Focus Crater Lake 3.8 (2019) - Review

by Simon Ananda Raj May 19, 2025 1 min read

Focus Bicycles hail from Kloppenburg in Germany and the brand is the brainchild of former World Cup XC racer Mike Kluge, which is why, at their heart, they are all about racing. Stepping aside a little bit from the racing DNA is the Focus Crater Lake 3.8 (2019) Hybrid bicycle. We got the opportunity to review this bicycle and this is what we thought. Weight: 14.6 kgs Usage: Fitness/Commute/Touring

A performance focused all-rounder hybrid for fitness, commute and long distance rides.

Simon Ananda Raj

Focus Crater Lake 3.8 (2019)

Snapshot

3.9

Product Rating Out of 5

Performance 4.0

Design 3.9

Features 4.0

Value for Money 3.5
THINGS WE LIKE

✔ Lightest Alloy frame

✔ Smooth shifting drivetrain

✔ Powerful Hydraulic disc brakes

THINGS WE DON'T LIKE

✖ Hard Handlebar Grips

✖ N/A

✖ N/A
Frame

6061 Aluminium

Lightweight and comfortable to ride Alloy frame.
Fork

Suntour NEX HLO DS With 63mm Travel

During the test ride the suspension did help make the ride comfortable on bumpy roads.
Gearing

Shimano Deore 3x9-Speed

Shimano’s 27-Speed Deore drivetrain performed smoothly during the test ride.
Breaks

Shimano MT200 Hydraulic Disc Brakes

The Shimano Hydraulic Disc brakes were perfectly suited for both rough and smooth roads.
Tires

Schwalbe Smart Sam

The 700x42C Schwalbe tires were well treaded and fast rolling.
Battery

N/A

N/A

: The Focus Crater Lake 3.8 is built on a full Alloy frame. The unique slotted seat stays set the standard, then the oversized head tube, the big boxy rear dropouts and the extended reinforced bottom bracket shell. Interestingly, Focus actually adjusts the stiffness of the frame as you go up in sizes so that smaller sized bicycles are comfortable for lighter riders yet the larger frames are stiff enough to cope with the extra bulk of a taller rider.The suspension on the Crater Lake 3.8 is handled by Suntour NEX Suspension Fork with 6mm of travel. During the test ride the suspension did help make the ride comfortable on bumpy roads. The suspension lockout feature helped in faster rides and easier acceleration on smooth roads.

This lightweight Alloy frame weighs 13.4 kgs and comes in multiple frame sizes
: In an urban environment, where the Focus Crater Lake 3.8 (2019) is designed to be ridden, there is limited use for the full range of gears that the cassette ratio gives you. And if you regularly carry some luggage, and home is up any kind of hill, you will more than likely be going lower on gears often. The 3x9-Speed Shimano Deore drivetrain on this bicycle was smooth in shifting with a wide range. The Shimano Altus M2 27-Speed shifters were swift and comfortable to shift.

Shimano's 27-Speed Deore drivetrain performed smoothly during the test ride
: Focus has always had their strength in aesthetics with elegant designs. When it comes to the Crater Lake 3.8 (2019), Focus went for a minimalistic design. The Ice Blue with matte paint job looks simple yet neat. The graphics has all been done in Black with the brand name embossed very clearly on the down tube. The front suspension fork is also covered in Black with a little bit of Ice Blue graphics.

The Crater Lake 3.9 (2019) comes in 2 colour variants; Matte Ice Blue and Blue
: The Focus Crater Lake 3.8 is equipped with Shimano MT2 Hydraulic Disc brakes. These brakes were as powerful as it can get on a Hybrid bicycle and can be ridden confidently on rough and wet roads as well.The low raise handlebar from Focus was sleek and perfect in length. It might actually be a tad bit lengthier than usual Hybrid bicycles, which is a good thing as it helps open the rider's chest for a comfortable posture.

The Shimano Hydraulic Disc brakes were perfectly suited for both rough and smooth roads
: The Focus Crater Lake 3.8 rolls on a pair of Schwalbe Smart Sam 7x42C Hybrid tires. The bigger circumference helps in rolling faster and the treads helps while riding on bumpy roads. The Focus Sport saddle on the Crater Lake 3.8 was perfect in length and width with enough cushioning to keep the rider comfortable on longer rides.

The 7x42C Schwalbe tires were well treaded and fast rolling

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: This Hybrid Bicycle is built on a lightweight and comfortable to ride Alloy frame. The 27-Speed Deore shifters and Shimano Hydraulic Disc brakes were performance level components, which performed well. The suspension lockout and the 7x42C Schwalbe tires helped ride faster and accelerate easily. Priced at Rs.49,99 (as on 11th September 219) the Focus Crater Lake 3.8 (2019) is an ideal choice for anyone looking to buy a bicycle for commuting, fitness and long distance rides. Prices and Specifications/Components are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.