Cyclist Tech Check: Focus claims the Izalco is the lightest production road bike with disc brakes on the market. But how is the driving experience?
Necessary revision
Focus is currently sponsoring Ag2r La Mondial and in September the team will be able to test disc brakes in competitive conditions. If all goes according to plan, the UCI will allow further testing in 2016 and potentially fully introduce disc brakes at the 2017 WorldTour. With that in mind, Focus took their Ag2r road bike and gave it a disc brake overhaul.
The fork is the most obvious place this overhaul had to happen. On the original Izalco Max it was very thin and light as a feather, but for exactly these reasons it is not suitable for disc brakes. The new variant looks very similar, but the wall thickness on the left fork leg has been significantly increased, but the diameter has remained the same. Focus also wanted to use thru-axles. These allow the carbon fibers to run continuously down to the fork and back up again without being interrupted by an open dropout.
With only a little extra weight, the stability is thus significantly increased, the new fork weighs 320 g, only 27 g more than the rim brake version.
The frame has also become a bit heavier - another 40 g result in a total weight of 790 g. The complete bike weighs just 6,81kg, which is why Focus claims it's the lightest production road bike with disc brakes on the market.
Aside from the minimal additional weight, Focus also made some changes to the frame. For example, the top tube is now longer to increase rigidity, and the chainstays are now 415 mm.
On the test bench
At launch in Italy I rode the bike on some fast, long descents and the Focus stayed calm and composed through the corners. As soon as the road started to climb again, it became clear that the Izalco Max hadn't lost a bit of its racing genes by converting to a disc brake racer. The rear triangle was still stiff enough to ensure acceleration was lightning fast. The low weight had a positive effect on inclines of over 10%.
The big surprise for me, however, was how comfortable this racing bike was to ride. The worst bumps in the road are dampened, resulting in a relaxed driving experience. Focus attributes this to the greater flexibility of the CPX seat post. While their design is unique, after swapping the post for my normal one, I didn't notice any significant difference in terms of vibration dampening. So I guess the seat post is only partly responsible for the comfortable ride, so I wouldn't hesitate for a second to swap it out for a correct seating position (the CPX isn't available without an offset).
I had to complete my most recent laps on the bike in incredibly bad weather. Halfway through my tour the temperature had dropped by 11°C and it was pouring like rain. My summer clothes were already completely soaked, but I drove on - and despite the lousy weather, I had to smile the whole time. Normally I hate to be on the road in such conditions. However, what stopped me from looking for the nearest station was the fun I had with the Izalco on the wet descents. The danger of riding downhill with carbon rims in the rain is well known. But equipped with the hydraulic disc brakes of the SRAM Red, I was always in full control.
Until recently, disc brakes were still a sign of endurance bikes with a focus on long distances and comfort. Now Focus is supplying us with disc brakes on a befitting racing bike that is also comfortable. I was won over by the Izalco Max Disc and getting back on my regular rim brake bike felt like a step backwards. But the real test will come next year when the pros will have to make their choice.