The Factor O2 is made for climbing
From England out into the world:
The beginnings of Factor Bikes are in the British Hethersett in Norfolk. The bikes are produced in China and Taiwan. The design, assembly and shipping are done at the company headquarters in Taiwan.
The company was initiated by Rob Gitelis, Baden Cooke and David Millar. BF1 Systems also played its part in the foundation.
Factor can draw on a wealth of experience from motorsport through its collaboration with BF1 Systems.
From luxury bikes to bikes for everyone
In the beginning, Factor brought out superlative bikes. Factor needed a whole 3 years for the first bike.
Shortly after, Factor produced the Factor One 77 hyper bike in collaboration with Aston Martin. The production run was only 77 pieces and was presented together with the Aston Martin Supercar.
It was only after these forays into the luxury segment that Factor Bike finally decided to develop bikes for mere mortals. So you too can enjoy the advanced engineering.
With the Factor O2 and the Factor O2 VAM, 2 excellent climbing artists are at the ready
When it goes up the mountains, they hang the Ostro VAM Allrounder. The O2 and the VAM O2 make every serpentine a pleasure. With the O2 road bikes you manage steep climbs easily and long tours you ride playfully.
These road bikes combine good aerodynamics and comfort. Their lightweight frame design ensures that you can cope with any terrain.
You can have the frameset equipped with brake shoes or brake discs. The other models, which are selectable as a package, you get to buy only as disc bikes.
The Advanced Engineering process makes it possible to produce a lightweight bike with high stiffness.
It has a good comfort and you sit safely in the saddle even at high speeds. When riding downhill you can run the bike with full confidence.
The asymmetrical down tube provides a balanced stiffness. This allows you to complete your tours agile. The speed does not come up short.
The O2 and O2 VAM is available in several frame sizes. You can customize your bike with multiple colors. The frameset is available in Pearl White and Miami Blue, among others.
More bikes from Factor are available as follows:
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Aero Bikes: Factor One, Factor Ostro VAM
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Gravel Bikes: Factor LS, Factor Vista, Factor Gravel
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Mountainbikes: Factor Lando XC, Factor Lando HT
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Triathlon & Time Trial: Factor Hanzo, Factor Slick
Factor Bikes has always stood for excellent equipment
From the very beginning of the company's history, the focus was only on the best products. Since then, not much has changed. You can choose the individual components from well-known manufacturers such as Shimano, SRAM, Ceramic Speed and Zipp.
What is possible in house, is taken over by the Black Inc development forge.
Derailleur groups & brakes
Derailleur groups: Among other things, the Shimano Ultegra and Dura Ace are used. Furthermore, the SRAM Red AXS or Force eTap AXS modules are used.
Both manufacturers meet on a par in terms of quality. The Japanese around Shimano have been in business for more than a century and enjoy a very good reputation.
SRAM, which have their headquarters in America, managed to catch up through continuous work. Both are market leaders in shift groups, with Campagnolo further behind in third place.
At the bottom bracket is set on Ceramic Speed, with BBRight adapters.
Brakes: You have the choice when braking between the possibility over the rims or the modern Disc Brakes. The Svelte Fork can be mounted with Svelte Disc and Rim.
Disc Brakes:
Flat mount disc brakes are strongly superior to the variant with rims in most respects. They have the better braking power, which gives you a time advantage on the approaches of the curves. There you can wait a little longer for the right braking point.
The precision also speaks for itself, especially when you encounter rainy weather conditions. Here, an almost identical effect is achieved as in dry conditions.
Rim brakes:
They have dominated the market for many years, but you find them less and less in the novelties of premium manufacturers. Their lightness was long the main argument against the Disc Brakes, but the new products are constantly lighter and more efficient.
Many recreational riders still like to rely on the rim brakes. They are cheap and you can replace them when necessary without much expertise. This can be done without special tools. A time-consuming trip to the workshop is spared you.
Cockpit
Saddle: In the saddle, for example, the Fizik Arione R1 makes a very good figure. It is longer than the usual saddle and thus you find the right seating position easier. This in turn allows you to ride more efficiently.
Seatpost: In the seatpost is used, among other things, the Seatpost from Zipp. There you will find, among other things, the Zipp SL Speed. The Zipp products belong to SRAM, which also manufacture seatposts in addition to Drivetrains. Furthermore, the products of Black Inc are also used.
Handlebars & stem: For the handlebars and stem you get served at the O2 VAM a combination of Black Inc. The cable routing runs over the headset directly into the interior of the frame.
This gives your bike an elegant look and has a practical benefit at the same time. Less noise and air turbulence are generated. Another plus is the better protection from outside influences. This contributes to a longer durability.
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: The wheelset you have several models of Black Inc to choose from. Factor offers, for example, the Black Inc Five or the Black Inc Sixty.
Tires: The Goodyear Eagle F1 is an excellent tire. You can ride it tubeless as well as with tube. With tubeless you have the advantage that you can continue to ride in case of minor punctures.
The Eagle F1 is an all-rounder that gives you full grip in the corners. On steep climbs he pulls you up the mountain and on descents you can rely on him.
Additional equipment
As an add-on we can recommend the CeramicSpeed Oversized Pulley Wheel System (OSPW System). CeramicSpeed has followed the call of drivers who have demanded more power during the drivetrains. The ball bearings offer extremely low resistance. They make the OSPW system a perfect match for your O2 road bike.
This was achieved through a unique design that is compatible with SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo gears.
Other accessories for your shopping cart are the matching shoes, some of which must be matched to the pedals. To regulate the fluid balance, you should always carry a water bottle. The right clothing helps you to be prepared for the weather.
Do I take the O2 or rather the O2 VAM?
If you find that the O2 bikes don't suit you so well after all, Factor offers even more road bikes.
With the Aero race bikes you literally cut the air. You'll make an impression at every race. The competition will have a hard time keeping up with you. The Ostro VAM stands for uncompromising speed. With the Factor 1, you can see the company's history in motorsports.
For gravel bikes, you'll find the Factor LS, Factor Vista and Factor Gravel. They feel equally comfortable on the asphalt and off the road.
The wide tires ensure that you have the necessary grip on gravel and dirt roads. Thanks to the balanced geometry you achieve high speeds on the road. They are perfect for longer trips on the weekend.
The Factor Lando XC and Factor Lando HT cross-country mountain bikes. With the XC you have a full suspension MTB and with the HT a hardtail available.
With a Fully you have to dig a little deeper into your pocket, but you get extra comfort. This pays off in demanding terrain. With a hardtail you will also master your cross-country tours with flying colors.
If you have a preference for time trial bikes, then the Factor Slick is made for you. For triathlon you are in good hands with the Factor Hanzo.
Do you have any questions about the O2 models and their equipment options? If so, feel free to contact us at Buycycle.
