Human Powered Health switch to Factor bikes for 2024

Women's WorldTour team Human Powered Health have ended their five-year partnership with Felt to make a switch to Factor bikes for the 2024 season.

The American team, who from 2024 onwards will only have a women's squad, have agreed a three-year partnership with the brand.

The team are also making the switch to wheels from Factor’s sister company Black Inc, having previously used Vision products. Nevertheless, it’s not all change, with SRAM and Goodyear remaining as the groupset and tyre providers, respectively.

Factor is the fourth different bike brand the team has partnered with since being founded in 2013, having previously also ridden Orbea and Diamondback bikes.

​​“We are delighted to partner with Factor Bikes,” Human Powered Health’s general manager, Ro de Jonckere, said in a press release. “Their bikes are fast, innovative, and sleek. And they are proven at the Women’s WorldTour level. As we grow the team, it’s important to have partners that have the knowledge and experience that can support us all the way.”

The brand is already present in the Women’s WorldTour peloton, providing bikes for Israel-Premier Tech Roland, while the men’s Israel-Premier Tech team also uses its bikes.

The change comes after a turbulent year for the Human Powered Health umbrella. Its men’s team isn’t one of 17 ProTeams registered for the 2024 season and looks set to fold at the end of the year.

• Read more: Human Powered Health men's team set to fold

Those issues haven’t extended to the women’s team, who are hoping to take on their third year at WorldTour level in 2024 after first making the step up in 2022. In preparation, the team have been busy in the transfer market, most notably signing Ruth Edwards, who returns to the professional peloton after pausing her road racing career in 2021.

Edwards and her teammates will get to choose between the Factor Ostro VAM and O2 VAM bikes for road races during 2024, while the Hanzo will be used in time trials.

The Ostro VAM is the brand’s dedicated aero bike, which was launched back in 2020. Its companion, the O2 VAM, is the newest bike in Factor’s line-up.

• Read more: New Factor O2 VAM is ‘the world’s fastest climbing bike’

Breaking cover in July of this year, it was accompanied by some hefty claims, with Factor saying that it’s the “world’s fastest climbing bike”. Builds for the bike start from as little as 6.2kg, although Human Powered Health won’t be able to take advantage of that due to the UCI’s minimum weight rules.

“Joining forces with Human Powered Health for the 2024 season is a really exciting opportunity to work with a team whose mission so closely aligns with our own,” Rob Gitelis, CEO of Factor Bikes, said.

“Factor and Black Inc seek to harness cutting-edge innovations and the transformative power of technology to drive each individual to reach their health and performance potential through the power of cycling.”

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