VIS VIRES DURA-ACE, next-gen bike for the year of next-gen? (via Factor Bikes)
Economies all over the world are still on shaky ground and as a result, more people have been looking towards alternative methods of transportation. One of those alternative methods is biking, which has been gaining in popularity over the years with those who are solely depended on automobiles for transportation. Like all hobbies however, there is the enthusiast crowd who have the time, money and initiative to take their passions to the limit and biking is no exception. Yes there are bicycles that can cost a customer some serious cash like Arumania’s 24k Gold Bike Chrystal edition (around $114,000 US), Trek’s Madone 5.9 SL-7 Diamonds ($75,000 US) and the Celebrity Gold Bike (over $14,000 US and comes with its own security guard as an extra option). These bikes however are not really that functional and aren’t meant for touring, mountain biking or racing (think of it like going off-roading in a Ferrari 458 Italia). Therefore, what’s an enthusiast to do if they want to actually use a ‘tricked-out’ bike outfitted with the latest electronics to suit their needs without the need for property protection? They look to Factor and their latest line of Vis Vires road bikes.
The company recently unveiled their new line aimed at enthusiasts who like their bikes outfitted with the latest sensors for real-time information [01] the bikes[02] , depending on the model, are outfitted with Garmin ANT+ integrated sensors at key locations on the bike. These sensors monitor everything a rider may need including leg power, speed and even a heart-rate monitor the cyclist wears to monitor progress. All the information is fed to an onboard Garmin 510/810 computer mounted on the bike’s front-end so the users has direct access to the information they need at that point in time. The Vis Vires line will be available in three models set to be released in increments starting this August with the Dura-Ace model (with the Garmin 810, heart monitor and ANT+ Factor Power Crank) coming in at slightly over $13,000 US. The Ultegra Di2 (outfitted with the Garmin 510) and a variant of the model (with the ANT+ cranks) start at over $7,800 and $10,000 respectively and will be released early next year (2014) in January. Each bicycle features Shimano Dura-Ace shifters and derailleurs, Fizik Arione carbon braided seats, Vittoria Open Corsa CX tires and specialized frame all together weighing in at less than 16 pounds. Obviously, those with a few extra bucks will look at modifying their rides even further with, say, a tablet mount for watching movies while biking long distances.
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