The Factor 001 might be “just" a training bike, but it will still cost you around $30,000. For that price, though, you get a ride packed with the latest in Formula One technology, shrunken down to two-wheeled size.
Motorsport expert BERU f1systems built the F001 (possibly l33t-speak for fool) for an exhibition at London’s Science Museum, where 20 everyday items have received an F1 makeover. The F001 has the requisite carbon-fiber frame, ceramic brakes and fixie-style eight-spoke wheels, but it’s the high tech sensors that add to the appeal — and the cost.
On this bike, pretty much everything is measured. Accelerometers like those found in the iPhone can tell how much you are leaning, and the crank cadence, torque and, of course, wheel speed are all logged. Even the rider can be hooked up to measure his temperature in and out, his respiration and even – possibly – what he is thinking about having for dinner.
One of the reasons for the high price, apart form the obvious costs of a bespoke-built bike, is software. The $30,000 tag above is for the hardware only. If you want to actually be able to use the data, BERU f1systems says that “The software package will add approximately £6,000 to £7,000 ($8,800 to $10,200) to that."
Clearly this is not a beater for riding to the shops and back. But for serious cyclists, being able to go out on real roads and have access to a mountain of data is an advantage worth paying for.
Formula One experts use car technology to build bike [Bike Radar]
Photo: BERU f1systems
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