The Shape of Speed: Designing the New Factor Monza
Factor's Industrial Designers Mike McGinn and Stuart Munro Talk Innovation, Utility and Bringing the Sexy to their new Everyday Racer, the Factor Monza.
April 23, 2025
visibility
REGROUP CUSTOM
A Factor Ostro VAM for the Epic Climbs of Tucson
BUILD DETAILS
TYPE
Road
FRAME
Factor Ostro VAM
GROUPSET
Campagnolo Super Record 13
WHEELS
Cadex Max 40
SADDLE
Bjorn Setka Saddle – 143mm
PEDALS
Look Keo Blade Power
COCKPIT
Factor
TIRES
Continental GP5000 TR S – 28mm
We love it when a Regroup Custom build goes over the lines, surfacing brands we don’t work with every day, and this Factor Ostro VAM project is a perfect example of how, when it comes to a bespoke build, despite having strong relationships with SRAM and Zipp, we’re ready to turn our wheels in any direction.
And with that neat segue, let’s start at the wheels, and a set of CADEX Max 40s, a popular choice for the climbers and GC riders of Team Jayco AlUla, no less. Light, fast and offering some interesting engineering around the spokes and hub that CADEX says delivers “best-in-class stiffness,” the Max 40’s are a fast and handsome wheelset that perfectly complements the Ostro VAM’s high-speed aesthetic. A pair of 28mm Continental GP5000 TR S tires completes the wheels.
As much as our client liked the wheels, when it came to the drivetrain, and his choice of the latest Campagnolo Super Record 13-Speed Wireless groupset, it was love every smooth shift of the way. The 13-speed group may have taken almost as many months to arrive, but once it landed and we went about installing it on the Factor Ostro VAM, hearts beat faster. Campy’s latest Super Record group is gorgeous, crisper than the last and clearly a step forward for the Italian brand. We can’t wait to see what they do next.
Center stage, of course, is the Factor Ostro VAM frameset, a silhouette our client desired because he wanted what we all want. Speed. And he got it in watts. Weight, not so much. This build barely ticked the scales. At sub-15lbs, it’s one of the lightest Factor Regroup Custom projects we’ve ever built.
Continuing the theme of fresh brands, the build features a BJŌRN Setka Saddle, the lightest saddle on the market that features a 3D-printed pad. For those unfamiliar with BJŌRN, this small-batch Slovenian brand is the real deal. Founded in 2016 by friends Ivan and Artem with enviable engineering chops and the agility of a small business, BJŌRN builds its premium range of handlebars, stems, saddles and accessories in-house, with complete control of each product from start to finish. The Setka is one of the brand’s most popular saddles. It’s immensely comfortable, and at 137 grams, it wants to fly – a perfect fit for the Factor.
Completing the build is a set of Look Keo Blade Power Pedals. Once upon a time, measuring your power was for the few, then, with the rise of crank-based systems over their hub-based predecessors, a few more. Now, thanks to cycling pedals that can accurately count your watts, the era of accessible, integrated power meters is upon us (although the entry price is still a lot steeper than a pair of non-power pedals, of course).
The Keo Blade’s got all the basics right. They’re a breeze to install, weigh just 260g per pair, and offer a large contact area with excellent aerodynamics. At +/-2%, accuracy is excellent, a figure that rivals the stats of the great SRM. And you get metrics galore: wattage, left/right power balance, cadence, and other indicators are all there, as is compatibility with all major devices, backed by a reassuring 60-hour battery life.
There’s a lot to love about this build. And if all this speed has got you amped for a shot of Factor for your next ride, drop us a line.
FEATURED PRODUCT
FACTOR OSTRO VAM
The Ostro VAM goes like the blazes, rides with precision and gives great joy wherever you point its wheels. There's a reason it's Factor's most popular road bike.
