New Focus Mares

father_jack

Spotted Wiggle have the new Mares bikes, how does the new 105 model compare to last years? Also they have Ultegra model Focus Mares AX 1.0 Ultegra 2011

Shame no disc brake....canti's urgh stop

petemadoc

Nothing new, no imagination and a little disappointing I'd say. With disc brakes now being legal I would have though that you'd get some fancy exciting new cross bikes. But no just a new name with 3 bog standard bikes no different to last years.

Yawn

smokeysmoo2

Disc brakes may be legal now, but have a look at all the top guys with their new season bikes and you'll see that the pro guys are not interested in disc brakes, they are too heavy, clog too easily and are completely unneccessary for cyclo cross. I'd perhaps appreciate them when I commute on my Mares AX 1.0 as the Avid Shorty 3's are pretty poor, but then again I'm riding them straight out of the box having taken no time to ensure they are set up properly.
The AX 1.0 is exceptionally good value for money, (as are all Foucs bikes). I also ride a Focus Cayo Pro, full carbon, full Dura Ace, DT Swiss etc, etc for £2100! If it said Scott or Canondale etc on the downtube you could add another £1K to that price, and for what?
Focus bikes are built in Germany, offer unbeatable value for money, and are ridden in the pro peloton and world triathlon events.
Do yourself a favour, forget the name, read the pro reviews and buy a Focus, you won't regret it.

petemadoc

smokeysmoo2 wrote:

Do yourself a favour, forget the name, read the pro reviews and buy a Focus, you won't regret it.

Hey Smokey

Funnily enough I own a Focus Mares 2009. The quality is indeed top notch and I love the bike.

I was trying to make the point that the 2011 bikes are just the same as last years with a new name and paint job. I guess it will take a long time for any developments in the pro scene before we see disc brakes.

Enjoy your AX 1.0

Buckled_Rims

smokeysmoo2 wrote:

Disc brakes may be legal now, but have a look at all the top guys with their new season bikes and you'll see that the pro guys are not interested in disc brakes, they are too heavy, clog too easily and are completely unneccessary for cyclo cross. I'd perhaps appreciate them when I commute on my Mares AX 1.0 as the Avid Shorty 3's are pretty poor, but then again I'm riding them straight out of the box having taken no time to ensure they are set up properly.

Do yourself a favour, forget the name, read the pro reviews and buy a Focus, you won't regret it.

Watch next year, I bet they'll be a boat load of pros going disks. Misconception that disks clog up, funny how no MTB seem to do.

The reason there's no disks this year is the rules changed only a few months ago without warning. You can't immediately bring in disks within 6 months even for pro teams. The weight means absolutely nothing if the rider can stop in half the distance.

Focus used to sell Mares with disks only a few years ago. I don't know why they stopped selling them.

bigpikle

its also about current disc design, as what is out there for MTB's is over engineered for CX use, so heavier than is needed compared to canti's.

There are advantages for discs in CX but the kit that is out there right now doesnt allow us to take advantage of them just yet eg more mud clearance, changing wheel design as you dont need the same strength in the rim, more power etc.

From reading all the articles written recently it seems it will be a little while before design catches up as the rule change seems to have caught everyone by surprise! I'm looking forward to it though and in a couple of years will hope to have a quality disc equipped CX bike for racing on!