I'm in love...lust...no, definitely love (Jamis Quest)

[moderncyclista]

I've owned my Jamis Aurora awhile and while I like the fit - I hate the Brifters. The component group Shimano Tiagra with a Deore rear deraileur has never worked right. I've adjusted it myself (within my limited and dangerous knowledge base) and taken it to my LBS and had it adjusted multiple times. Cable-slack removed, etc. It never shifts well. I much prefer the simplicity of my 520's uncomplicated bar-ends (which knock on wood runs like clockwork) and LX component group. I've considered (seriously) either converting the Aurora to bar-ends or trading it in (gasp) at the end of this year-ish for a Surly Long Haul Trucker. Off-Topic: would converting it to bar-end shifters be expensive? also, if I upgraded to LX components I bet that it would make it almost the same price all-together as the SurlyLHT.

Anyhow, those are my personal random musings. At one of the LBS, their guy told me that Surly is one of the few manufacturers that doesn't cheap out on components. He said the rest of them were very guilty of this. (they carried Trek, Felt, Giant, Surly, Redline, and others) Please, don't get upset - these are merely opinions and shared information for others benefit. I do like my Aurora alright.

[uforgot]

Interesting that your lbs should say that, as Jamis has always been known for more bang for your buck as far as components. The Quest, which this thread is about, has Shimano 105 and Ultegra. Hardly a "cheap out on components. And I'm not knocking Surly, I have a Cross check, which I had built with Shimano 105. Sounds like you just really love your friction shifters and should go with that! They should work on the Aurora as it is a touring/commuting bike.

[moderncyclista]

Interesting that your lbs should say that, as Jamis has always been known for more bang for your buck as far as components. The Quest, which this thread is about, has Shimano 105 and Ultegra. Hardly a "cheap out on components. And I'm not knocking Surly, I have a Cross check, which I had built with Shimano 105. Sounds like you just really love your friction shifters and should go with that! They should work on the Aurora as it is a touring/commuting bike.

:::::::::First off sorry for the thread hijack::::::::::
Yup. The LBS shops shoot it pretty straight. They've been in the bike business for 34 years so I'm inclined to believe what they tell me. It doesn't mean I don't do my own research. What I don't understand about Jamis is why break-up the component groups. Why not all 105 or all Ultegra? Now, for as much as the Jamis Aurora retails for (in the pricing group with Trek520, Surly's Stock LHT, Cannondale's Touring bike, etc - I expected better components. The Aurora Retails for around $1000 - luckily I got mine for under $600. It's not the brifters vs. bar-ends that I'm worried about "working" per se. It's more should I spend the money to convert it (to LX grouping as well) or just trade it in and buy something that comes stock with the component group and shifters I want?

Also, the Aurora is a "sport touring" bike. It is a cross between a cyclo-cross and touring bike. The geometry is more like a cross bike to me. Gearing is waaaaay wrong for touring IMO.

From wikipedia: Sport Touring
The sport/touring bicycle is a very lightweight touring bike fitted with lighter wheels and narrower 25–28 mm (1 - 1.125-inch) tires. It may also be described as a road racing bike fitted with heavier tires and slightly more relaxed frame geometry (though still quicker than the average road touring bike). It is designed as a fast-handling, responsive and quick day touring machine. As such, it is intended to carry only the rider and very light loads, such as encountered in credit card touring, where riders typically carry little more than a pocketbook and credit cards to book overnight lodging at any handy motel, pension, or bed-and-breakfast while on a journey. Gearing is often a mix of closely-spaced ratios for speed, combined with a few low gears for long climbs. Sport/touring bikes may sometimes have provisions for mounting slim fenders and a rear carrier or pannier rack, though in the interests of weight savings and quicker handling, most do not.[1]