Focus Cayo Evo 1.0 (2014)

Well priced, top shelf endurance road bike

Pros

- Great looks
- Solid yet compliant frame
- Ultegra Di2
- Value

Cons

- Hope you like yellow

Review

The Focus brand is becoming renowned for great value bikes and, being German, are also built with a careful eye on detail and quality. The Cayo Evo range come just below the top-of-the-range Izalco Max/Team professional race models and are claimed to offer similar performance albeit in an easier to ride, more compliant package.

Looking at the Cayo 1.0 you would be forgiven for thinking this is anything other than an out-and-out race bike on account of its zesty appeal and lack of noticeable "fondo" bike details, like rubber bumpers and all the other stuff we associate with that style of bike. Focus have another model (the Ergoride) with geometry suited to those of us who require chiropractic services regularly.

The Cayo sits in the middle ground between race and fondo, and as such is a perfect bike for those of us who want to be fast, light and efficient...but not too fast, light or efficient. This bike has racing credentials and a little bit of give (compliance), making it a perfect bike for a serious road cyclist who may do some racing and lots of miles.

The components are bang on with the awesome Ultegra Di2 groupset, which includes brakes and cranks as well. The wheels are sort of what you would expect at this price and are the only upgrade required to really give the boys some stick in the club race.

The Focus Cayo Evo 1.0 is a quality road race bike at a great price. This is an every-man's bike; good for a race, good for a climb, good for forgetting to dodge the pothole, good for a century ride. Good for a test ride. Definitely good.