focus izalco max

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spartan
Posts: 1747
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:52 am

by spartan

anyone bought one yet.

cervelo's corporate sister brand beat out the some big names in latest round of comparison tests from german mags.

The following shows an overview of the frame set ratings:

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Black Inc. – 1.7
Cervélo RCa – 1.7
Corratec Mauro Sannino Prima – 1.6
FOCUS Izalco MAX – 1.3
Neil Pryde Bura SL – 1.8
Pasculli Altissimo – 1.7
Simplon Pavo 3 Ultra – 1.8
Trek Madone 7.9 H1 -2.0

http://www.focus-bikes.com/us/en/news/news-single/test/izalco-max-00-put-to-the-test.html?no_cache=1

http://www.focus-bikes.com/us/en/news/n ... no_cache=1
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vejnemojnen
Posts: 406
Joined: Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:11 pm

by vejnemojnen

Just one thing: I've never ever seen any test by GERMAN mag which did not end up with the German frame/bike whatsoever as the best of the tested stuff. :)

Not that the frame is not great, just to remind you to always read these tests with a healthy amount of scepticity.

Mackers
Posts: 482
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:02 pm

by Mackers

So you just never saw the tests in which say, Scott or Cervélo came out on top.

VNTech
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:08 pm

by VNTech

It's good. We have one in now. Quite stiff, front end is rock solid. Not particularly comfortable, but nothing in its category is. Rides similar to the new R5.
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prebsy
Posts: 1044
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:52 pm
Location: there or thereabouts

by prebsy

VNTech wrote:It's good. We have one in now. Quite stiff, front end is rock solid. Not particularly comfortable, but nothing in its category is. Rides similar to the new R5.



Are you implying the new R5 does not have smooth ride of the previous R-series bikes?

VNTech
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:08 pm

by VNTech

Not quite as smooth, no. Perhaps because they twisted the seat stays? I don't know. Still smoother than others (including the Izalco). Izalco feels more like the R5 when you put power into it. Stiff BB area and front end.
VeloNews Magazine/VeloNews.com tech

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Stolichnaya
Posts: 2621
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2004 6:55 pm
Location: Vienna, AUT

by Stolichnaya

vejnemojnen wrote:Just one thing: I've never ever seen any test by GERMAN mag which did not end up with the German frame/bike whatsoever as the best of the tested stuff. :)

Not that the frame is not great, just to remind you to always read these tests with a healthy amount of scepticity.


Meanwhile the same German magazine that rated the Focus Izalco Max tops, had a cross test done a few issues later where the following brands were chosen:
Fuji
Giant
Ridley
Stevens was fourth and the highest rated German brand in that testing.

And there are numerous tests from that magazine where other (US) brands win often (cough, C'dale EVO, cough) So, yes, we HAVE seen a GERMAN mag which ended up with a non-German frame/bike whatsoever as the best of the tested stuff.

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sugarkane
in the industry
Posts: 1797
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:14 am
Location: SYD
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by sugarkane

I have friends who ride focus bikes as team bikes.. All of them don't rate the bikes very highly.. I ridden a couple too and would discribe them as dull. If you want to spend 10+k on a ultra light yolo bike a focus should be very very low on the list :noidea:

Krull

by Krull

i have one since ca a month and did a lot of Kilometers/meters in altitude with it (i am just preparing for my season-highlight)
my experience:

-excellently manufactured
-very light (715 gr. Frame 52, 315 gr. fork uncut, 74 gr. Headset)
-steering not to nervous (71,8°/43mm), easy, to get around turns
-probably stiff enough ("probably", because i weigh 62 kg, so, evéry frame is stiff enough for me ;-) )

-great feature: every frame-size has its own tube-diameters. so, it accommodates different demands to stiffness, depending on users height/weight . side effect: each size looks very harmonious. of course, that causes a high amount in construction.

minus:

-the acros-headset is quite tricky to be fixed, its loosening from time to time. have to find the right torque for the stem.
-i am not really a friend of those integrated carbon-front-derailleur-sockets, it seems to be quite solid, but is always a weak point
-focus-support is bad. asked two questions concerning right torque-amounts per email, three weeks ago. got no answer yet!

comfort? i think, comfort comes from the right geometry, a good-fitting saddle and maybe a flexible 27,2 mm-seatpost!
and "tests" in magazines? boring, unappaeling, never read those. ;-)

all in all i think, focus-ingenieurs made an effort in this frameset. so far, i am really happy with it. i hope, the durability will be good as well.
Last edited by Krull on Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:26 pm, edited 4 times in total.

random101
Posts: 105
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2014 10:15 pm

by random101

I have the Izalco team - no regrets (coming from a Cervelo S3).

I do miss the aggressive of the cervelo better at descending but the focus is a great machine in it's own right.

mariosimas
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:27 pm

by mariosimas

Here you have my new Izalco Max Frame Size S (52 cm Seat Tube):

Image

Image

Image

Headset: 68g

Seatpost Fizik (Cyrano R1): 213g

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