Jamis Aurora or Raleigh Sojourn

I am double posting this (also on the commuting board). I hope this is ok, but I thought I might get more responses on the bicycle board...

Hi! I'm new here and would love some help making a decision that has been consuming me for 3 months. If you have the time and some experience, opinions about, or knowledge of either bicycle, I would really appreciate your thoughts. I have been to dozens of shops, ridden dozens of bikes. My hubby and 4 year-old have told me I must make a decision this week, because I am obsessed and they are tired of bicycle shops! For my commute (18 miles round trip, mixed gravel roads, paved paths, and streets) I have narrowed it to two steel-framed road/touring bikes:

The Jamis Aurora
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebik...rora_spec.html
The pros of the Jamis as I see them:
Slightly lighter than the other bike I'm considering (Raleigh Sojourn). They are both heavy steel-framed bikes, but the Jamis is 27.5 pounds (WITHOUT racks and fenders) and the Raleigh is 34.5 pounds WITH racks and fenders. I will definitely add fenders and a rack, since I ride in all weather and have to carry my laptop and clothes to and from work so I guess the weight difference is really about 5-6 pounds or so.
The Jamis has break handles above and below, whereas the Raleigh has only the brakes on the drop handles. I *think* I like this feature (having them both places, like my old 10-speed when I was 12!).
The Jamis comes stock with the tire size that I want (32).
MSRP is $1000, but to get the Brooks seat I want, plus fenders and rack, I’ll have to spend $300-400 more. Not sure how much we can negotiate with the store.

Biggest drawback of the Jamis is the price and the complication of adding things and switching out the seat, etc. I *think* I also like the looks of the Raleigh slightly, slightly more, but I’m torn.

The Raleigh Sojourn
http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/road/sojourn/
The pros of the Raleigh as I see them:
I like the handle bar slightly better than the Jamis Aurora, but it is hard to tell, since rotating the handle, switching out the stems, etc. could make a big difference.
Raleigh is the easy solution, since it comes with everything and rides comfortably as is.
Raleigh does come stock with the seat I think I want, but it is the Brooks 17B (not 17B s) so I am not sure the male version will work for me. I hear it does for some women, but not all.
Raleigh is the cheaper option, and I would like to keep it around $1,000. (Raleigh Sojourn is on sale at REI for $950.)
Biggest drawback of the Raleigh is the weight. It is a HEAVY bike at 34.5 pounds! Of course, our commute is relatively flat with one very steep climb that is roughly a quarter mile long so I am not sure how much it matters. I do like to go fast, but I am also not trying to break any records, and I don't have to carry the bike up any steps.

Things I’m not sure are pros or cons of each:
Bar end shifters on the Raleigh, integrated on the Jamis. I guess it is a preference, and since I have never used either I don't know which I'd like better. It is sooooo hard to tell on a test ride!
I think the disc brakes on the Raleigh are a pro since I ride in the rain a lot, but a lot of reviews from others say they don’t like them, they’re difficult to fix, etc. I think they add to the weight of the bike...
Most of the components of each bike are fairly comparable, but when you look at each and every one it is hard for me to really compare. I can only obsess about this so much! I am not an expert. I've ruled out the Trek 520, Surly Cross Check, Raleigh Clubman, Jamis Aurora Elite and so on....So, which one, the Raleigh Sojourn or the Jamis Aurora? Thanks for reading. I realize this was looooooong!

Does one fit better than the other? Do the shops provide professional fitting, either at a discounted cost or as part of the bike purchase? Is one shop better than the other (for follow up service etc.)?

Go with the one that fits best and is most comfortable. If they are equally comfortable, and the bike shops are both good, seriously consider the weight difference. That's a huge difference in weight. You have a relatively long commute and the Raleigh's weight will slow you down and make you work harder, which might be okay in your situation, I don't know.

When I got my Jamis Coda for commuting in 2003, it replaced my 1986 Specialized Stumpjumper, which is about 34 lbs. The first day on my Jamis, I took 10 minutes off of my then 10-mile commute each way. So weight definitely makes a difference.

As for the seat, that can be changed. Bar end shifters are easy to learn to use. One of my bikes has them, the other has integrated shifters, and I ride them both without problems.

For me, assuming the fit was perfect on each, the weight would be the deciding factor. It's not just a pound or two, it's 7, and a rack and fenders added to the Jamis will be way less than that.

Thanks for your reply. I am leaning toward the Jamis, for exactly the reasons you mentioned (weight), and the fact that that bike store is most professional and close to my home. Again, thanks for your thoughts!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by janedmo

Bar end shifters on the Raleigh, integrated on the Jamis. I guess it is a preference, and since I have never used either I don't know which I'd like better. It is sooooo hard to tell on a test ride!

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I think they call the ones on the Jamis "brifters" -- brakes & shifters. I haven't used the bar end shifters either, but I remember trying these brifter things for the first time and being pleasantly impressed with the intuitiveness of them -- push on the big one for a big gear, the small one for a small gear.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by janedmo

I think the disc brakes on the Raleigh are a pro since I ride in the rain a lot, but a lot of reviews from others say they don’t like them, they’re difficult to fix, etc. I think they add to the weight of the bike...

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I bet you could get those on the Jamis if some day you decide they'd be a good idea!


I can understand wanting to get the rack, at minimum, right away -- I don't know what kind of climate you live in, but the rack may do most of the job of the rear fender for you, and aside from the TOTALLY strange weather we're having here in Boise this week, if I were buying a bike today for commuting, I wouldn't worry about fenders for at least the next month. You can also TRY the stock saddle -- you never know, there's always the chance it could work out for you, even though we keep reading here that "stock saddles never work out for anyone." So, even though you'd be buying stuff for your Jamis, potentially a bunch more, you may be able to space out the purchases, making it easier to do -- unless the bike shop is negotiating bunches right now, just to get sales of any sort in this economy, or has a great financing offer you're comfortable taking advantage of!

Oh -- those extra brake levers -- I understand they can be added for not much money, and I was thinking about them when I bought my road bike, but the shop suggested I give it a try without them first, to see if I really "needed" them. I'd had them on my "high school ten speed" too, but I find I don't much like having my hands where those would be on this bike, so I'm just as glad they talked me into trying the original set up out first! (I think it's cuz the bike fits better than that other bike years ago!)

Karen in Boise

I just bought a Raleigh Sojourn for several reasons. The biggest was I could not find a Surly LHT to try, so I went with the one I could try out. My LBS is able to make adjustments to the handlebars to match my arm length. Other than getting the front rack, I was good to go.

The Brooks pre-aged B-17 mens saddle came with my bike. I contacted Wallingford, which is a great help with Brooks saddles and matches to body types. Many women do not like the "S" models, as they are too short in the nose. Bill told me to give it a try for awhile but not to make myself too uncomfortable. Wallingford will let people try a saddle for 6 months and will replace if not a comfortable fit.

Yes, the RS is heavy...but so am I!;-) (I need to lose more than the weight difference between an Aurora and a Sojourn.) As to the disc brakes...they do add some weight but I prefer them to cantis when it's raining. I think most places will be able to fix them if I am bike traveling in the States.

The upper gearing on the RS is a little slower when I am not loaded with panniers than my previous road bike, but the lower gearing is perfect for hills. I probably needed to slow down anyways.

I am used to two sets of brakes and am working on muscle memory with just one set. Just as I practiced clipping in and out and now just do it, the same should be true with the brakes.

For me, the bottom line was fit, as a previous person said. And, if the RS had not fit, I would have had to go out of town to find a Surly LHT to try. Make sure it fits you, regardless of the brand. Your safety while riding is of great importance.

Barb

Thanks for all of your replies and feedback. To update you, I went with the Jamis Aurora, primarily because I wanted to buy from my local shop, it felt best when I rode the bike, and it was a bit lighter than the RS. But after doing all of this research this summer, I don't think I could have gone wrong with any of the bikes that were on my final list (Jamis Aurora, Raleigh Sojourn, Surly Cross-Check, Raleigh Clubman and Trek 520) so long as I found the right fit, and the $949 deal at REI for the RS was pretty darn tempting. Happy Riding to all!
Jane