If you’ve been following the cycling world news, you’re aware that the UCI is raining down rules that are not very popular with the public. Most, if not all, of these rules will not affect us directly in ride (only for UCI-sanctioned races) but will inadvertently impact us in gear, bikes, and component production. One piece of kit that was possibly on the chopping block was the newly unveiled Factor Aero bike. A truly wild-looking machine that was hidden until it was cast into light at the Dauphiné.
While the entire Factor riding Israel-Premier Tech team wasn’t rolling the new Aero bike, only Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech) was lucky enough to race one, and even took a stage win on it. But the UCIs’ announcement of new rules had us wondering if this new rocketship would be grounded before it could take off properly. While at Eurobike, we had the opportunity to speak with Factor and gather the real story (or as much as we could pry out of them) and learn more about this unique machine.
We were able to get up close and personal with the new bike, and let’s say, there are TONS of details you just couldn’t see in our screen grabs of live coverage.
Factor Aero Bike Details
What sticks out? Massive fork blades, a bayonet-style front end, and zero visible cables. The silhouette is wild, an unapologetically aggressive front-end sculpted for speed and a headtube so narrow it looks like it was stolen from a track bike (or more accurately, a TT bike)
The fork crown is deep and distinctly wide, flaring out with a purpose-built profile that offers ample airflow while anchoring a bayonet fork—a design we’ve seen on bikes like the Cervélo S5 and Stromm Rakkt. This helps Factor maintain a pencil-thin headtube for minimal frontal area. We’re guessing it has a very similar head tube design to the Rakkt.
But what about that fork rule? The one that states:
“From 2026 for road bikes and 2027 for track bikes, the maximum internal width will be 115mm at the front and 145mm at the rear. This regulation applies to the entire length of the fork and rear triangle.”
Well, apparently, this ride had to be UCI-approved before racing the Dauphiné, and hopefully, Factor was able to catch wind of the rule before the announcement. However, they are most definitely pushing the limits of what is possible and acceptable.
Specs, Geometry, or Production?
Factor hasn’t said a word about specs, geometry, or production. But that didn’t stop the tech crowd at Eurobike from pulling out calipers. And here’s where it gets spicy: despite the new UCI rules set to drop in 2026, this bike barely sneaks through.
- The fork width? 114mm—just 1mm inside the new 115mm limit.
- The handlebar width at the hoods? A dead-on 38cm. The hoods themselves were a bit narrow, but that’s an easy fix.
While we were hoping to snag a weight, that wasn’t going to happen – a hard no from Factor. That said, if you were wondering whether the new UCI tech rules would stifle innovation, Factor’s answer seems to be a resounding “Try us.”
Stay Tuned & Watch the Tour
There’s no official name, no geometry chart, and, indeed, no weight figure yet. But Factor’s new mystery machine is real, it’s legal (for now), and it’s already crossing the finish lines first. Keep your eyes peeled. This one’s going to be hard to miss, especially in this beautiful Campagnolo 13-speed Super Record build.
I’m positive that we will see this machine at the Tour de France next month, but will it have a name? Will it be a sprint-only machine? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – we’ll be watching!
