The Factor Slick is Driven by Obsession. Obsession for speed. Obsession for the highest performance. Obsession for all-round adjustability. From the Twin Vane Evo downtube and the hidden front brake, to the integrated carbon StoraPak, the obsession is in the details to create the fastest and most technically advanced aero bike.
Factor’s design and engineering team has been obsessively studying, modifying and enhancing the frame structure in search of the lowest aerodynamic drag and the highest stiffness possible. Every shape in the frame come as a result of extensive CFD and wind tunnel testing, combined with riding feedback from some of the best time-trialists and triathletes in the world. The results? The Factor Slick cuts straight through the wind, while also providing impressive power transfer and handling.
Teaming up with bike-fitting specialist 51 Speedshop, the Slick aerobars provide all-round adjustability while totally integrated for reduced aero drag.
Triathlon specific accessories come standard on the Slick, integrated in the bike structure and designed for maximum convenience of use while training or racing. The rear-mounted carbon StoraPak, top-tube threaded bosses and BTA hydration mount provide a complete support solution for the performing triathlete.
Nice bike, but it is a lot like the child of a Speed Concept and one of the Chinese TT frames. The draft box and the stem look very similar to that of Trek.
Not sure about that as a concept. Doubles the skin area of the downtube, with less stiffness and more material. There should also be interference drag between the two tubes. This is what was driving Burrows when he built what became the Lotus; single sided forks and stays to reduce interference drag.
I’m not buying the “split downtube” being a benefit…
Me neither. It’s been a long time, but didn’t Damon Rinard say something about a FD tab causing more drag than an entire downtube? It doesn’t seem like a split airfoil is really used anywhere else either.
I’m not buying the “split downtube” being a benefit…
Me neither. It’s been a long time, but didn’t Damon Rinard say something about a FD tab causing more drag than an entire downtube? It doesn’t seem like a split airfoil is really used anywhere else either.
Didn’t Damon Rinard lose massive amounts of credibility when he said that ridiculous thing and when he followed it up with a bogus “study†of the aerodynamics of disc brakes relative to rim brakes?
I’m not buying the “split downtube” being a benefit…
Any rough guesses of what the depth of the boundary layer for a down tube would be? It would seem that the design would just end up performing like one really wide down tube.
I’m going to echo what everyone else here is saying: son of the Speed Concept, not buying the downtube design.
What’s that saying? Imitation is the best form of flattery? IMO the last two years has shown just how much Trek got right with the Speed Concept (mono spacer, draft box, etc.)
I don’t get the split down tube, like everyone else here. Methinks it’s a marketing gimmick more than anything else, trying to differentiate this bike from others with a design feature that doesn’t have any real function.
The Factor Slick is Driven by Obsession. Obsession for speed. Obsession for the highest performance. Obsession for all-round adjustability. From the Twin Vane Evo downtube and the hidden front brake, to the integrated carbon StoraPak, the obsession is in the details to create the fastest and most technically advanced aero bike.
Factor’s design and engineering team has been obsessively studying, modifying and enhancing the frame structure in search of the lowest aerodynamic drag and the highest stiffness possible. Every shape in the frame come as a result of extensive CFD and wind tunnel testing, combined with riding feedback from some of the best time-trialists and triathletes in the world. The results? The Factor Slick cuts straight through the wind, while also providing impressive power transfer and handling.
Teaming up with bike-fitting specialist 51 Speedshop, the Slick aerobars provide all-round adjustability while totally integrated for reduced aero drag.
Triathlon specific accessories come standard on the Slick, integrated in the bike structure and designed for maximum convenience of use while training or racing. The rear-mounted carbon StoraPak, top-tube threaded bosses and BTA hydration mount provide a complete support solution for the performing triathlete.
Split dowtube!
Didn’t CUBE bikes have a split downtube on a model that Andreas used, that was more of a prototype–which never got released? I know there is a split behind the head tube, but thought there were some spy pics about 1 or 2 years ago that showed the actual downtube with a split–anyone recall those?
didn’t Damon Rinard say something about a FD tab causing more drag than an entire downtube?
Didn’t Damon Rinard lose massive amounts of credibility when he said that ridiculous thing and when he followed it up with a bogus “study†of the aerodynamics of disc brakes relative to rim brakes?
