No bike accelerates better, no bike can be steered through the terrain more playfully and confidently, even at the limit. Unlike Fuji and BMC, the CX1 crankset is equipped with a 40 t cassette. This shifts the gear range towards the lighter gears, which should suit many riders. It is interesting that Focus has taken a different approach to the steering geometry than the competition. The steering angle is slacker and the fork trail is longer than is usual on cross bikes. This should make the steering sluggish, but the lightweight wheels with carbon rims (and thru axles) neutralise this effect - the steering behaviour impressed the testers.
What the testers say
Paul Clearly the best bike for me. It runs super straight and can still be steered extremely precisely.
Oliver You can clearly feel that the Mares is the lightest bike. The bike always did what I wanted it to do. My favourite.
Price 4,899 Euro
Weight 7.6 kilos
Available in specialised shops
Reference/Info www.focus-bikes.com
Weight frame/fork/steering bearing** 1.090/547/63 g
Frame sizes*** S, M, L, XL
Seat/steering angle 73,5°/71°
Seat/top tube/head tube 565/555/140 mm plus 10 mm headset sk.
Wheelbase/caster 1,030/69 mm
Stack/Reach/STR**** 560/389 mm/1.44
Equipment
Steering bearing FSA, top 1-1/8, bottom 1-1/4 inch
Brakes (f./h.) SRAM Force HydroR (160/160 mm)
Gearshift/bottom bracket SRAM Force CX1 (40 t.; Pf-BB30)
Wheels/tyres DT Swiss RC38 Spline/Schwalbe Rocket Ron 33 mm (folding tyre)
Handlebar/stem Fizik Cyrano
Saddle/post Fizik Antares/CPX Carbon (27.2 mm)
*The frame set accounts for 40 per cent and the equipment for 60 per cent of the overall grade. The grades are calculated with all decimal places up to the final grade; however, for the sake of clarity, all grades are given with rounded decimal places.
**Weighed weights.
***Manufacturer's specification, test size bold.
****Stack/Reach projected vertical/horizontal measurement from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube; STR (Stack to Reach): 1.36 means a very stretched, 1.60 an upright riding position.
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