Factor ONE Chpt./// Special Edition

At this point in his career David Millar can ride any bike he wants. He’s ridden bikes that by his own admission were alternately good, great or awful. Because of Baden’s relationship with David, he was able to approach him and invite him to help in the development of a new line of bikes. David’s vast experience as a racer is an indelible part of the Factor DNA.

What happened next surprised us.

David said he liked the One so much he wanted to offer a personalized version. Of the many bikes on the market, the One is David’s bike of choice, the bike he thought special enough he wanted to co-brand a special edition for his brand, Chpt.///.

David’s Special Edition One is spec’d with a SRAM Red eTap drivetrain with CeramicSpeed pulleys added to the rear derailleur. We created special plugs to close the ports for the Di2 wires for a clean, finished and aerodynamic surface.

In a nod to David’s English heritage, we build it with Brooks’ C30 saddle, which David helped develop and is Brooks’ first performance saddle in more than half a century.

Stopping the bike are direct-mount EE brakes, the lightest rim caliper brake available and the most powerful brake you can put on a bike short of going to discs.

In his racing for Garmin he saw first-hand the value of an aerodynamic road bike, but he also knew how hard it is to produce an aero road frame that has the responsive feeling of a traditional road frame. He understood immediately the value, which is why he saw the advantage the Twin Vane Split Down Tube offered.

David also helped us develop OTIS, our One Total Integration System, that sees the bar and stem integrated into a single unit and that bolt to an aerodynamic external steerer fork. OTIS is lighter, stiffer and more aerodynamic than a traditional bar/stem/fork combination.

David’s most important contribution to the One may be its ride quality. The fact that the One rides like a great carbon fiber road bike is no accident. Those aero tube shapes don’t usually result in a bike that sprints well or offers any comfort on rough roads. David helped us find the right blend of stiffness, comfort and aerodynamic performance. As a result, the One isn’t just a special-occasion bike. It’s the bike he rides every day.

We are offering only 51 bikes in the Chpt./// configuration. Why 51? The number 51 has legendary significance in the Tour de France. More riders have won the Tour while wearing the number 51 than any other number. As a result, it’s considered a lucky number among Tour riders.

In David’s own words:
We wanted it to be understated yet still look different. Bucking the trend of the black on black we went for a dark grey, a colour I actually saw first on a Singer Porsche. It may look black, but when you look closely it is a deep gray. The Rosso Fuoco flashes are the same colour we use as reveals in our Chpt./// clothing. All in all this is my dream bike, and ironically will be the best bike I have ever ridden on. It is a shame I didn’t get to use it when I was racing, although saying that, it’s going to make me a damn good Café Racer.

I think this is the coolest bike I have ever had and I am quite proud to say that.