Focus HELP: Cayo 105 Triple or Wilier La Triestina Mirage

[benguin]

Hi all,

I am looking to get a bike on cyclescheme and wondered whether helpful folks here could share their views on two bikes I now have my eyes on. One is the Focus Cayo 105 (which I probably would get in its triple guise); the other is the Wilier La Triestina Mirage. Although a lot of reviews are available for the Cayo, none seem to be for the Wilier.

Basically, I want a light, fast bike that I would use to commute on in the summer, weekend rides, maybe join a local CC. Comfort is also important, as I may want to take part in a couple of sportives too. I know... a lot to ask for a 1-grand bike, but what are your views. There is no weight indication of the Wilier. I guess I'm being vain, but I also love the look of that frame!

Finally (and I don't want to start a whole Shimano/Campag discussion), what about Mirage? I understand it's being dropped by Campag. For that price I wasn't entirely happy to get an entry-level groupset but having never used Campag, maybe they're just very fine...

Any help/comment/suggestion appreciated,

benjamin

http://www.primera-bournemouth.co.uk/Template.aspx?prodID=4358

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus_Cayo_105_Triple_2009/5360037592/

 

[yello]

Cayo, imo.

 

[benguin]

Thanks, yello,

Any specific reason why?

benjamin

 

[HLaB]

I'm drawn towards the Willier, mainly because I like a compact rather than a triple and I prefer campag over shimano (it see more natural to me gear lever one way to shift down and the trigger on the otherside to shift up). My experience of campag groupsets is a bit limited to veloce. Overall they both look like good bikes.

 

[dodgy]

Not a lot to choose between them, ordinarily you'd expect better value from the Cayo as the Willier is a prestige make and to sell such a bike at the £1000 mark must mean markdowns in component choice. But as I said, I reckon they're both fairly equal. If it was me, it would be the Willier, but only because of the prestige that the marqué infers, which might make it easier to sell on in a few years.

 

[benguin]

Thanks HLab and Dodgy,

I'm also drawn towards the Wilier, although I can't quite explain why. There's also that, living in Aberystwyth, I could actually drive down to South Wales and try the bike, instead of buying online. The guy I talked to weighed the bike to an approximately 19lbs for a M, which is not bad for an alu frame.

In terms of durability and quality, any thoughts on Mirage? Would the Wilier frame lend itself to some upgrade later on, say to Veloce or something higher up?

In terms of comfort, the Cayo might be a bit harsh, but no idea what the Wilier would feel like,

benjamin

 

[dodgy]

You can remove a lot of risk by being able to try the bike for size in the flesh. That would in itself be enough to sway me. Careful when you get there, you might experience 'upgrade creep' if there are even shinier and more expensive Williers next to the one you're looking at

 

[Speck]

hi benjamin,
The Wilier on your link is aluminium framed, if you look on Epic's web site you can have a Wilier Mortirolo for virtually the same price!

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/wilier.htm?gclid=CIqb-r3GmpgCFQ7tlAodi0qWmQ

I bought a Wilier from Epic about 18 months ago, good outfit to deal with.

 

[dodgy]

Bargain.

 

[benguin]

Hi Speck,

Thanks for the link. Epic Cycles is a bit further away for us, but the bike looks good, although I have to say I don't especially care for the colourscheme. I was actually looking at the Mortirolo (black and white) Veloce but it is unfortunately over the £1,000 limit of the cyclescheme...

benjamin

 

[yello]

It's primarily groupset for me - 105/Ultegra over mirage - though I see and accept the arguments about the Willier name.

 

[Eat MY Dust]

In terms of comfort, the Cayo might be a bit harsh, but no idea what the Wilier would feel like,

Why would the Cayo be a harsh ride? It's a full carbon frame. Talking from experience (I have a Cayo '07) the ride is more comfortable than a similar alu framed bike. TBH it would take a lot for me to buy other than Focus now. Buy ing a bike for it's "name" is a bit like like buying a Porsche 924.

 

[benguin]

Hi,

Well, from all the reviews I've read, and the setup of the bike, it seems much more race-orientated than the other bikes I've looked at (more sportive than race). I know what you mean for value for money, though.
Having said that, after a call to Epic cycles (no Mortirolo left at that bargain price in my size, I'm afraid), I'm going to have a serious look at the Orbea Onix bira. Seems to be an amazing bike, really.

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/orbea.htm

benjamin