RunningEast

Hi everyone,
First post here. I am trying to buy a Jamis Coda Sport. Any of you who are currently trying to buy this bike know how hard it is to find the size, style and (gasp) color you want when the bikes are sold out at the manufacturer.

The only Coda I've ridden is a ladies' style in a color I truly dislike and will dislike into the forseeable future. This bike is at an absolutely wonderful bike store I would love to support.

I am 5'6", female, bike inseam of 31.75, reach 2 inches longer than I am tall. Basically long limbed. The good LBS fitted me with a 16 inch frame and it seemed like a good fit. I ride my husband's 17" mountain bike, no problem.

I would love to find a color that I liked in this bike and I also originally was shooting for the men's bike which comes in a slick black color. The good LBS said that the men's and women's geometry is essentially the same. I have been phoning around to other cities in my state trying to see whether I can locate what I want.

The weird thing is that 2 of the dealers seemed pretty sure I would want a 15" frame, which seems awfully small. I also intend to convert to upright, probably north road style handlebars. I think I get numbness in my fingers with a more agressive position. I'm afraid that upright handlebars might make a 15" frame size seem extra cramped.

I guess my questions are: What frame size do you think I need? Should I continue on my hunt for the style and color I want or give in to the nearby bike that rides well, but is a little ugly. Or should I wait until the 2013 model comes and try to figure out a temporary bike until then? Do I risk them changing the bike in 2013 to the point where it unrecognizable?

I love this forum! I've learned so much here.

ciao_bella

I'm 5ft 4.5" tall, and I have the 16 inch Coda Femme. I wouldn't go smaller than the 16" frame if I were you. Have you thought about waiting for the 2013 models to come out? Perhaps the new model year will offer the Coda Sport in a color you like and in your size.

RunningEast

I am considering waiting. It is a bummer because I don't really have a backup bike I can ride in the meantime. Does the new model come out in September? October?

SuperDave

Heck the 2012 Coda Elite isn't even out yet, according to Jamis' website.

I wouldn't worry about drastic changes. Coda geometry has changed very darn little through the life of the model. Heck, the 2012 geometry numbers essentially match my 2004 Coda Comp. They've had a sort of disturbing tendency to downgrade parts over the years to keep the same price point, but then again the average quality of lesser parts has to be improving due to trickle down so it has to nearly wash.

RunningEast, I'm an inch taller than you (and somewhat more male), but your wingspan and leg length are greater than mine. I ride a 17.5" Coda in perfect comfort, and suspect the same might be true for you. My riding position is slightly aggressive for a hybrid, but there's room for more seat height than I'm using and the stem is 110mm, so there's a chance to go either way with a new stem. Give the 17" (what they're calling the same frame as my 17.5" these days) a shot - it might make availability easier for you.

RunningEast

Thanks for the reply, SuperDave. Good to know about the frame size. Somehow I think I look small all the while being more medium height and long limbed, and they want to sell me a small bike.

I was mainly afraid they might downgrade the steel for the 2013 model. Is that outlandish?

zsxawerdu

The exact same thing is happening to me, but replace "Jamis" with "Specialized". I went to order a specialized sirrus pro, and all the local bike shops were out of it, and specialized had ZERO to order in their inventory. You would think they would start making more when they start running low.

It really frustrates ordering a bike that is out of stuck 6 months in to the model year. I ended up ordering a 2013 version, sight unseen, I wanted the 2012, but there is no one with one in the whole state of Georgia. I am waiting for specialized to release the 2013 models, should be in the next 2-3 weeks, but its annoyed the hell out of me.

Looks like Jamis and Specialized need a good public "get your crap together".

corwin1968

Just as an observation, I've been looking for a Coda to test ride and nobody has them in stock around here either! The Coda's seem to get a lot of love around here and they seem to fly out of the stores. I wonder if any of the other major bike companies will see a need here and start making higher level cro-moly hybrids? Every bike shop I've gone to comments on how steel is making a come back so it will be interesting to see what the market yields in the next few years!

SuperDave

The Coda Elite was downgraded in 2008 from 631 to the same 520 as all other Coda models have always been - I do not expect that situation to change soon.

Like most "manufacturers," Jamis outsources production. I suspect that's Kinesis, as they are behind so many other brands. It's an enviable position, being unable to meet demand with production, but I think that's the true position - there simply isn't enough production capacity available to build enough frames for everyone. There are, of course, second-tier manufacturers, but sustainable and repeatable production quality over a long production run isn't as easy as it looks. Not and remain profitable, anyway - bicycle frames don't lend themselves easily to robotic production. And as corwin mentions, the trend (and production shift) towards aluminum/carbon has impacted steel capacity, a situation which isn't going to get better soon with steel making a comeback.

Dunbar

From what I've read here on BF manufacturer's basically guess at how many bikes they're going to sell next year and order that quantity. Once they sell out of their production run that's it until next year's bikes are released. The 2013 bikes should be out in 2-3 months.

fyrerooster

Just a quick update. According to my local bike store the 2012 Jamis coda sport is completely sold out but the 2013 model is available. I ordered one today (August 12) and was promised delivery within 7 days.

bjjoondo 

Nothing has changed, in late August 2011, I wanted a Coda in red, all the 2011's were sold out nationwide, so I ordered a 2012 Coda Sport, (just a name change, still the same bike), but I HAD to take BLACK as that was the ONLY color available at the time, got the 2012 in mid-September 2011, sigh, I guess there's a lot of LOVE for the Coda series EVERYWHERE!

a1penguin

Congrats and do show us a pic of the 2013 model. I would not be surprised if the bikes stores you called may have told you that you needed a 15" bike because that is what they had in stock. Unless the seat is sitting all the way at the frame and it fits, the bike is the right size. It can be difficult to judge size over the phone!