I know cyclocross threads are the question du jour at the moment but I couldn’t find too much on the brands above (well the Focus anyway) 🙂

I’ve got a C2W voucher and had my heart set on the Crosslight 5T – mainly for commuting duties but for something capable of some road duties with a change of tyres in case I want to join my roadie mates sometimes.

However, my lbs have indicated that Kinesis can’t give a firm date for delivery of the 2014 models (it might be mid-late Dec) but suggested they could get Focus Mares AX 4.0 in.

On paper this seems like a decent spec but I’m not sure if it has guard and rack mounts like the Kinesis.

Aside from that I’m not too familar with the Focus CX range, are they much cop?

I think that the Focus CX range is pretty good and well specced for the money. We are Focus dealers though…

Ha, so maybe just a little bias! To be fair they new aluminium CX range looks good but the Focus website doesn’t give loads of info compared to other brands. Reviews seem quite scarse too.

I’m pretty sure looking at the pic on their site the frame has rack mounts but not the fork. I’m keen to run full length guards for winter commuting purposes really.

That focus looks a tank. And has Tektro Lyras which have far from the best reputation in the world.

Sorry it was the 2014 model I was looking at here:

http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/bikes/cyclocross/focus-mares-ax-40-c-2014/

Think the 2013 AX 4.0 model is the hefty looking beast with full guards and mech discs 🙂 Confusingly they changed the model no’s for 2014

aha, that’s more like it!

Much of a muchness I’d say. The image on the wheelbase website certainly looks like it has rack/guard mounts on frame and forks – the ones near the dropouts look very neatly tucked away.

i bought a Crosslight 5T on C2W and I love it. It is a very capable machine and I have ridden several cx races on it.

It is a great all rounder and one of my favourite bikes!

The image on the wheelbase website certainly looks like it has rack/guard mounts on frame and forks – the ones near the dropouts look very neatly tucked away

Ahh I couldn’t quite tell from the picture on the wheelbase site – my screen isn’t very good on this (works) pc… 😉

The Kinesis ticks a lot of boxes and looks great too, but alas no more 2013 models available and the 2014 ones aren’t available for a while it seems 🙁

Did you plump for the carbon fork eskay?

Did you plump for the carbon fork eskay?

Yes, that took me up to the 1K limit.

I had some horrendous judder under braking when I first got it, I got in touch with Kenesis and they sent me a fork mount cable pull and it sorted it out!

Yeah, the chap in the lbs mentioned brake judder is more of an issue with cantis.

Anyway, a bump for the weekend crowd sheltering from the storm!

Incidentally, anyone have some insider info on more of a firm date when the 2014 Crosslight 5T’s are available?