Factor has announced the release of the Monza, a new aero road bike targeted at amateur racers and riders instead of elite athletes. Inspired by the WorldTour-spec Ostro VAM aero bike, Factor says the Monza which takes its name from the iconic race track in northern Italy uses a simplified design aimed at making it more practical and affordable. Headline features include clearance for 34mm-wide tyres, a more democratic fit geometry, integrated frame storage and a simplified cable routing system. Factor has also designed a new set of aero wheels and an integrated cockpit designed to better serve the needs of amateur riders. Despite these changes, Factor says the Monza is refined, not compromised. As a complete bike with two water bottles, Factor says its only 2.5 watts less aerodynamic at 45kph than the Ostro VAM and even claims its faster than the Cervlo S5, [Specialized] Tarmac SL8 and others. Prices for the Factor Monza start at 6,399 / $6,799 / 7,999, for a build with Shimano Ultegra Di2. A build with SRAM Force AXS is also available for 6,599 / $6,999 / 8,299, including a power meter. Made for more racers The Monza was built for everyday racers, but Factor says it's no slouch in the wind tunnel. Factor While Factor claims its Ostro VAM is the worlds fastest race bike, it acknowledges that its singular focus on pro racing makes it somewhat impractical (and unaffordable) for everyday racers. In contrast, the Monza is aimed squarely at everyday racers and riders who want to go fast but dont want or cant afford a WorldTour-spec race bike. Factors engineering director, Graham Shrive (formerly of Cervlo), says the Monza is the bike wed design for ourselves. Factor sees the Monza as the kind of bike its staff want to ride. Factor Rather than simply offering a version of the Ostro VAM from the same moulds with a cheaper carbon fibre layup, though, Shrive says the goal was to accommodate riders for how theyre actually using the bikes, rather than dictate to them. Its a similar concept to Cervlos latest Soloist a simplified version of the S5 aero bike more commonly used by the likes of Jonas Vingegaard and his VismaLease a Bike teammates (outside of Paris-Roubaix, at least). The Factor Monza uses a more relaxed fit geometry, but keeps the same handling as the Ostro VAM. Factor As such, the Monza uses a more relaxed fit geometry than the pro-spec Ostro VAM, with increased stack height and reduced reach (when the new cockpit is taken into account) to better suit amateur riders, as opposed to elite athletes. Factor says the handling geometry is unchanged from the Ostro VAM, however, in order to keep that bikes responsiveness and quick handling. The overall shape of the Monza is similar to the Ostro VAM. Factor The Monzas frame tube shapes have also been subtly reshaped in order to reduce the layup complexity and, ultimately, production costs. The head tube, seat tube, seatpost and seatstays are all wider, for example, while the rear of the fork isnt sculpted to meet the down tube to the same extent. Practical features The Monza uses SRAM's UDH standard. Factor The Monza also gets a number of features designed to make it easier to live with for everyday riders. The rear dropout, for example, uses SRAMs Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) standard. This enables compatibility with SRAMs recently launched, 13-speed Red XPLR AXS groupset, and we imagine future-proofs the frame for any upcoming groupsets. Leaks suggest a new SRAM Force AXS groupset could launch soon, for example, meaning a UDH-only XPLR version might not be far off either. A storage hatch is integrated into the down tube, behind the bottle cage mounts. Factor Adding a saddle bag to a bike can incur a drag penalty of up to 6 watts at 45kph, according to Factor's testing, so Shrive says it made sense to add an integrated storage port on the down tube for storing tools and essential spares. Shrive acknowledges this features adds weight to the frame (around 80-100g), but he reasons that since a saddle bag weighs a similar amount, it evens out in the real world, where riders need to be self-sufficient. With the space behind the saddle freed up, Shrive says Factor has also designed a dedicated saddle rail mount for accessories such as rear bike lights or rearview radars. The Monza gets more tyre clearance than the Ostro VAM. Factor Tyre clearance on the Monza is also increased to 34mm, up from 32mm on the Ostro VAM. While 28mm-wide tyres are still dominant in the pro peloton, Shrive says bigger tyres allow for better performance on the rough roads local races and group rides often take place on. Echoing this theme, Shrive says the new Black Inc Forty Five wheels, which have been designed alongside the Monza, present a fast solution thats versatile and robust, and will withstand that day to day pounding. Built using carbon rims with modern dimensions, the Black Inc Forty Five wheels use steel spokes and readily available bearings to reduce cost compared to the pricier 48/58 wheelset specced on the Ostro VAM. A simplified front end Factor says the Monza borrows from the Ostro Gravel up front. Factor While an integrated front end is practically de rigueur for any modern aero road bike, Factor says it aimed for the Monza to be more pragmatic in this area than the Ostro VAM. As such, Factor has specced a larger, 1.5in upper headset bearing from the Ostro Gravel, which affords space for a round steerer tube and more straightforward internal cable routing. Factor has also designed a new integrated handlebar specifically for the Monza, rather than opting for a cheaper two-piece setup. The Monza gets its own integrated cockpit, the HB04. Factor The HB04 cockpit features a semi-aero profile on the tops, to offer a better feel in the hand than the AB01 cockpit found on the Ostro VAM. The reach and drop of the handlebar have also been reduced by 5mm on the HB04, compared to the AB01, while the drops flare out by 8 degrees from the ramps to offer improved control when sprinting or descending. Factor Monza specifications and pricing The Factor Monza is available in three colours and with two builds. Factor The Factor Monza is available in two builds, with Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force AXS. Alternatively, riders can purchase a frameset kit for 3,799 / $3,999 / 4,699 that includes the frame, fork, seatpost and HB04 cockpit. There are three colour schemes available: green, blue or white (although, of course, Factor has fancier names for each).