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TECH NEWS
Tour Tech 2017: Romain Bardet's Factor O2 race bike
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.
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
Latest Comments
- slappop 2 sec ago
Hopefully it'll still be allowed for recreational use.
- Bungle_52 51 min 33 sec ago
Well Gloucestershire are getting better. I'm being told whether or not action is to be taken, but not what action, within a few days of each report...
- belugabob 1 hour 39 min ago
Surely Lincolnshire is a prime location for UK cycle infrastructure - after all, it's flat, so should assuage the most common excuse that people...
- KDee 1 hour 51 min ago
Yes! 100% a Pace!
- Zazz53 3 hours 13 min ago
I did my first BC intro to coaching course last year and really enjoyed it. But I am not a member of a cycling club and ride with groups of like...
- DogOfOB 3 hours 18 min ago
Hmm - crashing off the side of a mountain at 48kmh sounds a lot safer than crashing off the side of a mountain at 55. Yeah....
- Surreyrider 3 hours 21 min ago
Churnalism nowadays - mostly clickbait stuff and regurgitation in the local rags/comics and beyond.
- DogOfOB 3 hours 33 min ago
I'm glad the barrier wasn't damaged. Whew, close one there! \s
- bensynnock 3 hours 43 min ago
I repurposed a bent rear derailleur hanger into a keyring. It's very useful, and you can use it to open bottles of beer.
- Secret_squirrel 3 hours 56 min ago
My bum hates Flites. Worse saddle ever for me.
Add new comment
8 comments
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.
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.
Don't feed it. I use a Safari extension to block his comments, but unfortunately he still shows up when quoted.
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...
That CS cage actually improves that appearance the new Dura Ace rear mech.
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.
"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.
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)