'You can't model what happens after twenty hours on the bike' - Factor launches new Sarana ultra gravel bike

Factor has added another bike to its gravel range today in the form of the Sarana, which the brand calls a 'race endurance' model.

The Sarana joins the race-first Ostro gravel, and the Aluto all-rounder, but this is a bike that, in Factor's words, has been “built specifically for ultra-distance racing, and riders pushing the limit of modern gravel racing.”

Ultra gravel events appear to be growing in popularity; events like the Traka 360 are hugely popular now. Factor says the 'speed, duration and demands' of these events inform the engineering decisions behind the Sarana.

Ultra racer and Factor rider Rob Britton has had a major hand in the Sarana's design process, and according to the brand, his input on factors like fatigue and efficiency deep into a race has shaped the bike. In short, it appears this is a bike for the epic days, when you still need to go fast and be comfortable when you are on the limit.

This release also lets us finally put a name to the mystery suspension-equipped Factor gravel bike we spotted around a year ago at Unbound Gravel.

We will be on the lookout for the Sarana at the Traka this weekend, and have already spotted new gravel bikes from Ridley and Canyon at the event. We also have a Sarana on test for a full in-depth review to see how it deals with a wide range of gravel riding.

Plenty of riders are already competing in mammoth events on a range of gravel bikes, some off the shelf, some custom built, what makes the Sarana so well-suited to the task?

Factor says Sarana uses a carbon monocoque frame with a directional carbon fibre layup, which is tubed for “lateral stiffness and in-plane compliance.” The brand told me it had endeavoured to strike a blend between comfort, stability and performance.

Up front, there's the option of a rigid or suspension fork in the form of the RockShox Rudy unit with 30mm of travel, and the frame geometry is geared to accept both options. At the rear, Factor has employed 'leaf spring shaping' at the heavily dropped seatstays to boost compliance.

The front end of the bike has received some aero attention; the sculpted head tube is evidence of this, though there aren't really any major aero claims to go over from Factor. The head tube and front end have also been designed to integrate neatly with the frame storage bags that Factor has designed for the frame.

Numbers-wise, Factor claims a 18% reduction in “vibration amplitude compared to previous endurance baselines” as well as “zero structural drift in stiffness after 40 hours of continuous simulation” and stable steering and aero balance with loaded setups at 30-40kph. There isn't any more detailed info to further clarify these specific statements, though.

Spec-wise, the bike has 57mm or 2.2in tyre clearance, putting it right up there with some other very popular gravel machines right now. The brand told me it was designed with the now superseded Continental RaceKing tyres in mind, but the bike will ship with the new Dubnital models, which are very similar. The benefits of large-volume, low-pressure rubber on rough terrain are now obvious to most.

There's an external seatpost clamp and a 30.9mm round seatpost, which means riders can run a dropper post if they wish.

The frame is 1X compatible only, has a downtube storage hatch and bag, is UDH friendly and can accommodate up to a 52 tooth chainring, which will surely please the racers out there. The bottom bracket standard is T47a, and you will be able to run up to a 180mm disc rotor.

Factor says geometry has been a big part of the Sarana's design, quoting a size 56 bike sagged at 20% with a suspension fork, a stack of 592mm, and a reach of 410mm.

Geo has been designed to give responsive yet stable handling with a fork trail of 60mm, while the chainstay length of 425mm stays the same across each size. Seat tube angle is 73 degrees, while the head tube is 71.5 degrees with a bottom bracket drop of 80mm.

Factor says the offset, slightly sloping seat tube has added comfort, but also helped facilitate the required tyre clearance whilst keeping the chainstay length the same.

New Black Inc gravel wheels

Factor has also rolled out a new gravel wheelset at the same time as the Sarana in the form of the new Black Inc 46 wheelset.

The 46 wheels are built to be fast and robust. They are, as the name suggests, 46mm deep with a 27mm inner rim width and 33mm outer.

The wheels use bladed steel spokes and are built with brass spoke nipples for durability. Stainless steel bearings have also been used for this purpose.

Factor claims the freehub engagement mechanism, which uses a three-pawl freehub body and a 30-tooth engagement ring.

Retail price for the wheelset is relatively reasonable in today's day and age, $1,699 / £1649 / €2,049 per pair, and the wheels are available to buy separately.

Pricing and specs

The Sarana is available in two paint finishes: Cyan blue and Prismatic gold. The bike will also be available in 49/52/54/56 and size 58 options.

Four build options will be available for the bike, two will have a rigid fork and two a RockShox Rudy suspension model. The Sarana will also ship with a one-piece Black Inc integrated handlebar to keep things fast.

Rigid bikes:
Sarana - SRAM Red XPLR / Black Inc 46 wheels: $9,599 / £9,399 / €11,499
Sarana - SRAM Force XPLR / Black Inc 46 wheels: $7,899 / £7,699 / €9,499

Suspension bikes:
Sarana - SRAM Red XPLR / Black Inc 46 wheels: $10,199 / £9,499 / €12,199
Sarana - SRAM Force XPLR / Black Inc 46 wheels: $8,499 / £8,299 / €10,199

Frameset 'premium option' packages are also available in rigid and suspension fork-equipped variants.

Sarana: $4,699 / £4,599 / €5,599
Sarana + suspension: $5,299 / £5,199 / €6,399.

The Black Inc 46 wheelset will cost: $1,699 / £1649 / €2,049.