ALMSTHRE was created by three cyclists from San Diego, CA, whose relentless pursuit of endless adventures has always been in their blood. They seek to go further, explore more and connect deeply with nature, themselves and others. To feel alive, they believe that one should never stop exploring the unknown. They strive to get out of the comfort zone and always move forward. The art of doing is what motivates and inspires them, while passion is what fuels them. Therefore, when there is no end in sight, they keep pushing forward, because they are ALMSTHRE.
ONE
Factor's R&D team had already explored the limits. The HANZŌ Track, an Olympic record-breaking bike, had shown how airflow "explodes" from the front tire, generating turbulence behind the wheel.
The subsequent HANZŌ Road revealed how much performance could be improved by eliminating traditional design constraints on the fork.
The OSTRO VAM then demonstrated that aerodynamics, lightness, and real rideability can coexist.
These projects were not finished products, but exploratory missions that revealed the limitations of traditional design and provided new tools to overcome them.
So when the UCI opened the door to more flexible regulations, Factor was ready to go beyond what was considered possible.
Graham Shrive, Head of Engineering, had a clear goal: not only to match the OSTRO, but to surpass it significantly.
From the early stages of the project, the internal benchmark was ambitious: the HANZŌ Road had already shown an aerodynamic advantage of around +10% over the OSTRO 2.0, which was set to be beaten in a configuration that fully complied with UCI regulations.
To achieve this goal, radical concepts were developed, some of which were too extreme even for a track bike.
Hundreds of CFD simulations with complete cyclist models and accelerated iterations made it possible to explore variations that would have been impossible to test physically in the same amount of time.
From the distance between the fork stems to the shape of the crown, from the aerodynamic surfaces to the brake mounting points, from the handlebar profiles to the positioning of the water bottles: every detail has been optimized and digitally validated before arriving in the wind tunnel.
The result is a platform that is not the product of chance, but rather of experience accumulated over the years and the desire to overcome every design limitation.
But aerodynamics was only half the mission. The position of the modern cyclist has changed: narrower handlebars, forward saddles, shorter cranks. All these elements shift the weight forward, with the risk of compromising stability if the geometry is not precisely designed.
The geometry of the ONE was designed specifically to accommodate these new, uncompromising riding positions. By separating the handlebar mounting point from the steering axis, the bike offers the extreme reach required by professionals without resorting to excessively long and unstable handlebar stems.
The bottom bracket has been lowered to compensate for the higher center of gravity generated by short cranks and larger tires, maintaining a balanced weight distribution between front and rear.
A rare feature in high-performance bikes: even in the smallest sizes, the ONE retains the same steering geometry as larger frames, ensuring a consistent and predictable response for every rider.
Aerodynamic Systems
The primary objective was clear: to control airflow in the front area and maintain aerodynamic advantage even with extreme crosswinds. The new UCI regulations made it possible to overcome the dimensional limitations imposed on the traditional "fork box," paving the way for the development of the Bayonet Fork + Chin Fairing system: a forward-projecting structure designed to manage the "overflow" of air that is generated when the flow detaches from the front tire and the fork crown.
It is not the result of abstract insights, but of rigorous experimental validation. The team conducted a matrix of controlled tests that compared:
✔ different stem spacing (wide vs. narrow)
✔ channeled and non-channeled fairings
✔ upper handlebar profiles (raised, lowered, neutral)
✔ Brake caliper mounting angles (5° vs. 20°)
✔ Water bottle positions (high vs. low mounts)
Geometry
Modern bike fitting trends—advanced saddles, shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and longer cockpits—shift the rider's weight forward, raise the center of gravity, and can reduce stability and control.
ONE was created precisely to manage these new postures without compromise.
✔ Position consistent with the OSTRO VAM, despite a more aggressive stem angle.
✔ Adjustable saddle angle 73.5°–77°, thanks to the modular seat post head.
✔ Decoupled cockpit and steering, to offer extreme reach without overly long handlebar stems.
✔ Lowered bottom bracket to compensate for the higher center of gravity and maintain balanced weight distribution.
✔ Identical steering geometry on all sizes, even the smallest, for a consistent and predictable ride.
Result: a bike designed for the demands of modern cycling, stable, fast, and perfectly controllable even in the most extreme positions.
Gull Wing Bar
ONE tackles these challenges with ingenious solutions that combine extreme reach and stable handling:
✔ Handlebar mounting separate from the steering axis: this allows for greater reach without resorting to excessively long handlebar stems (>140 mm), which would slow down steering response and compromise riding precision.
✔ Integrated cockpit system without traditional attachment: sizes are designated from 1 to 5, equivalent to classic attachments (from 110 mm to 150 mm)
✔ 5 mm bottom bracket lift: compensates for the higher center of gravity caused by shorter cranks and larger tires, keeping the bike stable even on high-speed descents. Typical riders raise their saddle by about twice the reduction in crank length; by lowering the bottom bracket, the center of gravity remains in the same optimal position.
✔ Extended reach and uniform geometry: by eliminating finger overlap and maintaining the same steering geometry across all sizes, the effective moment of the handlebar attachment is reduced and riding responsiveness is increased, with faster and more precise steering.
✔ Restored front-to-rear weight balance: reduces the risk of rear wheel spin and high-speed crashes.
By integrating the cockpit dimension directly into the handlebar system, the ONE avoids the compromises of ultra-long stems, offering modern cyclists the desired forward position without sacrificing stability and control.
The stiffness of the Gull Wing handlebar is exceptional, up to 50% greater than that of a traditional handlebar/stem combination, ensuring maximum precision even under high loads.
Production and development
ONE is too radical a project to be entrusted to external suppliers. Factor's in-house production has allowed us to maintain total control from concept to finished product, making it possible to:
✔ Rapid prototyping and continuous refinement, without the delays and waiting times imposed by external tooling cycles.
✔ Complete integration of Bayonet Fork, Chin Fairing, and cockpit into a single structural and aerodynamic system.
✔ Optimization of carbon layups to achieve optimal stiffness and riding feel even under extreme loads.
✔ Smart, user-friendly solutions, such as handlebar rotation limiters, Di2 battery integration, and UDH-compatible interface.
✔ Development of a precision compression system that maintains the integrity of the headset even under pro-level sprint forces, while simplifying adjustments and cable routing.
By controlling every stage from carbon cutting to polymerization to finishing, Factor was able to move from CFD to wind tunnel to race without compromise or delay, turning an extreme vision into concrete reality.
Colors
