Focus Mares AX4.0 - anyone got one?

pizzaboyEdinburgh

and would you recommend this bike? Is the AX4.0 the most suitable for commutes and leisure rides (and the annual Glasgow to Edinburgh 50 mile ride)?

As with many people I am looking for a new C2W bike and I think that this may be my choice. I use roads and cycle paths for my 6 mile commute and currently use a 4 year old Carrera Subway. I want something good quality, good value for money and resilient but plan to use my Subway through the worst of the winter. One thing I like the idea of are the additional brake levers on the handle bars, so if you know a good bike with this feature, please tell me.

other bikes on my possibles list are:

Boardman Team CX
Kona Jake
Specialised Secteur

Any views or opinions?

hstiles

Boardman team CX gets my vote.

meanredspider

The Boardman would get my vote too as I have one but I wonder if I'd have not been better off with the Focus. Halfords have been hopeless and continue to be so (just ordered a new rear hanger and told to expect a 2 week wait). My two road bikes have been Focus and I'm delighted with them. I think the Focus runs Tiagra which I'd prefer over Apex (I converted my CX to 105). The only question is the brakes (the 4.0 runs discs IIRC? Discs are great) - the CX has BB5s which are OK though I've upgraded the front to BB7 which is definitely better - not sure which is fitted to the Focus.

bails87

I'm also happy with my Boardman, my Halfords seem to have gone downhill since I bought my Boardman MTB from them, but they're not as bad as MRS's branch.

bendertherobot

Cannondale CaadX gets my vote. That said, I looked at the Kona yesterday, it's much much nicer in the flesh than in the photos. And really well put together. Not a bad option IMO.

I like the Boardman but those tubes look paper thin!

meanredspider

bendertherobot wrote:

Cannondale CaadX gets my vote. That said, I looked at the Kona yesterday, it's much much nicer in the flesh than in the photos. And really well put together. Not a bad option IMO.

I like the Boardman but those tubes look paper thin!

No disc brakes on the CaadX and the Jake

Don't understand the comment about the tubes on the Boardman

bendertherobot

meanredspider wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Cannondale CaadX gets my vote. That said, I looked at the Kona yesterday, it's much much nicer in the flesh than in the photos. And really well put together. Not a bad option IMO.

I like the Boardman but those tubes look paper thin!

No disc brakes on the CaadX and the Jake

Don't understand the comment about the tubes on the Boardman

Disc brakes can be good, but so can well set up brakes. I'm running V's on my Genesis are they are fine for commuting. The brakes on both the 'Dale and Kona are excellent.

As to the tubes, it's hardly written in code, they appear very thin. That's all, whether they are structurally inferior I have no idea. But the 'Dale and Kona appeared more robust to me.

meanredspider

bendertherobot wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Cannondale CaadX gets my vote. That said, I looked at the Kona yesterday, it's much much nicer in the flesh than in the photos. And really well put together. Not a bad option IMO.

I like the Boardman but those tubes look paper thin!

No disc brakes on the CaadX and the Jake

Don't understand the comment about the tubes on the Boardman

Disc brakes can be good, but so can well set up brakes. I'm running V's on my Genesis are they are fine for commuting. The brakes on both the 'Dale and Kona are excellent.

As to the tubes, it's hardly written in code, they appear very thin. That's all, whether they are structurally inferior I have no idea. But the 'Dale and Kona appeared more robust to me.

I find the discs excellent - especially in the wet when they are superior to rim brakes in my experience. I'm a total convert.

With the tubes, you mean the diameter rather than the wall thickness? Still, not something I've noticed. The bike is pretty robust.

bails87

I think he means the wall thickness. Not sure how they 'appear' thin unless he's chopped one up. And in any case, if you're worried about thin tubes, why are you looking at a Cannondale?!

bendertherobot

I think you're reading too much into my comment. I said appeared. Which is just that. It would be on my list if it was a cyclescheme bike, certainly.

bails87

Well, my Boardman feel stiffer and sturdier than my Ribble Sportive Carbon. That felt positively 'noodly' when I went back to it, I wouldn't worry about frame thickness, the people who build them know what they're doing......Halfords might not, but the frame buiilders/designers do.

cjcp

The Kona's a lovely ride, really very comfortable. It's a touch heavy, but it's done the job for me.

The only issue is that brakes aren't great, particularly in the wet, so you just have to slow it right down when commuting. It's reserved for snow.

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