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Submitted by
dmb
a Weekend Warrior
from Philadelphia, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | French Creek State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | gift | | Strengths: | Fox rear shock will last forever, easy to pedal, good looks, Alex rims are indestructible. I still use them on my Dakar XLT 1.0. | | Weaknesses: | Formula disc brakes, heavy RS Judy fork | | Similar Products Used: | '03 Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0 | | Bike Setup: | Judy TT, Avid mechanicals, LX drivetrain, WTB Speed V seat, Maxxis Mobster 2.1s, shimano 545 clipless pedals | | Bottom Line: | 2001 Dakar Sport was my first mountain bike, and not a shabby one for its time.
The Judy TT was simple, heavy, but sturdy.
The formula brakes were pretty worthless, there are lots of vee brakes that are better at stopping.
The rear Fox Vanilla was simple and bulletproof.
Maxxis Mobsters wear out fast.
Deore drivetrain was dependable.
The plastic toe-clip pedals were pretty useless.
A great XC bike, a bit on the heavier side numbers-wise, but only the weak would notice. It's a great climber. At a time when stable-platform wasn't on every bike, Jamis made a great design that made inclines easy. The thing can also take a beating. Small hucks and logs were fun obstacles with this bike. I stopped riding it in '03, then it sat for a while, now it's my friends' new xc rig. It's got a float shock in the rear now, Manitou Xvert up front, LX drivetrain, and still taking a beating! NEVER HAD ANY BUSHING PROBLEMS.
Who should buy it? Those new to dual suspension single-track. Those who like climbs. Those who don't want to break the bank on a dual suspension rig. A great, dependable frame. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
paul tarbox
a Downhiller
from colorado
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | vail | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | performance | | Strengths: | rear shock is ok | | Weaknesses: | lame fork bottoms out all the time noajusments 4 suspension. rims are waek bent them side ways. very heavy about 34 pounds. brakes are weak they always drag | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | wtb seat odi grips spider tires lx fr stock evertthing elese | | Bottom Line: | this bike is a terrible value i wish i could give it negitive chilis crappy suspension heavy pice of junk i did four foot drops and it bottomed out with the shocks set as stiff as they get unresponsive brakes and uneffective geometry | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Emil Estacio
a Weekend Warrior
from Manila, Philippines
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Tagaytay & Montalban trail | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$280.00 | | Strengths: | Nice balance, good bike for its price, on the trail its basically almost thesame against its contemporary high end xc bike, almost no pedal bobbing during wall climbs and handling rider friendly the geometry as well is great and the chromo rear triangle is so stiff makes that makes it nice on dual slalom rides. | | Weaknesses: | So far the frame is still ok no squeak or bushing problem or whatever, cant find any weakness as of the moment but the bushings i hope jamis could help those guys who got problem over this simple matter, its a lifetime warantied bike after all. | | Similar Products Used: | KHS Dominatrax, Diamondback Backwoods, GT I drive, Craftworks DHR 209 | | Bike Setup: | Chris King, Race Face, XTR, Mavic Ceramic, Avid Levers , Deore Disc and Hubs | | Bottom Line: | Goof Frame, its basically a good bike for its price | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Skinner
a Weekend Warrior
from London, England
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | The mean city streets | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Bonthrone Bikes | | Strengths: | Great spec for the cash (well, it was 2 years ago) and the bike has not let me down in 2 years of a 10-15 mile daily commute of pretty aggressive urban riding. And then there's the weekends... This bike sticks to trails like glue (probably as its as heavy than about 2 other bikes - but hey - you can't get everything). There are no Jamis dealers in the UK because of EC regulations against Chinese imports (Jamis build thei low-end bikes there), but if you need replacement parts, call Jamis in Northvale NJ (going under the name of Joannou cycles)and they'll help you find the parts you need... | | Weaknesses: | Crappy bushings that wear out far too quickly and those Formula brakes - a) seem to be built from old bits of meccano and b)you could not get replacement pads last year for love nor money - I now run Shimano Deore mechanical brakes just to make the bike even heavier (great brakes though for doing all that slowing down and stopping stuff). | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher 29er (great bike - can't actually steer it though). | | Bike Setup: | Wheels, gears and even some handlebars (which is nice...) | | Bottom Line: | If you can get one cheap, it's a great fun bike that looks the biz and has most of the trimmings even if they are not all top spec... It's a bit of a problem for European riders getting spare bits, but the customer service from Jamis will not leave you shivering in the cold...
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Omaha
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Swanson Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$240.00 | | Purchased At: | frame only at Jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | nice solid frame, great looking welds. Makes for an awesome entry level full suspension. | | Weaknesses: | I don't think it's nearly as bad as Mr. Crabby Pants Trevor claimed in his review, but... it is a little too heavy for XC racing, about 32 pounds with a SID XC front shock and full XT componets. The rear Fox vanilla sucks for anyone except those at a beginner level, there is NO adjustment except spring preload, rebound is too fast and the rear end bucks up coming off of moderate jumps. As mentioned in other reviews, the bushings in the rear suspension pivots suck, after only about 200 miles mine are getting sloppy. And I don't plan on getting screwed on buying new ones, I plan on building a Giant XtC hardtail and sell my Jamis or maybe keep as a bike to beat up on. This year of frame has a chrome-moly rear triangle which is HEAVY | | Bike Setup: | SID XC shock, Truvative crankset, rest is XT parts. Avid mechanical disc brakes. Mavic 223's w/XT hubs | | Bottom Line: | This is a perfect entry level full suspension, but if you look to get into cross country racing you may want to look at the upper end Dakars. The sport is a tad bit too heavy for my tastes, the Vanilla shock tends to bob too much on steep climbs, I'd advise a nice air shock with compresions and rebound adjustments. All in all this is a great bike but I think allot of people may tend to outgrow it quickly. 4 flaming turds for value but only a 3 on overall, I'm disapointed in the poor bushings. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor
a Weekend Warrior
from Greenhurst
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$759.00 | | Purchased At: | Hollyloft | | Strengths: | absolutely none | | Weaknesses: | This bike sucks major dong... The frame broke last year, and it took 2 months to replace, and the new part brok in the same exact place... | | Similar Products Used: | None have ever sucked as much as this piece of feces | | Bike Setup: | who cares? Anything you put on this frame would be wasting money. | | Bottom Line: | don't buy this bike... seroiusly... don't... Jamis' customer service sucks balls, and their products aren't too much better... If you dont like sitting on your ass for 2 months waiting for your bike to be fixed, dont waste your f*cking money...
If I could give negative rating, I would give it a -2000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000, because of all the time and money i wasted on this piece of sh*t... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from orono maine
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | heart attack hill | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | uncle henrys magazine | | Strengths: | Very good suspension, I replaced the front fork because the previous rider beat the crap out of it, I replaced it with marazoci marathon s. Also the weight gives good traction. | | Weaknesses: | Its the heaviest bike ive owned | | Similar Products Used: | none really except a trek 820 with rock shox jett xc, which i broke on a 5 foot drop off | | Bottom Line: | this is a great bike, the only problem that ive noticed is that sometimes in dusty conditions the front disc brake chatters | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor Ecklund
a Weekend Warrior
from Greenhurst
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$759.00 | | Purchased At: | Hollyloft (NEVER GO THERE) | | Strengths: | Good welds
Excellent component spec for <$800
FOX SHOX
| | Weaknesses: | THE FORMULA ACTIVAS... These brakes suck major... well you know... I used these brakes for about 2 weeks, then bought Avid's... | | Similar Products Used: | Nuttin... I demo'd a Trek Fuel 80, but I liked this much better | | Bike Setup: | Avid Mechanicals... but otherwise stock, she's getting a Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3, and a Roox Rollercoaster Chainguide | | Bottom Line: | I'm getting the DJ3 because this is gonna be my DS ride. This bike rocks, but I have only one problem... My dumbass friend decided he needed to take her off a picnic table, and snapped the top left tube on the rear triangle... My bike went back to Hollyloft (the place I bought it from) and stayed there for 2 MONTHS!!! That was in the middle of the summer too... Jamis's service also leaves something to be desired, but the reason I had to wait so long, is because they had to custom weld me one in Japan, because they had sold all of their 2001 inventory to some big ski resort for their rental bikes, so basically i got screwed. Never, ever go to Hollyloft though, that place SUCKS ROYALLY!!! I'm going to put a DJ3, and a chainguide on here and race her for DS... she's pretty strong, as long as you dont land a jump to flat.
-Four loaves for value because of the delay due to Jamis's idiocracy.
-Five loaves for overall because... Come on, this bike rocks, and it knows it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas
a Weekend Warrior
from Greensboro N.C. USA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Owl's Roost and Hobby Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$649.00 | | Purchased At: | Higgins Cycle Shop | | Strengths: | I use to ride an old hoopty ,94 Schwinn Moab. No shocks,about 27 lbs. The Dakar Sport is about 32 lbs. but you would never know it, this bike rocks. I ride XC local stuff and this bike hugs the ground like an earthworm. You can climb hills better than a squirrel climbs trees. You can ride this bike for hours with very little fatigue. The Dakar has a good balance. The way of Yin and Yang. | | Weaknesses: | None... So what if the disc brakes squeal on dusty trails. As long as you can stop on a dime without breaking your spine it's OK, you will live to ride another day. Nuff Said... | | Similar Products Used: | By price , G. Fisher Tassajara, Haro ICS 4.0, GT Avalanche . Yes, these are all hard tails. | | Bike Setup: | Ritchey Logic Pedals. The rest is stock. Fox Vanilla Coil-over rear shock,up front Rock Shox Judy TT. It's all good... | | Bottom Line: | Pound for pound, this is the best bike for your money. The Jamis Dakar Sport is a great bike for your first FS ride. If you have been sitting on the fence like I was about full suspension, don't. Buy this bike if you can find one. If not, get the 2002 model. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Kernersville, NC
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$285.00 | | Purchased At: | Frame only Jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Good welds, cheap, Fox shock | | Weaknesses: | bushings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those f@#$@#$ bushings are failing after 6 months! | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Psylo, XT disc, LX crank, XT shifters, WTB speed disc wheels and hubs | | Bottom Line: | Jamis is untouchable and won't deal with the public. My bike shop doesn't even know what bushings are, and the bushing kit I discovered will cost me nearly 20% of what I paid for the entire frame! $50! If I have the bike shop install it it will cost me another $60! Maybe I won't replace the bushings now. Screw Jamis and their overpriced bushings. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Laurie
a Weekend Warrior
from Las Vegas
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | mustang | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Copeland | | Strengths: | Fun, bouncy. I'm a beginer and I'm having a blast! Love the full suspension | | Weaknesses: | The front disc brakes are driving me batty. Squealing like Jim Baker his first night in prison. But then I hear disc brakes aren't so hot for desert riding. I'll be changing out the rims and putting on v-brakes. Saddle hurt my pooty - got one for women. Oh yeah - and it's heavy when I put it on the truck - but I like the way the weight gives me some traction when I attempt the tough climbs. | | Similar Products Used: | I dunno - my GE Blender? Also a 13 year old Diamondback with a solid frame. | | Bike Setup: | You're asking me? It has wheels, handlebars, peddals, gears. It's yellow. OK - my gearhead buddy says, "Deore and LX mix, judy rock shox TT front fork. Avid disc brakes." Whatever that means. | | Bottom Line: | Mountain biking is fun!!! Woo hoo! The bike is cool. I'll keep this one until I can afford to get a little better quality. I'll definitely skip the discs next time. I like the full suspension and will look for lock-out on the rear shock for my next bike. Do the bruises and scrapes ever end? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Darrell
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Cruces, NM USA
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Lucero Wash | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$285.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Frame Price ($285). Good way to step up to FS from HT. Little bob for a guy who rides with a key (working to get it down to six pack). Enjoyed building this one from the ground up. | | Weaknesses: | Pivot bushings. Paint chips too easy. | | Bike Setup: | LX components, Sun-Ryno Lite rims/LX hubs, X-Vert '01, SRAM 07 cassette | | Bottom Line: | This is a good FS bike for beginners and intermediate riders. My only changes are to go to a better rear shock and change the pivot bushing. Jenson has a good XT deal with frame for under a grand. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Kernersville, NC
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | All of them!!!!!! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$285.00 | | Purchased At: | Jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Excellent frame design. Little or no "bob" on the hills. Excellent welds. Huge down tube. Fox coil over shock is good for taking the edge out, but not for studder bumps or big hits. | | Weaknesses: | The rear triangle is chromoly, therefore heavy. That's it! | | Similar Products Used: | hardtails all the way. No comparison | | Bike Setup: | I bought the frame, spec'd and built it myself. XT discs, 8 speed XT shifters, XTR stainless cassette, LX crankset with a raceface middle ring. Psylo fork set at 100mm to better match the rear travel of 90mm. WTB speed discs....bla bla bla. That about covers it. | | Bottom Line: | Excellent frame overall. Word to the wise, or stupid, I heard many people rag this frame into the ground, mostly due to the Fox coil over on the rear, however, use a little common sense folks, this is a great xc frame, and that's what it should be applied to, for those of you who want to jump off of clifs and are a big bike huckers, then buy an M-1! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunny Florida
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | Downtown Bikes | | Strengths: | Disc brakes and other components for under $1000.00, Shimano derailleur is as quiet as can be and has great power. Fox Vanilla shock is great, though bike rides like a hardtail. Rock shox suspension is as smooth as can be. | | Weaknesses: | Changed pedals to shimano clips and changed saddle to Body Geometry by Specialized. Bikes rides more like a hardtail, and paint chips fairly easily. Have had some difficulty with rear brakes, very loud. Otherwise is a great bike for the price. | | Similar Products Used: | Raliegh M30 and M800 | | Bike Setup: | Shimano derailleur, Hayes mechanical disc brakes, Body geometetry saddle, maxxis mobster tires, fox vannila shock, rock shox Judy TT, Shimano M324 pedals, Cateye Enduro 2 | | Bottom Line: | For the money this is an excellant bike, though it weighs almost 32 lbs. it is hard to notice when riding, thanks to its setup, it rides with minimal effort. This bike seems excellent for new beginners or intermediate looking for a changes. Jamis makes an excellent bike for the money, though the next time around, I will purchasing a hardtail, I am not to impressed with dual suspension think it can be overrated, but I will definately purchase another Jamis bicycle. For the price and quality, they can't be beat. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tommy niner
a Weekend Warrior
from a book
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | hornton hill bsx | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$360.00 | | Purchased At: | Bonthrone Bikes | | Strengths: | Disc's, bouncy, frame, rear 'foxy mumma' sus, Freeride design, Deore, Rims.
Everything!!!!! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Manitou x-vert DC, Fox vanilla rc | | Bottom Line: | This bike rulz. For jumping, it smoothes out the 'bump', but lets big air out of you. It looks good, so you can show off to little weiners. It's light enough. But buy it. Thats all. Buy it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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