After last year's success with the Jam², Focus wanted to go one step further. The Focus Sam² with 170 mm travel and electrical support with a Shimano E8000 motor was developed under the motto "Re-Discover Enduro", which not only focuses on downhill, but also on climbing up the mountain without shuttle or lift support. We have already been on the bikes on the trails around Malaga.
Focus Sam² – In a nutshell
- 170mm E-MTB Enduro
- Aluminum frame with 27,5″ wheels up to 2,6″ tire width
- Shimano E8000 drive with 378 Wh battery integrated in the down tube
- Optional TEC Pack for 378 Wh extra battery
- FOLD rear end 3 trim levels €4.599 – €7.699
- from approx. 21 kg with pedals
Focus Sam² – The frame in detail
Enduro is to be rediscovered with the Sam². A few tricks were used in the frame to do justice to the motto from the technical side as well. This should be achieved with the TEC system, FOLD suspension, airflow and an enduro-specific geometry.
TEC system
The term "Tailored Energy Concept" hides behind the term TEC and is already known from the Focus Jam². Focus wants to ensure that you always have the right amount of energy with you without losing agility. With the Sam², a 378 Wh battery is integrated very discreetly and slim into the down tube. 378 Wh isn't much in comparison, but it will be enough for most people for the short trail loop and you have a much more agile bike. If that's not enough, you can also purchase the TEC Pack for €499. The TEC Pack contains an additional battery and various mounts for mounting on the down tube. If you need more range, you put the extra battery on the rail on the down tube and connect the battery to the bike with a cable, then you have a full 756 Wh battery available. As soon as the additional battery is plugged in, the power is only drawn from this. An application example would be, for example: You ride with the additional battery to the distant trail area and then put the battery down there to have a lighter and more agile bike for the trail.
FOLD suspension
The FOLD suspension system is already known from other Focus bikes, such as the Jam or the O1N. Two linkage levers work together with a one-piece rear triangle. The rear triangle has been further developed for the Sam². With the new bike, the focus was not only on absorbing bumps, but also on better traction, whether uphill or downhill. The kinematics of the rear triangle are divided into two phases, first a degressive phase and then a progressive second phase. The degressive first phase has the advantage that it has a progressive effect when rebounding and should thus ensure better ground contact of the rear triangle and thus improve traction, whether when braking or accelerating. The bike is very plushy and sensitive in the low travel range. The second phase then offers reserves for larger impacts with a maximum of 170 mm of travel and is progressive, but still sensitive. The rear end of the FOLD consists of one part. This reduces the unsprung mass and ensures a good central weight distribution of the bike.
Airflow
More and more e-bike batteries are hidden in the down tube, as is the case with the Sam². However, there is often no cooling and drying after washing is also made more difficult, since the batteries are often very dead. Focus solves this with the Airflow System. Air scoops are attached to the left and right of the head tube. The air can then escape again at the bottom bracket and this creates an air suction that cools the battery or dries out moisture in the shaft.
Geometrie
With the geometry, the goal was not only to create a bike with good downhill properties, but also not to neglect the uphill qualities. In return, the Sam² has a head angle of 75º and a short reach of 440 mm in size M. This means you sit centrally above the bike and can take a good uphill position. In addition, an attempt was made to offer enough ground clearance for technical climbs. The chainstays are moderately designed at 455 mm in order to find the balance between agility and good climbing properties. With the 65º steering angle, the bike gets the security it needs for steep, technical passages and also gains in smoothness at high speeds. Here is the complete geometry table in detail:
Focus Sam²
| S | M | L | |
| seat tube (in mm) | 420 | 440 | 480 |
| Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 585 | 604 | 624 |
| head tube (in mm) | 118 | 116 | 138 |
| chainstay (in mm) | 455 | 455 | 455 |
| Wheelbase (in mm) | 1196 | 1217 | 1240 |
| Steering angle (in °) | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| Seat angle (in °) | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Reach (mm) | 425 | 440 | 455 |
| Stacks (in mm) | 607 | 607 | 625 |
Focus Sam² - Engine
For the Sam², Focus relies on the tried-and-tested Shimano E8000 motor, as it provides enough power in its various support modes and its construction enables an E-MTB to be constructed very similarly to conventional mountain bikes. The motor offers 250 W of power and is fed by the integrated battery with 378 Wh or optionally with the TEC Pack with an additional 378 Wh. The 3 different modes (Eco, Trail, Boost) are switched using a shifter on the left side of the handlebar, which is similar in form and function to a Shimano DI2 shifter. A small screen is mounted on the handlebars to the right of the stem, which displays the most important data such as speed, battery status, range, current performance, etc. In combination with a Shimano DI2 circuit, the current gear is even displayed. In addition, the motor has a strong pushing aid.
Focus Sam² trim levels
The Sam² will be available in three model variants at launch. The LTD starts at €3, followed by the mid-range model at €4.599.999 € and is crowned by the Pro for €7.699. Here's an overview of all variants:
| Frame | Sam² LTD | Sam² | Sam² PRO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor | Shimano Steps E8000, 70Nm, 250W | Shimano Steps E8000, 70Nm, 250W | Shimano Steps E8000, 70Nm, 250W | |
| Battery | FOCUS TEC, 756 Wh, (378 Wh internal, 378 Wh optional external) | FOCUS TEC, 756 Wh, (378 Wh internal, 378 Wh optional external) | FOCUS TEC, 756 Wh, (378 Wh internal, 378 Wh optional external) | |
| Fork | RockShox Yari RC, 110x15mm QR, 170mm travel | Fox 36 Performance, 110x15mm QR, 170mm travel | Fox 36 Factory, 110x15mm QR, 170mm travel | |
| Suspension shocks | RockShox Deluxe R, 230/67, hardware: shaft25,0x8 mm/body25,0x8 mm,custom tune | Fox DPS, 230/67, hardware: shaft25,0x8mm/body25,0x8mm, custom tune | Fox DPS Factory, 230/67, hardware: shaft25,0x8mm/body25,0x8mm, custom tune | |
| Wheels | Race Face AR30, 584-30, Novatec, 148x12mm / 110x15mm | Race Face AR30, 584-30, Novatec, 148x12mm / 110x15mm | Race Face Turbine 584-30, 148x12mm / 110x15mm | |
| Tire VR | Maxxis DHF 2.5 | Maxxis DHF 2.5 | Maxxis DHF 2.5 | |
| Tire HR | Maxxis DHR 2.4 | Maxxis DHR 2.4 | Maxxis DHR 2.4 | |
| Derailleur | Shimano Deore XT 786, 10-speed | Sram NX, 11 speed | Sram EX1, 8-speed | |
| Shifter | Shimano Deore 6000 | SRAM NX | SRAM EX | |
| Crank | Shimano E8000 | Shimano E8000 | Shimano E8000 | |
| Brake | Magura MT2, 200mm / 180mm | Magura MT 5, 200mm / 180mm | Sram Code RSC, 200mm / 180mm | |
| Seatpost | Kind Shock E30i, 31,6mm, internal | Kind Shock E30i, 31,6mm, internal | FOX Transfer Factory, 31,6mm, internal | |
| Saddle | Trail saddle | Trail saddle | Trail saddle | |
| Stem | BBB, alloy, Di2, 31,8mm, 55mm | BBB, alloy, Di2, 31,8mm, 55mm | BBB, alloy, Di2, 31,8mm, 55mm | |
| Handlebar | BBB, aluminium, Di2, riser bar, 760 mm, rise: 20 mm, backsweep: 9° | BBB, aluminium, Di2, riser bar, 760 mm, rise: 20 mm, backsweep: 9° | BBB, aluminium, Di2, riser bar, 760 mm, rise: 20 mm, backsweep: 9° | |
| Price | €4.699 | €4.999 | €7.699 | |
Focus Sam² – driving test
In order to test bikes, people like to drive south in the winter months to escape the cold and wet. Focus was planning to launch the new Sam² in Malaga, but we caught one of those days when it rains in southern Spain too. But no matter what, the otherwise rather dusty slopes turned into somewhat more slippery slopes, which in no way harmed the test.
First we went from the Rancho del Ingles in a suburb of Malága towards the hills in the hinterland. There we were able to test the climbing properties of the Jam². You sit very upright on the bike and can put your power on the pedals. The Shimano Steps motor already provides very good support in Eco mode and you really only need Trail mode on steeper passages. You can feel a very slight seesaw on the rear triangle, if that bothers you, you can switch on the platform. However, this is very low due to the damper assembly and it is difficult to get to the lever from the saddle. We were allowed to test the top model. An 8-speed Sram EX1 was installed there, which was specially developed for e-bikes. The transmission spectrum of the built-in cassette ranged from 11-48 teeth. With an 8-speed gearshift, these are big gear jumps that you could already feel in the not so steep terrain and it was sometimes difficult to find the right gear. It was better on steeper terrain, where downshifting made the engine rev and you could accelerate easily on technical terrain. In general, the Sam² did very well on the technical climb. The engine was powerful and the tires offered enough grip for steep difficult ramps. The seat tube angle wasn't too slack and the chainstays, which weren't too short, are also noticeable, as the front hardly ever tended to rise. Focus did a good job with the rear end, because it ensured that the rear wheel always had enough ground contact and grip. The battery consumption was also felt to be very low, since there were still a few lines left on the display even after several laps. You could then have installed the TEC Pack for an additional battery. Focus says uphill is part of enduro riding. With the Sam², this works really well despite the 170 mm chassis.
Enduro also includes downhill and with 170 mm the bike should really be made for it. The trails around Malága offered a good mix of flowy passages, tight rocky turns and jumps. In addition, the rain made the slopes even more interesting. Perfect place to test the new Focus creation. Geometries are becoming more and more extreme. Focus wanted to find a good compromise with the Sam² that many drivers would have fun with. This has also been successful. On the one hand, the bike is very small due to the moderate chainstays, but it also has the necessary smoothness due to the flat steering angle. The landing gear did an excellent job too. You're used to that from the Fox 36 in the factory version, but the FOLD rear triangle was also convincing. When braking, you noticed, for example, that the rear end absorbs impacts and calms the wheel, giving you more traction and safety on the bike. The chassis easily coped with hard knocks and the bike made up for a few riding mistakes thanks to the excellent set-up. The bike could probably have done with even tougher trails. All in all a very coherent bike, also for downhill. Taller riders may complain about the somewhat short reach, especially since the bike is only available up to size L.
Focus Sam² – conclusion
With the Sam², Focus has really returned to the basic idea of Enduro. The Shimano E8000 and the technological tricks turn a very potent downhill machine into a good climber. The two entry-level versions are also interesting from a price/performance perspective.
Manufacturer link: www.focus-bikes.com
