2015 Focus Mares CX 2.0 Disc

As I've alluded to in some other threads, I decided to purchase a bike for gravel riding - mainly in the SE, from my home base in Knoxville.  I'm a guy pushing 50 who's been a fairly dedicated road rider for coming up on just two years.  Last winter, I did a pretty good job of getting out in the cold (down into the mid 40s) for road riding, in lieu of trainer time.  February was the exception as there just were not that many nice days.  In the mid 90's, I rode a mountain bike from my residence in Jefferson County, CO - but I hung up my old GT hardtail in '98 and it never moved much in the next twelve years or so.  Then I porked up to about 225 (6' 1")and hurt my back playing tennis - so I decided to start riding again.

The LBS that I like carries Giant, Yeti, Cervelo, Litespeed and now Focus.  They happened to have a TG5 frame in the store - so I asked them to spec out a Rival build on that frame - but the price got north of $5K in a hurry.  I could have swung it - but I could not really justify it in my head.

As the timing was right for this shop's initial Focus order (new dealer - mainly for the Mares line) - so I Focused my attention on their Rival bike - which for 2015 was called the Mares CX 2.0 Disc (and for 2016 it is called the Mares CX Disc Rival).  There were some noticable differences in the build of the two bikes and only minor cosmetic changes in the frames.  

Here is the 2015:

http://www.focus-bikes.com/us/en/bikes/2016/cyclocross-1/mares-cx-1/mares-cx-20-disc.html

Here is the 2016:

http://www.focus-bikes.com/us/en/bikes/2016/cyclocross/mares-ax/mares-cx-disc-rival.html

Build wise - the differences are in the seat, the bars and the wheels.  The 2015 comes with an Antares saddle and the 2016 comes with the Aliante (both from Fizik).  The 2015 comes with house brand (CEX) bars, while the 2016 comes with bars from Fizik.  The 2015 comes with DT Swiss R24 Spline wheels, the 2016 has a set of house brand wheels.  

I've ridden both the Antares and he Aliante saddles before and preferred the Antares - though I likely would not stick with either, in favor of a SI Kit Carbonio SLS like I have on my road bike.  Who knows if there is much difference in the bars?  Willing to take my chances there.  The wheels were the deciding factor for me.  

Both bikes were available from Focus in my size - so I ordered the 2015.  It is on a truck now (along with 7 other Mares that the dealer ordered - all but one is pre-sold).  The plan is for a build party at the shop after hours on Thursday or Friday.  

Oh - and the gearing on the 2015 is 11-28 vs 11-30 on the 2016.  I am changing the front to 50/34, so the 11-28 on the back should be all I need.  The LBS needs my Rival rings to put on another customer's bike (the guy had to buy a Tiagra frame because the 105 was not available in his size - and he will be racing CX) - so they are going to give me a Force 22 Compact set of rings.  Win, win.

Depending on where you ride from Knoxville (hopefully with me at some point) and how much power you have, you might need more than the 28 in the back. I'm running a 50/34 and a 11-32 in the back and there were at least 2 hills on my ride this past Sunday where I was struggling in the 34-32 combo and I weigh 50+ lbs less than the weight you state above. I probably should have been in the 32 more, but I am pigheaded and tend to not go to my last gear until I HAVE to.
After several of the Monster Cross events last year, I bought a MTB front spider /rings for even lower gears, but have yet to mount it (have to do some machining to get to work, I lose my PM, and have to shorten chain prob).

My theory/guess (since I don't race cross) is that cross racers don't go quite as low on the gearing since when they get to that point, it is typically a 'run up' for just a short stretch. If you go that route on a lot of the East TN gravel roads, you are going to be walking for several miles :-)  The big climb at the Southern Cross race in GA, was a couple miles for me in the 34-28 and 34-32.

trippertim wrote:Depending on where you ride from Knoxville (hopefully with me at some point) and how much power you have, you might need more than the 28 in the back. I'm running a 50/34 and a 11-32 in the back and there were at least 2 hills on my ride this past Sunday where I was struggling in the 34-32 combo and I weigh 50+ lbs less than the weight you state above. I probably should have been in the 32 more, but I am pigheaded and tend to not go to my last gear until I HAVE to.
After several of the Monster Cross events last year, I bought a MTB front spider /rings for even lower gears, but have yet to mount it (have to do some machining to get to work, I lose my PM, and have to shorten chain prob).

My theory/guess (since I don't race cross) is that cross racers don't go quite as low on the gearing since when they get to that point, it is typically a 'run up' for just a short stretch. If you go that route on a lot of the East TN gravel roads, you are going to be walking for several miles :-)  The big climb at the Southern Cross race in GA, was a couple miles for me in the 34-28 and 34-32.

Good info there.  I've lost over 25 lbs since I started cycling - but sounds like I still outweigh you by a few.  

My road gearing is 52/36 up front and 12-30 in the back.  I would not say I am a particularly strong rider - but about what you'd expect for a relatively new guy my age.  I hang pretty well on the B group rides around hear which are typically 18 - 20 mph affairs on the road.  

I did notice some 20% grade sections on the route you sent yesterday - so maybe I will go ahead and pick up a Force 11-32 cassette.  

Have you ever done those gravel roads near Bald River Falls, coming out of Telico Plains?

I think the only two sections where I HAD to go on the 32 were on the north side of the river on the way back. One was very steep, and the other was not as steep, but very loose, so I needed the lower gear to keep from slipping out on the gravel from pushing too hard of a gear and losing pedal smoothness.

Have not done the Bald River Falls roads by bike. I drove them many many years ago. They definitely are on the "To Do" list. With Pisgah Monster Cross, the Dirt Digler and Wilson's Revenge coming up (plus normal responsibilities) I'm just trying to figure out what weekend I can do it! My hope is to do my own version of Cherohala Challenge by doing Bald River Rd and then up and under Cherohala Skyway, down to the east end and then back up and over on the Skyway.

trippertim wrote:I think the only two sections where I HAD to go on the 32 were on the north side of the river on the way back. One was very steep, and the other was not as steep, but very loose, so I needed the lower gear to keep from slipping out on the gravel from pushing too hard of a gear and losing pedal smoothness.

Have not done the Bald River Falls roads by bike. I drove them many many years ago. They definitely are on the "To Do" list. With Pisgah Monster Cross, the Dirt Digler and Wilson's Revenge coming up (plus normal responsibilities) I'm just trying to figure out what weekend I can do it! My hope is to do my own version of Cherohala Challenge by doing Bald River Rd and then up and under Cherohala Skyway, down to the east end and then back up and over on the Skyway.

Tellico plains is about an hour-five from my house.  Reliance is about and hour-30.

A couple of us are thinking of doing the Sack o Suds 50 and Fried Green 50 back to back on 10/31 and 11/1 - down in Juliet, GA.

SunDog wrote:

A couple of us are thinking of doing the Sack o Suds 50 and Fried Green 50 back to back on 10/31 and 11/1 - down in Juliet, GA.

Do it! You'll love those rides. I'll probably help Monte and crew support the SOS and then ride the FG50. That's right in my neighborhood and just across the highway from the ride I helped start, the Red Clay Ramble. I still make the routes for the RCR. Hope to see you there!

BluesDawg wrote:

SunDog wrote:

A couple of us are thinking of doing the Sack o Suds 50 and Fried Green 50 back to back on 10/31 and 11/1 - down in Juliet, GA.

Do it! You'll love those rides. I'll probably help Monte and crew support the SOS and then ride the FG50. That's right in my neighborhood and just across the highway from the ride I helped start, the Red Clay Ramble. I still make the routes for the RCR. Hope to see you there!

RCR looks great. If we have fun down there this fall - I will put it on the calendar for next year.

What's the good tire set up in this neck of the woods for these events?

SunDog wrote:
RCR looks great. If we have fun down there this fall - I will put it on the calendar for next year.

What's the good tire set up in this neck of the woods for these events?

SOS is a mix of good fast gravel with some muddy sections on River Road with mostly gradually rolling hills. A little wider tire with gripping tread helps there. FG50 is more well packed gravel with a few creek crossings and lots of climbing, some of it fairly steep. Gearing makes more difference than tire selection. RCR is mostly fast hard packed dirt with a light dusting of gravel The fast guys are on something like a Trigger Pro 33 or a slick 32. Tubeless rules.

Clement MSO 40 is a good all around tire for all of this. I like Renegade 1.8" for SOS and MSO 40 or Trigger 38 for FG50. YMMV.

Shop wanted 8 bikes. Only got to buy 5 bikes.  Three bikes showed up today.  Mine was not one of them.

We went ahead and built one of my friend's Mares AX 105 Disc.  A rather striking bike.  I took it for a spin. The seat was somewhat of a butt hatchet for me, and the breaks are not yet worn in - but all in all it felt like a good fit for me (same size as mine).

Focus shipped the 2016 instead of the 2015.  We went back and forth for several days now on whether or not to ship it back and have them correct the order - or to just accept the one we have - and I've opted for the latter.  

The wheels do not seem as though they are any worse than the R24s that I had hoped to get - and Focus is telling me that the 2015s they have left all have Fulcrum wheels that definitely are not any better than what's on the 2016.  

The 2016 has a fancy new type seat post, fizik cyrano R5 (which must be an OEM only thing) and the new Aliante saddle - which i tried (some other fellow's Mares Rival) and didn't immediately hate on a cruise around the parking lot.

I'll probably be able to get a few bucks for the saddle and the bars - should I feel the need to swap them out.

Gonna assemble it today.

Cardioversion on Wed went very well.  Got to do a real nice, brisk road ride last night.