Across all disciplines, Factor’s advantage is a willingness and ability to make fundamental changes to designs even when deep into the development process. The ELARA design process is a prime example. What may have started as an OSTRO Gravel update quickly morphed into a complete redesign. If our engineers and industrial designers hold the key to the process, it’s because they also listen to the rider feedback to provide essential guidance. For the ELARA, Magnus Bak Klaris, 2025 Gravel Earth Series winner, provided the crystal-clear input that completely reset the design brief.
It became clear that the ELARA needed to support the option of running 57 mm tyres front and rear, something the engineers initially considered excessive for a high-speed race bike. But at the speeds these riders hold, the impacts are amplified. Larger tyres don’t just absorb shock, they reduce rolling resistance across broken surfaces and drastically lower the risk of punctures. This feedback sent the Factor engineering team back to the drawing board and within four months, a full prototype was ready for race-testing, the result was a gravel bike that Magnus Bak and Romain Bardet reported to be noticeably faster. The 57 mm clearance was locked in, and the frame had evolved into something radical: a fast, race-focused design that fits 2× drivetrains, while keeping the thoroughly Factor handling.
Across all disciplines, Factor’s advantage is a willingness and ability to make fundamental changes to designs even when deep into the development process. The ELARA design process is a prime example. What may have started as an OSTRO Gravel update quickly morphed into a complete redesign. If our engineers and industrial designers hold the key to the process, it’s because they also listen to the rider feedback to provide essential guidance. For the ELARA, Magnus Bak Klaris, 2025 Gravel Earth Series winner, provided the crystal-clear input that completely reset the design brief.
It became clear that the ELARA needed to support the option of running 57 mm tyres front and rear, something the engineers initially considered excessive for a high-speed race bike. But at the speeds these riders hold, the impacts are amplified. Larger tyres don’t just absorb shock, they reduce rolling resistance across broken surfaces and drastically lower the risk of punctures. This feedback sent the Factor engineering team back to the drawing board and within four months, a full prototype was ready for race-testing, the result was a gravel bike that Magnus Bak and Romain Bardet reported to be noticeably faster. The 57 mm clearance was locked in, and the frame had evolved into something radical: a fast, race-focused design that fits 2× drivetrains, while keeping the thoroughly Factor handling.
