Submitted by
rausterer
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, ME
Date Reviewed: December 7, 2010
Strengths: Frame, rear shock are great for me, 160 and 5' 10. Handles real nice up, over and down. No problem with the brakes or shifters, work great in all weather.
Weaknesses: Wheels, swapped them out, handlebars/stem says "not for agressive riding", scared me half to death, swapped them out, grips move too much.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike to build up and love it. I ride it every chance i get, it has substantially helped my skill set. With lighter/stronger wheels, lighter forks, bike rolls in just under 30 pounds. I have had 0 issues with chainstays, I do jump it a little on the trails, not DJ or anything and it has remained solid. I also haven't had issues with the tires having poor traction, and i've been riding since I'm 11, so 23 years. Def. worth the money! and if you get it cheap enough, swap out the forks and you loose 2-3 pounds up front SWEET DEAL LOVE THIS BIKE!
Bike Setup: Put Fox FIT fork, azonic outlaw wheelset, truvative OS handlebars and stem, and truvative pedals, race face crank with bashguard.
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Submitted by
bobthecrawler
a Cross Country Rider
from florence,al USA
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2010
Strengths: great components for the price paid.i think it kinda light for a full susp. bike. it rides great very smooth on the trails i ride ,and the trails i ride are very rough. ascends and descends (uphill and downhill) very well. Jamis is a great company ,they have very good customer service,and stand behind their warrantys.
Weaknesses: rear chainstays snapped on a 2 foot jump. fixed under warranty.
Bottom Line:
great bike for the price ,the rear chainstays will probably break, but Jamis will warranty them with the redesigned chainstays with only about $40.00 labor from your local bike shop.
Submitted by
T. Henry
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio Texas
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2010
Strengths: I am 56 years of age and new to full suspension. I have been druelling over the Dakar for some time; my wife bought it for my birthday. I love the way it negotiates the rock gardens (I broke my back some time ago) especially at the Zilker drop in at Barton springs in Austin.
Weaknesses: I have heard some clicking from time to time - from reading the reviews I guess it is a rear derailliuer. Weak on the climb compared to my 4130 hardtail with a build kit. I am still trying to get the feel of the trail it seems totally different to me from my hardtail.
Bottom Line:
I have bounced of the beast three times; may go to clipless. I do not stand as much as on my hardtail; this bothers me. But I have not went over the handle bars in the rock gardens "yet". Great bike exceeds my abilities - so did the hardtail. I get gutless on some technical situations and walk.
Bike Setup: 2008, Rock Shox Tora, fox frame shock, alivo front derailluer, Deore rear. Put shovel head pedals on it?
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Submitted by
Zoppity part 2
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacto, CA - US&A
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2010
Strengths: Components for the price.
Weaknesses: I've owned this bike for less than 2 years and I've snapped 2 swingarms. Same exact spot both times. Right in front of the gusset on the drive side. Never jumped this thing, don't ride anything too technical. I've learned to tape this thing with vinyl tape like a horse with a bum leg. That's the only way you may be able to limp it back to your vehicle. I ride this bike 5-6 days a week, and the 7005 aluminum just can't handle peddling forces for long. Just too rigid. Jamis doesn't pay the shop to rebuild your bike for you and you always get some oddball color. Sometimes bearings, sometimes none.
Bottom Line:
It's true that we should all wait and buy the bike we want instead of buying a bike to build up. I had big plans to get a Jamis AM soon, but I'm going to finish out my warranty, slap a new swingarm on this thing whenever I snap it, and move on to bigger and better things. Thanks Jamis.
Similar Products Used: Gary Fisher, Giant, Specialized
Bike Setup: Fox suspension, SLX cranks & rear derailleur. Deore front, LX shifters, King headset.....
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Submitted by
Kempo-Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Highlands Ranch, CO USA
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2010
Strengths: I purchased the 2008 model in 2009 at my LBS. I wanted the 2008 because of the Easton cockpit. In 2009 many of the parts went to Jamis parts. Single pivot suspension works well.
Weaknesses: The bike is heavy - however - I am a big guy (6' 2" - 250). I can still climb well on the bike. The front end is a little squirrely and a wider tire would probably help out a good bit. The tires do not do well in mud - if you ride in mud - get different tires.
Bottom Line:
I like the bike a lot and have put on some miles over the past year. I mainly ride trails that are hardpack to loose in dry conditions (I live in CO). Despite the weight of the bike, I have no troubles climbing with this bike and I feel better riding it than the hardtail it replaced. I also find myself choosing to ride it over my ride bike more and more. I will change the tires as they are almost done - I plan to use a 2.35 on the front and 2.1 on the rear - not sure which ones yet. Next items will be fork and derailluers as they wear out. I will go with SLX - bang for the buck. I will upgrade as parts need replacing. Bottom line - the bike is fun - great value for the dollar - and I ride it.
Bike Setup: Converted to 3x9 - Shimano SLX triggers and SRAM PG-950 cassette. Fork springs and suspension shock changed for my size. Ergon GX1 grips and Specialized P2 Overendz bar ends. Ritchey MTB pedals. Sealant in the tubes.
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Submitted by
jmknox
a Cross Country Rider
from johnmurawski@hotmail.com
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2009
Strengths: Great quality for the money especially for full suspension. Rides great and looks good too!
Weaknesses: None really. Would like to see better tires and maybe a slightly better fork, but satisfied with stock for now.
Bottom Line:
I looked at Fishers, Specialized, and all the other big names and this was by far the best buy for a quality full suspension bike. Jamis has a future customer! Got a great deal on the bike too since it was an 08. I plan to upgrade as things break and love to ride this bike. Waaaaay better than my DB response sport.
Submitted by
Zoppity
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacto, CA USA
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2009
Strengths: Totally descent bike for the amount paid. I ride fire roads close to the house and more technical trails up in the mountains. This bike has no problem with the climbing or decending that I do with it.
Weaknesses: Rear derailleur did make contact with chainstay. Upgraded derailleur=problem solved. A little heavy. Made a few other changes to the bike which now weighs around 3.5 lb less than when I bought it.
Bottom Line:
I would absolutely recommend this bike to anyone with a budget looking to get on a full suspension bike. I've had no problem getting parts from Jamis. Jersey to CA in about 4-5 days. Go get one.
Bike Setup: Pushed Fox Float R, Shimano SLX crankset, Deore front derailleur, SLX Shadow shifting the rear. LX shifters. Shimano XT cassette, upgraded from 24 spd to 27. 2009 Reba fork. WTB speed v comp saddle.
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Submitted by
bozhed
a Weekend Warrior
from Napa, CA
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2009
Strengths: Great bike for the price. All others were almost double for comparible features.
Weaknesses: The stock rear derailer does make contact with the frame and as a result is noisy going over bumpier terrain.
Bike Setup: Upgraded to Shimano Shadow derailer, no problems now with hitting frame and upgraded to hydraulic brakes.
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Submitted by
debusama
a Weekend Warrior
from Spokane, Wa
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2008
Strengths: Price, feels sturdy, rides nicely
Weaknesses: Weight, real derailleur knocks on the chain-stay, tires.
Bottom Line:
I picked this bike up a few weeks ago for $650 on winter sale. When my all mountain bike was stolen and I decided to get an XC bike, I thought I was going to have to spend $1500 for a decent FS bike. I rode the Yukon FX and was unimpressed, I was also able to ride a trance, which awesome, but more than I wanted to pay. I was beginning to come to terms with the Idea that I might have to go back to riding hard tail. I went on a trip to all the shops around town just to see if there were any good sales and came across my 2008 Dakar XC.
I’ve been riding almost every day since (until we got snow and daytime highs fell to single digits a few days ago). So far, the bike has been more fun than a barrel of monkeys (and monkeys are really fun). It climbs well, all of the components are functional, and it goes smoothly down hills. It is particularly good on stretches of trail when high speeds are possible. My criticisms are few and minor, but here they are:
1. It’s a little heavy, but I’ve got 5 or 10 pounds of body fat to loose before I can start splitting hairs about the bike weighing 33 rather than 28 pounds.
2. The chain stay dips down too low, and when traveling over bumps at high speeds, the derailleur rattles against it. (I zip tied a piece of an old tube to the chain stay as a bumper, and I’m happy now)
3. The tires cause a lot of drag on smooth trails and pavement, but don’t provide particularly good traction on dirt (easy to replace).
At the end of the day, however, I’m happy as a clam. I got a better bike than I expected to be able to get for about half what I expected to spend. For recreational XC riding purposes, this bike does so much more than one can expect from a bike <$1000. I don’t think I’ll need to upgrade until (if/when) I get into competitive racing.
Similar Products Used: Giant AC, Giant Yukon fX, Giant Acapulco
Bike Setup: Stock
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Submitted by
J-
a Weekend Warrior
from West Sacramento, CA - USA
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2008
Strengths: My 2008 beat out the competition with the grade of components that it came with for its price range. The frame also looks more aggressive than other full suspension bikes for under a grand. The very simple graphics on the 2008 look perfect.
Weaknesses: It weighs in at a hefty 35lbs+/-. The original stem was 120mm on my 19" frame. It felt too long and looked goofy so the shop where I bought it swapped it out for the next smaller size.
Bottom Line:
Best bike that I found in the dually department fot under a thousand! Highly recommended!
Similar Products Used: Giant Yukon. I like Giants but this one's dorky looking.
Bike Setup: Stock for now, but looking to change the Fox Vanilla-R coil shock to a Fox Float down the road.
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Submitted by
Miles Gebauer
a Cross Country Rider
from Niagara Falls, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2008
Strengths: Really good ride for the price.
Bottom Line:
I ride 12-20 miles every other day. I chose this bike because I have disk problems in my neck. It is a real pleasure to ride. The only change I made was to get the highest yoke (I think that is the correct term) item that hold the handle bars that I could so I can sit up straighter. I ride city streets, country roads and snowmobile trails and have no neck problems.
Submitted by
jbike
a Weekend Warrior
from Jacksonville, FL
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2008
Strengths: Great price for a beginner dual suspension
Weaknesses: rear rim already bent. seatpost is crap
Bottom Line:
Very happy with the Jamis. My buddy has a 2005 and broke his chainstay, looked at mine where his broke & you can tell they'd already done a redesign... The Vanilla shock is squeaky - needed lube. The wheels could be stronger, bent one on a pretty hard log strike. Mine is lighter than the advertised 33.5lbs - my 19" is about 31 lbs.
Just really pleased with the bike overall, look forward to upgrading over time, but haven't had to do much.
Strengths: First and foremost is affordability. I picked up this 07’ bike on winter sale. The component group is very strong for bikes in this price range as well – Shinamo shifters, breaks. The WTB speed disk tires seem to hold up well and do best when they have loose material to bite into – yet have the softness to enable good traction on those rocky accents/descents. As far as performance goes – this bike pleases a newcomer to this sport. The entry level suspension is suited well for all basic xc needs, the rear linkage does a good job at being responsive on drops, but stable when out of the saddle.
Weaknesses: The rear shock lacks adjustability. Front fork may be weak for larger build people. Both are upgradeable so no real loss for what you pay for.
Bottom Line:
Overall this may not be a true race worthy bike, or DH bike for that matter – but it does extremely well in what it is meant to do – XC/trail. If you weigh 200+ you may want to look elsewhere at bulkier frames, but for any in the 150-170 range – this is plenty of bike to get you started mtbing all over the place.
Similar Products Used: first full suspension bike.
Bike Setup: stock
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Submitted by
Mario Villanueva
a Cross Country Rider
from Greenville, SC USA
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2007
Strengths: For the money this is the best entry level full suspension cross country bike on the market. I looked at many bikes, rode a GT, then saw this and rode it out of the shop. I have absolutely pounded on this thing and had no worries other than a faulty rear Maxxis tire that the shop swapped out for me. It has taken the best Pisgah, DuPont, Tsali and Issaqueena has to offer and is none the worse for wear.
Weaknesses: Little heavy, but to be expected at this price point
Bottom Line:
If you are soreassed from a hard tail and want to step up to a full cush ride for under $1000, this is the way to go.
Bike Setup: stock, swapped out the 3rd chainring for a bash guard
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Submitted by
Simon
a Weekend Warrior
from Wellington, NZ
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2007
Strengths: Value for money, quality, suited to my purpose of XC and commuting
Weaknesses: Cable operated discs, I wanted the champagne/black colour scheme but LPB only had blue/black.
Bottom Line:
For the money, there was nothing even close to this. When I bought it, the guy checked the prices and said "Way too cheap" and it's been perfect for me. Try and buy the same level of spec from a name brand elsewhere - this bike rocks!
The cable discs it came with (Shimano) were okay, but on long rides became tiring, so I swapped them for Deore hydro discs which are awesome - more power, less effort required and great feel). The swap took 15 minutes.
The fork is great - pliant, stiff although on the list of areas I can lose weight from. The drivechain is fine - you could spend more but I haven't found the need yet and probably never will. The rear shock is fine as well - adjustable only for preload, but suits me. My skill set would need to rise sustantially for it to be a weak point.
I prefer to buy at the lower end of the market and build the bike up where it needs it. Out of the box, this bike is superb. Rides and climbs very well, suspension will suit almost every rider. If you buy a XC bike and jump it repeatedly then slag it off, you're an idiot.
This bike will suit people getting into the sport who haven't got three times the dosh to spend on a bike, but want to enjoy themselves on XC, trail and commuting. You can upgrade parts to suit as you need to. Some people will complain it doesn't match a GT iDrive or a Reign or whatever - you could buy a 2nd hand bike or this brand new Jamis and get out there and have some fun.
