Advice please - Focus Cayo rear dropouts
Camster45
Posts: 2
Hi all, first time here so go easy!! 
As a keen MTB rider for years as a kid and then after a long spell without cycling I finally decided to get back into some cycling but this time on a road bike as a way to improve fitness while commuting and to reduce the amount of impact from the various running that I do.
Last year I took part in a cycling event and borrowed a bike which meant that I ended up doing very little training. I completed the event but a few weeks later during one of my running (OCR) events I had to pull out due to pain in both knees. After some careful rest I have since done many other OCR events without any knee pain so all is good again however due to the likelihood of my cycling event (with little training) apparently causing my knee pain I decided not to splash out on a new bike until I had settled into a good cycling routine and without injury.
I managed to source a very nice second hand Focus Cayo (Limited Edition - I think) and had a quick test ride of it before buying. The bike seemed great though the rear gears were a bit "clicky". I was only planning to buy a decent AL bike but decided to pay a bit extra to go full carbon.
Due to the rear gears not being perfect I took the bike to a local shop for a minor service expecting that they would confirm it was in full working order and would sort out the gears for me.
On getting the bike back I took it for a short shakedown ride but the "clicky" rear gears returned this time feeling that the chain was slipping on the cassette, but only on a couple of the sprockets.
I returned to the bike shop who confirmed that it looked like a new chain had been fitting prior to my purchase and that it was likely that the cassette was worn and needed replaced, and so a new cassette was fitted.
At this time a mate bought a new road bike and so off we went to do some shakedown rides on his bike. My one seemed significantly better but then the "clicky" gears returned which gradually got worse until the chain again started to feel like it was slipping.
Having felt that I had wasted money on a new cassette for no reason I returned to the shop where they had another look at the bike where it was established the rear wheel had too much play within the dropouts, much like this thread - viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12938629&hilit=focus+cayo+frame+problem&start=40
I was advised that the cheaper brand/style of QR actually slackens ever so slightly as the arm is moved into the tight position and that is probably what caused the hub to be slightly loose in the dropouts. As a possible solution a better brand of QR has been fitted that doesn't slacken at all while being tightened however the issue I now have is that the worn dropout is still worn.
I just cycled home from the shop and the rear gears were perfect and the bike finally felt amazing...but, the issue is still there. The worn dropout looks to always be on the drive side meaning if too much power is applied or if there is a bad pot hole hit then the wheel could move again out of alignment.
Wondering if any of you out there have ever had a repair carried out on the dropouts or if there is another option to reduce the excessive play?
In the other thread someone mentions that it is a frame defect and they received a refund. Given my purchase was a second hand sale I have no idea if Focus will be able to assist. I was told by the seller the bike was about 3 years old but on reading up here it looks to maybe be nearer 7+ years old, so again have no idea if Focus would entertain helping with a 7 year old frame.
Your thoughts on this matter is greatly appreciated.
A very frustrated second hand carbon frame buyer,
Camster
As a keen MTB rider for years as a kid and then after a long spell without cycling I finally decided to get back into some cycling but this time on a road bike as a way to improve fitness while commuting and to reduce the amount of impact from the various running that I do.
Last year I took part in a cycling event and borrowed a bike which meant that I ended up doing very little training. I completed the event but a few weeks later during one of my running (OCR) events I had to pull out due to pain in both knees. After some careful rest I have since done many other OCR events without any knee pain so all is good again however due to the likelihood of my cycling event (with little training) apparently causing my knee pain I decided not to splash out on a new bike until I had settled into a good cycling routine and without injury.
I managed to source a very nice second hand Focus Cayo (Limited Edition - I think) and had a quick test ride of it before buying. The bike seemed great though the rear gears were a bit "clicky". I was only planning to buy a decent AL bike but decided to pay a bit extra to go full carbon.
Due to the rear gears not being perfect I took the bike to a local shop for a minor service expecting that they would confirm it was in full working order and would sort out the gears for me.
On getting the bike back I took it for a short shakedown ride but the "clicky" rear gears returned this time feeling that the chain was slipping on the cassette, but only on a couple of the sprockets.
I returned to the bike shop who confirmed that it looked like a new chain had been fitting prior to my purchase and that it was likely that the cassette was worn and needed replaced, and so a new cassette was fitted.
At this time a mate bought a new road bike and so off we went to do some shakedown rides on his bike. My one seemed significantly better but then the "clicky" gears returned which gradually got worse until the chain again started to feel like it was slipping.
Having felt that I had wasted money on a new cassette for no reason I returned to the shop where they had another look at the bike where it was established the rear wheel had too much play within the dropouts, much like this thread - viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12938629&hilit=focus+cayo+frame+problem&start=40
I was advised that the cheaper brand/style of QR actually slackens ever so slightly as the arm is moved into the tight position and that is probably what caused the hub to be slightly loose in the dropouts. As a possible solution a better brand of QR has been fitted that doesn't slacken at all while being tightened however the issue I now have is that the worn dropout is still worn.
I just cycled home from the shop and the rear gears were perfect and the bike finally felt amazing...but, the issue is still there. The worn dropout looks to always be on the drive side meaning if too much power is applied or if there is a bad pot hole hit then the wheel could move again out of alignment.
Wondering if any of you out there have ever had a repair carried out on the dropouts or if there is another option to reduce the excessive play?
In the other thread someone mentions that it is a frame defect and they received a refund. Given my purchase was a second hand sale I have no idea if Focus will be able to assist. I was told by the seller the bike was about 3 years old but on reading up here it looks to maybe be nearer 7+ years old, so again have no idea if Focus would entertain helping with a 7 year old frame.
Your thoughts on this matter is greatly appreciated.
A very frustrated second hand carbon frame buyer,
Camster
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