You are hereForums / By Discipline / Mountain (off road) / MTB Gear / My new-ish Jones non-suspended 29er
My new-ish Jones non-suspended 29er
A few years ago I met a guy on the Oaks who was riding a Pugsly. I asked, "why that bike". He shrugged & replied, "why does anyone choose any bike". That left me flat, thinking there must be something more in his choice. So, here's my effort to explain my odd choice: I've been eying (read "lusting after") Jeff Jones' bike for years — http://jonesbikes.com/ . Jones designs mountain bikes with a focus on making "non-suspended" and great riding bikes. As a designer, what first attracted me to these machines was the years of careful, consistent and steadily developing design at work. Then I was attracted by Jeff's description of the ride (http://jonesbikes.com/the_ride.html) and it all made sense. I liked to the wholesome idea of the connection to the trail without the damping-down of suspension, feeling the dirt and working with what it throws up/down/around. I also wanted something completely different to what I knew — BMC Trailfox dualy 26er — just for the absolute difference. Anyway, as soon as I heard that Jeff was getting some production frames made and that they'd be "affordable" for me — he previously only did custom frames — I put in an order for one of his steel spaceframes with truss forks and loop bars. The bars are an integral part of the frame and ride. When I got the frame I realised that it was more detailed and beautiful than I'd imagined and incredibly well finished. I built it up and now love riding what is for a 29er a very twitchy (in a good way) bike with a short wheel base that can lift over and drop off anything i've asked it to. It rolled through two big days at Mt Stromlo and I didn't stop smiling. The more I ride this bike, the harder I ride it and the more it gives.
The build:
XT DynaSys 3x10 drive (no SS for my old footballer's knees)
Thomson setback seatpost (to get my weight bace EVEN further)
Thomson stem (short to help exaggerate the twitchy steering)
WTB Laser seat
Hope rear hub and Paul's front 135mm front WHUB (http://www.paulcomp.com/)
ZTR Flow Rims
Hope Tech M4 Brakes (super powerful and beautiful English engineering)*
*BTW, I'm selling the brakes. So see NoBMoB classifieds if you're interested.
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
After seeing her last week I can honestly say this bike is the most beautifully exotic ride I've seen in a long time. The engineering is first class, and the lines all sexy and curvy. If ever there was a hot Latin MTB this is it. Puts my 575's curvy hydroformed top tube to shame.
Well done Tim, may you both have many happy years riding each other.
reminds me of my grandfathers Rudge motorcycle (without an engine) when I was a kid.
Can't you hear the frame shouting.. screaming.. that frame just screams out "I wanna be a fixie"
Interesting frames, id like to have a ride on one of these one day.
won't see to many of those at the trail head
I'm no engineer, but I can sort of "get" the frame set up and some of the advantages it might have, but the bars?? WTF is going on there?
I dont get it. Whats the theory behind all this over a rigid? Do the curves allow some flex in the frame so thats it not as noticeable that its rigid?
The loop bars make sense with this bike's geometry. I used to have Jones' H-Bar on another bike and they just didn't really work. With the 45º back sweep you can get you weight right back, unweighting the front to get over those bumps that suspension might plough through. With other hand positions you can easily get your weight forward for steep climbs. There's also the comfort factor of having an array of different hand positions on long rides. There's the "time-trial" position as well
http://www.jonesbikes.com/h-bar.html
I've never riden another rigid but there's definitely some vertical compliance in the frame. The springy rebound (small, but noticeable) really took some getting used to. It's very stiff laterally.
I have been lusting after a Jones ever since I saw a guy in the Angry Doctor riding one a few years ago
I had a double take at the time.
How does it weigh in?
Very interesting looking bike.
Fancy bringing it to Ourimbah on Sunday morning?
If you are nice to me you can get a ride on mine Saturday arvo at Parkes.
@ Tim,
The Black with Gold looks so classy!
I was of two minds about how much of the loop to wrap. I take it you really do use the front of the bar for seated climbing. Being SS I haven't had the need to reach forward much yet. Tend to stand straight backed and mash up the hills, holding at about the junction of the two bars.
Looking forward to a Jones ride.
i haven't checked the built weight, but Jones has frame and fork weights here http://www.jonesbikes.com/production_framesets.html
Mines 3.04kg frame and 1.2kg fork. The ti version is a lot lighter.
Riding Loftus on Sunday morning. What's Ourimbah like now. last time I rode there was about 6 months ago and it was pretty badly rutted from the storms. I hear they've been doing a fair bit of work.
Ourimbah was perfect last weekend with the trails in great condition.
It was the first time I'd been there so I don't know what it was like before.
or looking back to my pre school days... perhaps I'll just push you over and take it