The new Factor Bikes Monza is a performance‑road race bike built on the same engineering that made the Ostro VAM. However, whereas the Factor VAM is a cutting‑edge flagship, the Monza democratizes that race‑winning tech, stripped of needless complexity and cost. So, every day racers can tap into elite performance without breaking the bank.
What is the Factor Monza?
The Monza is a new road machine from Factor Bikes’ team. Its ethos is race-ready attainability with real-world advantages for real riders. Many companies have claimed that. However, until now, Factor has primarily reached the elite racer, rather than the everyday athlete. They are hoping to change that with the addition of the new Monza.
How? It starts with small ideas in the design, such as “future-proofing” with allowances for wider tires and easier compatibility with new components. It also adds light, radar, and other accessory capabilities to the frame. Essentially, it creates a bike that serves as a companion to the real-world racer, without the burden of World Tour pricing and the risk of superlight weight frame breakage.
From Monza to Your Monday Morning Ride
Named after the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, otherwise known as the Temple of Speed, the Monza carries forward Factor’s racing DNA but in a leaner, more accessible package. It features the same aero-optimized front end as seen on the top-tier Factor builds, characterized by converging head-tube contours, wing-root curves, and tube profiles optimized for aerodynamics. However, the Monza swaps the VAM’s one‑piece fork/frame union for a planar break, simplifying manufacturing and cutting costs without sacrificing drag savings.
Factor took to getting the most gains from the already fast VAM and morphing them into a machine that balances performance and practicality.
Aero Where It Counts
- Real‑World Tunnel Testing: Factor-tuned Monza’s shapes via CFD and full‑bike tunnel runs, showing 10–30w savings where club rides and sprints live.
- 34 mm Tire Clearance: Balances outright aero with enough rubber for sketchy pavement and fast gravel detours.
- Integrated In-Frame Storage: Inspired by the SLiCK (as seen in the Factory Slick Tri Bike), the hatch carries ride essentials cleanly, saving a claimed 6 watts of drag and keeping your center of gravity low.
Race Geometry, Less Compromise
Monza borrows the Ostro’s head‑tube angle, fork offset, chainstay length, and wheelbase for razor‑sharp handling. A mild +10 mm stack height tweak opens the cockpit for more riders, letting you lift your bars a bit without losing that race‑bike feel. It’s the same nimble ride that conquers breakaways and icy mountain passes, wrapped in a more comfortable fit.
Fit: Ostro VAM vs Monza
Compared to the Ostro VAM’s race-focused geometry, the Monza softens things up with a slightly shorter reach and taller stack across its size range—think “performance for more” rather than “perfect for pros.” The sizing chart shows that reach comes in a hair on the big side with the frames, and you’ll trim another 5 mm off that reach thanks to the new HB04 bar stem. In practice, that means Monza delivers elite handling while accommodating a wider range of riders.
New HB04 Bar‑Stem
The new Factor HB04 bar-stem is a semi-aero, one-piece design with molded cable ports and a universal 1-⅛ fit. The new bar keeps an aero shape but shortens the reach to 75mm, the drop to 115mm, and adds a slight flair of 8 degrees, making it look like a pro-level piece of kit without the back pain.
Rider‑First Engineering
- 1 ⅛″ Steerer + 1.5″ Bearings: A standard round Steerer means any bar/stem combo works. Listing this as an upgrade is wild, but here we are.
- Strategic Carbon Layup: Cuts cost but keeps that signature stiffness‑to‑weight ratio— explosive power transfer without the price-tag shock. Factor engineers tweaked the carbon layup to get a blend that balances the Monza’s ethos.
- Mini-UDH: The Monza uses Factor’s road standard for the UDH. A 4.5mm spacer reduces dropout thickness and material bulk by 35%. This design ensures full compatibility with all SRAM transmission drivetrains, without any weight penalty.
Monza Models and Availability
The Factor Monza comes in three different build options. Build options include Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force, with Black Inc. 45 wheels, and GoodYear Eagle tires.
Frame Only Package
- USD: $3,999, EUR: €4,699, CAD: $5,299, AUD: $6,799, GBP: £3,799
Monza BI45, Ultegra Di2
- USD: $6,799, EUR: €7,999, CAD: $9,099, AUD: $11,499, GBP: £6,399
Monza BI45, SRAM Force + Power Meter
- USD: $6,999, EUR: €8,299, CAD: $9,299, AUD: $11,899, GBP: £6,599
Will the Factor Monza Be Fast?
We’re excited to check this one out, so look for a full review with real-world weights coming soon. Monza could be the sweet spot if you’re looking for a proper race bike that trains Monday, races Sunday, and still functions on your daily group ride. It’s not a watered‑down VAM, nor is it a budget compromise. It’s Factor’s vision of performance with purpose: elite aero and handling, streamlined build, and real‑world usability for every racer. That’s why we’re saying “yes”.
