One-S and O2 in 2016

Factor Bikes will enter the professional peloton in 2016 with One Pro Cycling having developed a three-strong range of UCI-legal machines.

Factor was founded in 2007 as an off-shoot of bf1 systems, a Norfolk-based electronic & composite firm focusing on the motorsport industry. Three bikes followed: the 001, the limited edition One-77, developed in partnership with Aston Martin and with a price tag of £25,000, and, finally, Factor’s first production bike, the Vis Vires.

We tested the Vis Vires in 2013 and delivered a verdict of “fast, accurate, and visually stunning, boasting a radical design that makes all but its most sophisticated competitors look generic.” Visually stunning and sophisticated it may have been, but the design wasn’t UCI-legal and so the bike couldn’t be raced.

The Factor One is based on the Factor Vis Vires – but, crucially, has been made UCI-legal

But Factor, now co-owned by retired pro and former Tour de France green jersey winner Baden Cooke, have been back to the drawing board with the new range of bikes in order to supply One Pro Cycling, the team owned by former England cricketer Matt Prior and granted a UCI ProContinental licence for 2016.

The first of the three new bikes, the Factor One, is said to have been designed with “maximum stiffness and aerodynamic performance” at the top of the agenda. It takes key features from the Vis Vires, including an integrated fork, stem and handlebar, as well as a split downtube design said to allow turbulent air from the front wheel to go through – rather than around – the downtube.

The result, Factor say, is an aerodynamic drag saving in CFD modelling and wind tunnel testing of 100g compared to a non-split downtube design – the equivalent to a claimed one second per kilometre.

The Factor One-S shares the One’s split downtube but uses a standard fork, stem and handlebar in order to fine-tune fit for riders with an extreme position.

The O2 is described as Factor’s most versatile bike and places an emphasis on stiffness to weight ratio

Finally, the Factor O2 is said to be the most versatile of the three bikes and will be the team’s machine of choice for cobbled and mountain stages. The complete bike is said to weight 6.9kg including a Verve Infocrank power meter, with a “phenomenal stiffness to weight ratio.”

All three team bikes will be equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets and Black Inc wheels.

All team bikes are equipped with Verve Infocrank power meters

“Here at Factor Bikes we are very proud of our partnership with One Pro Cycling and hope to grow with them all the way to the top of professional cycling,” said Cooke. “One Pro Cycling have a fresh, high tech and thorough approach to everything that they do which is in line with Factor Bikes’ core values.

“With Factor Bikes’ obvious British DNA we think that One Pro Cycling is the perfect fit and we cannot wait to see our bikes in the pro peloton. Ever since meeting Matt Prior and hearing about his vision and ambitions for his team, we knew that we had to be a part of this journey.”

Factor Bikes is co-owned by Baden Cooke (right), with David Millar (middle) an ambassador and Matt Prior (left) the owner of the One Pro Cycling team

All three bike have been developed with feedback from Cooke and David Millar, a Factor ambassador.

“I’m very proud to have contributed to Factor Bikes’ rapid progression from concept bike to racing machine,” said Millar. “One Pro Cycling will be the first team in the world to race on Factor Bikes, and they offer the perfect partnership – a new team, a modern attitude with big plans for the future.”

One Pro Cycling was founded ahead of the 2015 campaign and, after one season at Continental level, has been promoted to Pro Continental level for 2016, with the ambition to achieve WorldTour status in the future and a place at the Tour de France. Signings for 2016 include former Milan-San Remo winner Matt Goss.

“Right from the beginning of our relationship with Factor Bikes it was clear that our values and ambitions were the same,” said Prior. “As a British team, we’re very proud to be partnering with a new and exciting British bike brand. The ability to work with Factor Bikes to develop equipment which will give us a performance edge is a unique opportunity that will help One Pro Cycling reach the top level of the sport.”

The Factor One, One-S and O2 will be able to purchase in early 2016 from www.factorbikes.com. Interested customers are invited to register their interest for pre-orders via [email protected] Otherwise, take a closer look at the three bikes in the gallery below.