Factor Elara is the brand’s new aero gravel race bike, built around road-like handling, aggressive fit, and clearance for modern wide tires.
The Elara now completes Factor’s three-bike gravel range. The Aluto remains the most versatile and affordable option, with room for 47mm tires, or 52mm up front. The Sarana sits above it as the endurance race platform, with 2.2-inch tire clearance, suspension-corrected geometry, and suspension fork build options.
Factor positions the Elara as the most narrowly focused bike in that family. The brand says the Sarana will suit many riders who spend most time off-road. The Elara instead targets riders who can use a lower, stiffer, faster race chassis.
Factor Elara geometry puts speed first
Factor based the Elara around an aerodynamic riding position close to its road race bikes. A size 54 frame has a 555mm stack, compared with 573mm on the Sarana and 565mm on the Aluto. Factor’s Monza aero road bike has a 552mm stack.
The Elara also stretches the rider further forward. Reach on the size 54 is 399mm, versus 381mm on the Monza and 393mm on the Aluto.
Handling follows the same theme. The size 54 Elara uses a 72.2-degree head tube angle and 60.41mm trail. The Sarana uses a 71.5-degree head angle and 65mm trail, while the Aluto has a 72-degree head angle and 61.2mm trail.
The rear end defines much of the bike’s character. Factor uses short 420mm chainstays, then counters the sharper handling with an 80mm bottom bracket drop. That is lower than the Monza’s 70mm drop and slightly lower than the Aluto’s 78mm drop.
Wide tires and a narrow rear triangle
The production Elara clears a 57mm tire with a 1x drivetrain. With a front derailleur, maximum clearance drops to 47mm. Factor says it kept 2x compatibility because a fast gravel bike can also work well as an aero road bike with 40mm slicks.
That tire clearance required unusual frame construction. The Elara rear end uses a true monocoque design, rather than a bonded joint near the bottom bracket and chainstay area. Factor says the chainstay reaches just 10mm thickness at its narrowest point.
The frame also brings Factor’s current visual language to the gravel line. It uses fork-leg shaping related to the Factor ONE road bike, but not that bike’s bayonet steerer. Factor tested the bayonet design and decided it created too much stiffness for gravel.
New Black Inc bar and aero gravel wheels
Factor developed the Black Inc Aero Gravel Bar AB07 alongside the frame. The handlebar keeps internal routing and aero shaping, while adding a 17-degree flare in the drops. The traditional steerer also leaves riders with more cockpit choice.
Black Inc has added aero gravel wheels for the Elara package. The wheels measure 64mm deep front and rear, with a 30mm internal width. Claimed weight is 1,620 grams. The narrower profile can round a 57mm tire, protect the rim edge, and reduce sidewall exposure to rocks.
Factor also included in-frame storage and top tube mounts, despite the race focus. The brand says riders may skip storage during races, but still train on the same bike. A raw-finish size M frameset has a claimed weight of 1,100 grams.
To support the downtube storage opening, Factor uses TeXtreme carbon reinforcement. The material uses flattened tapes instead of round yarns, helping reduce excess resin and resist twisting forces around the hatch.
The Elara has already appeared in racing this year and is now available through Factor retailers. Factor describes it as a stiff, tight-handling aero gravel bike that rewards riders able to exploit its speed.