A winter bike must be one thing above all: robust. The tyres need maximum grip in wet or slushy conditions and should be able to withstand sharp-edged grit on the road. Mudguards are part of the basic equipment if you don't want to get completely soiled during sports or commuting. And powerful brakes are just as important as good lighting on country lanes at night and in the urban jungle.
Even when stationary and at first glance, the concept bike from Cloppenburg signals that it takes these requirements seriously. Based on a cyclocross frame, the Mares rolls up with all the equipment you need to start your winter training straight from the bike shop: Cyclocross tyres from Continental, permanently mounted mudguards, a drivetrain based on Shimano's new Tiagra groupset mixed with a Gossamer crank from FSA; and as a treat, there are even mechanical disc brakes from Tektro. You almost have to rub your eyes when you look at the price tag: Focus wants 999 euros for this mud and snow racer. At this competitive price, there would even be some money left in the budget for a decent lighting system.
Precise under load
The initial scepticism of the TOUR testers as to whether the economy racer is also suitable for hard use was dispelled on the first test ride. The new Tiagra groupset, which like the higher-quality Shimano groupsets now also has ten gears instead of the previous nine, shifts cleanly and precisely even under load. Only when shifting to smaller sprockets does the transmission feel a little less crisp. At the bottom bracket, the chain moves from the small to the large FSA chainring without grumbling and you hardly notice the difference to the original crank.
The Conti tyres on the laterally stiff wheels with high-profile rims always give the rider secure contact with the road, but are also suitable for short detours on gravel tracks or off-road. However, the surface should not be too rough, otherwise leaves or small stones can get stuck between the tyres and mudguard. On wet roads and paths, however, you soon learn to appreciate the mudguards as almost the most important winter bike accessory. They would receive even more praise if they were extended further around the tyres and thus better protected both your own feet and - when riding in a group - following cyclists from splashing water.
The highlight of the equipment is the mechanical disc brakes called Lyra from Tektro. They promise better braking performance than conventional rim brakes, but require a lot of manual force to decelerate acceptably, at least when new. They only worked really well from the lower handlebar position. If you want to brake longer descents from the top link, you need very strong hands to brake safely on every bend. The screeching of the front brake was annoying. However, experience has shown that such noises become quieter the longer the brakes are run in. sporty roots The riding stability of the Focus is impeccable; the aluminium frame set weighing just under three kilograms is unyielding both in the steering head and the bottom bracket and is therefore also recommended for heavy athletes. However, the solid frame and the other components add up to a total weight of around twelve kilograms - this is noticeable on climbs and short off-road rides, also because the long wheelbase and trail give the bike a rather sluggish steering behaviour. Nevertheless, you can tell that the frame has its origins as a cross racer: The top tube is comparatively long, the head tube short, the riding position sporty. The offset seat post moves the seat even further away from the handlebars, so you have to stretch quite a bit; however, this can be easily changed with a quickly replaced, shorter stem and a straight seat post.
Conclusion after laboratory and practical tests: The Mares proves to be a suitable companion for the cold season. The small shortcoming of the short mudguards can be remedied with a little manual dexterity and self-made mudguards (instructions can be found at www.tour-magazin.de, webcode #260). What Focus could add would be the option of a front wheel with a hub dynamo - then the Mares really would be the perfect winter bike.
Price 999 Euro
Weight 11.9 kilos
Reference/Info www.focus-bikes.de
Frame sizes** XS to XXL; XL
Seat/steering angle 74/71,5°
Seat/upper/steering tuber 560/570/140 mm plus 16 mm headset cap
Wheelbase/caster 1,035/67 mm
Stack/Reach/STR*** 577/403 mm/1.43
EQUIPMENT
Fork Mares Cyclecross Alloy Disc
Steering bearing FSA, 1-1/8 inch
Brakes/gears/bottom bracket Shimano Tiagr a, Tektro Lyra/Shimano Tiagra, 10-speed/FSA Gossamer (50/34 t., BS A)
Wheels/tyres Focus Concept/Continental Cyclocross Speed 35 mm
Handlebar/stem FSA Compact Vero/FSA OS 190
Saddle/post Concept EX/FSA SL 280
MEASURED VALUES & INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Weight of complete bike 11.9 kilos (without pedals)
Frame/fork/steering bearing weight 1.812/867/74 g
Standardised weight frame set**** 2.765 g - 5 , 0
Steering head stiffness 99 Nm/° - 1 , 0
Lateral stiffness Fork 74 N/mm - 1 , 0
Bottom bracket stiffness 60 N/mm - 1 , 0
Comfort frame 303 N/mm - 2 , 7
Comfort fork 99 N/mm - 5 , 0
* The frame set accounts for 40 per cent of the overall score and the features for 60 per cent. Individual scores are included in these two evaluations, only some of which are printed for reasons of space. The grades are calculated up to the final grade with all decimal places; however, for the sake of clarity, all grades are given with rounded decimal places.
** Tested frame size greased.
*** Stack/reach: projected vertical/horizontal measurement from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the headset; STR (stack to reach): Values between 1.45 and 1.55 indicate a sporty riding position, values below are race-like, above are comfortable.
**** Adjusted weight for frame size 57 cm and fork steerer length 225 mm.
