Jamis Dakar XC Comp?

[Catrin]

Catrin, I've had some experience with Jamis bikes and the Dakar Xc comp is a great value for the bike. Also their size 13 is a great bike for smaller riders. I've known of few people that had problems getting a FS bike due to their size and at the end got the Dakar in size 13 and they are happy with it. In my opinion if you can straddle the bike you should be able to setup the front to fit you. Good luck

I was pulling the trigger as you posted this My LBS had another Jamis with the same dimensions as the 13-inch Dakar XC Comp and I gave it a good test ride, it certainly did not feel too large or small! There were only 3 left in stock in this size at the distributer, and who can say if/when Jamis would make more available? Fitter told me if he were to build me a custom FS from scratch that it would look remarkably like this one. For fit reasons will need to switch out stem and handlebars, but that isn't a big deal.

This will allow me to go to the Clinic on a bike I KNOW fits, and will have a chance to get at least a little familiar with it beforehand - AND to be able to practice the basic/intro skills on the same bike on which I learned them. This just felt like the right thing to do. I was also looking at a Cannondale Lexi and Scott Contessa Spark - they were similar in size, but this one was the best overall fit. One of other two had a taller head-tube? headset? Can't remember which, but noticeably less stand-over.

I also have several friends who go down to Brown County State Park all of the time for mountain biking and they have told me they will be happy to ride the beginner trails with me - that is another key piece to all of this. It will certainly help me to have someone with me at the beginning for that confidence level I doubt that would stop me, not much does once I make my mind up, but it will help.

This is going to be fun - though it does mean I will likely bring home two new bikes in the same week That is exciting enough, but what is even more exciting is looking forward to lots of fun riding both of them