MBA TRAIL BIKE TEST
Jamis
Dakar XLT 1.0
The Affordable All-Mountain Bike
It's no secret that today's "Holy Grail" of mountain biking is a go-anywhere, full suspension bike that pedals efficiently, yet has enough travel to be ridden aggressively over rough terrain. That should be simple enough, right? Not really. Those who've succeeded (Intense, Santa Cruz, Ellsworth, Foes, Turner and Specialized) have invested a small fortune to find the recipe for the aforementioned bike du jour. And , their efforts are rightfully conveyed in their retail prices. Isn't there some alternative for the rider who wants all-mountain performance and rideability without the steep price tag?
Jamis, famous for their selection of affordable cross-country, dual-suspension bikes that don't don't cheap out on performance, watched the growing number of all-mountain riders with interest. They challenged their design team to come up with an all-mountain platform that would answer the needs of these riders without maxing out the MasterCard. The Dakar XLT line was born.
JAMIS
TO THE RESCUE
The Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0 is their response to the high dollar, custom
fabricated trail bikes. It's an offshoot of last year's Dakar Expert,
only beefed up with additional gussets on the aluminum frame, a longer-stroke
Fox Vanilla RL shock, Hayes HFX-9 XC hydraulic disc brakes and a Fox
Vanilla RL fork. The XLT has a component package befitting more expensive
bikes: a Shimano Deore XT derailleur, TruVativ Hussefelt cranks, Cane
Creek headset, and a Mavic disc-ready wheelset with Shimano Deore front
and rear hubs.
ON
THE MOUNTAIN
In the saddle: From the get-go, crewers were comfortable aboard the
Dakar XLT. There is no doubt that this bike was fine tuned on East Coast
trails. It has a short, quick feel. It is the type of feel that says,
"You can't throw a trail at me that will be too tight."
On the trail: The XLT is a well-balanced package that puts the rider in a neutral position when riding along a trail. You've got five inches of front and rear wheel travel, but it is not sloppy travel. The suspension does a good job of keeping firm (not stiff) under pedaling. It is no Santa Cruz Blur (tested in this issue), but it is not a bobbing and diving fool either. While adding two inches of travel, Jamis has done a commendable job of making sure the XLT still has the responsive feel of their Dakar cross-country bikes.
On the climbs: No featherweight at 32.3 pounds, the XLT will need to lose a few pounds before it will climb side by side with the best in the class. It would also have to cost about $1000 more to catch the best in class, so that gives XLT riders a budget of $500 a pound to shed the weight. You'll find the on-the-fly lockout feature on the Fox Vanilla RL fork and Fox rear shock make up for some of the weight. Still, we got our best results scaling loose, choppy and rutted ascents by locking the fork and leaving the rear shock fully active. Even though the rear suspension doesn't utilize a more expensive stable platform technology, the improved traction from the shock being engaged outweighed the issue of pedal-induced bobbing (which has always been minimal in Dakar bikes).
Descending: Thanks to the Fox RL fork and the Fox rear damper, the Dakar XLT performs well when attacking rocky and tight descents. The 19-inch XLT tested was a bit larger than most of the wrecking crew prefers, but it was still nimble enough to be flicked in and out of tight, off-camper switchbacks. The Fox fork's five inches of travel is exceptionally tuneable, catering to both tame and aggressive riding styles. The XLT has a stabilizer brace on the rear of the frame, just above the tire. It provides necessary lateral support and ensures the bike's ability to take abuse going down the trail. The fully-active, four-bar-linkage rear suspension has sealed bearing pivots that keep the rear-wheel travel smooth.
The WTB saddle had a tendency to interfere with crewers when they were trying to lean back in steep sections, due to its width. We wouldn't recommend swapping the saddle until you've logged some miles. If the width doesn't bug you, it is a great saddle for trail riding.
JAMIS
JITTERS
The Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0 (aside from having a long title) has a few other
noticeable quirks. The funky Wellgo DH pedals are platform on one side
and clipless on the other. Ever been totally captivated watching a movie,
and all of a sudden the actor gives a phone number starting with 555?
It suddenly reminds you you're at the movies and the film isn't real
life. Well, that's the same way these pedals made us feel. Right when
we'd be thinking that this $1500 bike couldn't be challenged by bikes
twice its price, we would come unclipped. Trying to get clipped in was
an entirely new aggravation, because the side with the clip-in was heavier
and instantly rotated to the bottom. This required us to either stop
and reclip-in, or look down and mess with the pedal until it was lined
up correctly. This was a major liability in tricky rock sections where
one might need to "dab" to keep momentum. Our advice is to
trade the pedals in on either a good platform pedal or a good clipless
pedal (and Wellgo makes one of each).
WHO
BE JAMMIN' ON THIS JAMIS
Despite the reasonable price, the Dakar XLT doesn't perform like an
entry-level bike by any stretch of the imagination. While beginners
will enjoy its forgiving suspension, advanced riders will appreciate
the frame's newfound strength and reliable component setup.
The Dakar XLT doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of higher-end bikes, but it can hang with almost any trail bike on the mountain. You may not beat your buddies aboard lighter, more expensive bikes to the top of any long climbs, but you can't beat the $1499 price tag for this trustworthy all-mountain rig.
|
Re-printed
directly from the April, 2003 Issue of Mountain Bike Action Magazine. |