# Advice Please.... Upgrade my old Jamis?



## aircooledTOM (Jun 27, 2020)

Hello everyone... I am considering upgrading my hardtail Jamis Dakota29er.... It's not a new bike it's from around 2007ish I think. It looks like it'll be about $700 or so to get all the parts I'd need - a 1x drivetrain conversion, wider bars, shorter stem, a dropper post, and grips... And that's not including what will likely be an expensive 13 year-old RockShox rebuild. I'm sure that will be rough.

I've been kinda out of mountain biking until roughly 2 years ago, when I got back into it pretty hard as a way to recover from a pretty serious motorcycle accident.

I've been really into my other bike (2019 Fezzari Cascade Peak), but I want a hardtail... and I have one, but I don't like the way it rides compared to my other bike. I don't like throwing good money after bad... so I'm not sure what to do here.

I'm currently waiting on a custom built "price almost no object" DJ build... So, yeah, I will have that soon, but it's not suitable for putting on lots of miles.

I'm sure there's lots of threads on here about this kinda thing, honestly I was just too lazy to look.

Thanks in advance!

Picture of bike in question is attached.


----------



## diamondback1x9 (Dec 21, 2020)

700 is a lot towards a new bike. i'd get something from ragley or vitus


----------



## walkerwalker (Jul 17, 2020)

The standard reply is going to be put the money towards a new bike, you'll get modern geometry and new components at possibly the same or cheaper price by the time you're done upgrading everything. (don't forget wheelset, brakes, seat post, saddle, once you start you won't be able to stop yourself)

I say, if you're able to do all the work yourself, you are patient about finding used or new parts at a good deal, AND you really like the frame or it has sentimental value, then you can upgrade the old bike. 

I just overhauled a 2004 hardtail. I turned it into full rigid, somewhat of a gravel bike. Upgraded literally everything except for the frame and saddle. Converted to 1x and v-brakes to disc brakes while I was at it. It's still a 26er, nothing fancy, parts are all mid-range and some I bought used. I still spent close to $1000. Could I have bought a decent gravel bike for around $1500 with new geo and probably better components? yes. But I enjoy searching for good deals, learning how to wrench, and now I have something completely unique that I'm proud to say I built myself.

It helps the sticker shock if you can space out the parts purchases over a few months and don't pay too close attention to the running total. Also, most of the components I replaced went onto my wife's bike. So it's like I got a second refurbished bike out of it. If the Jamis is in good condition, you could probably by a cheap junk bike on craigslist, transfer the parts to it, and sell it for a profit to offset some costs.


----------



## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Go with new geo . Much slacker 66* headtube angle will expand the fun terrain you'll feel you can ride.
The fork will be more capable than yours. No matter how you service it. A Big Al 1.0 has rear compliance designed into the frame. That's can make a big difference.


----------



## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

The shorter stem and wider bars probably still won't make that bike ride like your other bike, so the other changes you wish to make are probably not a great investment.


----------



## aircooledTOM (Jun 27, 2020)

These are the responses I was expecting.

Perhaps I'll wait until the bike-pocalypse and sell this thing when prices are super-inflated and put that towards a new more modern hardtail. My problem is that I like steel and American manufacturing a lot, so I know it'll cost me.

Thanks all.

Gratuitous other bike picture below....


----------



## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

Just ride the crap out of your bike and spend some money on riding classes. 
With those new found skills pass the riders on their 5 figure boutique bikes when they least expected it like a boss riding side sattle.
😈🤪🍻


----------



## aircooledTOM (Jun 27, 2020)

acer66 said:


> Just ride the crap out of your bike and spend some money on riding classes.
> With those new found skills pass the riders on their 5 figure boutique bikes when they least expected it like a boss riding side sattle.
> 😈🤪🍻


Yeah... I'm probably not going to get any classes. I love stuff n things. What I need to do is ride more and go to Rays Indoor Bike Park more often (see above for DJ Bike comment).

I do like the spirit of your comment though and I'm not a geardo when it comes to MTB stuff. I love the idea of being a better rider on cheaper gear... That said, I'll always choose to pay more for quality stuff. But I'll probably heed the advice of previous commenters... my 72 degree head angle, worn out fork, no dropper bike is probably not very suitable to the kind of riding I've been doing.


----------



## looks easy from here (Apr 16, 2019)

aircooledTOM said:


> Perhaps I'll wait until the bike-pocalypse and sell this thing when prices are super-inflated


We're already in the bike-pocalypse with super inflated prices for used bikes. Now's the time to sell, if you know that's what you want to do and can deal with being without that bike.


----------



## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

yeah. you have a nice FS right now. waiting on a blingy DJ. sell that old HT high right now and take your time on a nice HT build. buy things as you find them at good prices (harder said than done right now). maybe that means tossing the proceeds from this bike into a bank account until the stuff you want comes up. 

but with availability being iffy as it is, you're going to have a hard enough time upgrading what you have and will probably have to make compromises on stuff to account for supply issues.


----------



## aircooledTOM (Jun 27, 2020)

Thanks everyone.... I've been feverishly watching the Hardtail Party Channel on the Tubes trying to figure out what I should add to the quiver. 

What are everyone's thoughts on rowdy-ish geo hardtails? I'm not sure if I want to do 29 or 27.5... I guess ideally a bike that could do both is the right choice.


----------



## diamondback1x9 (Dec 21, 2020)

i would go with something from ragley or is you want an American made frame then wait till gg has the pedalhead in stock. its more xc style geo tho so....


----------



## aircooledTOM (Jun 27, 2020)

diamondback1x9 said:


> i would go with something from ragley or is you want an American made frame then wait till gg has the pedalhead in stock. its more xc style geo tho so....


I'm looking pretty hard at the pedalhead.

But it doesn't look that "xc" to me at 65.5 HTA and 75 Seat tube angle with pretty short chainstays.... it looks like what I'm looking for. I am kinda hung up on the American thing. If I didn't care I'd probably do a Ragely or Middlechild tomorrow....

In any case thanks for the input!


----------



## swissarmychainsaw (Aug 4, 2010)

acer66 said:


> Just ride the crap out of your bike and spend some money on riding classes.
> With those new found skills pass the riders on their 5 figure boutique bikes when they least expected it like a boss riding side sattle.
> 😈🤪🍻


Came here to say this. Put a new chain on it and ride it as is until you new bike comes, then sell this one! 
That or wrench it yourself!


----------



## aircooledTOM (Jun 27, 2020)

swissarmychainsaw said:


> Came here to say this. Put a new chain on it and ride it as is until you new bike comes, then sell this one!
> That or wrench it yourself!


Too late. Sold it. Got good $ for it. Then I built a beach cruiser based klunker thing...


----------

