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Focus Izalco Max vs Rose Shave FF
Pick up to 4 bikes. Rows line up component by component. Highlighted rows differ, and green marks the best value where lower or higher is clearly better.
Key differences
- The Rose Shave FF starts €399 cheaper (€5,600 vs €5,999 for the Focus Izalco Max).
- Our verdict scores the Rose Shave FF higher overall: 82/100 vs 80/100.
- The Rose Shave FF's lightest build is 0.10 kg lighter (7 kg vs 7.1 kg).
- Tire clearance: up to 30 mm on the Focus Izalco Max vs 35 mm on the Rose Shave FF.
- The Focus Izalco Max comes in 7 sizes, the Rose Shave FF in 6.
Focus Izalco Max
Rose Shave FF
| FocusIzalco Max | RoseShave FF | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Brand | Focus | Rose |
| Build | Izalco Max 9.9 | Shave FF Ultegra Di2 |
| Build notes | Colour Grey. Claimed weight without pedals. EUR price from Focus's German shop; the UK shop lists the bike without a price. | Colours supersonic grey, silver and bubblegum. Claimed about 7.1 kg (±5 %) in size M, silver, without pedals. MSRP €5,600; Rose showed it reduced to €5,399 in a Black Deals sale on 2 Nov 2026. |
| Price (MSRP) | €8,499€8,499€8,499 | €5,600€5,600€5,600 |
| Bike weight | 7.1 kg15.7 lb | 7.1 kg15.7 lb |
| Weight measured on size | M | M |
| Model year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Generation | 4th generation (G4), 9 series | First generation (2026) |
| Launched | 2023-10 | 2026-02 |
| Discipline | Aero road | Aero road |
| UCI legal | Yes | Yes |
| Verdict (out of 100) | ||
| Overall score | 80 | 82 |
| Aero | 80 | 84 |
| Frame | 88 | 84 |
| Components | 82 | 80 |
| Fit | 72 | 80 |
| Practicality | 66 | 68 |
| Price | 80 | 83 |
| Weight | 94 | 96 |
| Frame & fork | ||
| Frame material | Carbon ('MAX technology', 9 series) | Carbon (FF grade; Rose keeps Toray M40X for the FFX) |
| Fork material | Carbon (same fork on the 8 and 9 series) | Carbon (Shave FF fork) |
| Frame weight | 865 g30.5 oz | 850 g30 oz |
| Fork weight | — | 390 g13.8 oz |
| Weight measured on | Frame, size M (9 series), as reported by BikeRadar from Focus's launch figures; Focus's product pages list 865 g without a size | Frame and fork, size M, as given by bike-x from Rose's launch figures |
| Max system weight | 110 kg242.5 lb | 110 kg242.5 lb |
| Frame sizes | XXS (470), XS (500), S (520), M (540), L (560), XL (580), XXL (610) | XS, S, M, M/L, L, XL |
| Colours | Grey (9.9), Purple (9.8), Black or Silver (9.7) | supersonic grey, silver, bubblegum |
| Also available as | Izalco Max 8 series with a heavier carbon frame (1,050 g claimed) | Shave FFX, the top grade of the same race frame in Toray M40X carbon (795 g claimed, size M) with carbon-spoked wheels; plus the more relaxed endurance Shave |
| UCI frame approval | On the UCI list of approved framesets as 'IZALCO MAX G4' (code DCW-IZ06) and 'IZALCO MAX G4 V2' (code DCW-IZ07), both approved 7 Jul 2021 in sizes XXS-XXL (7) (UCI list version 2026.10.02); the list doesn't say which entry is the 9 series | On the UCI list of approved framesets as 'SHAVE FF' with fork 'XLITE FF', sizes XS-XL (6), approved 2 Apr 2025, code ROSE-SHAVE1 (UCI list version 2026.10.02) |
| Compatibility & standards | ||
| Brake type | Hydraulic disc, flat mount (160 mm front, 140 mm rear mount) | Hydraulic disc |
| Max rotor size | 160 mm | — |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Max tire width | 30 mm | 35 mm |
| Bottom bracket standard | BB86 press-fit (86.5 mm) | BB86 press-fit |
| Front axle | 12x100 thru-axle (117 mm, M12x1.75) | 12x100 thru-axle |
| Rear axle | 12x142 thru-axle (169 mm, M12x1.75) | 12x142 thru-axle |
| Drivetrain compatibility | All road groupsets, electronic or mechanical; designed for 2x but 1x is possible | Complete builds use Shimano Ultegra Di2 and SRAM Force AXS 2x12 |
| Mechanical shifting possible | Yes | — |
| 1x compatible | Yes | — |
| Max chainring | 54T | — |
| Front derailleur mount | Braze-on, not removable | — |
| Cable routing | Internal through the Focus C.I.S. headset system | Internal through the cockpit |
| Electronic battery location | Internal battery mount | — |
| Fit & adjustability | ||
| Cockpit | One-piece Reserve carbon bar and stem on the MY2026 9-series builds (earlier and 8-series bikes use the Focus C.I.S. aluminium stem with a separate bar) | Fully integrated Rose Shave carbon aero cockpit (Rose doesn't say on its product pages whether bar and stem are one piece) |
| Clip-on aerobars possible | — | Yes |
| Seatpost type | Focus Aero Carbon D-shape seatpost, internal clamp; 0 mm setback on XXS-L and 15 mm on XL-XXL | Rose aero carbon seatpost (D-shaped), 0 mm offset |
| Fit notes | Dealers supply the Reserve cockpit in the stock size for each frame (80-120 mm stem, 380-420 mm bar); Focus says Reserve will sell further combinations, some with narrower bars. Bikes ship with 35 mm of spacers. The C.I.S. stem comes in 70-120 mm lengths and can be swapped without removing cables. A 0 mm setback seatpost also comes in a 400 mm length. | The cockpit has narrow hoods and 13° of flare in the drops, with stock widths of 350-390 mm and stems of 100-120 mm by size; Rose leaves room on it for a computer mount and a time-trial bar. Bikes ship with 20 mm of spacers under the cockpit. |
| Aerodynamics | ||
| Manufacturer aero claims | 6.6 W less drag at 45 km/h than the previous Izalco Max, about 1:45-1:47 quicker over 45 km (launch figures as reported by BikeRadar and Gran Fondo) | Rose says the Shave FF is aerodynamically optimised but publishes wind-tunnel figures only for the Shave FFX (205 W at 45 km/h in TOUR's tunnel) |
| Testing method | CFD and wind tunnel (BikeRadar) | — |
| Tube profile | Truncated NACA-shaped tubes | — |
| Travel, maintenance & warranty | ||
| Headset bearings | Acros IS52 top and bottom (integrated C.I.S.) | — |
| Derailleur hanger | Focus-specific hanger; a Shimano direct-mount hanger is also listed | UDH (SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger) |
| Maintenance | Disc mounts are flat mount 160 mm front and 140 mm rear (160 mm rotors stock on larger sizes). No mounts for mudguards or racks. | — |
| Proprietary parts | Reserve one-piece cockpit, C.I.S. stem and headset parts, D-shape seatpost, derailleur hanger | Shave cockpit, aero seatpost, optional Shave-specific carbon bottle cages |
| Frame warranty | 6-year warranty on the carbon frame and fork for the original owner (2 years on paint) | — |
| Sold via | Through Focus dealers, and online from Focus in some countries (e.g. Germany) | Direct from Rose (online and Rose stores) |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Groupset | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 |
| Launched | 2021 · current generation | 2021 · current generation |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Electronic | Yes | Yes |
| Drivetrain | 2x | 2x |
| Shifters | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 ST-R9270 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 ST-R8170 |
| Notes | Combined shift and hydraulic brake levers | Combined shift and hydraulic brake levers |
| Crankset | Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 | Shimano Ultegra R8100 |
| Chainrings | 52/36 | — |
| Crank lengths available | 165 mm (XXS-XS), 170 mm (S-L), 172.5 mm (XL), 175 mm (XXL) | 165 mm (XS-S), 170 mm (M), 172.5 mm (M/L), 175 mm (L-XL) |
| Notes | — | Rose's spec list names both a 50/34 4iiii crankset and a 52/36 FC-R8100; the chainrings fitted aren't clear |
| Power meter | 4iiii Precision | 4iiii Ultegra R8100 power meter crank |
| Type | — | Crank arm |
| Notes | — | Rose lists a 4iiii-equipped FC-R8100 crankset and doesn't name the 4iiii model or whether it is dual-sided |
| Bottom bracket | Shimano Dura-Ace | — |
| Standard | BB86 press-fit | — |
| Front derailleur | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9250 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150 |
| Rear derailleur | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9250 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8150 |
| Cassette | Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 | Shimano Ultegra R8101 |
| Range | 11-34 | 11-34 |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Chain | Shimano CN-M9100 | Shimano CN-M8100 |
| Brakes | ||
| Brake calipers | Shimano Dura-Ace BR-R9270 | Shimano Ultegra BR-R8170 |
| Type | Hydraulic disc, flat mount | Hydraulic disc |
| Rotors | Shimano RT-CL900 | — |
| Front rotor | 160 mm | — |
| Rear rotor | 140 mm | — |
| Mount | Center Lock | — |
| Notes | 160 mm rear on XL-XXL | — |
| Wheels & tires | ||
| Wheelset | DT Swiss ARC 1400 Dicut | Rose RC55 CX-Ray |
| Front rim depth | 55 mm | 55 mm |
| Rear rim depth | 55 mm | — |
| Internal rim width | 22 mm | 23 mm |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Spokes | — | CX-Ray |
| Weight | — | 1,360 g3 lb |
| Notes | — | Rose gives a 55 mm front rim and a narrower rear rim, 1,360 g for the pair, 23 mm internal width |
| Tires | Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR | Schwalbe Pro One Aero |
| Tire width | 28 mm | 28 mm |
| Notes | — | Pro One Aero Front Evo (front) and Pro One Rear Evo (rear), Super Race casing, RaceGuard |
| Cockpit | ||
| Handlebar | Reserve One-Piece Cockpit | Rose Shave Cockpit |
| Type | One-piece bar and stem | Integrated carbon aero cockpit |
| Integrated stem | Yes | — |
| Widths available | 380 mm (XXS-S), 400 mm (M-L), 420 mm (XL-XXL); stem 80-120 mm by size | 350 mm (XS-S), 370 mm (M-M/L), 390 mm (L-XL); stem 100-120 mm by size |
| Bar reach | 75 mm | — |
| Bar drop | 125 mm | — |
| Flare | 6° | 13° |
| Cable routing | — | Internal |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Weight | 330 g11.6 oz | — |
| Notes | Focus quotes 330 g raw. The spec list gives a -6° stem angle, Focus's FAQ -10°. | — |
| Headset | Acros IS52/IS52 (ICR), FOCUS C.I.S. | — |
| Saddle & seatpost | ||
| Saddle | Fizik Vento Antares R1 Lite | Selle Italia SLR Superflow S3 |
| Seatpost | Focus Aero Carbon D-shape | Rose Shave aero carbon seatpost |
| Offset / setback | 0 mm (XXS-L), 15 mm (XL-XXL) | 0 mm |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Bar tape | — | Rose Gel-Comfort |
| Included extras | ||
| Pedals | — | None included |
| Geometry (smallest – largest size) | ||
| Sizes | XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL | XS, S, M, M/L, L, XL |
| Rider height min | — | 155–191 cm5′1″–6′3″ |
| Rider height max | — | 166–200 cm5′5″–6′7″ |
| Stack | 500–611 mm19.7–24.1″ | 515–616 mm20.3–24.3″ |
| Reach | 370–420 mm14.6–16.5″ | 375–430 mm14.8–16.9″ |
| Seat tube angle | 73–75° | 73.5–75.5° |
| Head tube angle | 70–73° | 71.5–73.8° |
| Head tube length | 90–195 mm3.5–7.7″ | 110–205 mm4.3–8.1″ |
| Effective top tube | 505–607 mm19.9–23.9″ | 508–612 mm20–24.1″ |
| Seat tube length | 455–585 mm17.9–23″ | 435–575 mm17.1–22.6″ |
| Chainstay | 410 mm16.1″ | 410 mm16.1″ |
| Wheelbase | 975–1,033 mm38.4–40.7″ | 969–1,038 mm38.1–40.9″ |
| BB drop | 72 mm2.8″ | 72 mm2.8″ |
| Fork length | 371.5 mm14.6″ | 370 mm14.6″ |
| Fork offset | 46 mm1.8″ | 44 mm1.7″ |
| Trail | — | 55–66 mm2.2–2.6″ |
| Standover | 746–857 mm29.4–33.7″ | 735–854 mm28.9–33.6″ |
| Saddle height max | — | 690–890 mm27.2–35″ |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Crank length | 165–175 mm6.5–6.9″ | 165–175 mm6.5–6.9″ |
| Stem length | 80–120 mm3.1–4.7″ | 100–120 mm3.9–4.7″ |
| Handlebar width | 380–420 mm15–16.5″ | 350–390 mm13.8–15.4″ |
Geometry overlay
Pick a size for each bike to see frames and arm-pad ranges on top of each other.
Drawn to scale (how to read it).