I posted a thread earlier about the suitability of using an All-City Zig Zag as an occasional CX bike but using it primarily on the road. After reconsideration I am going to use keep using my primary road bike on the road and am looking at buying a used 2015 Focus Mares with a 2x Ultegra drivetrain. I'll probably also use it occasionally on the road and hopefully some gravel though gravel opportunities are somewhat limited around where I live.

My primary reason in posting this thread is to get some opinions on buying a carbon frame that is 10 years old. The frame itself is in like new condition and has never been wrecked or laid down according to the owner, who is the original owner. It was lightly ridden and only raced a few times. I have never had a carbon frame bike and am a bit hesitant in buying one that is 10 years old. What is the opinion of others about a carbon frame with that age on it? I know that some of my reluctance in buying a carbon bike in the past was probably due to some misconceptions I have had about them. I have always felt more confident on steel and even aluminum bikes. The rest of the bike, drivetrain, wheel, and all other components, is solid and in great shape. It seems like it is a great deal but the frame is making me hesitate.

The bike also has something called a RAT thru-axles (Rapid Axle Technology) that I am not familiar with. Evidently this is a proprietary system and makes for fast wheel changes. My worry about it, being proprietary, is that I may have difficulty getting a replacement axle or another replacement part if needed. Anyone familiar with these and can explain them a bit better? The bike is in the link below. There is reference to the axles in the article but not much explanation about them. The article, from online Bike Rumor, had a follow up but I didn't find it all that helpful. This very well could be more widespread now for all that I know. TBH, I am always a bit behind on trends and new technology. Someone in the comment section of the article below did make this comment: "Be cautious of this “RAT” technology, it doesn’t fit everyone’s 15mm Thru Axle front hubs. Way to go Focus – “proprietary thru axles” so stupid. It's a poor ripoff of the Manitou Hex-Lock anyway." I am not really sure what that is all about and if it should be cause for concern.

I am also wondering what others think about its suitability as a gravel bike. I am unsure of what the maximum tire clearance is and have looked online for that information but can't find it. The owner does not know. If anyone know that, please share it. It does have disc brakes, not cantilevers.

Lastly, what is a good ball park figure for a reasonable price to pay for this bike?

Thank you in advance.

EB14: 2015 Focus Mares CX 1.0 Disc Cyclocross Race Machine One Ride Review, Plus New Factory Builds

It is a cross bike so it usually has more clearance but UCI regs are 33mm width. In terms of what to pay for the bike nobody will know without actually looking at the bike and seeing what condition everything is in. It could be well kept or it could be trashed or somewhere in the middle. I would see if your local shop is willing to look over the bike mechanically and give you a sense of what may or may not be wrong and then figure out pricing with the seller from that. I know at my shop I am happy to look over a bike but I do not give pricing beyond look it up on Bicycle Blue Book simply because I am not looking to get involved with private sales but do want to make sure we know any issues with the bike so you can make a more informed decision.

R.A.T. axles can still be found or replacements can found but yeah everyone loves to come up with some sort of crazy thing but overall it wasn't too bad from what I remember but it was long after I started working at that dealer that Focus pulled out of the U.S. market so I didn't get a ton of time with them.

Thank you for your input. The bike itself is in great condition and has been well maintained. I’m not worried about it in that regard. I know that Focus is a big brand in CX bikes but personally I am not that familiar with them.

My biggest hesitation is buying a carbon frame that is 10 years old. It may not be an issue but is there something inherent that could be wrong on a carbon frame with that age? If it were steel I wouldn’t be giving this a second thought.

Probably nothing wrong but double check it is in good shape and the frame isn't damaged in any way. That would be the big thing. Also keep in mind it is an older bike and while not a bad bike in any sense is 10 years old so make sure they aren't selling it at a high price.

10 years old doesn't mean anything one way or the other when it comes to carbon frames. Same for steel, aluminum, and titanium.

What matters is the build quality and how the frame has been used/treated. Those two things impact whether the frame should be trusted or not.