Home > Bike Types > Road Bike

More Updates, New Info on Beru F1 Factor001 Dream Bike

8 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

A reader recently emailed us on this (thanks!); It looks like Beru F1 has updated the website for their Factor001 road bike with more tech info and photos.

Shown here in final form factor, the bike drips with technology, but it’s well hidden for a clean, sleek looking ride that’ll all but give you a physical. Jump on past the break to see the latest deets…

Starting at the front, the integrated CPU and display capture the load measurements from sensors in the frame and combine that data with speed, heart rate, cadence, power and location (via a built-in GPS receiver) to provide a complete performance picture. All of the information can be displayed on screen, and buttons on the brake hoods let the rider switch screens without changing their riding position.  When you’re done with your ride, the info is stored on a small drive that’s removed and synced with your computer for analysis.

Although the bike uses Shimano’s Di2 electronic shifting group, the OEM brake hoods are removed and replaced with custom carbon fiber caps that integrate the CPU controls.

Foregoing UCI approval, the Factor001 uses a double crown fork because Beru says the standard design inherently places uneven stresses on the headset bearings. Their design offers better strength and precision as well as longer bearing life and less maintenance. Note the slick wire runs between the fork legs into the frame.

Beru says the wheels were one of the toughest parts of the bike to design. Because they wanted disc brakes, the hubs had to be narrower, and they wanted to minimize spoke size and count to improve aerodynamics. And, of course, the whole package had to be lightweight and offer some bump eating compliance. About those brakes, the carbon composite rotors shown on the original prototypes are offered as a dry weather option.  The hydraulic brake “hoses” are actually rigid titanium tubes that are inserted into the frame during construction, making brake performance highly responsive with a very lightweight system.

The cranks are custom aluminum units mated to a custom bottom bracket and spindle. Inside them are power measuring sensors, the same strain gauges used in F1 driveshafts, to measure torque and power for each leg, letting you see which leg is stronger and by how much. This feeds into the bike’s stated goal of being the ultimate training device.

The frame’s “Twin Vane” carbon composite design was chosen for it’s ability to build in the desired stiffness and compliance characteristics, and each frame is custom built to fit the purchaser. The integrated tailights are just gravy.

RELATED:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

8 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
professore
professore
13 years ago

I greatly look forward to passing someone on one of these on my Surly Pacer.

ShopMechanic
ShopMechanic
13 years ago

Where is the Gruber assist?

Sean Clark
Sean Clark
13 years ago

It is funny that the hoods and drops have no bar tape but the bartops have ample padding.
I am guessing whoever buys won’t really be riding in the drops too often……or hoods for that matter.

I’m a bit lost as to who this product is targeted towards. You cannot race it, yet it has race-oriented geometry, it is super expensive, and the seat/handlebars do not offer the ample padding of a leisurely ride. Better yet, it includes a power meter to tell you you’re slow.

I understand the concept of luxury products, but I cannot see this appealing to even a reasonable minority. Frankly, if I was filthy rich and wanted to splurge on a nice bike, I would buy a nice Italian top-of-the-line bike with some history behind it. I really don’t think I am in the minority.

nick
nick
13 years ago

Why is the front brake rotor on the opposite side of the bike than the rear?

il Bruce
il Bruce
13 years ago

Ugah-lee.

uglyyeti
uglyyeti
13 years ago

Finally, a bike that goes well out of it’s way, scoffing UCI compliance, to address the uneven stresses on headset bearings! I won’t have to second guess what’s going on inside my 110 anymore. Whew!

I can’t figure out why the spoke patterns run opposite. Seems like the front wheel is backward. But the disc is on the drive side, which they’ve obviously done with some thought. Is this to run the brake line down the right fork leg from the right lever? But isn’t that backward for most riders (but not me)?

At least they got some water bottle bosses on the seat tube (I really prefer the downtube). It looks like the battery pack is going to be in the way of the bottle. The person buying this bike will probably use a camelback for aerodynamics anyway. Or a glass of water next to the trainer.

I’m with Sean on the marketability of this thing – $36K for an bike you can’t race? My advice is go ahead and gold plate it. The market may be limited to rappers and sheiks. They’ll buy anything expensive and shiny.

garrett
garrett
13 years ago

you know if your going to make a crazy bike like this why would you make a traditional frame shape?
why not make something that is truly a UCI illegal bike?
I mean you have disc brakes, odd tube shapes, and a new headset already. If it was me i would have wanted to make something
more like the Lotus bike Boardman used, i mean if you going to make an illegal race bike knowingly you might as well go all out.

Also, does anyone have reason for why the computer on the bike is so big?

This bike looks like it has no soul yet, it looks cold, dry, uncomfortable, and mostly is not what bikes are in one word “freedom” nothing is freeing about it, in fact you won’t be able to ride it nearly as much as would would a colnago ferrari road bike, of a lesser value i might add.

This bike is a step in the wrong direction of tech for anyone would loves bikes

Cecil
Cecil
9 years ago

This is a well thought out bike sans the price… putting balance and aero dynamics above UCI… because of it’s computer (telling you which leg is stronger) this can be a nice training bike for those aspiring to break world records… on the other hand I think it is better to remove said computer and put it on a stationary bike. You can sell more and cheaper this way. All in all this bike is a toy for the richest of the rich who are not competitive riders… IRONIC is’nt it?

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.