Factor O2 VAM review

If you’ve never come across the term VAM, it stands for velocità ascensionale media – Italian for ‘average ascent speed’. For pro cyclists it’s a key measure of climbing capability. Manage a VAM of more than 1,700Vm/h (vertical metres per hour) and you could probably win a Grand Tour. Factor’s O2 VAM, then, is pitching itself as a climber’s dream, and it may well actually be one.

The VAM is an evolution of Factor’s previous lightweight racer, the O2. The bike cuts a very similar silhouette to the O2 Disc, but while the changes are subtle, they are definitely there.

‘We’ve expanded the tyre clearance to comfortably fit 30mm,’ says Factor co-founder and chief engineer Rob Gitelis. ‘We got the frame weight down to 700g for a size 54 disc version. This was done by slimming down some of the tubing profiles and taking what were already very premium materials and going three steps further.’

The VAM is indeed astoundingly light. Our full build in a size 56 came in at 6.6kg. At the same time, Gitelis promises the advanced carbon fibre used in the frame gives greater rigidity and dialled-in comfort despite the lower overall weight.

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Eyes on the plies

‘We use a large spread-tow fibre from Textreme as the innermost layers, rather than as an outer layer,’ says Gitelis. This is a chessboard-style woven carbon fibre often used on the exterior of a frame for decorative purposes. Factor uses it internally to help save material in complex areas of the frame.

‘We then use Nippon Graphite Pitch Fibre, which is a very stiff and difficult material to work with, for stiffening the main tubes,’ Gitelis adds. ‘We use boron through the seat tube to add some extra compliance and prevent any buckling from such a thin wall. We also use materials from [Japanese carbon company] Toray, which we consider the best for many applications in the frame.’

The frame production also utilises a completely new ‘carbon compaction’ method during the moulding process, whereby the carbon sheets are pressed into the metal mould.

‘We use a Styrofoam preform that is dipped in liquid latex, which then becomes the bladder,’ Gitelis explains. ‘Because the latex bladder can expand so much more than a traditional plastic bladder we can put much higher psi into it, and therefore remove a bit more of the resin content from the material and get better compaction. That means we can have a one-piece layup with very few overlaps and no need for extra plies of material.’

Claims about unique carbon production methods are common from bike brands, and often need to be taken with a pinch of salt. However, Gitelis owns his own factory in Taiwan, and spent years doing contract work for other big brands, so has a particularly well-informed insight on the way most brands operate. In other words, when he says that Factor is doing something unique, we’re inclined to believe him.

Factor has also stepped up to the WorldTour once again, having previously parted ways with AG2R-La Mondiale. The VAM is now the weapon of choice for Israel Start-Up Nation, whose star rider, Dan Martin, seemed genuinely excited about a rigid, disc-equipped bike coming in well below 6.8kg when we met at a training camp recently.

Much like taking an F1 car for a Sunday morning drive in the country, though, what works for pros doesn’t always work for us mere mortals. I was eager to see how the VAM fared in the real world.

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The X Factor

I spent much of the Christmas holiday period on the VAM. The days were short, the temperatures were low and drizzle was never far away. The bike was always a pleasure to ride, however.

The accommodation of wider tyres has made a noticeable change to the ride character of the VAM compared to the rim brake O2, which at times I found to be a bit too rigid with its 23mm tyres.

The move to 25mm Vittoria Rubino tyres struck a fantastic balance between overall comfort and feedback from the road. The bike delivered information where it was needed, but never let minor potholes disrupt the ride. Put on some 30mm tyres and the VAM could easily handle the harshest cobbles, and even some gravel.

I’ve never been a weight weenie, but the low weight really was noticeable, reminding me of the lighter rim brake bike days of yesteryear, and complemented by the rear-end stiffness it offered a distinct sense of responsiveness and free speed.

When climbing, the VAM seemed to spur me on. Even on double-digit gradients the turn of speed was rapid when squeezing out more watts. The Black Inc bar-stem combo, built specifically for this frame, also helped.

It juggled stiffness and comfort well, and when the road tilted downwards it was sure-footed, allowing me to sit back and enjoy the descent rather than hovering over the brake levers.

The bike’s geometry sits squarely in the territory of a Specialized Tarmac or Cannondale SuperSix, and I’d say its handling character is up to the same standard. It’s no wonder Dan Martin took to the bike so well.

The one caveat here is the wheelset, which flexed under hard efforts on climbs – so much so that one of my riding partners commented on the rim twisting from side to side during one punchy effort. I suspect a more rigid aero wheelset would give the bike an even racier character, although it would also add a few grams.

While money can be a hot potato when it comes to a superbike like this, the VAM’s pricing is a bit of an oddity. The normal O2 Disc costs £3,799 for the frameset; the VAM costs an eye-watering £4,330 for the frame and fork.

Yet that price isn’t reflected in the full-build costs, which are about average for the top end of the market, and lower than an equivalent-spec S-Works Tarmac or Trek Émonda. What’s more, Factor’s online bike builder tool allows you to fiddle around with the spec while still delivering decent overall savings.

Given Factor’s roots as a tentative experiment from a British motorsport company, it has probably surprised most onlookers with its success today. The brand has not diluted its premium offering, and its logo remains exclusive.

At the same time, Factor has managed to innovate, and the VAM represents some of the best technology on the market. The end result is a WorldTour dream bike with a little individuality, which is a rare thing these days.

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