NEW Factor O2 VAM Impressions: 6.3kg aero climbing bike launched

I got my hands on the brand new Factor O2 VAM!
It's an aero lightweight climbing bike with a 6.3kg complete bike weight in the SRAM Red AXS build I tested. But does weight really matter? I set out to discover the answer by using it to try and claim a KOM on a local hill.
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[@jianhuichua1154]

After watching this, It makes me even more wonder how Giant Propel managed to have that weight with relatively thicker aero profile tubing and 50mm wheels.

[@TrickyTree84]

Is the propel like 9kg?

[@jianhuichua1154]

@@TrickyTree84 Newest gen SL 0 modal, team edition painted, with 9270 power meter version, tubeless setup, 2 bottle cages and pedal, size ML, weight 7.03 Kg.

[@Dee-Ell]

@@jianhuichua1154 And the Advanced Pro 0 Ultegra Di2 stock is 7.3kg (TCR Adv Pro 0 is 7.2kg). Not too shabby.

[@steveindorset]

I think this bike is absolutely stunning! What a work of art!! 😍😎👍🏻

[@pascanlon1]

Built a lightweight rim brake Trek Emonda SL6 with Ultrgra , exactly same weight as this Less than 4 thousand Euros, who can afford these bikes!!, crazy money

[@nem3th]

I would go for Cube Lightening Air , with full DuraAce and 50mm aero carbon wheels, with only 6.6 kilos. And price doesnt break the bank.

[@TrickyTree84]

7 grand

[@kpizzle1985]

​@@TrickyTree84still half (ish) the price though

[@rudyelizondo1935]

Nice, sounds like my 2014 Cervelo R3 rim brake bike, super light weight and very smooth riding 😊

[@lorenzodestefano4043]

I saw an r5 rim brakes 2018 with electronic shifting and carbon corima wheels 6.6 kg... they are screwing us so bad.

[@PeakTorque]

What new laws of aerodynamics are these then?

[@pierremaggi8661]

The answer to any Navier-Stokes equation is a 30mm deep wheel

[@darongardner4294]

Hi David thank you.Interesting ,as you become fitter that Factor will become a asset.Use it on your climb when you become fit and see what time you can do.

[@lazarosnikolaidis256]

Just saw Ben Delaney's presentation and to my surprise, you have tested it! Beautiful video review of a crazy light/fast/expensive bike. I like the lacquered paint (not a fan of matte/unpainted light bikes) and was awed that on such lightweight bike Factor decided lacquer paint. Sure a bike for few super-fit/rich amateurs....But anyway, really enjoyed your video-as always. As I say to friends, when a new bike premieres, there's only David and Ben! Period!

[@davidarthur]

Awesome, thank you!

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

OMG David you should let the "Twig" aka Andrew Feather ride that bike to see if he can set a new KOM.

[@CanadianMac2008]

Nice video David but worth noting that Factor was the first to use the Ceramic Speed SLT bearings starting with the Ostro in 2020. So if anything, it’s Colnago and others who are following Factor’s lead. Vs the other way around.

[@bendenisereedy7865]

Rim brake Bianchi Specialissima weighs 6.4 kgs with pedals and goes like sh*t off a shovel. Fast up hills and fast down as well.

[@mohammadtaufek5529]

I have a Factor Ostro VAM Dura Ace group set + Bontregra Aeolus RSL 51 + specialised sworks bottle cage, Ultregra pedal & wahoo comp. mount = weight 7.2kg. The best bike so far… aero + light weight , comfortable & easy to climbing hills….

[@EddyCat1234]

Great, what size frame?

[@wildsurfer12]

If I sat on that bike I’d be scared of snapping it under my own weight!

[@CrustySVK]

when im looking on that fork im scared right now =)

[@aaronedgeart]

Outstanding... and, one of the better looking cable-hiding stem/stack systems for sure. Cost is, of course, bonkers.

[@kestralrider313]

This is a beautiful bike and it is expensive, but I don't think it ranks as high you you mentioned as a built bike. Their frame alone does come in pretty high, but their complete build prices are a few $1KUSD cheaper than similarly built Dogma F's or SystemSix EVOs, and pretty close to the SL7 full build (I was looking at SRAM Red builds). Factors build is premium too, with arguably the exception of the Goodyear tires. I'd love to ride and own one of these in the same color, but also waiting to see what the Tarmac SL8 looks like.

[@pablomarquez4431]

The thing I hate the most about a seat mast like I have on my trek is that they are so expensive to change. So I needed a 0 offset or close to it and it cost me $200. When back in the days a easy swap would of been $30-100

[@escamunicha4276]

The less material they use, the more money you pay

[@wildsurfer12]

More like the less dense material they use, the more money you pay.

[@mathisgraening1931]

You pay for the absence if meterial

[@shtdontstank]

this has been true since the days of steel

[@zeref783]

Less material makes u less cool..

[@borasumer]

You pay for more material? Go get a Chinese frame, they have plethora of material.

[@adossantos69751]

Specialized S-Works Sl7 owner here. I wouldn’t change for any other bike. I bought the frame on sale for £3900 and the whole build costed me as much as the Factor frame set price.The fact that factor is charging this much for the frame set is beyond me.

[@spade2you]

My rim brake 2010 Bianchi T-Cube is 13lbs on the nose with Enve 2.2 tubulars and a Quarq crankset. One local bike shop called it outdated with the lack of disc brakes, tubeless, and electronic shifting. Bummer there aren't any local mountains where I could show them where this bike dominates.

[@Omeiden]

Im pretty sure Felix Gall have been riding this in this years TDF, which confused me cause i was not able to find the bike on the homepage a few days ago and its a great looking bike

[@glendahunt8013]

Screw it! Screw the Specialized. This is my bike. It was between Factor, Specialized and Giant. I wanted a climbing bike and was even considering a gravel bike. This video helped me make up my mind. Thank you!!!

[@hornet224]

A 6.8 kg race bike if fine for UCI racers. But for amateurs, a heavier bike is far less "lively", has a smoother ride, absorbs vibrations much better while contributing less riding stress. Losing 1 kg. of body mass will give you the same result on speed.

[@l.d.t.6327]

I would argue that a 6.8kg bike is fine for UCI racers, but as we, the people, have no weight limits for riding a bike, I would like to be able to buy off-the-shelf 5-6kg bikes. The technology is there, just make it mainstream. I already lost all my kgs of excess bodymass, and if I would have a kg in excess, I would like to have a bike with a kg less to compensate, not a bike with a kg more just because.

[@thetitaniumprince]

Stunning

[@daviddawn9043]

Might buy one

[@Ih8GoogleandApple]

For that price I’ll go out and buy a nice motorcycle. I’m happy with my 13 lb rim brake bike with mechanical shifting.

[@TboneTenEighties]

Hear you. Im happy with my 17lb rim brake caad8 105. I just watch videos because I simply like bikes lol

[@Numeriwar]

Its fine on the flat lands. Otherwise it sucks.

[@dennistate9951]

Great video

[@davidarthur]

Thanks!

[@mikekelly1771]

Same weight as my $500 Specialized Allez frame with Sram Red Mechanical and Fulcrum racing Zero's.

[@magnusschroeder9806]

Hello Giant Propel! 👋

[@kovyrshinv]

Im building my SO bike and it happens to be Factor O2 as well. Im still waiting for so.e light weight parts, but I just swapped handlebars for Black Inc and took a measure: 6825 grams for bike with no pedals or sealant, but with easton seatpost and heavy 150mm saddle. It will be 6.7 or below after I swap all that. Not light as new one, but this is regular, non-VAM frame, ultegra di2 and wheels that are 150gm heavier. I got no weightwenie parts as well and total cost is close to price of new frame. Yeah, new bikes are 15%stiffer, but be honest, would you be able to tell the difference?

[@shyamfootprints972]

Nice bike that is on my current shortlist of bikes to buy this year. I am just waiting for them to throw in a side stand as promotion and I will be ready to buy it. Until then it remains on my shortlist of bikes just under $15,000 which is breakfast money for rich folks like me!

[@vittorioqwerty]

God I love this bike

[@tossemanden]

Try and keep you test to a fixed 250 watt measurement. I think it would give us a better impression. Otherwise you are letting the test results be influenced by your own form. Great video!!!🎉

[@claudionapoli7079]

David was just trying to do what we like to do on strava; just beating ourself and improve our PR :)

[@tossemanden]

@@claudionapoli7079 absolutely fine!

[@taxi9554]

Yes….comparable result easier

[@toshman696969]

You realize my 250w vs your 250w is not same right? You actually need to see watt per kilo otherwise it's meaningless. Unless absolutely pancake flat.

[@jamesmoros1274]

I do like the wheels 😊

[@jerryjin3427]

The bike aesthetic had reached past its peak. Now not even a single new bike is going to look timeless. Look at this thing... O2? That used to be one of the cleanest-looking bikes! The tube shapes of this generation are just contradictory, and none of the "bodyline" go together. The designers obviously had no idea of what they were gonna do to the bike. Exactly the same shit happened to the Super Six MY2020.

[@davidcummings7735]

Definitely lightweight bikes feel superior on climbs but I will stick with my 6.05 kg, 2012 Cannondale Supersix Evo that cost me around $2,000 AUD. It was good enough for Peter Sagan back in the day to win the World Championship so definitely good enough for me.

[@DaveCM]

I had a 2013. I sold it when I bought my new SuperSix. I love the new bike, but I still kick myself for selling the 2013.

[@rah4981]

My next bike dedicated to bike packing will be a steel gravel bike. Because I love the looks of a thin and nicely welded metal frame more than a carbon frame. When it comes to lightweight components, the wheels is what matter to me, I much rather buy some high end wheels then to use money on a bike with carbon frame.

[@clive-FactorBikes]

Nice review, comments on pricing a little off. Frame price includes bar/stem, post, bb, comp mount & bar tape so it's a much better value than Dogma or Swerks

[@jk-hj6ub]

Very nice video...👌👍👍👍

[@singlespeedcc]

That price made me choke on my tea. Nice bike thou 😀

[@kovar2344]

impressive frame design. But sitting on that top tube is a no no i guess :D

[@jackkramer3884]

Wonder how it compares to the Aethos. David?

[@cbb3062]

My rim break bike weights 6.5kg and was only 5k, also much more areo in my opinion. Disc breaks add so much more unnecessary weight the fork has to be heavier the wheels and the breaks themselves there not need discs on a racing road bike. Seems to me like a way for the bike industry to make more off sales and maintenance. And dont get me started on 12 speed 😂 my bike by the way is a 2016 derosa sk pininfarina with campy super record and fulcrum wheels.

[@cbb3062]

@ryanterence471 interesting how do you like 12 speed compared to 11? As for the Disc ya definitely cyclists could be better mechanics my dad's gravel bike sqeels every time you hit the breaks he never adjust or change the pads since he got it lol. But there is this review Chris froome did and he has a team of world class mechanics even he was dealing with rotor rub, keep in mind he rides much harder than the average cyclist and the Disc technology could have improved since then. What I really like about rim though is the way you cn hit tge quick realse if you have any issues and the lightness. I think with rim they could easily make some 5.7kg bikes considering the new O2 is 6.3 kg with disc

[@cbb3062]

@ryanterence471 cool. I actually like the 28c tires I had them on my rim break bike once but they barely fit. I guess they can have better areo designs with disc but for the low speed climbing I'm still skeptical that the areo is fast than the weight I think it's more the tire when climbing that is creating faster times. What I'm not happy about with bike industry is they don't offer the option of a rim break bike if someone wants one specially on the entry level bikes where the bike would be better but for the top end bikes pinarello offers rim and disc to bad other companies don't. Also the insane prices lile these 15k plus bikes you basically need a loan to buy them it's crazy compared to even I'm the 2016s ish you could get a top spec build for 12.5k or even 11k. I feel like they just come out with new stuff like 12 speed that is cool but basically the same performance just to charge more money. But ya I might switch to disc next year with the Giant Propel sl 0 it's pretty sweet 6.9kg and super areo.

[@perjensen1962]

Interesting tyre choice 🤔

[@steppings5645]

£6300 for the frame alone, over twice the price of a TCR SL.

[@andrewb6541]

called "taking the piss"..-ridiculous pricing for $300 raw carbon production cost ?

[@neilbuckley5796]

Compared to some it’s reasonable.

[@dickieblench5001]

3x the price of TCR advanced SL frameset

[@neilbuckley5796]

@@dickieblench5001 it’s all relative.

[@shreyas1990s]

Aero tube profiles??? 😂 Where?!

[@pierremaggi8661]

It's in the name. AERO tube profiles. They just have to say it, and the airflow suddenly behaves !

[@shreyas1990s]

@@pierremaggi8661 😂 What a load of marketing bs

[@spacestar_x]

Should try to break your PB with Canyon ultimate cfr which is lighter than factor o2 vam 😅

[@kevincoleman242]

Hi David, really enjoy your channel. I'm starting to take my cycling more seriously and am still on my entry level bike, what would you recommend as a good second bike step up for extra speed and less weight?

[@neutronpcxt372]

What entry level bike do you have? Depending on what it has, you might just need to upgrade tires+tubes and the handlebar to give you most of the gains :)

[@kevincoleman242]

@@neutronpcxt372 i have a Trek Domane al 2 😃

[@mpgunawan]

Anything alloy with 105 installed is the way to go.

[@LagunaRider1961]

Isn’t Factor a direct to consumer sales similar to Canyon? If that’s the case I would imagine they could do better on price.

[@eoperez2]

David, love your channel. I been waiting for the CANYON Ultimate CFR, but it keeps being delayed. Have you compared it with this one, I’m frustrated with the Delian’s this is giving me a 2nd option, I will appreciate any of your observations and comments. Eddy.

[@eoperez2]

Meant frustrated with the delays

[@michaeljohl4669]

And clincher or tubeless wheels were added too.

[@Cloxxki]

Great video. For such tests, a total weigh-in and average power could help a lot for insights. As you were speaking on the way up, that will have taken some breath for example.

[@davidarthur]

But did I do the timed test when I was filming or separately?

[@Cloxxki]

@@davidarthurHa, you got me there!

[@Jsurf66]

The luxury industry knows no limit.

[@pantster9855]

What does heritage and history have to do with the price of a bike?

[@lucastermin5130]

I have the Factor 02 Vam. Frame cracked three times within the past two years. First crack was under the BB, 2nd time on the seam, 3rd time below the head tube. Really like the bike but has anyone had similar issues with warranties? I am the first owner, currently waiting for my 4th warranty frame

[@Eirikkinserdal]

Woods didn't need it yesterday, Ostro 😉 he had the new wheels though 28//33

[@davidarthur]

Yes was surprised at that as well - maybe they couldn't get enough to the team or time or something?

[@Eirikkinserdal]

Yeah, the ones riding it has already had access to it in training. Would believe it handles a tiny bit different 😅 and David, how much does the wheels retail for?

[@fjskj6529]

Has to be the most mis-managed marketing campaign. They started hinting at the new bike at the trade shows and on their socials and was "spotted" at the Tour. Not sure how the marketing dept. feels about that 😂

[@NoahStephens]

Great review. Lighter isn’t necessarily better

[@BikeLife154]

Aero isn't necessarily better either then. This is a lightweight aero bike and he couldn't even beat his PB. As we all already know, the bike can help, but it's the rider that wins races etc.

[@charlesshaw2708]

David, what saddle are you using on the Factor?

[@housepfhoopz]

The saddle is a Sella italia slr boost carbon

[@GeekonaBike]

What's the point of an aero frameset with all those spacers underneath the stem???

[@sgtted7580]

Very nice for a race fit Pros, But for normal people like me who do Saturday club rides, theirs no point. I will stick with my old bike good enough for me.

[@Mattytube18]

I thought the ostro vam was more like the SL7?

[@ciw8688]

The only thing that is positive about this bike is T47, glad it came back

[@riccardocimei7293]

I have not see you try a Cipollini Dolomia....

[@DreamMusicStudioRoma]

and with the dura ace it lightens further! the combo with the dura ace would be interesting, but with the sram chain and the sram 10/30 sprocket set. Has anyone done this experiment?

[@DanielEarlester]

Just like Tom Pidcock up the Puy de Dome there.

[@jou3708]

Which place this bike is aerodynamic?

[@songofyesterday]

That tapered top tube makes me nervous near the seat…

[@edymarkonthego4096]

Whatever bike you ride. If your fitness isn’t there, i think is a useless. Reduce your food intake is the cheapest way to do.

[@Joedymarz]

People don’t listen they buy the latest bike and expect it to work wonders then sell. I don’t mind I catch them for half the price or even less 😂

[@niceone1456]

Have you all thought about maybe the price increase in bikes is also partly due to the fact the British pound has fallen sharply? Bikes were cheaper before because dollar was sitting at 1.6:1, but ever since Brexit, it has been sitting at 1.3:1. So there’s a 25% difference already.

[@daryl4841]

I'd like to see a bike where the entire frame is as narrow as the back of that top tube.

[@robbijay]

If it helps you're a good 5 mins quicker than me up there.... But my bike was 1/3 of the price!

[@chenaowang9986]

the price is pretty ridiculous...but the paint job is wow, quite amazing

[@mikekelly1771]

But is it a wet noodle like the old model VAM?

[@nickspano4709]

This is the real question right here. I have a (non VAM) 2020 Factor o2 and ABSOLUTELY FREAKING LOVE IT. Definitely NOT noodly. Mine is sitting at 6.8kg with Reserve 40/44s so still pretty light and aero. Can't really justify upgrading to this at all, however the Ostro VAM is still in the cards.

[@AndrewL]

how much did you pay for this bike?

[@itscliffvtr]

I think weight on the bike makes it feel faster but weight on you will have the bigger impact

[@TboneTenEighties]

If a weekend warrior is buying this it's simply just because. Money to burn type thing. Not much benefit truthfully.

[@mondoabz]

Every time a “lightest bike” comes out it’s weight is without pedals. Don’t waste your money. Buy an old supersix EVO himod and you’ll get an even lighter bike with pedals and 50mm rims.

[@bigunitcyling]

Is Chris Froome getting this in rim brakes?

[@krisbowditch827]

5.5kg in rim brake version 😉

[@Eirikkinserdal]

A little reinforcement around the seatstays and fork and it would work 🤔

[@glennoc8585]

Brakes 😊

[@glennoc8585]

​@@krisbowditch827which would need weights as its not uci legal

[@GroomsJk]

Is there a point where having a bike too light is a detriment? And is lightness really a factor in the hands of an amateur? That is a why I like my Cannondale SuperSix EVO 1. For 6500 I have a 8kg bike in size 61 and the newest SRAM Force group. Btw I am 6-4 210. Seems to me that for most amateurs value for money would take precedence over lightness as only the pros could extract performance from say a top of line Cannondale Lab71 frame over its standard weight brother. Finally I watched a few GCN videos where they weighed bikes at the Tour de France and those bikes weighed 7.4-7.8. Yet the worlds best riders are still performing at world class levels. A fool and his (or her) money doth part is never more true when it comes to the purchase of these new super light bikes.

[@dainiusvysniauskas2049]

Well, if the light weight of the frame came at the cost of stiffness, then yes, the light weight would be a detriment.

[@logohigh1]

It looks Iike one crash will total the frame . It would be whole lot lighter without discs of course

[@daviddawn9043]

Just heard the price, might get 2 bargin

[@VanillaRinger]

What bar tape is that?

[@paulwilliams4990]

Black inc

[@rjacko7478]

The pricing is Nuts ....

[@varunjain78]

Does it smell like..I don't know.. Seka Exceed RDC maybe?

[@mitchellsteindler]

It doesn't look anything like that bike? Thats a full aero bike. Do you mean some other bike.

[@diehardbikes]

Deciding Factor..... hahaha

[@danc1829]

I didn't think weight mattered anymore 🤣🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@pascanlon1]

Lightweight is back Lol at a price

[@davidarthur]

Did you watch the whole video?

[@danc1829]

​@@davidarthuryes wasn't a did at you, more on the industry 👍

[@dickieblench5001]

With heavy disc brakes

[@gregmorrison7320]

The bike that IPT won't ride because it's too soft and flexy. And the bike Chris Froome referred to as the "equipment issues" being the reason he wouldn't be riding the TDF?

[@christophe3358]

Teammachine SLR 01 LTD is still 15k

[@jthepickle7]

I can get my bike down to 6.3 kg , if I leave out the air in the tires...ans leave some parts at home.

[@danielsargesson222]

Extremely light, extremely expensive, and possibly not extremely durable. The original VAM was pretty flexible according to several reviews, and TBH you could probably find a rim brake bike from 2019 on FB marketplace which weighs very similarly for 1/10th the cost. Does look nice though.....

[@davidarthur]

This new version is claimed to be 35% stiffer and closer to the Ostro, and I didn't find it that flexible in my testing. Jury is out on the durability question, only time will tell on that front

[@lanceblack888]

C68 frame is a similar price

[@TboneTenEighties]

Personally I hate flat wide aero bike frames so these slimline tubes look very nice imo. To me the steele frame classics are still the best looking road bikes.

[@gemsandlasers269]

Just outrageous pricing. Quite sad actually.

[@stinkybeam]

when you are more expensive than Dogma F, then you are over-over-priced. Factor must be crazy to selling 6000 euro for frameset.

[@XxxxTxTxxxX]

Altought I like slimmer looking bikes compared to the bulkier ones(hello Trek), this one doesn't impress me looks wise.

[@simonnaylor9695]

The current O2 and Ostro come with a warning sticker attached that states DO NOT SIT ON THE TOP TUBE, due to it's fragile nature. Surely this new model comes with the warning DO NOT LOOK AT THE TOP TUBE (or the price tag 🫣)

[@devinmorrison7131]

How is this bike aero? It looks like every other new cyclocross styled road bike with mountain-bike brakes....

[@BobMcAllan]

It's a Maserati.. sorta nice looking, rides ok and there's that joke about the owner..

[@felixkloss5667]

With these Goodyear tires you will get no Kom😅

[@paulhiggins9492]

Show us the scales connected to the bike, how stupid do you think we are. I have the tcr sl weights 8kg, c,mon, as a team mech for 23 years I can tell you now that’s Bollocks, if anyone doesn’t believe me please challenge me, I’m not being a killjoy but these prices are ridiculous now, you can build a cracking bike for circa 2k