Submitted by
Michael Murphy
a Weekend Warrior
from Mankato, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2006
Strengths: Lightweight (5.5lb frame), active suspension
Weaknesses: Slightly flexy, paint is a little brittle,
Bottom Line:
I built this thing because I was working a lot and had money in my pocket; I'd never ridden a dual suspension rig before. Then I let it sit because I figured it was heavier / less efficient than my hardtails.
When I finally weighed it, it was 26.4 lbs... same as my hardtail. Shocking. Then I started riding it on the more agressive trails around here. The suspension aids in climbing and descending (more with descending) and there's really no weight penalty. I run the Cane Creek air shock pretty stiff. I can float over rougher stuff that I stuttered on with my hardtail.
The newer Dakar frames are two or three pounds heavier. For someone who is a finesse rider / lighter weight person, this frame is sweet. I wouldn't recommend an Easton Elite frame like this for a hammerhead or heavier rider.
Bike Setup: 17 inch frame RockShox Judy XC long travel, '98 Deore XT brake levers, brakes, rear hub, 9speed Deore XT cranks, bb, shifters, cassette, derailleurs, Icon bar and 90mm stem, Orbit DL headset, Bontrager post, Selle Italia Flite Ti saddle, Bontrager Red label / blue label rims, Trek System 3 front hub, IRC Mythos XC 1.9 tires, Coda SPD pedals, Titec L bend bar ends.
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Submitted by
Fred Sled
a Weekend Warrior
from Spawn Ranch, CA
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2005
Strengths: Light, fast, low center of gravity, the best suspension setup for all around trail riding.
Weaknesses: The rear triangle was built a little out of alignment, I would have rather had bearings vs. bushings for suspension pivot points.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent all around bike, my bike weighs exactly 27 pounds with slimed tubes. It climbs excellent, and decends the same. I feel very confident with the balance and low center of gravity. With the fork I am using the bike has a lower bottom bracket height than most bikes, I can climb the trials many people walk their bikes up. The seat tube and head tube angle make this bike steer and handle like a BMX, I like that feel so I went with a short stem, and a riser bar. It bunny hops and jumps excellent. Short of hucking off loading docks, there isn't much this bike can't do setup right. I like the feel of this bike so much, I'm buying a Dakar XLT frame to build into a 5" travel bike that can handle bigger stuff. The top of the line XLT frame goes for $529.00 new, a 5" travel frame with this quality of suspension is an amazing value.
Similar Products Used: Foes, GT, Diamondback, Mongoose, Motiv, KHS, Chumba
Bike Setup: XT Groupo W/ V-brakes, Easton carbon bars and post, White Industries tracker hubs, butted spokes on X517 wheels. Panaracer XC pro's, RS SID XC fork, Flight deck computer, Ruffian grips, Azonic ORC stem. Odyssey mtb pedals.
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Submitted by
Zak
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2002
Strengths: Smooth as silk, great styling, pleanty of frame stiffness, amazingly durable, extremely light-weight.
Weaknesses: Cane Creek AD-8 rear shock was a dud. Bad O-rings around bushings, paint chips like crazy (the bike includes a jar of touch-up paint!)
Bottom Line:
Bottom line, this is a FANTASTIC bike. I built it from the frame-up, which accounts for the high price, but it was worth every penny. This bike has for the past several years been my primary ride. My other bike is a 1996 vintage Trek 7000 with similar upgrades. The Jamis handles bumps beautifully. It's smooth, it's reliable, and when people don't just look at it... they stare. I've had dozens of people compliment the bike over the years and there's no way in hell I'd ever get rid of it. I took the bike up to Whistler in British Columbia last year and it excelled on the downhills. As far as cross-country on this bike is concerned: 20 miles on the Jamis feels like 10 miles on the Trek. The bike climbs beautifully, the bob is minimal and it wants to hop around like a wild pony, but it never gets out of control. Truly an amazing machine, and my standards are VERY HIGH.
found 15 frames in the back of a warehouse in Taiwan,and bought them all for a song.I'm now converted from a die hard hardtail upbringing.You can really boof into these things without bouncing all over the place,but they smooth things out nicely when you want it. The frames are not the latest whizz bang hi tech toys on the market,but they really work.I use mine for everything and it loves it.-Excellent all rounder-You won me Jamis
Strengths: for its age, this bike couldn't have been better. It was the red one with Easton Elite tubing and the cane creek shock. I looked at everything from $2g-2500 and I couldn't find anything more attractive. It was lighter out of the box than most more expensive bikes and it wasn't noisy and heavy like a GT LTS and it wasn't stupid like a Y-bike. This bike worked!!!! its climbing traction was awesome it railed on the singletrack
Weaknesses: a little flexy after a while, although I am 190+ I had to replace the cane creek a couple of times, its ok they sent me a better one each time
Bottom Line:
I was just being lazy and figured I'd browse good old mtbr, I figured I'd look and see what people had to say about the bike that truly I will never forget. What can I say, after 4 seasons it got a bit squirrely and just tired. I replaced the bushings numerous times but its reliabilty was becoming an issue. I loved this bike and wish that Jamis still made the same one. I thought about buying another one through mail order closeouts but figured it was time for some new technolgy. Unfortunately I finally gave it up for a bike I am really unhappy with. I got a smokin smokin deal on a Specialized Enduro frame with a z1. Talk about an unresponsive heavy high center of gravity low bottom bracket mistake. It was good going down the hills but thats it. I really miss my Jamis but I just moved back east and I'm getting back to the roots of it all with a new Hardtail. I can't say enough about the Dakar though what an amazing epic ride trailbike. Those of you who have one know exactly what I'm talking about. Sometimes I would just catch myself staring at it and smile.
Similar Products Used: a couple c-dale hardtails, specialized Enduro, soon a tomac scandium!!
Bike Setup: Originally stock with a a couple of upgrades. I then replaced the things when they needed it.... Caramba cranks broke but everything else that was replaced needed it solely because it was time. It finally had some mavic 517 ceramics riser bars xt drivetrain.... whatever worked. this bike ruled. nice and light and not stupid.
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Submitted by
Eric Merchant
a Cross Country Rider
from Modesto, CA
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2001
Strengths: Great frame, good flexibility and sturdy as hell.
Weaknesses: I had to rebuild the AD10 but that's to be expected with that particular rear shock.
Bottom Line:
For the buck - this bike rocks. Great for very technical single track riding, and can handle pretty tough downhill as well, I pounded the hell out of it at a local ski area last summer and it held up killer. I may change out the rear shock if I does not make it through this season, but other than that I can't find anything else worng with the whole package.
Bike Setup: Noleen 100's for the front suspension, Deore LX all the way around. Titec stem, azonic bars - great setup
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Submitted by
chris muhr
a Cross Country Rider
from Fruita, Colorado
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2001
Strengths: Light weight, great geometry for cross country and tight singletrack riding
Weaknesses: AD 8 and AD 10 shocks both needed rebuilding and/or replacement and I broke one of the Caramba Cranks in half.
Bottom Line:
Although I've had some rear shock problems, and a stock crank which broke in half, I think the Dakar is one of the best setups out there for technical singletrack. Our riding here consists largely of tight, ledgey(is that a word?)singletrack that frequently breaks some of the best bikes and components on the planet. Overall the Jamis Dakar has been an excellent bike and their service has been very good (I haven't had to buy a new rear shock, I just wanted a new type). Anyway, I keep sinking more money into better and newer components because the new bikes out there don't seem to be as light or as well adapted to our riding as the good old Dakar. Happy Trails!!!
Bike Setup: Everything has been replaced with lighter or more durable products with the exception of the fork, stem, and seatpost. I replaced the grip shift with rapid fire XT for more precise shifting and have replaced both the stock wheels and some custom builts with Mavic 517's which are performing fine. Replaced the Cane Creek shocks with another brand that will hopefully be more durable.
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Submitted by
Richard Hart
a Cross Country Rider
from Novato, CA
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2000
Strengths: Love the bike - I'm pretty light so I like it's flex adjustability
Weaknesses: Backed up by pathetic customer support. I've broken the "replacable" dropout and no shops in my area have a replacement. I emailed them about getting another and got a terse response - "go to a dealer" Thanks guys...You'd think they'd be a little more helpful after I poured almost a month's salary into their company.
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2000
Strengths: Light Nice Looking Inexpensive
Weaknesses: Pivot problems
Bottom Line:
I have owned two different Jamis frames. I prefer the '97 rendition; however, the newer frames are quite good too. I like the post '98 edition's horst type linkage as oppossed to the pre '98 edition's seatstay pivot. However, the '97 and older were much lighter. I like both bikes.
These bikes are no Intense Tracers or other fancy bikes, but for a third the money they have 80% the performance. Plus, you can buy new ones while that 2k Ellsworth is all beat to crap after riding it too long (who wants to sell a 2k frame for cheap due to damage?).
I am a Jamis fan! I have found their customer service fine. A guy I know had a '97 frame with a tiny crack due to incessant downhilling he got warranted when they should have laughed at him. They cover people.
The pivots are cheap when they go bad, but these bikes can have pivots problems. They are easy to replace.
Similar Products Used: '98 Dakar freeride '97 Dakar Cross Country
Bike Setup: Freeride: Z1, XT, Vanilla RX Cross Country: SID, Cane Creek
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Submitted by
Ray Kerr
a Weekend Warrior
from Parker, Colorado
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2000
Strengths: Light weight, design, ride, RED paint
Weaknesses: Paint chips too easily
Bottom Line:
This bike has replaced my aluminum HT. I was looking for a lightweight FS that wouldn't break the bank (yeah, right... boys and their toys). The best way to describe the ride is SWEET. My kidneys and other internal organs love it. I'm enough of a retro-grouch to appreciate the conventional front triangle. The real down tube is a plus as I sometimes (actually quite a bit) pull a Tag-a-long with requisite eight year old. It provides a stable and predictable ride. Love the RED paint!!! All in all I'd recommend this to anyone that wants to build a quality XC/Trail bike and that doesn't want/need all the Buck Rogers looks of many of the current crop of frames. Oh, yeah, for you non-believers... I weigh in at 220 and the frame can take it...
Bike Setup: XT 8-speed drive train, Avid AR 50 w/ 2.0 levers, Truvativ FireX SL cranks, Richey pedals, Mustang rims w/ Panaracer FireXC Pros and 97 Answer SX (soon to be 99 X-Vert)Forks
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Submitted by
allen
a Cross Country Rider
from ral, n.c.
Date Reviewed: January 17, 2000
Strengths: great geometry, light easton elite tubing, cane creek ad-8 with 3.5" of travel and low cost of frame set
Weaknesses: soft paint
Bottom Line:
i got this frame set for $475. decked it out myself, and with a 4" bomber on it, it still wieghs less than 27 lbs. this bike is the s**t. i wanted to wait several months before i reviewed this frame. now that i've ridden it, i can say that together with it's light weight and strong frame design, i'll be riding this sweet machine for a while.
Similar Products Used: c'dale super v, trek -y22-, gt zaskar
Bike Setup: z-1 alloy, xtr, race face, spox
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Submitted by
Mike Edge
a Cross-Country Rider
from Palm Beach, Florida
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2000
Strengths: Well constructed, great design which works very well. Good looks and great value
Weaknesses: On the heavy side (26 lbs. despite using very light components)
Bottom Line:
Even when it was set up much heavier, the Dakar Pro handled well and was a pleasure to ride on long (3 hr.) trips. Now it has been significantly lightened, the bike is nimble as well as plush. I stripped off the clearcoat and decals, spent many hours and tubes of Flitz to bring the frame to a beautiful lustre. The good guys at Jamis were very prompt and helpful in providing replacement decal kits. Now they have a website, Jamis are much easier to deal with. Excellent customer service which usually indicates great product....this is no exception to that rule. The final accolade is that the Jamis is terrific value for money.
Bike Setup: Major changes since Oct 98 first review: Marzocchi Bam front forks with titanium upgrade, Cane Creek AD10 rear airshock,Ibis titanium stem, Dean titanium seatpost, Easton carbon fibre handlebars, WTB SST98 saddle on titanium rails. SRP carbon fibre cranks and bottom bracket, Race Face chainrings, Shimano 646 pedals, Avid Extreme Arch brakes, Shimano XTR combo shifters,Chris King headset and hubs. Wheelset Bontrager Valiants with DT Comp spokes, Michelin Wildgripper S and latex innertubes. IDO locking grips and Gore cablesets. Control Tech titanium lock skewers.
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Submitted by
ALLEN
a Cross-Country Rider
from RAL, N.C.
Date Reviewed: October 25, 1999
Strengths: LIGHT WEIGHT, CANE CREEK AD-8, GREAT GEOMETRY, PRICE
Weaknesses: SOFT PAINT
Bottom Line:
I BUILT UP A DAKAR FRAME AND LOVE IT. GREAT SUSPENSION DESIGN AND LIGHT WEIGHT. I'M PRETTY HARD ON MY EQUIPMENT BUT IT'S HOLDING UP FINE. I GOT A GREAT DEAL TOO. $500 FOR FRAME AND CANE CREEK. AWSOME!!!!
Strengths: lightweight for full-suspension frame with set-up that works
Weaknesses: placement bolt for air shock rusting
Bottom Line:
BROKEN SPOKE RACING first of all my bike was customized to my taste and pocket thanks to chris and hector from broken spoke bikes in miami. bike was built piece by piece and sale by sale. i tend to brake things on my other bikes because of the foolish things that i try but this bike is indestructible so far. i nick-named my bike TANK because the frame works so good no matter what i am going through. it shines the best when riding XC terrain and climbing at least for me. i really love my bike because its different and looks good too
Similar Products Used: first full suspension purchased but have ridden all types from friends and aquaintances
Bike Setup: shock-manitou sx-ti wheels- sun rims with xtr hubs and bontrager revolt tires--front rim 0degree rear rim 0degreeXC with Ti XTR cassette stem- kore elite handlebar- easton monkey lite riser headset- chris king post- thomson seat-selle italia Ti gel pedals- bontrager r-1 grips- wtb XTR- brake lever shifter pods, cranks, bottom bracket, front and rear derailleur shimano IG-90 chain
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Submitted by
gene
a Cross-Country Rider
from miami fl
Date Reviewed: October 24, 1999
Strengths: lightweight for full-suspension frame with set-up that works
Weaknesses: placement bolt for air shock rusting
Bottom Line:
first of all my bike was customized to my taste and pocket thanks to chris and hector from broken spoke bikes in miami. bike was built piece by piece and sale by sale. i tend to brake things on my other bikes because of the foolish things that i try but this bike is indestructible so far. i nick-named my bike TANK because the frame works so good no matter what i am going through. it shines the best when riding XC terrain and climbing at least for me. i really love my bike because its different and looks good too
Similar Products Used: first full suspension purchased
Bike Setup: shock-manitou sx-ti wheels- sun rims with xtr hubs and bontrager revolt tires--front rim 0degree rear rim 0degreeXC with Ti XTR cassette stem- kore elite handlebar- easton monkey lite riser headset- chris king post- thomson seat-selle italia Ti gel pedals- bontrager r-1 grips- wtb XTR- brake lever shifter pods, cranks, bottom bracket, front and rear derailleur
