The new Factor ELARA

The new Factor ELARA

Gravel hasn't been just one thing for a long time. Some riders want comfort above all for long, multi-day trips, others want to hold onto as much speed as possible, even when the surface makes that hard. Speed is an important factor there, but certainly not the only thing a gravel bike is about. The Factor ELARA is built for anyone who wants to hold the same pace on gravel as on tarmac.

Within Factor's gravel range, the ELARA fills a clear spot. The ALUTO is for those seeking a balance between comfort and performance, the Sarana is built for long days in the saddle. The ELARA is the speed model: purely focused on racing, with the same sharpness as Factor's race bikes, but with the tyre clearance and handling gravel demands. The model is the successor to the Factor OSTRO Gravel. What started as an update to that model grew, during development, into a completely new design.

Wide tyres, built for speed

The most striking thing about the ELARA is its 57mm tyre clearance, wider than you'd expect on a speed-focused gravel bike. In practice we often see the same misconception: wide tyres get associated with comfort, not speed. At high pace it's exactly the opposite. At high speed you feel every bit of rough ground more sharply than at a calmer pace. A narrow tyre slows you down at exactly the wrong moment. Wider tyres hold onto their speed precisely then. They also significantly cut the risk of a flat, the last thing you want during a race.

Factor arrived at that insight during development through rider feedback and adapted the entire design around it. The result is a frame that steers just as sharply with 57mm tyres, compatible with both 1x and 2x drivetrains.

Race geometry, translated to gravel

The ELARA handles sharp and direct, the way you'd expect from a road race bike. Factor derived the geometry directly from their race frames: direct steering combined with a compact rear end for playful, agile handling. A relatively low bottom bracket keeps the centre of gravity low, which noticeably calms the bike at high speed.

What that means for you: a position that feels familiar coming from the road, but that won't catch you off guard the moment the terrain gets rougher. Exactly the combination race-focused gravel riding calls for.

Light and stiff, no compromise

Where many frames are a trade-off between weight and stiffness, the ELARA simply skips that choice: it's lighter and stiffer than its predecessor. That comes down to how the frame is built as a single piece, rather than separate parts joined together afterwards. That approach delivers thinner, lighter tubes, without giving up stiffness at the bottom bracket and head tube. A complete painted frame in size M weighs under 1100 grams.

Cockpit and wheels built for speed

The cockpit, too, is built for speed. The Black Inc Aero Gravel Bar AB07 is the aerodynamic, integrated bar with internal cable routing we already know from Factor's road models, now with flare for gravel use, paired with a full carbon fork inspired by Factor's own ONE race fork. The result is a front end that not only looks the part, but is also more aerodynamic at high speed.

To match the frame, Factor also developed the Black Inc SIXTY FOUR Gravel wheelset. With a 64mm rim depth, this is a distinctly aero wheel. The rim width, 30mm internal and 40.25mm external, is tuned to the ELARA's wide tyres. That rim width delivers a more stable tyre profile and more grip, even when you're riding over rough terrain at high speed. With ceramic bearings, the wheelset is built to be both light and durable, suited to the toughest terrain.

Who is the ELARA right for?

We recommend the ELARA to anyone who approaches gravel as a genuine race discipline: fast gravel races, competitive events, or simply the ambition to ride gravel just as efficiently as tarmac. If comfort for long, multi-day trips is your priority, we'd sooner recommend the Sarana. Want to race, and race properly? Then the ELARA is the model in our range that fits that best.

Now available at BikeSuperior

The Factor ELARA is now available at BikeSuperior. You choose your own groupset and other components. We'll guide you through building your own ELARA.

A bikefit is always part of that. On a race bike performing at this level, the right size and position matter just as much as the components themselves: a poorly set-up riding position costs you comfort on long rides, and at high speed, stability and control too. That's why at BikeSuperior we first work out your correct frame size and riding position together, so your bike is right from the very first ride.

Not sure if this is the right bike for how you race? Stop by or get in touch, we're happy to think it through with you.