# what would you suggest?



## fox408 (May 10, 2012)

Looking for a bike to hit up some dirt jumps and ride aggressively on some trails as well. 
Looking for a hard tail and I have a budget of $1,000

I currently have a hard tail mountain bike, it really just ain't that fun to jump since it's such a large bike. (Giant Yukon) I like it, but we've had some new trails built around here that have a lot of dirt jumps, and I really want something that is actually made to get thrown around some.

I've been researching and this is what I've landed on 2012 JAMIS BICYCLES - KOMODO I

I've posted a similar thread in a different section, but after a while realized this is probably where it ought to be. (hope that's not frowned upon)

thanks guys


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## Motl500 (Feb 20, 2012)

1000 is a nice number.. Main thing you want to look for that seperates a DJ frame from a MTN or 26" BMX frame are the lengths of the chainstays. The shorter the better usually. A lot of guys who ride street prefer chromoly frames since they flex more than aluminum. Most guys who ride straight dirt prefer aluminum I've noticed.

you can see some more bikes in your price range at the bottom of the page of this link:
BMXmuseum.com Forums / 24" and 26" DJ/Urban bikes go here.


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

fox408 said:


> Looking for a bike to hit up some dirt jumps and ride aggressively on some trails as well.
> Looking for a hard tail and I have a budget of $1,000
> 
> I currently have a hard tail mountain bike, it really just ain't that fun to jump since it's such a large bike. (Giant Yukon) I like it, but we've had some new trails built around here that have a lot of dirt jumps, and I really want something that is actually made to get thrown around some.
> ...


I don't have specific experience with the Jamis Komodo 1, but just looking at the geo and specs 2012 JAMIS BICYCLES - SPECIFICATIONS, it does seem to meet your needs of being jumpable, but also xc-trail-rideable.

it kind of depends on your expectations of what a trail riding bike should be like. because i grew up riding bmx, it doesn't bother me at all to crank around regular xc-trails on a straight-up singlespeed DJ bike like my Blackmarket Mob. yeah, you stand up most of time, bmx style. i would suspect that guys with xc-trail backgrounds would hate that. some of my shorter friends use quick release posts on Blackmarkets and just raise their seat to ride xc.

at the same time, having borrowed some friends all-mountain bikes and having ridden some slopestyle bikes in Colorado . . . i can see where gears and a taller seat tube would be good.

the only thing that seems questionable about the Jamis Komodo 1 is the fork:
_RST DIRT RA, external preload & rebound adjustor, coil/MCU spring with hydraulic damping, magnesium lowers, 32mm steel stanchions, 130mm travel _

having ridden several RST Space forks on different friends bikes and a rental bike, i can say that it performed pretty poorly. and two of my friends broke theirs.

i'm also wondering why they put 130mm travel instead of just 100. i guess they wanted it to be slightly more freeride/slopestyle ish.

seeing as how you already have had a background with a regular xc trail bike.... i would suggest keeping that bike but then also getting a pure DJ single-speed bike with an 80mm or 100mm travel fork. marzocchi dj1 or dj2, or manitou circus, rock shox argyle, x-fusion velour, would be good options. that way you'll get a taste of what the true DJ feel is.


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## Beardman27 (Nov 8, 2011)

I have the 13 jamis Komodo and I ride everything from dirt jumps to bike parks with it. Great bike


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