Factor has launched its latest gravel bike dubbed the ALUTO, which is designed to tackle any terrain thrown at it thanks to its carefully thought out geometry and copious amounts of clearance that can accommodate tires up to a hefty 47mm.
“The ALUTO is driven to perform. In races. On long adventures. Across all types of terrains. With a design that’s laser focused on feeling bright, elastic and responsive, the ALUTO is built for riders who demand a balanced ride that combines Factor-level handling with the perfect synergy of speed and capability. With a geometry tuned to perform across changing terrain and on longer rides, the ALUTO has been engineered to feel agile by using short chainstays, a steep head tube, short wheelbase, and lowered bottom bracket to reduce centre of gravity and accommodate the increased height of gravel tyres. The tube shaping and carbon lay-up has been engineered to deliver stiffness where it’s needed and to be forgiving where it’s wanted. It is a bike that feels bright, light, and alive. A pocketknife. With a razor’s edge,” boasts Factor.
“Going wider for tire clearance is not just a matter of increasing the width of the fork and seatstays. Increased tyre volume has a direct impact on the handling as well as the effective geometry. The ALUTO’s geometry has been optimised around 45 mm tyres with a performance maximum of 47 mm as measured tyre clearance in the rear. This balanced decision ensures the handling remains sharp and snappy. Compared to the OSTRO Gravel, the ALUTO has a slightly steeper head tube angle and equally short chainstays to maintain a shorter wheelbase and enhance agility. We’ve lowered the bottom bracket to shift the centre of gravity downward, stabilising the ride and balancing the shorter wheelbase while increasing control across variable terrain. With a slightly higher stack than the OSTRO Gravel, the ALUTO allows for a more adaptable fit for a wider range of riders without compromising a race-ready position,” adds the brand.
Not surprisingly, the AUTO has also been treated to a down tube storage compact, allowing gravelers to stow tools and other essentials, along with internal cable routing with molded entry points that Factor says not results in a tidy appearance but is also “mechanic-friendly” for both 1x and 2x drivetrains.
“Long distance racing, training, and exploring all require not only high performance design cues, but utilitarian integration. Down tube storage provides a secure, aero solution that allows the rider to stash tools and other essentials without the need of a saddle bag or bar bag, both of which cause dramatic drag. Whether the ride will last 30 or 300 kilometers, having a safe place to store tyre repair kit and a multitool ensures that you’ll be able to fix all the most common mechanicals. The ALUTO frame accepts only electronic drivetrains with hydraulic brakes, removing the need to include additional holes and ports for mechanical drivetrains. The full internal cable routing has been designed to be mechanic-friendly while offering clean aesthetics and optimal cable protection,” explains Factor.
“The remit for the ALUTO was to design a bike that could be fast from rough tarmac to technical mountain trails. The 1x and 2x compatibility was an important feature decision since it allows the rider to set up the bike for their most likely case-use scenario. Someone more focused on road and light gravel courses will likely gravitate to the 2x option while those seeking to make it more off-road adventure-worthy will likely appreciate the ability to build it up with a 1x without clutter. Multiple mountain points for bottle cages and a bento box support everything from race-day minimalism to light adventure setups. A round seatpost (27.2) with external clamp offers both ease of adjustment and dropper post compatibility. And the now nearly ubiquitous UDH-compatible rear dropout ensures drivetrain flexibility and future-proofs the frame for future drivetrain upgrades.”
Additionally, the ALUTO comes with Factor’s new Black Inc HB05 one-piece bar and stem, featuring a short reach, a shallow drop and just enough flare to ensure excellent stability over rough terrain.
The ALUTO is available in two color schemes, Raptor Blue and Quattro Grey, which Factor says were inspired by the Dakar Rally, the “world’s most extreme off-road proving ground”, in only two build options, SRAM Force XPLR for $6,999 or SRAM Red XPLR for $8,699, with a power meter standard on both.
Factor
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