Readers’ Rig: Mark’s Factor 02 in NY

First impressions are not always correct. On face value; Mark’s Factor 02 looks quite plain, but after close examination… It’s a work of modern art. From the one piece handlebar/stem to the Enve wheels and the Sram groupset, and let’s face it, that paint job is just stunning.

Name: Mark Yecies
Location: West Orange, New Jersey, suburb of NY City
Bike: Factor 02
Groupset: Sram Red AXS e-Tap
Wheels: Enve AR 4.5
Pedals: Speedplay Zero steel spindles
Saddle: Fizik Arione R1
Other: Black Inc 25 degree setback seat post and Black Inc one piece handlebar stem.

When did you buy it?
I bought the bicycle in January 2020.

What made you choose this bike?
I have two friends riding the Factor 02, one disc, one caliper brakes. They both rave about the ride quality of the bike. I’m one of those guys that likes to show up at a ride not on a Trek or Specialized. I have nothing against any of the big brands. They make excellent frames and other components with their huge R&D budgets and resources. I like to be different. I was also impressed that they have their own factory and their F1 heritage.

Have you done any modifications/additions to it?
The only change I made after choosing the original components was the Enve wheels. The group came with a wheelset that will remain nameless, but underwhelmed me. The Enve wheels ride great and seem to be immune to cross winds. I have them set up tubeless with 28mm Schwabe One tires. That combination actually makes it seem like I can corner and descend better than average.

How many miles/kilometers do you do a year?
I ride in the neighborhood of 5,500 miles a year give or take a couple of hundred miles.

What do you love about this bike?
This bike feels planted with a supple forgiving ride. You step on the gas and it jumps. It doesn’t have that jittery stiff feeling of other light, responsive bikes. It descends like crazy and has a stable ride at high speed. While riding in a pace line at 28 or 29 mph or descending at 45mph, the bike gives a feeling of confidence. The paint and graphics look great. It looks like a normal bike, not crazy tube shapes. Yet, at any ride, I get comments about the bike.

Favorite riding area?
Believe it or not, western north Jersey has some of the best riding anywhere. The terrain is varied and the woods and farmlands are beautiful especially through Hunterdon County. I have family in West Virginia and have ridden in many parts of the state. Riding there is painful but beautiful. One of the prettiest rides there was in the New River Gorge area, 68 miles with about 6,000 feet of climbing and beautiful vistas of the river and wooded roads. The Connecticut River area near Hanover, New Hampshire has magnificent riding. Anyplace with pretty roads and light traffic makes for a great place to ride.

Favorite riding experience on your bike?
My favorite ride every year is a 115 mile ride we do to the Jersey shore. About 20 of us ride to a friend’s beach house from Essex County where we all live. Our families meet us there and spend the day on the beach. Great food, beer and the ocean are our rewards for that ride when we arrive. It’s not the most scenic ride, but it’s flat, fast and fun.

Future upgrades?
I don’t see any upgrades for the time being. The bike is nearly perfect.

Last words?
Get out and ride. TTFU!

Thanks to Mark for sharing his ride with us. Got a bike that you walk into the room just to stare at? Well how about sharing it with fellow PEZ fans and getting it featured in Readers’ Rigs so we can all stare at it! Send us a Readers’ Rigs submission direct to [email protected] and your bike could be featured in all its glory here on the pages of PEZ.