Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

macca33
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Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby macca33 » Tue Oct 28, 2014 9:38 pm

I recently decided that I NEEDED a CX bike and my local LBS (along with some very persuasive others) talked me in to purchasing a 2013 Focus Mares CX frameset. I specced it up with Ultegra 6700, Avid Shorty Ultimate Cantilever brakes, Fulcrum R1s, Conti CX Speed tyres, Selle Italia Flite saddle, Zipp bars, stem and seatpost, with FSA Gossamer Compact crankset.

Build pics:-

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Upon completion:-

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I rode it for a few miles, then decided that it would be better with Ultegra6800, so purchased a 'mini-group' from Chain Reaction:-

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Very happy with the rig - it is a great frameset and goes fairly quick, even on the CX tyres. I'm looking forward to some summertime exploration around West Gippy:-

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cheers
CAAD10 Berzerker & Focus Mares & Ridley Noah SL

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find_bruce
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby find_bruce » Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:08 am

Looks the goods macca

Cmm
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby Cmm » Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:34 am

Nice buil macca looks sweet!

macca33
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby macca33 » Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:08 am

Cheers lads - took it out with road tyres this morning for the Wednesday bunch and managed to grab PRs on MtWorth (4.3Km (AT) 4%) - so it climbs okay also.....pity the rider does not!!!
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Cmm
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby Cmm » Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:32 pm

Nice i am coming to realise for an avergae joe like me a cx with road tyres is as good as a road bike lol keep an eye out for my new frame macca ;)

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cyclotaur
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby cyclotaur » Wed Oct 29, 2014 8:55 pm

Cmm wrote:Nice i am coming to realise for an avergae joe like me a cx with road tyres is as good as a road bike lol keep an eye out for my new frame macca ;)
Welcome to the club !! :)
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macca33
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby macca33 » Wed Oct 29, 2014 9:48 pm

Cmm wrote:Nice i am coming to realise for an avergae joe like me a cx with road tyres is as good as a road bike lol keep an eye out for my new frame macca ;)

Shall do mate!
CAAD10 Berzerker & Focus Mares & Ridley Noah SL

Dirty32
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby Dirty32 » Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:29 am

Maybe a hard question to quantify, but how exactly does she ride Macca?

Iv been thinking about and looking at (for a couple of months now) a Focus Mares AX1 as a commuter and winter / wet weather bike for next winter.
Most likely the AX1 (Hyd. Disks), or the AX3 if I can't get hold of a 1. Obviously Alloy framed where yours is carbon. Im still trying to get the missus on board, but havent managed to pull the pin on one yet.

There aren't too many reviews out there and where there are, they tend to be on the CX range (carbon) and not alloy... Any comments?
I doubt id get out for any CX at all, if I do it will be extremely minimal. More so to run some nice 28's on it as an urban attacker!

macca33
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby macca33 » Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:53 pm

Dirty,I can only compare it to my aluminium bikes (CAAD10s), as I have only done short rides on other carbon road bikes.

It rides very smoothly - absorbs more road shock than the CAADs, it transfers the power well (BB is stiff enough) and handling/steering is slightly slower than my CAAD10s - due to a longer wheelbase - but is sharp enough.

I rode it in the bunch yesterday and got a few PRs on a climb (as stated above) and it also rolls fine at bunch pace - 30-40kph without a problem, which shows that it can be fairly dynamic.

I'd be so bold to say that if I was ONLY commuting, doing bunch rides (even quicker ones) and riding around, this one bike would do it all fairly well - CX tyres for the gravel and road tyres for the tarmac.

cheers
CAAD10 Berzerker & Focus Mares & Ridley Noah SL

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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby mitchy_ » Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:59 pm

macca33 wrote:I'd be so bold to say that if I was ONLY commuting, doing bunch rides (even quicker ones) and riding around, this one bike would do it all fairly well - CX tyres for the gravel and road tyres for the tarmac.

cheers
i'd agree. my road bike has been traded in on another CX bike... i'm a poofteenth slower, but it is so much more versatile and comfortable, for me at least.

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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby cancan64 » Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:19 pm

macca33 wrote:I'd be so bold to say that if I was ONLY commuting, doing bunch rides (even quicker ones) and riding around, this one bike would do it all fairly well - CX tyres for the gravel and road tyres for the tarmac.
I am selling the road bikes and will only have CX bikes with multiple wheelsets ....so far I have not found a situation where I wish I was on the roadie or where I was at a disadvantage by being on the CX bike
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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby Dirty32 » Thu Oct 30, 2014 2:54 pm

Well, they are some pretty massive endorsements... thanks guys!

I guess that the one thing that has been holding me back has maybe been the release of roadies with disk brakes, ala the new Defy and the Cannondale Synapse et al.

I was leaning toward the CX's as a commuter, winter / do it all kinda bike that I could throw around and not worry about getting it dirty (and still keep the roadie for group rides etc), but I kinda thought that it'd be a bit of overkill if I was only ever going to ride road and never use it for CX. When disk roadies started coming out, I figured that they'd be more fit for that purpose, would be lighter for similar money and would need less spent on (eg - CX bike would likely need lighter wheels, road tyres, possibly a road crankset at some point etc.).

Maybe I am wrong. CX bikes look so great, but I have never ridden one to know the difference. I like the TCX like yours, too Mitchy. If I go with a CX, it's likely to be the Focus Mares AX or the Giant TCX SLR perhaps.

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Re: Focus Mares CX - The Ranga!!!

Postby mitchy_ » Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:09 pm

Dirty32 wrote:Well, they are some pretty massive endorsements... thanks guys!

I guess that the one thing that has been holding me back has maybe been the release of roadies with disk brakes, ala the new Defy and the Cannondale Synapse et al.

I was leaning toward the CX's as a commuter, winter / do it all kinda bike that I could throw around and not worry about getting it dirty (and still keep the roadie for group rides etc), but I kinda thought that it'd be a bit of overkill if I was only ever going to ride road and never use it for CX. When disk roadies started coming out, I figured that they'd be more fit for that purpose, would be lighter for similar money and would need less spent on (eg - CX bike would likely need lighter wheels, road tyres, possibly a road crankset at some point etc.).

Maybe I am wrong. CX bikes look so great, but I have never ridden one to know the difference. I like the TCX like yours, too Mitchy. If I go with a CX, it's likely to be the Focus Mares AX or the Giant TCX SLR perhaps.
hard to go wrong with those. Norco Threshold and Speccy Crux disc are worthy contenders as well.

i've got a disc roadie, and it all comes down to personal preference.. my disc roadie is 6.8kg, TCX ~7.7kg and Threshold is about 9.5kg.. still prefer the CX's.

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