The AG2R La Mondiale pro cycling team switched from Focus to Factor bikes this season, replacing the German brand with a brand that started out as a British company as an offshoot of an F1 engineering company. The stock team bikes are a lovely shade of blue, but GC hopeful Romain Bardet has a custom white bike to help to spot his bike in the peloton that little bit easier. Just don’t confuse it for the white Treks…
The O2 is Factor’s newest and lightest offering, with a claimed weight of 740g for the frame. As well as being light, the tube shapes have been shaped to offer some aerodynamic benefit, which is fitting for a company that made its mark with the extreme aerodynamics of the Vis Vires, the company’s first proper production bike (and the only test bike I’ve ever crashed. Ahem).
AG2R also switched from SRAM (it helped the US company test its eTap wireless groupset) to Shimano this season, so it’s a full complement of Dura-Ace Di2. Naturally.
The main deviation from the Shimano theme is the SRM Origin carbon fibre power meter with Dura-Ace chainrings, and the bonkers CeramicSpeed Oversized Pulley Wheel System. The huge 17t jockey wheel is claimed to improve drivetrain efficiency and can save 3W at 250W power output. But you pay a hefty price for those watts, it retails for £400.
We like this motivational message on the top tube very much so.
There’s more Tour Tech coverage on the other side of this link.
8 thoughts on “Tour Tech 2017: Romain Bardet’s Factor O2 race bike”
As custom finish bikes go
As custom finish bikes go this one’s nice and understated, and keeps with the kit colours nicely. I quite like the O2, although it reminds me quite a bit of Canyon’s bikes for some reason (not necessarily a bad thing)
“The huge 17t jockey wheel is
“The huge 17t jockey wheel is claimed to improve drivetrain efficiency and can save 3W at 250W power output. But you pay a hefty price for those watts, it retails for £400. “
£400? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaidiots.
I thought Factor would last 5
I thought Factor would last 5 minutes with their weird split downtube etc. however they’re getting some good exposure on this tour. Nice to see a British company doing well. If I could only afford one, I could see myself riding a Factor.
That CS cage actually
That CS cage actually improves that appearance the new Dura Ace rear mech.
That Ceramicspeed cage and
That Ceramicspeed cage/jockey wheels look cool. Not sure I would want to put up with the extra noise of those aluminium jockey wheels though…
Why is the Ceramic Speed cage
Why is the Ceramic Speed cage “bonkers”?
Have you only just got into cycling the last couple of years, it’s not like this is new or unknown tech.
The bigger ‘tension pulley’ aids in lowering friction due to the chain not having to bend as much on a smaller diameter pulley’s.
I bet you’re still feeling silly/cringing about that reply you made last year when reviewing a bike and were challanged re being able to fit 28mm tyres and guards for all purpose gravel bikes and you dismissed 28mm as not being that common for road use/not wanted by riders.
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
It’s bonkers because it’s a sh*t load of money, and doesn’t make one bit of difference to the drive train efficiency ( well, less than half a watt according to all independant studies).
It’s bonkers because it’s (the 17 tooth wheel) larger than life, unnecessary, stands out… all these things generally fit under the banner bonkers.
I very much doubt, as a professional journalist he’s smarting at all from some reply he got from an interwebs jockey over a year ago. As for just getting into it? I suggest you read his bio.
He clearly doesn’t hold a petty grudge nearly as long as you do.
madcarew wrote:
Don’t feed it. I use a Safari extension to block his comments, but unfortunately he still shows up when quoted.