Focus's Cayo range has been getting rave reviews for a couple of years. In January, we tested the 2008 Focus Cayo Pro and gave it a full five stars. We were so impressed, we decided to keep the bike for a long-term test. So, almost a year on, has the German-designed, Wiggle-supplied machine lived up to the praise we initially heaped upon it?
In a word, yes. The 1,129g 58cm frame is indeed “fantastically light and stiff”, the handling is “fast and responsive” and it really is “superb on the climbs”. What’s not to like?
Mmm … our original review (see below) did warn that some people might find the ride a little too firm for all-day riding and that's still the case. The Pro wouldn’t be our ride of choice for a big Euro sportive – the stiffness which makes it fast and responsive, allied to a fast and aggressive riding position, means it’s more racing snake than long distance cruiser.
No wonder then that there are such high hopes for the Expert's latest incarnation for 2009, the Cayo Expert SRAM decked out in a mixture of SRAM Red, (rear mech and levers) and SRAM Force (front mech and brakes) with various other bits of high end SRAM componentry filling in any other gaps in the drivetrain.
This is a race-ready bike, although racers might would probably want to upgrade the Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheels, that would equally serve you well on any big day in the saddle be it a sportive, longer club run, or just a weekend blast throught the hills with your mates.
RoadCyclingUK.comThe Focus Cayo; a £999 carbon-framed, Ultegra equipped belter of a bargain. If you’ve never heard of Focus, that’s probably because they’ve never had much presence over here until those mail-order giants JensonUsa.com started importing them two years ago. The German brand already have a big following in Europe, with frames built in their Hamburg factory, the company clearly has a lot going for it and Wiggle is keen to replicate this success in the UK.
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