elliejellyellie

As a point of background, I live in Chicago (mostly flat with slight hills over bridges) and ride about 10-20 miles a day. I am coming from a vintage schwinn Cruiser that I’ve loved for about 8 years.

The Specialized sirrus (xs) is slightly smaller in frame than the Jamis (16in). Will this make a difference in speed? I loved the upright stance of the cruiser which is why I am drawn to these bikes but notice the sirrus stem is slightly lower, which now is somewhat concerning? (I am not a fan of road bikes because of the hunch)

tbh I bought the sirrus because it was the last one and all of my local bike stores are selling out of everything. Now looking at the forums, I am starting to have slight concerns as these threads tend to prefer the jamis. I tested the 14in jamis but they are sold out and only have the 16in which I have not tested. The Sirrus us I tested in the store but not outside until I rode it home. Will def take some getting used to compared to the cruiser. The cruiser I felt more powerful but the ultimate goal is lighter and faster.I am happy with the price point of the sirrus ($475) compared to the jamis ($590), just want to be sure.

Any advice would be appreciated as this is the first time I’ve bought a new bike and want to make it perfect(:

Speedway2

ellie....congrats on the new bike! Sounds like you may have rushed into buying a bike and now having second thoughts? It's normal.
If the Sirrus fits you and rides well don't fret it. Ride it and Enjoy!
I'm one of "Those" who will always vote for the steel framed Jamis bikes. The extra $$ will give you a "lifetime" of smooth riding with little maintenance.
If I find myself looking again my first stop will be with the Jamis Coda series.

btw....Welcome to BF

Wanderer

Once you get used to the Sirrus, you will love it! Mine is getting old, and I still love it!

katsup

I rode a Sirrus for a few hundred miles and it is a capable and fun bike. Mine was too small so it was sold off. Jamis gets more votes due to being steel, but both bikes are similar. What really matters is what bike fits you best.

Now you just need to get off the forums and ride your bike. There are many Sirrus riders on here that enjoy their bike.

elliejellyellie

Thanks! And thanks for tour input(: It jumped chain twice today. Its definitely hard to compare to my Schwinn. I love the vintage comfortable posture!

hokiefyd 

Both the Sirrus and the Jamis Coda are more or less "fitness" hybrids which have riding positions that are a little more forward than what you may be used to. You can change this a little bit with different seat position and different stems/handlebars on your Sirrus. Alternatively, the Specialized Roll is probably more similar to your old Schwinn than the Sirrus is -- if you look at that bike and think you'd prefer it, your bike shop may let you trade, given that your Sirrus is so new still. They may ask for a small re-stocking fee, but it may be worth it if you think you'll be spending more money on the Sirrus trying to get it adjusted to fit you better.

CliffordK

I acquired an older Jamis Coda a few years ago.

I use road style "drop bars" on all of my bikes, so before I was done, just about every part on the Coda was upgraded. But, it turned out to be a nice rugged bike.

I can't say steel vs aluminum. At a similar price point, the two bikes are likely similar independent of the frame material.

Wanderer

If the chain is "jumping", call the shop to have it adjusted correctly.

The Sirrus is a great bike, and even minor adjustments can make a big difference. Like bars, stems, seat and seat posiition, etc.

You will really like it once it is dialed in for you. It's really easy to go fast on the Sirrus.

I also have a Crosstrail, by Specialized, and it is more comfortable, but it won't go like the Sirrus..... The Sirrus is not uncomfortable, just not as comfortable as the fat tires and suspension of the Crosstrail. The Sirrus is lighter, and faster, no doubt about it.... It just won't carry as much as the Crosstrail.

Don't second guess yourself - you made a great choice! If the seat is uncomfortable to you (and you have to give it time to adjust to it) Selle AnAtomica has a good sale in the fall, and it is a wonderful saddle. I use their NSX and it was comfortable right out of the box, and stayed that way.

Wanderer

One more thing - if you have issues or concerns with your new bike, visit here often.... There is a wealth of knowledge on here, on any phase of bicycling.,and they are always willing to try to help.

It's a great forum, and will be addictive if you visit regularly - even if it's just to say how your ride was today.