FOCUS PARALANE 8.9 GC
£2459 › Superb comfort paired with single-ring simplicity
The Paralane is Focus’ solution to ‘anyroad’ riding, and comes with the promise of being able to transport you along swiftly and comfortably on just about any sort of firm surface, be it tarmac or something else altogether.
Compliance is designed in through the stepped, straight fork, the flattened bridgeless seatstays, and the chainstays, which begin deep and chunky before flattening and bulging out horizontally, and then tapering towards the dropouts.
The semi-compact geometry allows more of the 25.4mm diameter carbon seatpost to be exposed to add flex, while the angular head tube and oversized bottom bracket shell oversee power delivery.
Every Paralane comes with a set of minimalist Curana mudguards, and these latest ones improve on the original model by having a second stay on the rear mudguard. The previous versions only had one stay and were prone to slapping against the wheel. The rear mudguard’s stays slot into holes in the dropouts and are secured with grub screws for a solid fit, while a secondary clamp that serves as a seat stay bridge provides additional support.
This Paralane comes with SRAM Apex 1, and the non-series S350 chainset with a 44 tooth chainring. Along with the 11-36 cassette, the gearing is good in most situations – it’s able to climb steep hills, and only starts spinning out at around 35mph on descents. Our only complaint is that the jumps between certain gears are a little big.
This Paralane has good endurance road bike speed on flat and rolling terrain; it will easily clip along at 20mph and feels willing on the climbs too. Mavic’s Aksiums are partly responsible for the lively feel, even when shod with 32mm Continental SpeedKing CX tyres. Their generous tyre volume meant
This Paralane balances road speed and comfort with all-weather, multi-surface practicality
we could run pressures around 70psi, which combined with the frame’s design, slim carbon seatpost and comfy Prologo Kappa saddle, gives the Paralane a seriously smooth ride.
The bar and stem are alloy BBB items. They’re nicely finished and plenty stiff enough. The bar is wellshaped and has a deeper than average drop for a bar classed as compact, which helps to make up for the tall 180mm head tube on our large bike. The additional 15mm headset collar raises the bar even further, but the resulting position is more neck-friendly endurance than sit-up and beg.
The 72° head angle strikes a sensible balance between road and mixed-surface riding, and the 1010mm wheelbase keep things stable when the going gets exciting, but the bike still reacts positively. Its 75mm bottom bracket drop is more than average, but makes for a planted feel on and off tarmac, confident cornering and quick descending, just so long as you don’t want to pedal at very high speeds.
Focus says the Paralane will accept tyres up to 35mm wide without the mudguards, which would be the preferable rubber set-up if you’re heading for gravel. But as specced, it makes for a great all-rounder with few performance compromises. If you’re looking for a quick commuter or a training bike with a feel that’s not that far removed from your favourite road bike, the Paralane 8.9 GC is a well-sorted, comfortable and weatherproof option.
The Focus feels planted on and off tarmac, and confident through corners and on descents