Throughout June, we’ll be celebrating a Summer of Cycling, and for many that will mean cashing in the winter training miles for some competitive action.
We’ll be testing three race bikes at various price points this month, kicking things off with the Focus Cayo Evo 2.0.
While the Izalco occupies the space marked ‘race bike’ in the minds of many when thoughts turn to Focus, the Cayo Evo 2.0 is very much part of the German manufacturer’s stable of race machinery.
The 170mm head tube on our ‘large’ test bike (570mm seat tube), for example, is some 30mm shorter than on the equivalent sized Izalco Ergo Ride, a bike Focus targets at the sportive market.
Further credentials for its race pedigree come from three members of the Acqua and Sapone Pro Continental team: Danilo Di Luca, Stefano Garzelli, and Danilo Napolitano, who each ride the Cayo Evo 2.0.
A close look reveals an impressively engineered frame, which weighs 980 grams, according to Focus.
The head tube is a muscular, angular unit with internal routings at the top and bottom for brake and Di2 cable routings respectively (the Di2 battery mounts underneath the non-drive side chain stay).
The chain stays are very deep at the bottom bracket before narrowing and splaying dramatically to an ‘elbow’ bend and their junction with the seat stays; a shape designed to induce compliance and something we saw earlier this year on BMC’s Gran Fondo GF01.
The flat profile seat stays unite to form a monostay just below the junction with the seat tube. An oversized down tube ends at a ‘push fit’ bottom bracket.
Focus are keen to distinguish their bottom bracket from the BB30 press fit standard. The Focus BB has an English thread and is compatible with the Shimano Ultegra crank with which our test machine is supplied, and SRAM Red cranks. RCUK understands that all Focus frames will uses the ‘push fit’ standard from now on.
The full carbon fork, Focus’ own, is another angular unit (see the junction of blade and ‘crown’) and weighs the same as the 3T Rigida unit with which the Izalco Pro One is supplied (340 grams).
The Cayo Evo 2 comes with a full Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset, Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset shod with Continental Grand Prix tyres, Wing Comp bars, carbon stem and seat post from FSA, and a Pro Logo Nago Evo saddle.
The Focus Cayo Evo 2 sells for £2,799 and is offered in five sizes: 48cm, 51cm, 54cm, 57cm, and 60cm.
