Can I get some opinions on Focus Bikes?
The izalco pro 3.0 looks like a good choice.
Thanks,
I rode one a while back. I wasn’t a big fan. Basically it rode pretty dull, was very heavy, and didn’t really offer much that was special. The ride quality was similar to that of the typical open mold frame that you can buy much cheaper on ebay.
I have a FOCUS Cayo 4.0. Full carbon frameset, Shimano 105/FSA mix of components. Good stock wheels (DT swiss). A bit heavy, so changed the wheels after 1 season to a set of DT swiss R1500.
It’s my roadbike and i love it! Ride it for more than 2 years now. Only downside (in my opinion) it’s the BB30. Gets dirty very easy (ride my bike all year, including in the rain), so replacing the BB every year is needed.
My bike was the cheapest version. Spending a bit more gives a better groupset (ultegra or DA, SRAM is also posssible) and lighter parts.
No experience on the TRI bikes.
I decided to pick up a road bike this season for longer rides. Focus bikes caught my eye, sharp looking, internal cable routing, choice of groupsets, carbon frames, decent wheels, and well priced. I haven’t had the pleasure, or dissatisfaction of riding one yet. Needless to say this thread caught my interest.
Cervelo R3 is on my list for the same price, it has some 105…but I have heard so many raving reviews. With that said, Focus Pro 3.0 got BikeRadar 2012 bike of the year award, whatever that means. http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/-focus-izalco-pro-30-why-its-our-bike-of-the-year-33391/
With the limited research I have done, other bikes ( with tiers ) you maybe interested in…Cannondale SuperSix, Specialized Tarmac, Trek Madone.
The Izalco is an amazing bike!
I absolutely love my Focus Mares cross bike. It’s a 2010, came with Ultegra. Replaced the wheels for racing with HED Stinger 5’s with FMB tubies glued up and it rides like a dream. I’ve swapped out training wheels with Racing Ralph clinchers mounted for training rides the past few years and even swapped on my training road wheelset for road riding…over my road bike. Handles very well, stiff when accelerating but the ride quality is balanced…when I took it on longer road rides (50 miles or more) it was as comfortable as my road bike or moreso. It was the top aluminum model before moving up to carbon in the Mares line.
Highly recommend the brand, at least based on my n=1 experience!
I also have a Mares and I have to say that I think it rides really well, I rest rode some other brands that were in the same price range and the Focus clearly rode better then the other ones.
focus gives good bang for your buck. maybe not the most storied name out there, but they are well made and look quite nice. more unique than treks and specialized, too. the cayos and izalcos have been ridden by protour and pro conti teams for several seasons.
HOWEVER, I’m not sure if focus has changed anything other than paint for the past few years,pretty sure it’s been the same frame since 2009-2010, so a 2012 will probably be the same as a 2011 except with different paint. so the mould is getting abit ‘long in the tooth’ as they say. if you are after the latest and greatest, or something future proof, then maybe it might not be such a great bike.
if you are after a no frills race bike that performs rather well and you dont need all the new ‘aero is all’ on your road bike, then you could do worse than a focus.
I am on a P2C now and want to get a road bike in the next few months,
i like the r3 but dont want 105 on it
Sl4 is awesome, but a bit pricey
trying to find the right fit and pricepoint, and am looking to try SRAM out.
thanks for all of the info.
My girlfriend has a focus izalco pro and i think that the geometry is quite good (heck i would ride it if she wanted to part with it). Then again it is a tad on the heavy side, but still handles really well. As others have mentioned though the frame is a from 2009 i believe so not the most up to date bike per se.
Still, i would not hesitate to pull the plug on one if the price was right
I am on a P2C and picked up a Focus as a road bike a few months ago. I have not regretted it one bit and am happy with the bike (no other road bike to compare it to). Others have mentioned things changing since 2009. My model is a newer Izalco Pro and is extremely light…much lighter than my Cervelo.
You should be able to find a Focus with Force or Ultegra for a very good price.
I’d opt for an R3 or BMC. I have a Team Machine with SRAM Red and preferred it over the R3 but both are good bikes.
Wasn’t a huge fan of the Focus. Rode well enough but didn’t feel particularly snappy to me.
The Izalco and team machine are not really on the same budget floor aren’t they?
i think the frameset only is twice the price on the BMC!
Everyone that I know who has ridden a Focus has been rather happy. A good friend of mine just raced his cx season on a Mares and loved it. The bikes seem well made and well designed. And the newer stuff is much lighter than the older bikes (say last 2-3 years). Definitely worth a try and not a bike that you see everywhere like a Cervelo.
great all around bikes
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I didn’t mean to compare the Izalco and Team Machine. The R3 is about the same price as the Izalco. And I think both the R3 and Team Machine ride VERY similarly with a slight nod to the Team Machine in my case.
So, if he’s looking at the 2.5-3k arena, I’d opt for the R3 with 105 over the Focus. But, then again, he’d just have to ride both to decide on his personal taste.
Oh ok i see where you are getting at now! Excellent point!
I would also be tempted to go R3 vs Izalco!
And bmc over r3 but i am also biaised as i am riding a team machine 
cheers
+1 on the Focus Mares crossbike. I use it as my road bike as well. Granted, it was my first bike, so i may be sentimental—but I do love it
My LBS is a focus dealer - one of few in the region. I was thisclose to getting an Izalco pro - great bike and great specs for the price. Tested it out - super stiff and responsive. All the guys at the shop have the focus CX bike - they swear by it. Not only is it a pro-bike, but if uncommon in your area than definitely pull trigger, always cool to be on something different
i ended up with a tcr advanced sl instead b/c I got a better deal.