Focale 44 now out in the UK

This is guaranteed to be faster than any other fixies you may see, mainly down to the stealthy black paint. This helps the bike build up speed, due to lowered air resistance, which also makes skidding and other fixitrix much easier and cooler to do. And you know, white and black are like totally the new white and black.

You should definitely buy this one, they will surely sell out quickly.

Correct spelling and grammar fail.

i love the fact that you can buy all the shit non-branded parts on the website, so when you brake them you can reload and brake them again! awesome.

Super star make decent bmx stuff. i don't know of any connection to them, but these look like shit build quality. black nipples? i bet there alloy. useless.

Hey, never heard any feedback about these boys, but I do like the way they look. I've just moved to Toronto and need something quick to get around. For this kind of price, would it be better to build something from random parts or just get this?

This will be an interesting, first-ever forum post in my life; nothing like choosing an outdated thread and going against the grain of what looks like serious shit throwing...

I will admit that I came across this post because I was interested in a Focale 44 Revolted bike and was searching for reviews.. well I certainly found an honest one.. or did I.

I know f**k all about brands, but I know about fixed, because I ride one everyday for the past three years to work, uni, etc. A battered old Raleigh that served me well, love it to bits, but as with all affairs it comes with pain; my hands are aching and dirty from all the repairs I face with it, because I don't have the cash to pay someone to do it. I thought I'd rather save up and buy an OTP made by someone who makes a living by making bikes.

What boggles me is that none of you seem to know anything about the brand, never ridden the bike, and simply assumed it's shit. Not saying it's not. Custom parts, probably shit, but how can you say until you've tried it. Considering it comes from a massive BMX company, where they make bikes for dudes who brake bones for fun, and batter their bikes like you will never do, I would hope their gear is sound.

If I've missed something obvious then I deserve a severe battering. I'll enjoy it. Nevertheless I rather not assume before I did my homework and was wondering whether the heated shit throwing came from empirical knowledge.

... on another note - anyone know a frame with track forkends that can handle tyres larger than 32C?

There, I've said it - a great big rant to a post that no one will reply to :)

My mate has one.
Seems alright.
Think I'll get the popcorn on though.

SE are also a large bmx manufacturer, doesn't stop them making some shoddy fixed bikes.

... on another note - anyone know a frame with track forkends that can handle tyres larger than 32C?...

Pompino, I think they can go all the way till 42c

wow - unbranded parts, unbranded cranks - I was thinking £350-400 tops!

well, that's the price you pay for a funky fashion accessory like that there!

...

I agree with you though, I can't see why anyone would pay that price for this.

Isn't this what most of the criticism consists of?

Evans has the RRP down as £600.

That's a lot of money for a bike with mainly no name parts*.

The reason a bike company thinks they can sell people a bike like that for that price is because it's a fashion accessory that allows people to buy into a life-style. That means they don't really give a shit about providing cyclists with good bikes. This pisses bike enthusiasts off... because it's basically a piss take.

In fairness a Charge Plug RRP is pretty much the same. But the difference there is at least things like the cranks are half decent, and they've put real design thought into some of the parts - like the saddle for example. Altho I do think £600 is a piss take for a Plug.

• ok the brakes are Tektro, which are fine, but other bits aren't.
  

+1 Charge at least are looking to keep a customer, perhaps sell them another bike a few years down the road. Bikes like that Crate thing are explosive markets. Owning one of them could put you off cycling for life.

I've ridden a Focale. It was heavy, but seemed alright. I think they might be hi-ten steel. It was being ridden fixed, front brake, flat pedals cough

If people on here sound down on many of the new fixed bikes coming out, it's because a lot of these £500 bikes have frames plenty worse than the kind you can find in a skip. audioecology your Raleigh probably rides better than a Focale (when it's working).

Actually I'm going to take back a lot of my post:

Frame:Full 4130 CroMo, 120 mm hub spacing, weld-on seat clamp
Fork:Full 4130 CroMo, 1-1/8", short rake
Chainset:Forged Alloy, 170mm arms
Chainrings:Alloy 42t Chainring, BCD 130mm
Bottom Bracket:Tange Seiki, sealed bearings, square Axle
Cassette:16t Fixed cog/16t Freewheel
Chain:KMC Z410, 1/2 x 1/8"
Pedals:Wellgo BMX plastic, CroMo Axle
Front Brake:Tektro Calliper
Rear Brake:Tektro Calliper
Brake Levers:Tektro
Handlebars:Narrow Alloy Riser Bar
Stem:Superstar Revolte BMX stem
Headset:Campagnolo style + 2 spacers (10 mm + 5 mm)
Grips:Kraton, no flanges
Rims:Lightweight Alloy, 32 holes
Front Hub:Sealed Bearing 10mm
Rear Hub:Sealed Bearing 10mm Flip/FlopFront
Tyre:Kenda Kontender, 700 x 23cRear
Tyre:Kenda Kontender, 700 x 23c
Saddle:Aero-padded saddle
Seatpost:27,2mm, straight, Steel cups
Seat Binder:Integrated into the frame
Weight:10.0 kg / 22 lbs

So there are actauly quite a few name brand parts there. Also the cranks look like unbranded stronglights.

... on another note - anyone know a frame with track forkends that can handle tyres larger than 32C? )

All those cable stops are a bit gash (unless your going SS that is). But IRO frames are great, and still pretty cheap.

A good option if you want a versatile bike but don't want to be another Pompino rider.

Actually I'm going to take back a lot of my post:

No way. Sealed bearings + full cromo. Is this version II or something?

That's better than a Plug.

Pig ugly

Really badly photographed. I think they look ok in the flesh. Some nice details like the pencil thin stays and seat clamp. The headset lower makes 'em all look like they've got the wrong forks though.

They make a Reynolds 853 frame now.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4j6eDyx53po/S8y7PeCotkI/AAAAAAAAAAo/_mweKjYwMgw/s1600/What%27s+the+1.JPG

Daimm, posting on forums actually works! Cheers dudes.

Indeed, from what I gather, they have upgraded the Focale since this post last discussed it. They got rid of the red pain, and upgraded the saddle, amongst other things pointed out by others..

By all means, I understand the gashness of Create bikes, but clearly these are made by people who had no previous bike building experience, sent them off to be made in China (not saying that Focale doesn't), but it takes a few iterations before you can get a factory to churn out something of acceptable standards, if at all (considering it's in China).

I was going to go for a Charge Plug 2010 for 299 (which I think is where it starts to make sense) at evans, but they sold out the large frames, so I'm back at square one.

Thanks for the suggestions, Pompino and Iro frames - I'm not keen on the sloping top tubes..Iro looks good.. sans cable stops.

I would stick with my Raleigh, but I believe I will have a bit of torture with converting to fit a cartridge bottom bracket and also having track forkends rather than dropouts would be a nice change.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread9085.html

Yup yup, been there. and was surprised that Focale made it there after reading all them bad things. Made me question the validity of such definitive list :P

I was going to go for a Charge Plug 2010 for 299 (which I think is where it starts to make sense) at evans, but they sold out the large frames, so I'm back at square one.

Your thinking right. All the complete bikes (see ^ that OTP thread) sell with big discounts towards the end of the year.

Thanks for the suggestions, Pompino and Iro frames - I'm not keen on the sloping top tubes..Iro looks good.. sans cable stops.

The IRO MarkV frame is good too, and the Angus if you want posh 1" tubes. They take 28c tyres.

Yup yup, been there. and was surprised that Focale made it there after reading all them bad things. Made me question the validity of such definitive list :P

That's definitive for ya.

And the Focale hasn't been slated AFAIK. Go read the Unipack thread to see some real venom. :D

Or the Dangerous Animals thread.

more mediocre bike frames!

About the Focale; I work in a bicycle shop, and we have those bike in*.

while appearance wise, it look alright, under close inspection the frame is no different to a Mongoose Maurice for instance, so you're just paying a lots of money for a stylist bicycle with an integrated handlebar (which is their main selling point), it'll still does what it said on the tin unlike a Create/Unipack.

There are bicycle cost less than that are of better quality, the like of the Charge Plug, Specialized Langster alu, Giant Bowery etc.

*Focale 44 Noble.

steamroller is a great option too.

That's an excellent point, the Steamroller completes cost £75 more (or the same in online shop) than the Focal.

I don't think I need to says anything more, it is a Steamroller.