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All-new Factor Hanzo integrated time trial bike is first to go super aero within new UCI rules

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, 
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Factor have been rolling out more and more details of their unique, all-new Hanzo time trial bike, calling it the only current TT bike designed under the recently relaxed UCI aero regulations, and the first World Tour bike available reflecting the 2021 UCI rule shift. The new fully integrated carbon race bike blends together some of the deepest & thinnest aero tubes we’ve seen, plus an incredibly slim front-end profile that combines super wide-set fork legs and a headtube that’s just 15mm wide!

2022 Factor Hanzo carbon time trial bike

Factor Hanzo time trial bike
all images c. Factor, lead image by Bettini Photo

Factor assures us that the new Hanzo is coming soon, and you’ll likely be able to buy your own in just a couple of months. The new bike replaces the previous split-downtube concept of their SLiCK with a single super deep & skinny downtube that complies with the latest UCI rules. With smoother integration, almost infinitely customizable aerobar setup, and slippery aerodynamics, the already race-proven Hanzo will be the Israel Start-Up Nation team’s go-to for racing against the clock from the start of the 2022 racing season.

Alex Dowsett’s prototype Factor Hanzo Track bike

Factor Hanzo World Hour Record attempt custom prototype track bike of Alex Dowsett, complete

Two months ago we took a close look at a one-off customized version of the new Factor Hanzo time trial bike, as British pro Alex Dowsett rode a modified track iteration of the bike in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to reclaim the Hour Record.

While his track bike was modified with a unique 3D-printed Silca titanium rear end, Dowsett already raced the new bike in the team time trial race at the 2021 Flanders Road Worlds.

Factor Hanzo World Hour Record attempt custom prototype track bike of Alex Dowsett, Team GB Worlds
c. Alex Dowsett, via Twitter

Curiously, the new bike has not yet received UCI approval for racing, still as of an updated list published today. But Factor had already assured us that it is ready-to-race, and the bikes we’ve seen all have a UCI sticker with code: FACT-HANZO.

Tech details

Factor Hanzo World Hour Record attempt custom prototype track bike of Alex Dowsett, wide legs

Factor says the simple secret to making the bike faster is a move to ‘true airfoil’ shapes that now fit within the relaxed UCI rules that allow deeper and narrower shapes down to just 1cm wide. Thus, the key changes to the new Hanzo over the Slick boil down to the much narrower frontal profile of all of the completely revised tube shapes, and the newly wide-set fork legs & seatstays.

photo by Noa Arnon

Put to the test in the Silverstone wind tunnel, Factor claims the new disc brake only Hanzo is faster than their rim brake triathlon Slick, across all yaw angles, exhibiting especially lower drag figures straight into a headwind or in stronger crosswinds.

Factor Hanzo World Hour Record track bike setup Alex Dowsett, Silverstone wind tunnel
photo by Sean Hardy

Thanks to the move to disc brakes allowing more space around the spinning wheels, the new Hanzo offers more free air movement over modern wide aero wheel and up to 28mm tire combinations.

Factor Hanzo World Hour Record attempt custom prototype track bike of Alex Dowsett, front end

Besides reducing the width of the headtube down to just 15mm across, the entire front-end becomes even more integrated. There is a somewhat conventional steerer at the headset, but the fork actually extends up in front of the headtube as well as an external steerer becoming an integrated fork mast / mono-riser to mount a set of aero bar extensions and armrests.

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, cockpit

The design ultimately allows for a combined 160mm deep x 15mm wide airfoil at the front of the bike (Plus, cables can be easily routed inside that hollow mast.)

Factor Hanzo World Hour Record attempt custom prototype track bike of Alex Dowsett, custom cut aerobar support

The basebar and stem are a single piece, which slides over the extended ‘fork mast’ to clamp the fork & headset. Then, riders can cut the fork mast to size, and clamp the secondary stem with extensions & armrests on top.

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, cockpit

Factor says this design allows them to offer huge vertical fit adjustment range (measure twice, cut once!) with no compromise of performance.

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, frontal area

Factor hasn’t shared stiffness figures, but says the one-piece molded fork & mast design with its internal rib makes for an even stiffer front end, even as thin as it is. The same is said for the wide fork, rear stays, and as the deep downtube widens and transitions to an appropriately massive bottom bracket cluster.

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, angled rear

The new bike of course gets completely integrated, fully-internal cable routing, presumably limited to electronic groupsets. It features flat-mount disc brakes and 12mm thru-axles, and uses a deep aero seatpost with wide offset adjustability.

Updated, more aggressive geometry

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, geometry

The new Hanzo features updated geometry from Factor’s previous TT bike, still offered in four sizes (S-XL). The new bike effectively keeps the same angles, but takes a forward shift in weight balance with 5mm longer chainstays but more than 1cm shorter front centers across most sizes. Curiously with how the new cockpit is configured/measured, frame Reach figures look mostly unchanged, but Stack figures decrease between 35-61mm so you can now get super low.

Factor Hanzo World Hour Record attempt custom prototype track bike of Alex Dowsett, AeroCoach Ascalon aerobars

But don’t worry, the adaptability of the new integrated aerobar mast means there is no real aerodynamic, weight, or performance compromise to a more upright position of your aero bar extensions. In fact, Factor now recommends that you pick “the smallest bike you can because the side area stays the same and you basically get no penalty for that increase in stack”.

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike – Pricing & availability

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, frame kit
2022 Factor Hanzo frame kit

While some small details remain undefined, especially in the stock cockpit options, Factor has shared that they are targeting March deliveries for the new Hanzo. The new frames were already in production last in 2021, with Factor finishing up some accessories at the start of this year.

2022 Factor Hanzo TT bike, uniquely aero deep airfoil carbon time trial bike, complete

Interestingly, pricing for the completely new frameset cost will be the same as the current SLiCK, “no upcharges at Factor for the past 2 years”. That means pricing for a 2022 Factor Hanzo TT frame kit will start at $6300, including frame, fork, headset, seatpost, basebar, and standard aero bar extensions. Kit upgrade options will allow you to add a set of Black Inc wheels at discount. And complete bike builds will also be available

FactorBikes.com

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Antoine Martin
Antoine Martin
2 years ago

The cut once steerer is dumb. Impossible to resell the bike or to tweak your fit. They should have made the stem pass through so you can keep room for adjustment.
Smallest frame possible is dumb too you ll find super tall guys on too short front center bikes that’ll kill themselves at the first serious braking.

Gregory Thomas
Gregory Thomas
2 years ago

Not letting the steerer pass through the stem is a huge, pointless oversight.

Willis Reed
Willis Reed
2 years ago

If you guys are being honest with yourselves, you will realize that you are not the target customer for this bike. I do not mean to be a jerk about this but how many 15k TT/Tri bikes have you personally owned? The customer that buys this bike is a super rich person that CBF when it comes time to invest any time or effort in resale. This person gets a proper pro fit (likely has already paid for multiple pro fits) before purchase. They want the cleanest possible look and performance from day one. In a twisted way the end result of only fitting them correctly actually adds to the feeling of exclusivity. When the time comes that this no longer suits their needs the industry will have already come up with a new whiz-bang feature that they run out and buy. Factor is probably 6 months away from getting to work on a plan to artificially create the feeling that their super bike no longer feels so super in 3 years.

As for the small fit comment. I am guessing this is just a poor quote. I imagine the intention was to suggest that you get the smallest frame size that allows you to generate your fit. That was a long time axiom regarding bike fits in many disciplines that went away on aero bikes when so many metal parts were required to make up the stack height. The logic was that it was better make up that stack with carbon frameset parts than aluminum and steel cockpit parts. Factor is simply trying to point out that this compromise is no longer a consideration with their new design. For someone to somehow brake themselves out of control on a TT/Tri bike seems that maybe bikes just aren’t for them. They should probably consider sticking to running and swimming. Not sure is splash and dash is still a thing?

Doug
Doug
2 years ago
Reply to  Willis Reed

What most of us did, to gain more stack, was to buy the next biggest size. I just received the amount of steering tube that extends above the top tube. Don’t get too excited!!! From what I see, the extra stack they are talking about and promising is all advertising crap!!

Doug
Doug
2 years ago
Reply to  Doug

However I should be fair and see if Factor does what they have promised. In comparison, the new Orbea Ordu in their M/L frame, has a stack to pad of 690. The new Canyon CFX Disc has a 691 S to P in size medium. These are generous stack to pad measurements. Let’s see how the Hanzo measures up????

MiCk
MiCk
2 years ago

So much thought went into this frame design…yet they missed a couple critical (& obvious) things that will end up being a deal breakers for a significant number of potential buyers. I think their attempt to be too clever will haunt Factor… Expect to see a aerobar clamp redesign within the year to help resolve one issue, but maybe Factor are banking on significant aftermarket fork sales for all those forks that will end up being cut too short.
Too bad, but this bike ends up the equivalent of a fumble on the 1 yd line.

Evan
Evan
2 years ago

I’d say that on average the type of rider who buys this bike brand new utilizes a higher front end than the rider who buys it on the used market so the concerns about the resale value of the steer tube are perhaps over exaggerated

Doug
Doug
2 years ago

What is the maximum stack to the pads? Minimum and maximum reach to center of pads? It’s 400 grams lighter than the Slick, but where can one find the weight of the Slick? How can someone buy this bike if they cannot know how it will fit!!!

Doug
Doug
2 years ago

What is the maximum stack to the pads? Minimum and maximum reach to center of pads? It’s 400 grams lighter than the Slick, but where can one find the weight of the Slick? How can someone buy this bike if they cannot know how it will fit!!!

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