h.clakins

I'm trying to start doing some more gravel and single track rides. I have a hybrid city bike right now, but I'm looking at something that can work better as an all round bike for on and off road.

I found a 2014 Kona Jake the Snake online for $600. Good bike or no? Seems like a decent deal and well-maintained bike. Are there any downsides to the Jake the Snake?

velojym

After nearly 40,000 miles, a few centuries, a few years of commuting, and a whole lot of club rides, my 2000 JtS (bought new) is still my best bike. Well, may not be the best AT everything, but it's the one I'd keep if I had to get rid of all but one.

pattrick

I also have a 2000 Jake I have put that thing through hell and back and it just laughs it off, mine is still has the original beefy steel fork. Mine now supports fenders and lights for bad weather and night rides, it still a pleasure to ride. I also have a 2016 that is stock except for the brakes which I replaced with TRP mech/hydraulics. I run 32 mm tires for rail trails, back roads, and the occasional horse trail, and put quite a few miles on it a year. If it's in good shape for the price I feel it would be fine for your needs they tend to be quite versatile.

h.clakins

Nice bike! How is it offroad? I would like to ride some easy single tracks if possible.

h.clakins

What do you think of the newer carbon fork. How does it compare to the steel?

aggiegrads

I have a 2011 JTS with the carbon fork and the bike is tough as nails. It has been through about nine or ten 'cross seasons, three headsets, three rear derailleurs, five or six bottom brackets, and it refuses to die. I felt like it was on borrowed time for the last four cyclocross seasons, but I feel no need to replace it because it is the lightest bike I own and is a great race bike.

Unfortunately, mine was manufactured as a pure race bike, so it does not have fender or rack mounts, so its utility is limited. Mid year of the year I bought mine, they started putting eyelets on, because I have seen both versions.The only thing that is original on the bike is the BB30 crankset, stem, and seat collar. Literally everything else has been replaced - more ergonomic bars and setback seat post, Gevenalle shifters, Chris King wheelset, and mini-v's like velojym .

aggiegrads

The Jake the Snake wouldn't be a good cross bike if it didn't handle singletrack well. You will love it on the trails, but it is a cross bike, not a mountain bike.

velojym

When it was my only rideable bike, I did some of the Winter tuesday night rides on it, which was mixed road and trail. Jake took it all in stride, and will clear some pretty fat rubber if you like.
I've run fenders, but decided to leave 'em off for the most part now, as I have a couple other bikes I'll ride in wetter weather now.
The carbon fork is nice, and saved a little weight, but honestly, I'm not sure I'd have spent the money, as the steel fork is lighter than I'd originally thought. Sure, it was stiff (still have it, and it's in good shape), but the wider tires have made a far bigger difference in the ride.
That fork may go back on, especially if I start bikepacking with Jake. I feel a lot better about clamping stuff to a steel fork, and the round tubing of the fork makes it a natural for clamping stuff to it.

ArchEtech

You can get carbon major jake and super jakes for under $1000 for the 2012-2015 model years. They are a little harder to find used being an less common brand. I think their construction is better than most. There is one in my area right now for $900. I had a Major Jake prior to my Warbird, and it was great. Very light, nice riding bike that was kind of between endurance and speed fit for me. More aggressive than some CX bikes, so it felt like a full on road bike with lightweight narrow racing wheels and tires. The paint/ clear really held up great to chips too.

pattrick

The fork on the 2000 appears to be rather beefy, but as I said I have abused it jumping curbs going places no cross bike had any right being and just pushing the envelope at times because....well I just wanted to. The 2016 has a carbon fork which seems quite sturdy I am sure it will take anything I care to put it through now.

velojym

I saw one, I think it was a '14 or '15, on the Bay in my size a few days ago. It disappeared pretty quickly. The price was sure tempting, at around $600, IIRC.

Phatman

I've got a 2015 Jake the Snake, which I think is identical to the 2014 except for slightly different graphics. I really like mine. I take it on singletrack all the time, mostly just to cut through from gravel spot to gravel spot. I would definitely not say its "good" on singletrack, but its way better than a road bike. Probably not a whole lot better than your hybrid though. The main thing holding it back is tire clearance, I've got a 38mm Specialized Pathfinder on the rear and its about maxed out. I tried a 40mm Maxxis Rambler on a 19mm internal rim and it cleared in the stand, but the frame would flex just enough when riding to make it rub.

velojym

It took a lot more abuse than I'd ever trust to a road fork. Bunny hopping a *very* large dead armadillo on a long fast downhill... on chip n seal... because I was in a group and they couldn't get slowed down or clear quickly enough to let me get around it. Jake took it in stride. I did manage to pop a spoke in the rear wheel, but given the circumstances, I was impressed.