Just as we were getting used to the idea of gravel bikes with ever more monstrous tyres, Factor launches the Aluto, which ‘only’ has a maximum rear clearance of 47mm and 52mm in the front and is optimised around 45mm – decidedly skinny by today’s standards. So what’s going on? Where's the 2.2" bike?
The Aluto, says Factor, sits alongside the existing Ostro Gravel race bike – which fits max 45mm tyres – to offer endurance-focused riders an alternative option for high-performance mixed surface riding. According to Factor, the new bike sets a new standard in the all-rounder space for mixed-surface riding, with geometry that’s both balanced and race-derived: “Bringing as much speed, sharpness and technical focus as the race-proven Ostro Gravel, the Aluto is also centred, stable, and built to go long.”
Although Factor isn’t marketing it as a race bike, brand ambassador David Millar did race Unbound on it back in May and although the 200-mile race was considerably harder than he’d bargained for, he reported on his social media that the bike was “dreamy”.
Geometry wise, the head angle is slighter steeper than that of the Ostro Gravel, and it retains the same short chainstays. This keeps the wheelbase relatively tight, while a lower bottom bracket is designed to lower the centre of gravity for added stability – useful on more technical terrain.
The tyre clearance puts it in a similar range to other endurance gravel bikes like the Cervélo Aspero 5, but the latest Specialized Diverge, formerly with comparable clearance, has now gone wider with 50mm and 7mm of space either side. We’ve also recently seen the new Fara Gr4 launch with “huge” clearance for 2.2" (57mm) tyres, a bike that also claims to belong in the all-rounder category. It looks as though the Aluto is going in a different direction.
As for geometry, the Aluto is a little taller than the Ostro Gravel with a slightly higher stack that Factor says allows for a more adaptable fit for a wider range of riders without compromising a race-ready position. The geometry generally suggests a middle ground.
Factor says full internal cable routing has been designed to be mechanic-friendly while guaranteeing clean aesthetics. There’s a new Black Inc HB05 cockpit that’s designed with shorter reach to offset the increased hood length of modern shifters. This has a shallow drop and increased flare. The “mechanic-friendly” part is moulded cable entry ports that facilitate easy cable routing. Of course there’s 1x and 2x compatibility that allows riders to set up the bike for their most likely use case.
As well as mechanic-friendly, there are plenty of practical details: the Aluto uses a round 27.2mm seatpost, it's UDH compatible, it has a T47A threaded bottom bracket (like the Ostro Gravel) and Factor says it has reused existing components where possible such as spacers, bearing top cap and storage compartment door: there is down tube storage for tools and essentials underneath the bottle cage mount that’s the same as featured in the Monza and the Slick – this is something that the Ostro Gravel doesn’t have.
The Aluto comes in two colourways – Raptor Blue and Quattro Grey – inspired by Dakar rally cars, according to the brand, which are “engineered to endure vast distances, brutal terrain, and the sharpest edges of performance… the Aluto is built to bring that same spirit of resilience, versatility and precision to gravel cycling.”
It’s available in 49, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 61cm and is compatible with Shimano 12-speed or SRAM AXS groupsets. At launch there's a frameset package priced at £3,999/$4,699, a SRAM Force AXS build at £6,999/$8,399 and a flagship SRAM Red version at £8,699/$10499. There are no frame weights or complete build weights given.
David Millar states in the press release that at Unbound the Aluto “delivered in every condition”. He continues: “Gravel has evolved at an incredible pace. What used to be one discipline has now split into countless styles of racing and riding. The Aluto is our answer to that evolution. It’s a true high-performance all-rounder: sharp, agile, and versatile enough to excel across every scenario.”
We’ll be reviewing the Aluto shortly, so keep an eye out for our verdict. See all the details at Factor’s website.
