A Ride on the Factor Ostro Gravel Aluto

We recently had the chance to spend some time riding the Factor Ostro Gravel Aluto, and it didn’t take long to understand what makes this bike interesting.

The bike we rode was the same setup Cyclingnews tested. A size 56 with 40mm wide bars with flare and a 100mm stem. It’s a good middle ground setup that works well on gravel but still feels natural when the ride ends up being faster than expected.

My previous gravel bike was a Canyon Grail SLX, which gave a really good reference point for comparison. It’s a bike I’ve ridden a lot, so the differences were pretty obvious straight away.

The biggest one was speed on the flat.

At the same power numbers I’d normally ride on the Canyon, the Aluto was consistently travelling faster. Some of that is clearly coming from the wheel and hub setup. They feel quick to accelerate and they hold speed well.

But it’s not just the wheels.

The frame itself feels much more responsive when you start putting power through it. When you get out of the saddle and push on the pedals, the bike responds immediately. It feels like the power goes straight into forward movement.

The Canyon by comparison rides a little more muted. It’s stable and comfortable, but when you start pushing harder it feels slightly slower and a bit more subdued.

The Aluto feels much livelier.

Another thing that stood out was how balanced the bike felt overall. Some gravel bikes lean heavily toward comfort while others feel like road bikes with bigger tyres. The Aluto sits nicely in the middle.

It’s stable when the surface gets rough, but when the road smooths out it still feels fast and efficient.

That’s probably the biggest takeaway after riding it. It’s a gravel bike that still feels quick on the road, which is exactly what a lot of riders are looking for now.

If you want to see the bike up close or learn more about how bikes like this compare, we’ve also put together a guide on why getting the right bike and size matters before you buy.

Because once the frame is chosen, everything else works around it.