New Factor aero bike raced at the Australian National Championships
(Image credit: @renh_chain_wax_service)
A Queensland-based chain waxing service (renh_chain_wax_service) appears to have inadvertently leaked an as-yet-unreleased new Factor Ostro VAM this morning. The bike, belonging to Israel-Premier Tech’s Simon Clarke, appears to have been raced at the 2024 Australian National Road Race Championships and was first spotted by Escape Collective. It will also (we assume) feature in the upcoming Tour Down Under and we will keep an eye out for it there.
It’s unclear whether Clarke opted for the AU$20 Standard or AU$50 Race chain optimization waxing service, but the Instagram post gives us an excellent look at the new model, the release date of which is currently unknown.
January often sees plenty of new kit and equipment being rolled out. You can keep up to date with what everyone is using this year in our men's and women's WorldTour tech guides.
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A deeper head tube and fork legs are what draw the eye first, but there is more than just 'more aero' going on(Image credit: @renh_chain_wax_service)
Here's the current model, with much more squared-off tube shapes. (Image credit: Factor)
A new Factor Ostro VAM
What’s new then? Well, compared to the current model, this edition seems to be following the general industry trend for aero in the front, lightweight in the back. The fork legs are deeper, and mould more organically into a deeper, more obviously rounded headtube; the current model is all aggressive kammtail cutoffs, not the case here. It also appears that the steerer tube isn't set right at the front of the head tube, indicating the designers have added material in front to make the head tube deeper, much like the 'speed sniffer' seen on the latest Specialized Tarmac SL8.
The top tube tapers much more drastically, to a wafer-like section at the seat tube junction, and the down tube is slightly deeper too. Clarke rides a relatively small frame, and there appears to be a very slight sculpting on the underside of the down tube to accommodate the front wheel.
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On a plain white background you can better see the head tube extending forwards from the steerer(Image credit: @renh_chain_wax_service)
And here, in close up, you can appreciate the changes more easily; more flowing lines and deeper fork legs. (Image credit: @renh_chain_wax_service)
the 48/58 notation on the wheels indicates it's a new set for the 2024 season. (Image credit: @renh_chain_wax_service)
The seat tube doesn’t appear to be much deeper but does now feature a cutout for the rear wheel. As well as aerodynamic benefits this may well point to geometry changes if the chainstays, which have been slightly plumped out in a move we assume is to improve stiffness, have been shortened. The seat stays look more or less unchanged.
There’s a new cover for the seat clamp wedge, so we may be in for a new arrangement there, and given that the latest Factor O2 VAM has an integrated seat post we can't guess what it might look like yet.
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There’s no mistaking the wheel brand this season either. ‘BLACK INC’ is emblazoned in white on each rim, taking up a solid third of the circumference. A white 48/58 notation at the valve indicates that this is a new wheelset from Factor’s in-house componentry brand too, sitting between the Sixty and the Forty Five sets.
Here's the bike in use. It's unclear quite how much aerodynamic detriment the banana caused though. (Image credit: Mark Geary)
Will joined the Cyclingnews team as a reviews writer in 2022, having previously written for Cyclist, BikeRadar and Advntr. He’s tried his hand at most cycling disciplines, from the standard mix of road, gravel, and mountain bike, to the more unusual like bike polo and tracklocross. He’s made his own bike frames, covered tech news from the biggest races on the planet, and published countless premium galleries thanks to his excellent photographic eye. Also, given he doesn’t ever ride indoors he’s become a real expert on foul-weather riding gear. His collection of bikes is a real smorgasbord, with everything from vintage-style steel tourers through to superlight flat bar hill climb machines.
