Focus bikes

cbambrick87
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Focus bikes

Postby cbambrick87 » Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:22 pm

Has anybody purchased a focus bike or heard anything good or bad about them.
I'm looking buying a cayo evo with ultegra running gear.

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AUbicycles
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby AUbicycles » Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:39 pm

A well established brand in Europe (fromGermany). In the Tour de France, Ag2r-La Mondiale are racing Focus bikes.

Focus is owned by a big consortium called Derby who also have a base in Australia for distribution. I used to know more about the bikes and had good contact with the Germans however in Australia don't hear much so can't help on the current models, reputation or service.
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edsa
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby edsa » Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:42 am

There is a focus sub-forum with lots of happy focus owners.
I ride a Focus Izalco pro, very happy with it.
My boss rides a Focus Cayo with di2 also happy with his.

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rpmspinman
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby rpmspinman » Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:22 am

I ride a Focus Cayo 2 (2012 model) and am very happy with it. Very solid carbon frame.
Cheers
Shav

My Bikes:
2011 Kona Dew Plus (commuter)
2012 Focus Cayo 2.0 (road)
2015 Cervelo S5 VWD

slian
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby slian » Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:24 am

Mine is a 2012 Izalco Pro and also still very happy with it.

cbambrick87
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby cbambrick87 » Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:54 pm

Thanks heaps. I am currently riding a specialized allez 2010 all the components are starting to wear out. By the time all gets replaced might as well upgrade to a carbon bike.

Hugh Stone old
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby Hugh Stone old » Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:29 pm

I have a 2013 Focus Izalco Pro. No complaints here.
Local shop stocks Focus so I have ridden with few others who ride Focus (6 Izalcos and a 3 Cayos) - only complaint I've heard (and made myself) is about white handlebar tape.

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Re: Focus bikes

Postby Shpox » Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:12 pm

slian wrote:Mine is a 2012 Izalco Pro and also still very happy with it.
BOTY winner and probably one of the best framesets of that year. I wish I had it. From what I understand, they're really great all-round frames that do it all.

They don't come with the same price premiums as Trek/Cannondale/Specialized and the Izalco is arguably better iirc because it's largely cheaper. I am not a fan of their 2013 colours and a number of suppliers have dropped them in Brisbane for 2014. Not sure why.

Focus isn't as common as the other brands. I ride a Cube which is also german and one of the biggest things to worry about is how the supplier will handle warranty claims if not the shop.

Otherwise, I hear rarely anything bad.

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Re: Focus bikes

Postby cbambrick87 » Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:12 am

As focus isn't a well know brand to me and no one I ride with have one either, So I am doing my home work. Our local bike shop is an authorised dealer and he seem to be pretty good. I have done a lot of research and I can't find any complaints other than cosmetic

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Re: Focus bikes

Postby Dirty32 » Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:39 pm

Shpox wrote:I am not a fan of their 2013 colours and a number of suppliers have dropped them in Brisbane for 2014. Not sure why.
Just on this, am LBS close to me recently decided to no longer carry Focus.
I knew that they did previously carry them (among some higher end stuff) and specifically went in to ask about a particular model (a CX Mares).

The owner mentioned that they are a great bike and they have had absolutely no issues with any of the bikes they have sold previously.

He did however mention that they were not quite feeling the love from the distributor / agent the Brand and with only a small showroom and minimal stock levels, decided that they should stock the Brands of bikes where they did have better relationships with the distributor.

Maybe this does or doesnt have anything to do with your comments or shops dropping them in Brisbane, I am not sure...

In closing, he didnt say that I should not buy the bike... He thinks they are great.
He referred me to other stockists in Perth and wished me luck, if that has any relevance or shows you what he thinks of the product.

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Shpox
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby Shpox » Thu Jul 17, 2014 5:53 pm

It wouldn't surprise me. We're past the middle of 2014 and I don't think I've been to a shop that stocks a 2014 focus which sucks, because they're great framesets + value.



It's pretty interesting stuff and I think the elephant in the room is that most people will stick a popular brand name, probably one that it is relatively established in the western world (trek/specialized/cannondale). It's been challenged by franchises with the introduction of brands like Merida for example. Point is, just because it's popular, doesn't mean it's the best buy. I personally tend to shorten my brand base to those that are represented by world tour teams, but that doesn't mean they're the best bikes. It is relatively nice to know that the company that makes that 10k build also worked to make your 2-3k build that you'll probably ride for a solid number of years.

I think as far as price premiums go in cycling for me, I will always go for something that isn't astronomically priced, especially when you start getting things like velobuilds and cell omeo's unless I can afford to know that the same cash will go back into R&D. Especially when I see most people rightfully owning these things, not racing in crits or doing anything in the realm of pushing the extents of that frame.

spirro
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby spirro » Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:51 pm

I've owned a Focus Cayo Evo 2.0 for about 6 weeks now. I love it. It's not as popular as the other big brands but I wanted a bike that not everyone else has. Got it for a great price also.
Focus Cayo Evo 2.0 2014

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ACT SC600
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby ACT SC600 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 9:43 pm

Focus cayo 2.0 with di2.... Awesome bike!!
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby Duck! » Mon Jul 21, 2014 12:11 am

The shop I'm in tried Focus when they first started coming here about three years ago. Nice bikes, absolutely nothing wrong with them, the biggest problem we had was unfamiliarity in the local customer base; people just didn't want to buy a brand they'd never heard of. I think the importer found the same problem and stopped dealing with them; I have a feeling the current distributor is not the same mob we dealt with.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

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Re: Focus bikes

Postby AUbicycles » Mon Jul 21, 2014 12:32 am

I recall that the fellow importing went by the name of 'Apple Distribution' (or similar) and then was involved with Derby setting up a local office and becoming a subsidairy. They have Cervelo which are better know. But Focus were used by Milram on the Pro Tour and the Izalco is a nice bike and known amount roadies.

That said, I havn't see focus in any shops in my part of Sydney.
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spirro
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby spirro » Mon Jul 21, 2014 6:29 am

ACT SC600 wrote:Focus cayo 2.0 with di2.... Awesome bike!!
Unfortunately the 2014 model Cayo 2.0 is only Ultegra, not Di2


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Focus Cayo Evo 2.0 2014

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ACT SC600
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby ACT SC600 » Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:19 am

spirro wrote:
ACT SC600 wrote:Focus cayo 2.0 with di2.... Awesome bike!!
Unfortunately the 2014 model Cayo 2.0 is only Ultegra, not Di2


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Mines a 2012... Lovely bike... Very responsive, nice, light and well built (I purchased mine as a frameset NOS)
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tubby74
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby tubby74 » Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:29 pm

very happy with a 2013 cayo evo 4 which was the ultegra model last year, but this year the 2.0 is that level. the name/component level seems to change every year. was in a shop recently and saw this year 105 model in matt black with red cables, thought that looked very nice.

danny the boy
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby danny the boy » Tue Jul 22, 2014 10:48 am

My MTB is a Focus, never seen another one on the trails but see quite a few road bikes around. It turned out to to be the best spec'd bike in the price range I was looking at. IMO their brand popularity is on the up from what i am seeing

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Focus bikes

Postby warthog1 » Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:36 pm

Popular where I live. The biggest bike shop sells them. You see quite a few around. A few blokes I ride with have focus roadies. All good.


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cbambrick87
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby cbambrick87 » Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:07 pm

So I am almost ready to purchase my new bike. After looking does anybody know the difference between the cayo and the izalco. If so which one would you go

spirro
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Focus bikes

Postby spirro » Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:15 pm

cbambrick87 wrote:So I am almost ready to purchase my new bike. After looking does anybody know the difference between the cayo and the izalco. If so which one would you go
You'll have to try both and see which is more comfortable. I have the Cayo which has a more relaxed geometry than the Izalco.
Focus Cayo Evo 2.0 2014

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rpmspinman
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby rpmspinman » Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:00 am

Yep, Izalco is setup to be a bit more a racers bike than the Cayo. More to do with the geometry.
Cheers
Shav

My Bikes:
2011 Kona Dew Plus (commuter)
2012 Focus Cayo 2.0 (road)
2015 Cervelo S5 VWD

billy70
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby billy70 » Sun Aug 10, 2014 4:22 pm

By my reckoning, the Ergoride seems to run at a premium to the equivalent Cayo Evo ... Anyone have an insight as to why?
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cbambrick87
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Re: Focus bikes

Postby cbambrick87 » Sun Aug 10, 2014 6:17 pm

So I have just got the lbs to get me the cayo evo 1.0 with the di2 has anybody got one. If so what do you think

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