BrianO21921

Koolerb, I bit the bullet and tested a variety of gravel bikes over the weekend. I tested a Jamis Renegade, Specialized Diverge, and a Jari. Out of the three the Jari was by far the best. Handled more predictably, the rear triangle was more compliant, and the parts spec in my opinion was more thought out. I, like you can't fault this bike. I bought the 2018 1.3 and love it. I might change the saddle, but that's just personal preference.

koolerb

Cool. I probably have about another 100 miles on mine since my last post and all is good. The 11 speed 105 works great; the TRP brakes work great. Still getting used to the upright riding position and the bars. Someone explain these wide weird bars to me. The bars are probably the only thing about the bike I don't like. The extra confidence with the 35 mm tires is awesome this time of year; gravel, potholes, no problem. I'm liking it.

Panic

I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to piggyback on your thread.

I haven't ridding on the road in probably 3 or 4 years. Job change, economics, and fear. Attacked by a dog, a few people I know or know of were hit by cars, and lack of easy places to ride from my front door - and oh, the old Trek 1200 frame beats my body up like an Mike Tyson in his prime.


My son recommended I look at gravel because of a few reasons.

1) The roads in Bama are awful
2) I'm heavy - working on a new lifestyle of better eating
3) I want a steel frame.
4) I don't want to spend more than $1,000

My brain is overwhelmed with all the info and all the options.

I'm going to hit a few local bike shops this week, but I expect that they will only have Specialized or Trek.

From reading this and others - this is where I'm at:

Fuji - is that just a Performance line?

Masi - CXGR -

Motobecane - probably a road bike as opposed to the gravel.

Marin - Nicasio : Is that a contender?

Sorry this isn't more of a direct question, but as I mentioned, I'm overwhelmed at this new line of bikes.

footpower

I just purchased a Jari 1.7. It was between that and the Renigade Expat.
I come from a mountain bike background but I was just a railtrail rider. I wanted to get into more road riding. The Jari is a perfect fit for that. I am used to flat bar type of bikes. So getting used to a drop bar I find when on the hoods it is a lot easier to brake and shift. Now when I am in the drops I find that could be a little awkward but I am not in the drops that much yet.
The bars are designed to provide a more stable ride on gravel verus drops on a regular road bike.
So far I love the bike and want to go riding all the time.

Sullalto

Breezer doppler should make your list.

Salsa journeyman too.

And look at the fuji jari, fuji is a big brand.

TenGrainBread 

Fuji is its own brand (has been since the 70s...).

For under $1000, I would look at Kona Rove, Marin Nicasio or Four Corners or Gestalt, Salsa Journeyman. Skip the Masi (now a Haro brand) and Motobecane (now a Bikes Direct brand).

Panic

Thanks guys, appreciate the help.

koolerb

Yeah, everyone seems to be good with the bars but me. I come from a road riding background. When I want to get small to make speed I just can't. I've been doing some gravel bike reading and I get it, just will take some getting used to. Thanks

koolerb

Fuji makes a wide range of bikes from very low end to very high end. I always thought of them as a value brand, but also a quality brand. Bang for the buck this Jari 1.3 was a great bike. You can spend an extra $1000 bucks for a premium name on your frame but I don't think you have to.

dwmckee

I am a big fan of the Masi at that price and many of our customers love it (may want to eventually upgrade the brakes though). I would have to tell you however that for just a little more money than $1,000 you get a whole lot more bike and you might want to consider upping your price a few hundred to get to the next level. At the $1,000 mark you will find that to hit that price point the manufacturers have to cheap-out on something, brakes, frame material, wheels etc. and at the $1200-$1300 price point you tend to get a much better option (better brakes & wheels, Tiagra instead of Claris, etc.). The Renegade Expat is $1,199 equipped with Tiagra, very nice steel frame and excellent TRP Spyre brakes for example.

Renegade® Expat

Panic

Can't up the budget. Wife initially said $500, so after 33 years, I'm not going to more than double it. Plus I need to get some new gear, etc.

She's an awesome wife, but not awesome enough to let me blow more than I planned.

mstateglfr 

Masi is a Haro brand, ok.
Motobecane is a BD brand, ok.

If thats how it's being broken dpwn, then Fuji is simply an ASI brand.
Hardly its own brand.

There is a reason why fuji is in performance and nashbar...ASI owns those.

TenGrainBread 

Well fine. And Pacific owns Cannondale, etc... etc.. What I was getting at is it's not a Performance-exclusive brand, like Novara/Coop is to REI or Motobecane is to BD, and so on.

Tophero1

When I want to shave some weight since, I also have the habit (all of my bikes) of riding steel... I just pedal harder to lose two lbs that week.

Unless you’re racing competitively who cares? I ride with carbon dorks all of the time and I always smile to myself knowing that I’m the one getting the better work. One extra beer for me when we finish please.

i also don’t wear spandex kits any longer. Seems a bit odd given that my 3 lb beard is going to be the real cause of any wind drag. On that note... make it 2 extra beers.

As for the Jari,
ive never considered Fuji before. My first bike was a steel Salsa Casseroll, then an old Vitus, and finally settled into a Surly Cross Check that was just stolen. All of my mountain and dirt touring bikes have been steel as well. Now I need to replace the Cross Check. Hence why I stumbled upon this thread.

i beleive bike aesthetics are important. Bikes can be beautiful or they can ben very ugly (carbon-cough-cough-specialized - cough). The Jari is a home run for Fuji. First time their lines and paint scheme have ever caught my eye. Someone is finally doing it right over there. The Jari just reached Salsa quality looks, which coming from a Salsa fan boy means a lot. I’ll probbaly end up in a Jari 2.5 and eventually upgrade. It’s funny that that cheapest model has the most phenomenal paint job.