I knew this would happen. My new frame and my new arrival would coincide.

I became a father. The two arrivals were always going to overlap. We had a pact, me and my baby: they would wait for me to finish the build before arriving. The day I wrapped the bar tape and crimped the cable ends, the contractions began.

Thank you, baby. Perfect timing.

Wrapping “figure-of-eight”

My first arrival

I collected my Factor O2 VAM frameset from Vires Velo at Via with a very small window to build it. Miss that window and it would become a half-built clothes horse covered in damp babygrows. Building a bike of this calibre sleep-deprived is a recipe for disaster. I would probably saw off a fork blade instead of the steerer tube, or use carbon gripper paste as bearing grease.

The brief to Vires Velo: “expensive car paint.” They have roots in automotive engineering and a history with Aston Martin. The result was “Scintilla Silver” decals. In isolation, the frame is understated. Fully built with complementary carbon weave components and silver finishing kit, it sings.

The build

Frame: Factor O2 VAM — customised by Vires Velo

I have ridden just about every bike in the pro peloton. Nothing compares to the feeling of a Factor.

The magic lives in the bottom bracket area and the geometry. Power transfer is instantaneous. Every Factor I have ridden handles as if the bike is an extension of you, not a machine underneath you. The O2 VAM carries weightlessness and strength in equal measures. No asymmetrical stays, no kinks, no cutouts. It looks and rides exactly like a bike should.

It is not over-engineered. It is not a marketing exercise. It is the result of applying vast advancements in carbon technology in pursuit of something brilliantly simple. When the goal is simplicity, everything has to be flawless. Nothing can be lazy. Factor understand this.

The other advantage: I can build, rebuild and fix every mechanical issue myself. No proprietary tools. No service course. No special knowledge. Standardised design, but within that standardisation, enormous complexity and precision in the carbon construction.

Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record EPS 11-Speed

Choosing between Campagnolo 11 or 12-speed caused me genuine stress. My head knows 12-speed is technically superior: better ratios, more refined electronics, broader technological advances. My heart knows 11-speed is more beautiful. Curvaceous carbon weave. Five-arm chainset. The art of a groupset that still looks like art.

My heart won. It usually does.

Wheels: Campagnolo Bora WTO 60

The Great British track cycling team does not waste a watt. They use Campagnolo Ghibli Disc wheels. That tells me everything I need to know about what Campagnolo wheels do at maximum effort.

The Bora WTO 60 is the fastest wheel I have ever ridden. I am building a pair of lightweight all-rounders for everyday training, which means these can be saved for when speed genuinely matters and conditions are right.

Tyres: Michelin Power Cup 28mm

Continental and Vittoria have dominated my tyre choices for years. Nick Bull, Michelin Velo UK/Nordics Manager, persuaded me to switch with an independent study comparing Power Cups against Corsas and GP5000s across rolling resistance, weight, handling and puncture protection. Power Cups won.

I have been riding them since June. Not a single puncture. Coupled with latex tubes, they roll like carpet. Handling is precise and confidence-inspiring.

My dad has always ridden Michelin and swears by them. I have violently disagreed with him for 20 years.

I expect a text shortly saying, “I told you so.”

Brakes: Campagnolo Record Direct Mount

#savetherimbrake

Note for Campagnolo fans: Campy disc groupsets are not compatible with Factor frames. Fortunately, I am a rim brake person. They have got me this far. The industry is pushing disc everywhere, and I have nothing against them, but I love the simplicity and aesthetic of a rim brake. There is a running theme on this build.

Finishing Kit

Saddle: San Marco Regal, custom wrapped in perforated leather with chrome rivets by Kontour.cc. Matches the perforated leather bar tape. It is heavy for a lightweight climbing bike. I do not care. Classic saddles are beautiful, and I am happy to carry the weight penalty.

Bars: Raleigh RSP “Women’s Handlebars.” Twenty pounds. On a bike that costs considerably more than twenty pounds.

I have tried everything: 3T, ENVE, ZIPP. I am not a fan of modern ergonomic bar shapes. I grew up on Cinelli Giro d’Italia 64s. I refuse to accept molded drops. The Raleigh RSP has the shape I want. It is a nod to the era I love. Yes, it is a walking contradiction. The bars stay.

Bar end plugs: 46 grams. Absurd on a climbing bike. Worth every gram. Look at them.

Top cap: A vintage 1990s Campagnolo Record top cap for a 1-inch Campy headset. I have the same one on my Colnago C40. In 20 years, no one has made a top cap worthy of its succession. So I had to make it fit a modern steerer. A combination of steerer bung spares solved it. Worth the effort.

Chain catcher: I dropped my chain descending a volcano in Tenerife. The hire bike went into a speed shimmy. I nearly ended up impaled in a ditch. The bike quality was the real problem, but the chain catcher gives me peace of mind now. Also, I have used one since Team Sky adopted them. That is probably the real reason.

Chain: KMC X11SL TI-N 11-Speed

The Campagnolo Record chain is faster and more durable. I chose the KMC for the gold, to offset the silver detailing. Fast enough. Light enough. It has my process: strip in a sonic cleaner with Muc-Off Drivetrain Cleaner, then apply Ludicrous AF Chain Lube.

Muc-Off caught my attention at Brad’s Hour Record in 2015. They treated a chain for him and released the Nanotube Chain commercially. I used one for a targeted event and won. The sensation compared to standard chain lubes was immediate. Ludicrous AF has since surpassed the Nanotube formula as a standalone lube, and it is what I use now.

My second arrival

The story of arrival number two is for the next post. Becoming a father brings challenges in proportion to the rewards.

Sleep deprivation changes the way you train. If you are a parent, or about to become one, there may be something useful for you in what I have learned.

G