Focus Raven 29R 4.0 (2014)

Wipe the drool from the keyboard sort of bike

Pros

- If looks could kill there'd be no one to write this review
- Solid component choices
- Great race geometry

Cons

- Can a bike look too good?

Review

Focus have been scoring some goals lately and the Raven shows they haven't yet switched to defense. From the flagship XTR 1.0 to the budget conscious 7.0, all the Raven models look the absolute bomb! This is a bike that looks fast without any fuss whatsoever. This is certainly due to the effortless way the carbon shapes mutate from head tube to dropout. It is organic and totally purposeful.

The frame on the 7.0 29er has all the right angles. This is definitely a race bike, but with a fairly slack head angle for an XC whippet the Raven is certainly at home on the steep trails up or down. By all reports this is a great climbing bike with the rider positioned comfortably and perfectly balanced between the big wheels. Good climbers need to be good at descending as well; that slack fork gets the front wheel out far enough to remain confident on all trails.

Components are a solid mix including a Fox Float forks up front with 15mm thru-axle and a nice spread of Shimano XT. It's nice to see a nice wide 720mm handlebar; it really helps keep the Raven stable and maneuverable at any speed or on any trail.

There is not much more to say about this gem of a bike except that it is perfect for XC racing, but also just a damn good bike for trail riding as well. It is confident, settled and manageable without loosing the spark that makes it a properly quick bike. Recommended.