Focus Cayo
Carbon is getting cheaper all the time - we test the £999 carbon Focus Cayo
Not so long ago frames were mostly made from Steel. Then Aluminium, with its lighter weight became the popular choice. Titanium has a considerable fan base, but its price tag ensures its exclusivity. No, the material of the moment is carbon fibre. It seems every bike company is rushing to get a carbon bike into their range, and the rapid development and the customer desire has brought the price steadily into the realms of of affordability for a lot more people.
Over the past couple of years we’ve witnessed the use of carbon being used in nearly every bike component. Mechs, brake levers, bars, stems, cranks, hubs, rims and much more. It’s a really exciting period of bike technology and development, and as we saw at last years bike shows, 2007 signalled a lot more use of carbon, and at increasingly lower price points.
Which brings us nicely onto the 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 Wiggle.co.uk 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.
Frame
You'll never forget you're riding a Focus, it has the logo decalled boldy across the entire frame. This aside, despite boasting a respectful collection of kit, you still get a full carbon frame. This one is made from Unidirectional Mitsubishi carbon, laid multidirectionally at the head tube and bottom bracket with up to seven layers used. Where there’s less stress, in the top and down tubes, just four layers are used to keep the weight down, and these layers are cross wrapped. The final decorative layer receives a fat weave design, it certainly stands out and we’re kind of partial to it.
It’s not an under-nourished looking bike, certainly, and imparts a confident degree of solidness due to the oversize tube profiles. It’s all generously proportioned in the rear triangle too, and to ensure a stiff chassis the bottom bracket receives a generous dollop of additional carbon – for good measure. All joins are smoothly finished, with tidy dropouts adorning the end of the chain and seat stays. You might think that something has to give considering the price, but close inspection reveals that it’s all beautifully finished, there’s certainly no week spots.
The geometry on our 56 (or Large, as the sticker states) measures 73.5 head/73.5 seat, with a 55.5” top tube. Head tube is an integrated design, and the FSA headset holds a Focus carbon fork in place.
Components
Surprisingly, considering that £999 price tag, the components hold up well under scrutiny. A Shimano Ultegra groupset is only interrupted from its fullness by 105 stickers gracing both the brake callipers and front mech. A compact R600 chainset with a 50/34 provides a good spread of gears when combined with the 12/27 cassette fitted to the rear wheel.
It’s rare that we test a bike with tyres wider than 23mm, so we were pleasantly surprised with the 25mm Schwable Stelvio tyres – it’s a combination we like and have rated highly in the past. These tyres are shod onto a pair of Mavic’s entry level wheels, the Aksium. They’re a perfectly competent set of wheels, and impressed us as much as the rather agreeable finishing kit. A combination of an FSA OS190 stem, a well shaped Deda Piega handlebar and a San Marco Ponza K saddle atop a Ritchey seatpost. While saddles are obviously a personal choice, we just couldn’t get on with the shape of the Ponza K, despite our bums being accustomed to even the worst saddles.
The only component that needs upgrading before you get riding is the really quite horrible seat clamp.
Ride
So far the Cayo looks like a winner on paper. Great frame, great components, and the ride impressed. You might think for the price the Cayo wouldn't ride all that nicely, but it's quite the opposite. It handles perfectly competently, copes well in a range of situations, and is a real joy to ride.
As you'd expect, all those oversize tubes combine to create a frame that's eager to convert your watts into forward momentum. Climbing too is aided by the stiff frame, and descending is handled with a sure-footed confidence. The ride is perhaps not silky smooth as some, but it’s not enough to distract from the ride. It’s comfortable enough on longer rides, but is no slouch if short crits are your thing.
The kit is all dependable stuff and allows the frame to really shine. We liked the wheels, but an upgrade would add a bit more liveliness to the bike. Change the saddle, replace the horrible seat clamp and you won’t need to worry about upgrading for a good while. And there’s even a healthy stack of headset spacers for fine tuning your position.
Try as hard as you might to not like the Cayo and you’ll just fail. The handling is nicely neutral which – unlike some bikes we’ve tested – makes jumping on and feeling at home a doddle: which makes the business of enjoying your riding much easier. While it may not have the sparkle of some more premium brands, it’s should in no way be thought of as an underdog.
Verdict
After a fair amount of riding the Cayo, we’ve struggled to find anything really wrong with. Don’t let the price tag convince you this is a bike aimed at beginners, while it’s perfect for those new to road riding, those with a few more miles under their bums should take a serious look at the Cayo. Remove the price tag and you’d be convinced you’re looking at a bike with a price far nearer that of £2000. And to discover the bike actually rides well, offers no surprises and has decent kit, it’s hard not to give the bike top honours. A real bargain.
 Absolutely amazing price, cracking ride, good starter bike, loads of potential for upgrading.
 Stonkingly bad seat clamp, slighlty jarring ride, decals let the bike down.
Frame: Focus Renner carbon frame
Fork: Carbon racing fork with alloy stem
Headset: FSA integrated
Stem: FSA OS190
Bars: Deda Piega
Brakes: Shimano 105
Levers: Shimano Ultegra Double
Front derailleur: Shimano 105
Rear derailleur: Shimano Ultegra
Cassette sprockets: Shimano Ultegra 12-27t
Chain: Shimano Ultegra
Cranks: Shimano FC-R600, compact chainset
BB: Shimano
Pedals: None
Wheels: Mavic Aksium
Tyres: Schwalbe Stelvio
Saddle: San Marco Ponza K
Seat post: Ritchey 27.2mm
Photo Gallery
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Deda handlebar |
Fairly in your face branding |
Tyres and bar tape are nicely colour-coded |
Can't go wrong with Ultegra |
Ultegra controls offer precise braking and shifting |
Compact chainset offers a good spread of gear ratios |
Mavic Aksium wheels are hard to fault |
The seat clamp - the one sore point in an otherwise fine package |
Discuss this story
I bought a Cayo in early 2006 (slightly different spec re wheels, seatpin/clamp, saddle, but otherwise pretty much the same). At 5ft 10in tall, the medium fits me perfectly, and Wiggle couldn't have guessed my position better (it arrived fully assembled)! The only thing I changed was the bar-tape, while I, of course, added bottle cages and my usual Look pedals.
I haven't regretted the purchase for one moment, and I've had nothing but envious looks from clubmates when I've been out on it. It's light and lively over the bumps, but rides really well due, probably, to the cushioning effect of the 25C tyres, although I will probably invest in a lighter pair of wheels (currently has Shimano R550s) particularly if I race again this season.
After only using Campag, the Shimano transmission really impressed: smooth changes even under pressure, and the compact chainset and wide range of sprockets means I've never found myself having to walk up a steeper-than-expected hill. More to the point, I also climb quicker and more economically.
Cracking bike - fully justifies the 10/10.
Posted: 11/01/2007 10:57
In my opinion, it would make an excellent bike for a beginner. The frame is fantastic (comparable to many frames costing as much, if not more than, the whole bike) and the starting kit can gradually be upgraded over time. As I said, the wheels will probably be the first things I will upgrade. Depending on wear and tear, the chainset might be the next after that.
I returned to cycling with my old steel road bike, promising myself something decent if I stuck at it for a year (one benefit of an old, heavy bike is the 'weight-training' element of riding against clubmates on lighter machines - when I eventually went out on my Focus, it was like I had new legs!). Starting out with a Focus will mean you can (ahem) focus on getting yourself in shape and improving your bike-handling skills. Riding a great bike is also makes cycling much more enjoyable.
Doubtless, if you stick at it, you will also find yourself investing not only in new kit for the bike but also in clothing, shoes, tools, computer, etc.
If you are a 'total beginner', I suggest you join a cycling club (or at least find some other experienced cyclists to ride with). The Focus will show them you are serious about the sport and they will be able to advise on training, etc to help you take full advantage of the investment you've made. Good luck.
Posted: 12/01/2007 11:10
Hi Dikod, I'm actually looking at getting the Cayo Triple - I'm doing some sportives this year (and live in South Wales) and feel like I could do with the triple. I know people will say go for the compact but I really am a high cadence rather than a power house kind of cyclist!
Posted: 26/02/2008 13:44
I went for the compact double on my 08 Cayo and the 34/27 gives a 35inch gear, which is pretty low. As low as the triple (30/23) I have on the Marin hybrid that I commute on. I love the bike, but have not got used to the massive gap in gears when going from the big to small front cogs. I'm sure it will come in time, but I'm finding I'm immediatly having to upshift on the rear cog to compensate. I've been very suprised at how good the Ultegra brakes are and the acceleration and climbing abilities of the bike are a revelation. It's a great bike that I can throughly recommend it. It's also just under the ceiling of the CTW scheme, so if you're lucky, you can get your work to buy it for you!
Posted: 29/02/2008 13:59
EEEEK, finally ordered the Cayo Triple 2007 50cm frame. Did a massive trawl round on Saturday to try and locate shops stocking wsp or small men's without much luck - except we came to the conclusion that wsp doesn't suit me! Its so annoying that LBS (and those up to 80 miles away!) don't stock small frame sizes (although I can't really blame them - guess there aren't that many people 5'4" who ride bikes!). The top tube length is critical, and it is so hard to figure out what is/isn't going to fit by looking up specs! Just hope that the Cayo in a 50cm is long enough for me. If it doesn't then I think it is going to have to be an Orbea Onix. Fingers crossed! Shame my work doesn't do the CTW scheme, I work for a big university so you would have thought they should have set the scheme up by now, but sadly no 
Posted: 03/03/2008 12:29
I set up the CTW scheme at my place, it wasn't too difficult, but we only have 45 employees etc. I got it signed off by a Director and downloaded the forms and guidance from the Wiggle site. Maybe a little late for you Rebecca but is worth considering for anyone about to buy a bike.
Posted: 03/03/2008 13:20
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