RAVEN – Focus 2016 Part 1 with video

Barney popped along to the dealer launch of the new Focus 2016 in Rhupaulding  range to take a look at the new and shinies from the German brand. And they’ve got some rather nice stuff cooking…

Raven

First up is the Raven – a new 27.5 or 29er hardtail firmly pitched in the XC camp. Much like Trek though, for 2016 Focus have attempted to dial a little comfort in. They’ve not done this with a pivot at the junction with the seat tube and the top tube, but rather with a cunning carbon layup and design in the same area. The carbon here is designed to flex fore and aft – and coupled to a very narrow interface between the seat tube and the bottom bracket as well as a 27.2mm seatpost, it’s supposed to give a lovely comfy ride (considering). It’s got 435mm chainstays, a nice roomy cockpit, 74.5 degree seat tube and a 69.8 degree head angle. modern and fast. The top whack model also sports a 1x SRAM XX1 drivetrain, and RS-1 forks.

They QR is also a cunning easy-fit number, which is probably easier to demonstrate with video… So here’s Philipp Klein, Focus Mountain Bike Guru, to talk us through it:

https://vimeo.com/132721271

Prices for the Raven start (for both the 29in and 27.5in versions) at £1499.99, and go up to £4,999.99 for the top-bling version you see here.

For more details click here!

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

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