I knew this would happen. My new frame and my new arrival would coincide (yes, I have become a father). We had a pact, me and my baby, they would wait for me to finish building my bike before arriving. The day I wrapped the bar tape and crimped the cable ends, the contractions began. Thank you, baby, for waiting.

My first arrival

I headed into London to collect my Factor O2 VAM frameset from Vires Velo at Via. I had a small window to build this weapon. Otherwise, it would have turned into a half-built clothes horse covered in damp babygrows. Building a bike of this calibre in a sleep-deprived state would be a recipe for disaster. I'd probably end up sawing off a fork blade instead of the steerer tube or using carbon gripper paste as bearing grease.

With this absolute show pony, I wanted to achieve the perfect balance of performance and a modern-classic aesthetic: carbon weave components/finishing kit to offset the smooth UD carbon frame with silver detailing.

My brief to Vires Velo: "expensive car paint". With roots in automotive engineering and working with the likes of Aston Martin, they applied "Scintilla Silver" decals.

In isolation, this frame is quite subtle — but it sings now that it’s fully built with complementary components.

The build:

Frame: Factor O2 VAM — customised by Vires Velo

I have ridden just about every bike in the pro peloton, but nothing excites me or compares to the feeling of riding a Factor. In my eyes, Factor make the best bikes in the world.

The magic comes from the bottom bracket area and the geometry — the power transfer is instantaneous, and every Factor I have ridden handles like the bike is a part of you. The O2 VAM carries weightlessness and strength in equal measures. There are no asymmetrical stays, kinks or cutouts — it looks and rides like a bike should. It's not an over-engineered marketing gimmick.

When you create something this simple, it has to be flawless. Otherwise, it’s lacking — and Factor have made vast advancements in carbon fibre technology during their quest to achieve such a brilliantly simple execution.

For me, the other advantage of such a timeless design is that I can build, rebuild and fix any mechanical issue myself. I don’t need a mechanic or ‘service course’ to deal with any unique design features. The O2 VAM is standardised, but within standardisation, is complete uniqueness and complexity in the carbon construction.

Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record EPS 11-Speed

Choosing between Campagnolo 11 or 12-speed gave me sleepless nights. My head knows that 12-speed outperforms 11 — not just in ratios but in technological advancements and performance. However, Campagnolo 11-speed is far more beautiful — with curvaceous carbon weave and a 5-arm chainset. My heart won this battle.

Wheels: Campagnolo Bora WTO 60

The Great British track cycling team never waste a watt, and they use Campagnolo Ghibli Disc wheels — which tells me everything I need to know. The Bora WTO is the fastest wheel I have ever ridden — I am also building up a pair of lightweight all-rounders for everyday use, so I can save these for when speed matters and the right conditions.

Tyres: Michelin Power Cup 28mm

Continental and Vittoria have dominated the market for a long time, and it took a fair amount of persuasion from Nick Bull, Michelin Velo UK/Nordics Manager, to ditch my Corsas. Still, he convinced me with an independent study that proved the Michelin Power Cups outperform Corsas and GP500s as the best all-rounder — regarding rolling resistance, weight, handling and puncture protection.

I have been riding Power Cups since June and haven't had a single puncture. They roll like carpet when coupled with latex tubes (tubeless ready) and handle brilliantly. Michelin, you have won me over.

My dad has always ridden Michelin and swears by them. I have always violently disagreed with him. I expect a text shortly saying, "I told you so."

Brakes: Campagnolo Record Direct Mount

#savetherimbrake. Campagnolo fans, I should note that Campy disc gruppos are not compatible with Factor frames. Fortunately, I am a rim brake kind of guy. I mean, they have got me this far in life. I'm sure they can get me a little further. The industry is forcing discs, and don't get me wrong, I think they are brilliant — but I love the simplicity and aesthetic of a rim brake. There is a theme here.

Finishing Kit:

Saddle: San Marco Regal — custom wrapped in perforated leather and chrome rivets by Kontour.cc — to match my leather perforated bar tape. Yes, it's heavy for a lightweight bike, but I think classic saddles are a thing of beauty — and I am happy to take the weight penalty.

Bars: Raleigh RSP "Women's Handlebars" — yes, I am a walking contradiction, and using some £20 alloy bars on the most indulgent road bike I have ever built. Why? Because I like the shape and feel. I have tried everything from 3T to ENVE to ZIPP. I'm not a fan of modern bars — I grew up riding the Cinelli Giro d'Italia 64s and refuse to accept ergonomic-shaped drops. It's a nod to my past and the era of cycling I idolise.

Bar end plugs: Yeah, these things are heavy at 46g... again, contradicting the purpose of a lightweight climbing bike — but as I said, this is my burden to bear, and they are worth every gram. Just look at them.

Top cap: this is a vintage 90s Campagnolo Record top cap for a 1inch Campy headset. I have one on my Colnago C40, and in 20+ years, no one has made a top cap worthy of its succession, so I had to "Make it fucking fit." Combining a few steerer bung spares got the job done. It was well worth the effort.

Chain Catcher: I dropped my chain while descending a volcano in Tenerife, it sent my dodgy hire bike into a speed-shimmy frenzy, and I nearly got impaled. The quality of my hire bike was the real issue. But this little component gives me peace of mind, and I think they look cool. Remember when Team Sky started using these? That's probably the real reason why I still use one.

Chain: KMC X11SL TI-N 11 SPEED CHAIN

The Campagnolo record chain is faster and more durable than KMC. However, I fancied a bit of gold to offset the silver — and this chain is light and fast enough. I have a process for chains — I strip them in a sonic cleaner using Muc-Off Drivetrain Cleaner, then apply their Ludicrous AF Chain Lube — which I have been using for a few months, and I think it's brilliant.

Muc-Off caught my attention during Brad's Hour Record in 2015 — they treated a chain for him and made the "Nanotube Chain" commercially available. I used one for an event that I was targeting (and won) — and I was blown away by its performance compared to waxing or other high-end chain lubes. Although, Ludicrous lube has usurped Nanochains, as it is a faster substance — Muc-Off chains were pre "worn in" to get the chain up to optimal speed — this is no longer available, but a few rides should get your chain up to speed.

My second arrival

I will share the story of my second arrival in my next blog post. Becoming a father has bought many challenges but far more rewards. Having a newborn and being sleep-deprived has changed the way I train. Perhaps you'll find some relatable insight if you are a parent — or some of my learnings if you are trying/considering/on the way.

G

My Two New Arrivals