My New Bike

I bought an entry level road bike earlier this year. This was done for a number of purposes in mind but the reason I went with an entry level bike was because I really didn't know if I would enjoy the sport or not. I wasn't willing to make too big of an investment without knowing how committed I would be. And at the time, I was blown away at how expensive even entry level bikes were.

Now, after a summer of being completely addicted I've come to realize that I need(or at least, really, really want) a better bike. So this is what I got. Nothing too expensive but a good bike all the same. Here is the breakdown and review:

So this is the Focus Izalco Pro 3. It's a full carbon frame with Ultegra 6700 build. The frame has a BB30 bottom braket with oversized chain stays and thin seat stays. The headtube is tapered from a 1 1/8" to a 1 1/2". I got the compact 50/34 crankset with the SL-K hollow carbon cranks. It has a 3T Fonda Pro carbon fork and the cockpit is SL-K with a fi'zi:k arione saddle. The only thing that is less than stellar about the build on this bike are the wheels. They are Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheels that do just fine in training but they are heavy when compared to the carbon wheels out there. I will have to upgrade somewhere down the line.

As currently built it weights just over 16 lbs. That's supper light when compared to my older bike. I've been on this ride for a little over 3 weeks now and I couldn't be happier. The first thing you notice when you get on and start to pedal is that it wants to go. With every stroke you feel like you are being flung forward. There seems to be very little energy loss between your legs and the bike. The next thing you notice is how quiet the bike is. The only sound is the rubber on the pavement. It's so quite that I can hear the leather on my shoes squeak as I pedal.

Shifting with the Ultegra components is smooth and solid. Being light, the bike is fun going uphill but it is downhill that you really notice how this bike wants to go fast. It seems to go top speed within seconds of letting it. Handling the bike takes a bit of getting used to. With the tapered headtube you need only make the most subtle movements to steer. It has a very short wheel base but you get used to that soon enough. After riding for about a week and a half I went in to get fitted and we switched the stem for a longer one and changed some other minor settings on the bike. Not that the original setup was bad but it feels even better now. I haven't been on any super long rides on it yet so I'm not sure how it will feel after 75 or 100 miles but I will know soon enough. That is where the carbon frame is suppose to come into play. It's suppose to make the ride much more smooth especially over longer distances. I'll give my review on that part later on.

As for my wife's bike; it's a Cannondale SuperSix with similar features. She went with SRAM components on hers and she seems to be happy with it. I'll let her review it here if she wants to.

This upcoming week we are suprising our kids with a trip to Disneyland over UEA weekend so I'm trying to get all the riding I can before we go. It should be fun.