Cayo vs Cayo Expert

markgoldstein
Posts: 146
This is hopefully a simple question for you all...
Given that they share the same frame, is the upgraded spec of the Cayo Expert worth the extra £379 compared to the standard Cayo?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus ... 360032366/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus ... 360032365/
Given that they share the same frame, is the upgraded spec of the Cayo Expert worth the extra £379 compared to the standard Cayo?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus ... 360032366/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus ... 360032365/
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Comments
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only you can decide really
the expert has dura ace over ultegra - which is a fair upgrade in cost terms. For most the ultegra is as good as is required.
the expert has fucrum5 wheels over the aksiums - but these are just a £50 higher cost wheel.
personally I'd go for the regular cayo, save the £379 for now and then next spring spend the £379 (or perhaps a little more) on some really good wheels then you will have an excellent bike.
I have to say that at £899 the cayo looks a compete bargain - but the expert doesn't look so great value compared to it.0 -
True.
Was a bargain a year ago at 999 - now compared to more expensive/downgraded 2009 models - looks even better0 -
Thanks gkerr4, that's exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I wasn't really sure of the cost differences between the wheels and groupsets.
schilbach, you've hit the dilemma on the head. I was intending to ride my current bike (a 4 year old, alu Cannondale R500) through the winter, then buy a new bike next spring. But as the 2009 prices have gone up and the specs down, it seems that buying a discounted 2008 model now gives a lot more bang for your buck. So much so that I might take the plunge now...0 -
I was considering this very question in April; got the regular Cayo and spent the extra money on a wheel upgrade to DT Swiss RR1450s. The £400 price difference was not worth it to me effectively for upgraded shifters and rear mech (it is far from a comple Dura Ace group.)0
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Just to confirm, I am correct in thinking that the frames are identical?0
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Yes, AFAIK the frames are identical apart from the paint job. The Focus site (www.focusbikesuk.com) mentions that the Expert has a carbon fork with carbon steerer though, while the normal Cayo has an aluminium steerer. Theoretically this should make the fork lighter on the Expert but the published weights only have 50g between the two whole bikes so it is difficult to tell. Wiggle make no mention of the supposed carbon steerer on the Expert, and some of the other details on the Focus site are wrong (the cassette on the Cayo is not a SRAM 11-28 for example, it is a Shimano 105 12-27.))0
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IMO the std cayo even has the better paint job!
I didn't realise it wasn't a "full" dura-ace groupset - if it is just shifters and rear mech then it really isn't worth the extra.
The Ultegra SL is a good groupset (this is coming from a campag man too!) and the money would be far better spent on wheels as Blorg has done so.
get the cayo - cuddle it up all winter while you wear out your cannondale - keep saving over xmas and come spring put a lovely set of top notch wheels on it and you will be all sorted for summer bliss! (sell the aksiums to help finance even better wheels!)0 -
Sounds like a plan!
I'm a light-ish rider (11st), so what would be a substantially better wheel upgrade than the standard hoops?0 -
Well I was very happy with my DT Swiss RR 1450s. A good light wheelset (1480g, same weight as the Mavic Kysrium SL Premium), £379.99 from CRC. They made the bike feel a lot nippier up the hills and have been plenty stiff and trouble-free over several thousand km since.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=15739
Only possible drawback is that they do look quite "traditional" which I guess is because they are (28 spokes, crossed on the back, handbuilt by DT); was able to get the wheel rebuilt though after a crash which is a positive.
I don't go below 12st and they have been absolutely great for me.0