ALLSTOTT

Well im looking to buy a new road bike and i have found 2 so far that i really like. basically i was looking for a Aluminum framed bike. i like the way it handles my weight since im a clyde(235Lbs). so the 2 i have found are a Specialized Allez Comp https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...enuItemId=9256 and a Focus Culebro https://2009.focus-bikes.de/bike_deta...0000127&do=idx. i can get both bikes for the same price $1,400. let me know what yall think and if you can think of somthing else in the same price range let me know. Thanks

Bah Humbug

It's funny; I had never heard of Focus bikes before today, and now we have two threads about them tonight.

Kurogashi

Caad9, cough.

As for the two bikes, the Allez would be a lot easy to resell, if you plan on upgrading to a new bike in the future.
I have no clue what Focus is either, so I can't comment on them, but the Ultegra seems pretty sweet..

CrimsonKarter21

Focus

ALLSTOTT

HAHA yea ive never heard of them either.. but my buddy is sponsored by them and swears up and down about how great there bikes are.

Jurgen

Focus must be doing a push into the North American market. I know of two bike shops here in Toronto that will start carrying them in 2010. (I've heard nothing but good things about the Cayo.)

blamire

Focus are big in Europe and i also have heard nothing but good things about them, especially for what you pay.

rollin

Surprising that Focus are not well known. Milram rode Izalcos in the protour last year, the ones with the white spoked Lightweight wheels.

Try wiggle.co.uk for good prices

FreddyV

Focus is running up the hill pretty darn fast. I've seen two teams using it past year, one of which was doing the TdF. I guess it's a new quality brand trying to own a bit of the market.

I'd say Focus. I've got nothing against Specialized, but the Focus has Ultegra (even though it's 6600) and I think they've proven themselves worthy enough to actually get one.

RoboChrist

Do tell.

TheStott

I'm not sure about the bikes, but nice name...

mike868y

Why no CAAD9?

botto 

the graphics on focus bikes are so mindnumbingly over the top, that they make everything else pale in comparison.

get a specialized.

garysol1 

235 pounds is no reason to choose Aluminum. Carbon, Ti or steel will handle your weight with no issues. Feel free to broaden your search to more than 2 aluminum frames.

ALLSTOTT

Well ive ridden the carbon bikes i can get in my price range($1500 Cap) and i didn't like how loose they felt. and the one that felt really stiff that i did like cost way to damn much (Madone 5.1). thats why i say aluminum cuz i like how stiff it is. and snaps too when i hammer on it.

late

Peter White on Clydes and racing bikes...

The Wheel Rant

Let's be very clear about something. Rims for racing bikes, such as the Mavic Open Pro and Velocity Aerohead, are made for people who use bicycles in races. That's why they're called racing bikes; because people actually race with them! To be a competitive road racer, you will not want to weigh much more than about 160 lbs. Even at that weight, you'll find yourself at a significant disadvantage in many road races, at least those with any hills. Since the manufacturers of racing rims are aware of this fact, they don't bother making these rims strong enough for 230 lb cyclists, regardless of whether those 230 lb cyclists have the curious notion that it would be a good idea to ride a bike with "racing rims" and 23mm tires.

Remember, reality is what it is, regardless of what you read in the cycling magazines.

So, when you call and tell me you weigh as much as the typical NFL running back and you're just tickled pink with your Campy Record 10 speed equipped bike but you want a set of wheels that are light weight and "bomb proof" (I love that one!) don't be surprised when I suggest you go on a diet and call me back in a few years. I'm not writing this because I don't want your business, it's because I hate feeding on misconceptions spread by the marketing departments of various cycling companies and the moronic magazine scribes.

I can build a very strong wheel that will hold 23mm or 25mm tires so that the wheel with tire mounted will fit in your "racing" frame. And even if you weigh 250 pounds, the wheel will be strong enough. But that doesn't mean that the bike is suitable for you. Since most "racing" bikes can't accept tires larger than 25mm, you'll need to inflate those tires to very high pressure in order not to pinch flat. The ridiculous pressure ratings you see on tire sidewalls are best ignored since they result in a harsh ride and no actual performance improvement.

Most of the telephone calls and emails I get from people looking for wheels are from people well over 200 pounds, riding bikes made for 150 pound racers. Yes, they're having all sorts of trouble with their rear wheels; that's why they're calling me. Most bikes you find in bike shops have poorly built wheels. But the rear wheel isn't the real problem. The real problem is they've bought a bike which isn't suitable for their weight. The clearances in the frame aren't large enough for suitably large tires.

If you're not racing, what the heck are you doing with a racing bike? And if you weigh over 200 pounds and have a racing bike and you keep trashing wheels, my best advice is to get rid of the damned thing and get a bike that's better suited to you, like this. Then talk to me about wheels.

ALLSTOTT

I rode my BMC Streetfire with no issue for 2 yrs and i weigh the same as i do now. i dont race but i ride ALOT, when i had my BMC i was averaging 150 miles a week. ive done a couple centuries also. i just like to ride.

Hapsmo911

Looks like Performance bikes will be selling Focus in the Spring.

https://www.bikeworldnews.com/index.p...l-focus-bikes/

CrimsonKarter21

Well, it looks like Focus has started falling backwards down that hill they were running up so fast.

FreddyV

But at least we can still agree on the quality of our Giant's

Jurgen

Cycle Solutions in the Beach and La Bicicletta up in Briar Hill-Belgravia--or so they claim.

And, huge grain of salt, but here's a glowing review of the Cayo. (Too firm? Nothing's too firm for BF!)

And that's saying something. Focus might be the one brand worse than Specialized in this regard--and only because Specialized seems to have toned things down for the 2010 lineup.

coasting 

has anyone ever written a bad product review in a cycling magazine?

Flatballer

I thought your Specialized got hit by a Ford.

RoboChrist

I'm only familiar with labicicletta on castlefield. I didn't know they had another store? Anyway good info.

Jurgen

I don't get it, but I'm assuming that's a joke. (In my defense, I'm kinda obsessed with the names of all the old Toronto neighbourhoods.)

In all seriousness, they apparently have a store in Buffalo.