Focus Izalco Max Rim (4.35 kg / 9.59 lbs) with pedals

[OtterSpace]

Update June 27th 2024.

Current weight 4.35 kg / 9.59 lbs including power meter and computer mount.

Hello everyone,

I am a long time lurker who finally has a project bike worth posting here.

For a long time I've wanted a light weight bike. However, prices were a bit too nuts for me before discs became popular and disrupted the market. Also I've wanted a light weight bike to be a project that I could work on without disrupting my usual riding. In other words I wanted another bike to work on to supliment my Focus Paralane. Over the years it never really lined up until I saw a good deal on a heavily used and abused 2015 Focus Izalco Max with SRAM red 22 mechanical. The frame is size 48cm.

I won an eBay auction with a gixen assisted bid of $1412.00 for this bike on Jan 7th 2020. After taxes, shipping, and credit card cashback I paid $1,538.24.

The goal of this build is to have a light weight weekend climbing bike. I'm also looking forward to having a project that I can have fun tinkering with given that it is already fairly beat up and depreciated.

Edit: part pricing and weights removed and added to a spreadsheet.

Pre Image with initial weight of 6.6kg not including pedals, cages, and computer mount:

[OtterSpace]

Some photos of the journey the project took to add to the pre and post images above.

Edit: part pricing and weights removed and added to a spreadsheet.

[OtterSpace]

I've had the bike for around two months now and have fully serviced it and begun selling and buying parts.

The frame with FSA BB is 741g and the fork is 282g with some space to cut down.

I've sold the brakes for $133.33 and purchased a used set of older EE brakes for $328.25‬.

The quarq power meter (772g) has been replaced with a BB30/PF30 sram red crankset (~$150) + extralite 50/34 rings with a total weight of 456g.

Yesterday I started wet sanding the frame, fork, and sram red parts with 800 grit.

[beanbiken]

Same colour and size as mine. Obviously a very (currently) different build.... was under 5kg, now from memory @ about 5.2 and totally reliable. Enjoy the process

[OtterSpace]

Thanks for the kind words beanbiken.

I've spent around 8hrs sanding the frame with 800 grit. I still have around 4-6 more hours of 800 grit before moving onto 1500.

Currently the frame+bb weight has dropped from 741 to 723g. In one of the attached images you can see the dark black layer that I am slowly removing below the seatpost clamp area to expose the grayer carbon below. I have already sanded off all the decals except some near the BB and the UCI frame sticker. At this point I am removing the black paint and primer layers which is progressing slower than the decal removal.

I also got in my set of 36cm darimo handlebars matt black 3k no di2 or tt extension clamping. To Darimo's credit they arrived around a month ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, they weigh more than quoted on the website. However, I am fine with the wieght as Darimo's claims are way under German brands and new halo products typically creep up in weight.

[dudemanppl]

The weight of these frames and uncommon and unknown these frames are (outside of ww...) always blows my mind.

[reedplayer]

subscribed.

i had a bunch of light high end frames in the last years, this one is still my favorite.

[OtterSpace]

After tons of sanding....... I still have more sanding to do. Thankfully all the hard parts are done and only the large areas need some touchup with 800 grit before I finish off with a once over with 1500.

Given that the sanding is hopefully mostly done I thought I would take some pics to share my progress. The frame wieght might drop 1-2 more grams after touch up with 800, but the fork weight is likely final.

Current weights are:
Frame with BB: 714g
Fork with extra length: 278g
total: 992g with BB. Sub 1k

Attached are some pics. I quite like the raw look and plan to use 303 uv protectorant for now but I might add logos in the future and clear coat if I get tired of applying 303. Also I left the UCI logo on it for now with a ring of black paint still around it as I'm not sure if I like the logo or not. After riding it for awhile I might remove it or touch up this area.

I should be able to build it up in the next week which will be nice. I still haven't looked into tubular wheelsets for this project yet so recommendations are welcome.

[velov]

That is a lot of work to drop 30 odd grams haha...I admire the dedication tho! Tub recommendation kind of depends on your budget...

[MrCurrieinahurry]

That's a true weight weenie right there

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Maddie]

Nice work, Otterspace! Enjoy your build, really like to read the progress

[jeanjacques]

BB30/PF30 Red22 crankset, extralite 50/34 rings, ee spacer, and KCNC chainring bolts 455.47g

Hello, what is the ee spacer ? You don't use the threaded compression ring ?

[campagowlo]

This looks like a great weenie build in the making. I deliberated with using 303 protectant or a clear coat lacquer and went with the clear coat lacquer in the end as looked a little less raw than just using 303. It’s worth carrying on with 1200 and 1400 grit to get a very even finish. My Trek took me around 60 hrs all in. Mechanical Red is a good choice and if your aim is to go as light as possible tubulars make most sense.

Parts which have worked for me and combine durability with being light

- ilinks
- look keo blade ti pedals
- smud saddle and seat post
- veloflex black tubulars
- pyc sp 1101 chain
- Deda traforato bar tape

Parts which are very light but which lasted for an eye blink:

- nylon bottle cage bolts - deformed on a hot day and my bottle cage fell off
- seqlite and recon alu cassettes

Parts which are very light but don’t function quite as well:

- tune bottle cage ( wassertrager version 1), hard to get bottle back in when nailing it down descents
-ciamillo negative g SL brakes - modulation isn’t up to normal caliper standards

[Arnomatic]

I deliberated with using 303 protectant or a clear coat lacquer and went with the clear coat lacquer in the end as looked a little less raw than just using 303.

Did you use a carbon primer before hitting it with the clear lacquer?

[OtterSpace]

BB30/PF30 Red22 crankset, extralite 50/34 rings, ee spacer, and KCNC chainring bolts 455.47g

Hello, what is the ee spacer ? You don't use the threaded compression ring ?

The ee spacer is a metal version of the sram plastic threaded compression ring.