It might have just 120mm of travel at either end, but Focus has gone against the grain with its new budget full sus platform by giving it the geometry you’d expect to see on a much harder hitting bike. That means that despite the relatively small price tag, the Focus Vice Pro is more than capable of putting a serious squeeze on rivals.
A virtuous heart
There are three bikes in the Vice range with this Pro spec model being the most affordable. All share the same single pivot aluminium frame and this is definitely a good thing. For a start, it’s got bang up to date Boost 148 wheel spacing at the back end and thanks to a single ring only design, the rear triangle is braced on both sides and that single pivot has a nice wide stance, meaning that there’s very little waggle from the back end.
Compared to many rivals, this is extremely noticeable once you start pushing hard into corners, where the bike feels impressively solid and tracks true through terrain that has weaker willed machines clattering and twanging off line.
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That feeling of capability is compounded by some decidedly aggro geometry. With a reach of 440mm in the medium and 460mm in the large — the only sizes available sadly — it’s decently spacious with plenty of room to move about when climbing or descending.
The nicely steep 75-degree seat angle makes the most of that space when you’re seated too, naturally making you weight the front wheel which improves grip and stops the front end getting away from you when climbing. A 67-degree head angle isn’t extreme but offers decent stability, especially as the relatively short travel doesn’t allow the bike to get drastically steeper under compression. Add in the low slung bottom bracket and you’ve got a bike that allows novice riders to flourish without fear and the more experienced to really push on.
Russian roulette rubber
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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