Submitted by
Dan Murphy
a Cross Country Rider
from Colliers WV Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Weirton GEO
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
private sale
Strengths:
Very quick, accelerates uphill well even in too high of A gear. No need for pro pedal, has very little trace of pedal bob even out of saddle.
Weaknesses:
Fox fork didn't like A 215 lbs rider so I went with A Manitou Minute 3:00, then the bike came to life.
Similar Products Used:
Trek bikes,Khs bikes and other sorted varieties
Bike Setup:
RP 3 rear shock, Manitou minute 3:00 fork, Margera brakes, Race Face cockpit and evolve XC crank, sun DXC rims with Shimano hubs, SRAM Attack shifters, XT front and rear deraillers.
Bottom Line:
Very nice riding bike, Climbs well, descends well does it all. Took me A couple of days to get the RP 3 and the Minute 3:00 in sinc with one another, but now that I do the bike is fast and nimble. Bike takes punishment, I ride in West Virginia where there is little room for error and have put the bike down hard A few times with no problem. Also the bike jumps well, very balanced in the air, keep your hips square and your upper torso in the riding position and the bike will do anything you want it to. I also take the bike to A local BMX track and play with it. Lots of fun!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Nystrom
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashua, NH, USA Date Reviewed: June 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1775.00
Purchased At:
Bought used on eBay
Strengths:
Light weight, excellent handling and accelleration, no-bob suspension performance, solid braking, outstanding spec for the money (even at full retail)
Weaknesses:
Stock seatpost (Easton EC70 Zero) slipped constantly (not Jamis' fault), needs more brake cable guides on top tube (cable flops around), desperately needs a chainstay guard (the underside takes a beating.
Bike Setup:
Changes from stock: The original owner replaced the fork with a Reba Race with a Poplock adjustable remote and installed WTB Weirwolf tires (non-UST) w/Stans sealant.
I made the following changes: XO twist shifters w/ODI Rogue short lock-on grips, Thompson setback seatpost, Salsa Moto Ace 17 degree flat bar w/130mm Ritchey Pro stem, Speedplay Frog pedals
Bottom Line:
I tried the bike with the stock Easton Monkeylite XC bars/EA70 stem/EC70 seatpost and XO trigger shifters before I started making changes. I've also ridden it with Panaracer Fire XC UST tires.
On twisty singletrack, this bike is a rocket, accelerating with ease. It likes to be ridden fast, where it corners solidly, predictably and without drama and is easy to flick around obstacles. The singletrack around here is typically full of roots, rocks and ruts, with sandy/silty patches and lot of seasonal leaf litter and the bike handles it all just fine. It climbs well both in and out of the saddle, with little bobbing, even without engaging the fork lockout or the shock platform (I run the shock wide open all the time on trails, using the platform or lockout positions only on road sections. Descending is basically point-and-shoot, with the suspension soaking up obstacles with relative ease. As expected the XO parts work smoothly and the Avid Juicy 7's provide plenty of easily modulated stopping power (with some squealing, but I can live with that).
Although I can't compare the Rockshox Reba Race fork to the stock Fox FX, I can say that it's an excellent product that compliments the frame well. It's got every adjustment that one could want and the Poplock feature comes in handy at times. So far, it's handled everything the trails have thrown at it with no problems or complaints.
I have a Rockshox MC3.R shock that I may put on it, but the RP3 works so well that I probably won't change it until I have to.
Overall, I'm really happy with the performance of this bike. It certainly deserves 5 chilis for value. I would give it 4 1/2 chilis overall if I could - since no bike is perfect - but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and go with the full five.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
frank
a Weekend Warrior
from union city, CA Date Reviewed: November 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
newbie rider here..nice ride! this is my 2nd FS bike after riding a cheap/heavy bike for the first my first 3 years. this is 2005 model that i bought used online...my upgrade bike
Weaknesses:
none so far...
Similar Products Used:
i checked santa cruz superlight,trek fuel 100, specialized epic that my friends are riding. another friend ride this brand and i was impressed.
Bike Setup:
minute 2 fork/raceface deus cranks/truvativ team post,riserbar,stem/ fizik gobi saddle/ avid disc brakes/Sram xo shifter/ sram FD and RD/candy pedals/mavic x317 wheels
Bottom Line:
bought this bike used online and was very impressed with the components it has on. it weighs just a little over 26lbs. i rode this bike for the first time and i was impressed how it feels light and efficient climbing and decending my local trails. i will post more on my riding experience as i get used to riding it. if you're looking to upgrade or ready to go FS this may be your bike. its comparable to other products out there but a little cheaper. the bottom line, test ride different brands, think of what kind of riding you like to do. I'm so happy with this purchase since it goes for around 2800$ on sale!at my LBS
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Sunshinecoast, qld, Australia Date Reviewed: March 3, 2006
Favorite Trail:
not telling
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Rides real nice. It's my go out and have fun trailbike, and I have raced it twice. The xtr brakes are nice as.
Weaknesses:
The FOX Talas has ben back for service TWICE with play in the stanchions.
Similar Products Used:
Epic
Bike Setup:
Larsen TT tyres, D2 saddle, carbon S Post, Time pedals
Bottom Line:
Get one , you will love the ride if you are coming off a hardtail you will feel like you riding in a lounge chair. Make sure you still get back on your hardtail now and then to keep it real ......
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CHOOCH
a Weekend Warrior
from VICTORIA AUSTRALIA Date Reviewed: February 9, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Full xtr,fully active suspension. No upgrades needed.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Epic
Bike Setup:
Stock.
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks. Ready to race straight out of the box if that is your thing. Suspension just works without all the gimmicks. Just set and forget.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Amarillo, Tx USA Date Reviewed: February 3, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Any that are dirt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Outdoor Elements
Strengths:
Stiff. Smooth.
Weaknesses:
The stock Fox Float AVA.
Similar Products Used:
Moots RigorMootis, Trek Fuel 100, S-Works Epic, Titus Racer X
Bike Setup:
Marzocchi Marathon SL, Hayes 9s with Gafton Rotors, Hugi hugs with Stans ZTR 355 rims, Flite seat, Zeus carbon post, Syntace stem, Truvativ Team AL bar(modified), XT M752 cranks, XT M750 shifters, Maxxis Ranchero tires, Sans NoTubes.Fox Float R rear shock
24.89 pounds
I could make it lighter, but would rather ride it than work on it..
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks!!! I put this bike together and went racing. I can tell alot with the stiffer rear end. I had a few problems with the main pivot making noise, I lubed it and now no noise at all.
I went to a twelve hour race and was amazed at the difference the extra travel made. I was amazed at how less fatigued I was at the end of the race.
I am taking this bike to the Durango 100 in August and see what damage I can do to that course!!!!
If you are a racer or some one that wants a good FS bike that will last this is your bike!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
andy ghostrider
a Racer
from miami, FL Date Reviewed: January 29, 2005
Favorite Trail:
amelia
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
brokenspoke
Strengths:
this bike climbs good & handles drops, downhill excellent
Weaknesses:
a little heavy but performance make up for it
Similar Products Used:
specialized s-works
Bike Setup:
xt hollow tech 2 cranks,760 rear & front derailleurs,thomsonseat pole & stem,monkey light bars,chris king headset,duke race forks,avid sl brakes,white ind hubs on mavic 618 ceramic rims ,larson tt rear tire & scorpion in front ,wtb stealth ti rails,xtr shifters decked ot to the fullist.
Bottom Line:
this bike is in da house,my previous bike was a s-works,that i thought it was great,until i road this bike & raced it couldint belive the performace & balance of this bike. for the price it will knock the sock of the highest highend bike remember i just droped my s-work & started riding & racing my jamis.that will tell you that somtime your just paying for the sticker name on your bike.no more chain suck thank you jamis.rear frame shock work execellent & good lock out,good climber & single track point the front tire & go.if weight is a factor cruch the peddle harder.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Rohr
a Racer
from Lake View, New york Date Reviewed: November 21, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Bottom Line:
I submitted a review on this bike at the begining of the race season. I had been dissapointed by the weight. I can tell you that this bike's performance has far outweighed it's shortcomings. I used this bike for xc racing and 24 hour team racing. This bike is point and shoot. I equipped it with upgrades (listed in my other review)and it quietly brought me great results including a podium spot at Snowshoe 24. I would not trade this bike for any other-forget the price. The only problems I had this season was a frozen XTR bottom bracket and a problem with f-100x that sent it back to fox for $400. worth of warranty covered parts.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gary
a Racer
from Fridle, MN. USA Date Reviewed: November 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2100.00
Purchased At:
Can't tell
Strengths:
Tricked out with full XTR. This new XTR stuff shifts like nothing I’ve ridden before. Also, the XTR disk brakes are as smooth as a good set of cantilever brakes, but have the stopping power of a Mac truck. Two thumbs up for XTR. The Jamis rides like a big motocross bike, an upright seating position, very comfy and balanced front and rear – a very sweet ride. Also, the front Fox Forx is not a wimpy shock like some of those weight weenie ones we all know about (RS). The Fox Forx is very ridged when cornering as are C’dale headshoks and extremely supple at the same time.
Weaknesses:
Wish the bike was lighter; I don’t care for the zip-ties holding the front brake line on the fork and don’t like the Truvatv components. They will get sold off to the highest bidder – soon!
Similar Products Used:
To many to list. Right now I have (4) mountain bikes to ride and maintain.
Bike Setup:
First ride, so she's a stock bike.
Bottom Line:
The best bang for the buck in the industry. Yeah it’s a Jamis and the frame is made in Taiwan. Still, it’s got a lifetime warranty and looks to be a beefy frame with bearings for the linkage point. If you want a high end FS bike that performs with the best of them and want to save a bunch of moola over the competition, check out this one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sully
a Racer
from Cleveland, OH Date Reviewed: September 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anything that isn't lame
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Garfield Bike Shop
Strengths:
Race ready right out of the box. No need to change much. Nice stiff rear, and solid bearings. This thing rails the downhills. I also like how Jamis redesigned the rear stays. Taking advantage of the Fox's Pro Pedal shock tech. they moved the rear pivot from the chainstay to the seatstay, allowing them to place a nice gusset on the chainstay near the dropouts.
Weaknesses:
Frame isn't the lightest (approx 6.5lbs) but I don't mind much because Jamis has these built to last, not to wear out in a year. TruVativ seatpost and riser bars had to go to cut weight. Replaced with Thompson seatpost and Maxm flat bar.
Similar Products Used:
My first softail, but I have ridden a Scalpel for a few weeks straight (borrowed)...man they are fast and light. If I had to pick between the two I dunno...The Scalpel is definately the lighter set up, but I think the Jamis is just built stronger (no plastic and stonger pivots). The Jamis has a little more rear travel and assaults the downhills much better (IMO).
Bike Setup:
Stock (Spec'd by Jamis) full XTR and so on. Added Thompson post and Maxm flatbar. I also sold the Time pedals the second I got them for some Egg Beaters. Been running the stock Hutchinson Python Airlights and switching between those and the Panaracer Fire XC 1.8's. I feel in love w/ the Python Airlights. I found them to be pretty universal just varying the air pressure. They handle great and are very predictable.(Guess I should post this under the tire reviews...my bad). I also have the rear shock (Fox Float RL AVA) adjusted to the smallest volume. Been playin w/ it a lot and the smallest volume seems to be my favorite. I can't imagine having to worry about two lockouts. There are plenty of times when I have forgotten to turn on/off my rear lock out. The Fox fork (F100x) rules. I am also in the process of getting DT Revolution butted spokes and some killer blue alloy nipples to cut more weight.
Bottom Line:
This bike took some beating and still wants more. The Fox fork is great and I don't mind having a little extra weight for the performance gain of the fork. I could easily get this bike down to an even lower weight w/ a SID, but who wants a SID? The claimed weight from Jamis is waay off, but you have to keep in mind they weigh the smallest frame size w/ out pedals (from what I hear). This bike is great and is at a pretty good price for all that it comes with. If you love the '04 frame, wait til you see the 2005 Dakar Pro (and Expert). The 2005 will have carbon fiber seatstays and bellcrank. (I just might have to sell mine to get the '05.) I would also like to add that the 2004 frame is much stiffer in the rear than the 2003(thanks to the improved arch on the seatstay, cartridge bearings and beefier stays). I did a lot of riding on this thing in 6 months and the rear pivots are still solid. When the bearings do wear out they aren't anything special. Just head over to any bearing shop and they can get them for you.
If you are looking for a killer, hard to beat race rig, I would strongly suggest the Jamis Dakar Pro or Expert. I've seen people choose bikes because of brand loyalty, ego, or some trend. Don't be a fool and try out everything (at the shops and ask on the trail). I went for the Pro because I figured I would be upgrading the bike anyways if I got anything less, and the platform was just what I needed for a strong racer. This bike is ready for some action the second you air the tires up for the first time. Take one for a ride and you will see. You won't have to look any further.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
thu beav
a Cross Country Rider
from decatur, ga Date Reviewed: May 13, 2004
Raceface cranks + bb, xtr, xt discb, chris king, dbl btt spokes, tubeless, manitou front fork, xtr pod shifters.
Bottom Line:
Yo, yo, yo, bab-eei! I was stunned and amazed at the improvement over my last ride. Having shocks in phase and disc brakes makes my day. My downhill is much faster and my climbing has improved as well. Crisp shifting of course, but lockouts and a tall ride. I'm on a 21'. Dayum, it's soo nice. So, go and don't stop till you try this frame. Other great trails here in GA include Chickopee, Bull Mtn., Yellow River and Mason Mill. There's more too. By all means ride this bike. Jamis Dakar PRO.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ty Domin
a Cross Country Rider
from Darwin, Australia Date Reviewed: April 26, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Spoke(n), Melbourne
Strengths:
Value (Drive train, forx and rear shock.)
Weaknesses:
No problems.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Cinder cone converted to single speed, Kona Stinky, Mongooses
Bike Setup:
No change out of the box except for a shorter stem and egg beaters.
Bottom Line:
Simple design allows easy set up and tune in of shocks. It's weight surprises most people and it definately looks great (I have an Expert frame with Pro components). You can cruise on this thing all day, perfect for endurance trail riding. Despite the weight the frame still looks and feels chunky enough to take some big hits without any problems. The bike is perfectly ballanced and what little bob does occur on uphills can be tuned out by correct shock setup or just locked out within reach while riding. But the value is what got me, i placed an order without even having riden the bike and didn't regret a thing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Rohr
a Racer
from Lake View, NY,USA Date Reviewed: April 1, 2004
As purchased bike weighed 27lbs.10 oz. (medium). Advertised weight was 24lbs.12oz. A difference of almost 3 lbs!
Similar Products Used:
GT Zaskar LE Team
Bike Setup:
fox 100x, XTR, Marta rotors,Crossmax SL Disc,Conti Explorer Supersonic, Thomson post,SLR saddle, Ritchey wcs stem, Easton ec 90carbon bars.
Bottom Line:
Great riding bike,nice to look at. Upgrades made the bike weigh what it claimed to be out of box. The fork and shock are the bomb. Full XTR made this a real bargain -Whatever the shortcomings. The shifters,cranks,and brakes perform perfectly.Will update this after race season starts.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Gebhardt
a Cross Country Rider
from Hayward, CA Date Reviewed: March 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Rushmore Bikes
Strengths:
Well equipped w/full XTR. Fox Forx100x is awesome how it locks out. XTR disc brakes are the best. XTR cranks are the best. Frame is stiff. Colors are nice.
Weaknesses:
1.5 lbs heavier than stated at www.jamisbikes.com. Rear triangle mis-aligned by 2mm. Rear drop-out by another 2mm. Truvativ parts heavy.
Bike Setup:
Ritchey WCS, 2003 XTR grouppo, DT Rev Spokes, Alloy nipples, Performance Lunar Light Tubes, Lots of Ti Bolts
Bottom Line:
The rear triangle is not centered about the front triangle (2mm off). I moved a washer from one side to the other, in linkage up front to compensate for the mis-alignment. Also, a perfectly dished rear wheel is 2mm off center, meaning the rear drop-outs not centered. It is spec'd at a weight of 24.75lbs w/o pedals. When I added 959 pedals, the bike weighed 27lbs. Therefore, it weighs 26.25 out of the box. That weight is mostly in the frame and fork. The tubes weighed nearly 200g each and had to go. The 14g spokes and brass nipples had to go. Truvativ seatpost at 318g had to go. Feels very solid and can take a beating, although I am a conservative rider at 157lbs, so it is more bike than I need.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
donald
a Cross Country Rider
from miami,fl usa Date Reviewed: February 25, 2004
Favorite Trail:
markham park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
active cycle
Strengths:
full xtr disk brakes
Weaknesses:
no tubeless rims.. wrips
Similar Products Used:
stumpjumper
Bike Setup:
f100x, fox float ava rl, full xtr, tiem atac pedals
Bottom Line:
bike is sweet...great price for top line products. the fork those lock and the flats and will open the impacts. having the float ava in the back allows you the set up the bike to exactly to your riding style. I was hesistant about the dual control shifters/brake from shimano but it only took about have a trail to get use to(with the rapid rise rear derailleur)...overall the bike is simply much more than what it retails for. I'll do a follow up in about three months
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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