Review from Cycling Plus

Frame: 8/10
Focus has designed the Mares Cross in conjunction with the 2005 world cross champion Hanka Kupfernagel. At the heart of the bike lies a super-stiff 6061 aluminium chassis...just what's needed for competitive racing...the frame is unlikely to fail any time soon. Closer inspection reveals susprisingly good attention to detail.

Equipment: 8/10
The Focus has aulxiliary brake levers which are a nice touch, offering a familiar position for anyone making the transition from mountain bikes. As well as making tricky technical situations less daunting, they also provide a more relaxing position when pottering along towpaths or on off-season traingin runs. The Focus sports Concept finishing kit which, in the main, seems very serviceable.

Wheels: 8/10
Focus has gone for basic but worthy double walled Alex hoops laced to 105 hubs, which build into a surprisingly smooth, sprightly and sturdy wheelset. Purposely clumsy encounters through ruts, potholes and even shallow steps failed to knock them out of true.

Handling: 8/10
Swing a leg over the Focus and you're immediatley aware of its race pedigree...it will delight on the climbs thanks to the stiffness around the bottom bracket and cockpit areas. It's a breeze to ride through more technical sections and the renowned racing Ralph tyres have a sufficiently large pocket of air to cushion against most of the trailside mistakes you're likely to make. Provoked on long, uneven descents it refused to be shaken off line...When fitted with road tyres, these same characterisitcs make for excellent town manners and the Focus's spirited handling will liven up the dullest of commutes whether you're sprinting away from the lights, filtering through traffic or swerving round errant pedestrians. Deserted lanes quickly became a playground for weving through the cats eyes and around confused wildlife.

In conclusion...

At a whisker below £700 the Focus has a specification that wouldn't look out of place on machines costing £150 or so more and wins hands down if you're looking at racing cyclocross competitively without maxing out the credit card. Its livery will probably be on the racy side for some...having said this though, it doubles as a fantastic winter trainer/plaything.

Stunning performance, remarkable price.

Rating: 9/10