British brand Factor bikes has unveiled the brand new Vista, an all-road endurance platform geared toward versatility of terrain and optimised for 35mm tyres.
Factor was originally founded in Norfolk in 2007 by engineers within bf1systems, a motorsports engineering firm. The company was bought in 2015 by Tour de France green jersey winner Baden Cooke and industry veteran Rob Gitelis, who have released the One, One-S and O2, all of which have been used in the World Tour.
The Vista marks a departure from the pro pretensions of the three models in the range previously, with a more all-road and comfort focus. That said, it bears a close resemblance to the One, with the use of an external fork, called the OTIS-AR (One Total Integration System – All-Road).
Factor claims the externally mounted fork offers a greater level of customisation and stiffness. The fork offers ample clearance and while the bike is designed around 35mm tyres Factor suggest it could fit even larger tyres.
Holistic design
Factor operates its own manufacturing facility in the Far East, and so boasts a highly efficient end-to-end design and in-depth prototyping system.
With the Vista, Factor claims optimised carbon layups but also crucially a specific layup for each of the separate sizes to reflect the mechanical changes from the differing tube lengths. The biek comes in a selection of 5 sizes, ranging from a 49cm to 58cm top tube.
To hone the design, Factor enlisted the help of Canadian Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal, who has pedigree in road and mountain riding. He has provided rider feedback throughout the design process.
David Millar has also had involvement in the Vista's design, following on from a longstanding partnership between CHPT3 and Factor. Millar has created a special-edition CHPT3 colourway for the bike, named Devesa after the colours of the Devesa forest in Girona.
'We're so excited to finally be able to share Vista with our partners and customers,’ says owner Rob Gitelis. 'From working with Ryder and David, to leveraging all of the experience we had gained from our partnership with AG2R La Mondiale, this new bike truly embodies the All-Road, discover without limits ethos.'
The VISTA starts at £3,750 for the frame only.