Factor ELARA Development Story

Factor gravel bikes at Mad Duck Cyclery · Grapevine, Texas

How racer feedback reshaped the ELARA

The Factor ELARA development story starts with a question: how do you carry race speed across increasingly rough gravel? Factor’s answer combines a race-focused position, room for large tires and aerodynamic development around the complete system. Here is how the project took shape—and what to consider for your own gravel build.

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The feedback that changed the brief

According to Factor, the project began as an update to OSTRO Gravel. Input from racer Magnus Bak Klaris changed its direction: the new bike needed room for 57 mm tires at both ends. That request forced the team to rethink the frame rather than simply refine the previous design.

Factor reports that a full prototype was ready for race testing within four months. Feedback from Klaris and Romain Bardet helped confirm the direction. The result became ELARA, a new platform with large-tire clearance and compatibility with both 1x and 2x drivetrains.

Read Factor’s ELARA design story.

Big tires created a manufacturing challenge

Fitting wide tires alongside chainrings and a front derailleur leaves little space around the rear wheel. Factor addressed that problem by reshaping the chainstays and seat tube, using one-piece monocoque construction to achieve the required forms.

The launch specification includes clearance for tires up to 57 mm and a 52-tooth chainring in a 1x configuration. Factor also revised the geometry with longer reach, reduced trail and a lower bottom bracket relative to the predecessor. The design intent was to retain precise race handling with larger tires.

See Factor’s launch specifications.

Aerodynamics had to account for gravel tires

Knobby tires create a different airflow problem from smooth road tires. Factor’s engineers developed a virtual 50 mm tire model, validated its shape with a 3D scan, and simplified it for computational fluid dynamics—the simulation tools used to study airflow.

That model let the team examine tube shapes and the interactions between components. Factor describes repeated wind-tunnel visits to test prototypes and check the computational work. Black Inc SIXTY FOUR Gravel wheels were developed specifically for ELARA as part of that process.

The story is about testing combinations, not assuming that an aerodynamic frame performs identically with every tire and wheel. Your final build still needs to suit the surfaces, speeds and conditions you expect to ride.

Explore Factor’s manufacturing and aerodynamic development.

What the development story means for your build

Start with your riding rather than the maximum tire size. Consider the roughness of your regular routes, the events you want to enter and the balance you want between grip, rolling performance and handling. Tire clearance creates options; it does not dictate one setup for every course.

Next, consider gearing, wheel choice and cockpit fit together. A position you can maintain over a long ride matters just as much as a component specification. Contact Mad Duck Cyclery to discuss the ELARA and the configuration you have in mind.

Explore Factor ELARA in Grapevine

Our Factor ELARA page brings together the bike and shopping options. For the wider range, visit our Factor Bikes page.

Visit Mad Duck Cyclery at 721 E. Northwest Hwy, Grapevine, TX 76051, serving riders across Dallas–Fort Worth. Call 817-442-0339 for current availability, build options and delivery estimates, or see directions and shop hours.

Factor ELARA questions

What drove the redesign?

Racer feedback calling for larger tires prompted Factor to move beyond an OSTRO Gravel update and develop a new platform.

Does every rider need the widest possible tire?

No. Choose a tire and wheel combination for your terrain, event and preferences, while following the manufacturers’ compatibility and clearance guidance.