Which 2008 Focus bike?
Todd Sweeney
Posts: 117
Hi there, sorry, yet another new bike thread!
I've really got into cycling over the past year or so, after purchasing a very old Peugeot Premiere road bike. I love it but It has 10 gears only, down tube shifters, very bad brakes and the frame is too big for me, so I'm looking to upgrade to something a bit more modern. I have been using the bike mainly for 30 mile or so early morning rides by myself at weekends, and a couple of longer Bike Events organised ones. Next year I'd like to do more, join a club and maybe look at entering a sportive.
I really like the look of the Focus bikes, and originally was going to go for the 2008 Variado for £700. However, the Variado Expert is only £100 more, with upgraded wheels (Shimano RS 20 instead of RS 10) and Ultegra instead of 105. The more I look the more confused I get as I am now thinking about the Cayo as well, with it being £1,000 for full carbon! The thing is, I suppose there is always a better bike for £100 or so more, so I am wondering where to draw the line.
So, which one is the better choice? Weight isn't really an issue as I need to lose a stone or so myself (6 feet tall and 14 stone), but longevity is; I don't want to buy a bike and then need to upgrade it relatively quickly (with 2 small children at home I can't afford to!) Do the wheels and Ultegra make the Variado Expert a better buy than the Variado, and is the extra cost of the Cayo a false economy as I could do with losing weight myself first?
I'm leaning towards the basic Variado as I think it does everything I need but I'm now just not sure. Help!!
I've really got into cycling over the past year or so, after purchasing a very old Peugeot Premiere road bike. I love it but It has 10 gears only, down tube shifters, very bad brakes and the frame is too big for me, so I'm looking to upgrade to something a bit more modern. I have been using the bike mainly for 30 mile or so early morning rides by myself at weekends, and a couple of longer Bike Events organised ones. Next year I'd like to do more, join a club and maybe look at entering a sportive.
I really like the look of the Focus bikes, and originally was going to go for the 2008 Variado for £700. However, the Variado Expert is only £100 more, with upgraded wheels (Shimano RS 20 instead of RS 10) and Ultegra instead of 105. The more I look the more confused I get as I am now thinking about the Cayo as well, with it being £1,000 for full carbon! The thing is, I suppose there is always a better bike for £100 or so more, so I am wondering where to draw the line.
So, which one is the better choice? Weight isn't really an issue as I need to lose a stone or so myself (6 feet tall and 14 stone), but longevity is; I don't want to buy a bike and then need to upgrade it relatively quickly (with 2 small children at home I can't afford to!) Do the wheels and Ultegra make the Variado Expert a better buy than the Variado, and is the extra cost of the Cayo a false economy as I could do with losing weight myself first?
I'm leaning towards the basic Variado as I think it does everything I need but I'm now just not sure. Help!!
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Comments
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Always buy the best bike you can afford. If you can stretch to the Cayo, do so. You'll only kick yourself for not spending the extra £300.
BTW I have a 2007 Cayo and I've done over a 1000 miles on mines and it was every penny!!0 -
I've been looking at the 2008 focus bikes. The cayo looks good, and it was the one I was going to get originally, I decided that I would wait until April/May next year, so I've been saving a bit every month for the last 3months and I've hit £1000 already, so I'll probably get an even more expensive bike than I planned back in July.
As has been said before get the best bike you can afford (want to afford).
The Cayo 2007 is only £900, and I don't think there's a massive difference between the specs of 2007 and 2008 (apart from the option of a triple).0 -
I think that the cayo would be worth splashing out on - a mate at work has one and he raves about it - come to think about it, everyone who has a cayo raves about it so it can't be all that bad. full carbon and ultegra and aksiums - got to be worth a grand.
the variado range - personally I don't think that the expert is worth an extra £100 - even buying seperates, ultegra is only £70 more than 105 and the RS20's over RS10's are probably negligible in performance terms. so if you are going for the variado I'd probably buy the cheaper one and some nice clipless pedals / shoes (if you haven't already got them)0 -
Todd Sweeney wrote:Help!!
If worried about future proofing your bike then you need to spend as much as possible on it in the first place. I have a mate who bought a 2007 Cayo on the bike to work scheme so got it 50% off :shock: and he absolutely loves it.
For what it is worth I have read reviews of the bikes you mention and the Cayo seems to be in a slightly different league to the Variado although you can't always believe what you read. If you can make use of the bike 2 work scheme then get the Cayo and some proper decent clipless pedals with the change as then you'll be laughing!!
Good luck!FCN: 40 -
Doom wrote:Todd Sweeney wrote:Help!!
For what it is worth I have read reviews of the bikes you mention and the Cayo seems to be in a slightly different league to the Variado although you can't always believe what you read. If you can make use of the bike 2 work scheme then get the Cayo and some proper decent clipless pedals with the change as then you'll be laughing!!
Good luck!
Excellent, the Cayo definitely seems like the best long-term choice, thanks everyone for your advice!0
