Mick is the owner of Equipe Girona, a stylish guesthouse here in Girona which he runs with his wife Wilma....
Mick is the owner of Equipe Girona, a stylish guesthouse here in Girona which he runs with his wife Wilma. After years of working for a big global company Mick wanted to start something not based on excel sheets but run a stay with a heart. After looking at different locations Wilma & Mick found that Girona was perfect for their sports friendly Equipe house!
When not looking after his guests, Mick rides a Focus Izalco Max. We joined him at Equipe for a siesta spin to find out more about his bike.
Chosing a new bike is a glorious, tough decision to make in today’s market as there are so many great options out there. But it’s worth the search – find the right one for you & your riding style & you can transform your experience on the bike. Eat Sleep Cycle founder Lee says:
The Izalco is perfect for riders looking for a fast bike. It’s stiff and ultra-responsive when you push down on the pedals.
We asked Mick what drew him to choose the Izalco Max for his new bike day:
I wanted a more racey bike, one that didnt look to aero but with clean looks and good value for money.
Focus Bikes – German EngineeringFocus Bikes was founded in 1993 by German three-time cyclocross world champion Mike Kluge. After creating his first cyclocross bike, Focus then started out manufacturing mountain bikes & touring bikes & by 2003 were producing high quality road bikes too.The Izalco model has been the top of the range bike for a while & in 2019 it went aero – the Izalco Max.
We asked Mick how the Izalco has impacted his riding style:
Its fast! So you tend to be more in the bars riding fast and riding harder than on a more endurance style bike. This bike excels on smooth fast roads & nice technical descents. For me Sant Hilari from Àngels is one of my favourite loops to ride on the Izalco.
Focus describe the Izalco as a bike with style elegance & passion. It is more than an aero bike & is a declaration of intent – it’s aero, light & super fast. It features intelligent design & has been optimised with wind tunnel testing. The seatpost has been optimised for speed and comfort.
The Izalco comes in a choice of 8 different build options on two different framesets. Both have the same geometry but one has a standard & one has a superlight, high grade carbon with fully integrated cabling. The standard frame is called the 8 series with prices ranging from €2,499 to €4,799 for a complete bike & the superlight is the 9 series with prices starting at €5,999 & rising to a tasty €9,499 for a full Dura Ace Di2 build.
Mick’s weapon of choice is the Focus Izalco Max 9.6. This features the superlight frameset & is built with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset & a fast set of DT Swiss ARC 1450 wheels. The bike is built for speed and comes as standard with 52-36 / 11-30 gearing. Nice for flat & fast terrain but not so practical when you live at the top of Montjuic, a notoriously steep climb next to Girona’s old town.
Mick says:
The standard gearing is for fast riding (or very strong riders), so that I changed to a little semi compact set up.
Want to find out more about Focus Bikes?We are the official Focus Bikes point of sale for Girona. Head over to our Focus bikes section on our online shop or get in touch!
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