After my ragley Ti bring stolen over the summer
I’m after a new bike.
I know I want a 29er, and have demo ridden a couple
with around 120mm both ends
Whyte T-129 was especially good and lightning fast
everywhere.
However I’ve seen and read quite a big on Jones bikes
and was wondering if anyone owns a Jones 3D space
frame and truss fork. If so what are your opinions on it
and what sort of riding do you do
I’m looking for a bike I can ride all day, that’s good when
it gets steep rocky fast and tech.
Cheers

Yeh have a space frame anf have also owned a diamond frame which is also fantastic. Where are you based as in our riding mob we have diamond n unicrown fork, diamond n teuss fork and full space frames as well so if you want to try all the variations in one ride it may be useful?

All jones are mentally good bikes and far far more capable than any rigid bike should be. Mine gets ridden all over the place from xc jeyboy stuff to big days out in the rocky bits of the peak and north wales and smashes round trail centre black stuff happily.

I’m looking for a bike I can ride all day, that’s good when
it gets steep rocky fast and tech.

Ticks on those apart from the fast-rocky combo. It may be the best handling, comfiest rigid bike out there (the ti SF), almost a soft-tail, but it’s still a rigid bike. It’s very good on slo-mo steep tech tho imo, real advantages over a FS or HT there (ie enough to more than offset the disadvantages). Needs good rider input too, it rewards it and feels great to move around etc, not so good for a less fit or passive rider when it’s techy. For really long days back-to-back on lo-tech to average trails it has no equal imo.

Edit to add, I just hoon around southern singletracks on mine 90% of the time, lo-tech stuff. Group rides with FS-riding friends in Yorks / Peak, no probs on the Dalby stuff hi-posted, but the only proper tech I’ve ridden on a Jones is in the Alps. Had to slow up on the open DH runs (Morzine, Tignes) but on slower or more natural stuff it’s great, between PDS and Provence areas. Susser’s faster and better for a group chair-lift trip obviously, the Jones was totally enjoyable and capable on longer / multi-day trail rides w/o lifts.

I’ve tried both the Spaceframe and the Diamond.

Compared to a full susser, it’s not as fast in rocky tech unless you are gifted at picking lines but it is very capable on steep, slow mo stuff and felt super comfortable in terms of positioning on the bike.

Personally, I really rate the basic diamond and unicrown with a fat front or a 29er + arrangement (ridden both). The Spaceframe looks nice but left me a bit battered though the tyres were pumped up quite hard as it had an Alfine on it and I didn’t have a spanner to remove it in case of a puncture. 😀 The truss forks felt a bit brutal in their stiffness.

The Diamond frame weighs less, arguably looks smarter, costs half the price and felt that bit nicer. I’m looking to buy one too!

Hope this helps? The first time I rode one I thought WTF. Further rides have completely changed my opinion. Go figure!

Cheers

Sanny

Cheers for that. I’m based in lancaster but am happy
to drive for an hour or 2 to meet up for a ride and check out
your different frames etc

Have a read of this months Privateer – great interview with Jones and he explains a lot about how and why his bikes ride the way they do – particularly on steep stuff at one point.

Agree with Sanny on the diamond frame – cost:ride quality ratio makes it great vfm compared to the Ti SF. Pop a ti post and a 2.4″ on the back and it’s good, comfy enough. Certainly a stiff, beatable bike though. Compared to some softer-riding rigid steel bikes that can be flexy wobblers at times it’s not that comfy, ie the frame is rock-solid and if you’re not pushing that hard it may feel too stiff, but the ride position cancels out a lot of that anyway.

Sanny, I think an alfine on a ti SF sounds like a bad idea, doesn’t it kill off a lot of that bike’s subtlety? From my memories of riding a conventional HT or CX-ish bike with one on anyway.

Steel spaceframe here, i am loving it so far, but then i have never got on with any of the full sussers i have tried, it is a very stiff and rigid bike though, you will feel all the bumps, rocks and roots on your rides, picking a good line is essential. My setup is 2.35 N’Nick / flow rim on the rear & knard & rabbit hole front.

I’ve had 2 and would concur with the comments above. Great handling and position for slow, techy stuff. Very comfortable riding position. I just couldn’t get on with mine climbing – always felt the bars were too close to me to be efficient. I’ve spoken to others who have felt the same, but I should have perhaps tried with some conventional bars.

jameso

The Alfine was on a Steel Spaceframe. I really didn’t like it although the 2nd gear wasn’t working properly.

The Diamond I have tried was a 2 by whatever set up with thumbies which appealled to my inner retro monkey. It’s not light years different from the Spaceframe but it was subtley better.

I’m thinking Rolling Daryl 82 mm rim on the front with a Nate and a Rabbit hole on the back with a Hans Dampf will be the combo I go for.

Cheers

Sanny

PS Dave in Bothy Bikes in Aviemore has a demo spaceframe in the shop to try.

I just couldn’t get on with mine climbing – always felt the bars were too close to me to be efficient.

Did you climb seated or out of the saddle? I find it less tiring to ride out-of-saddle than most bikes, I guess due to the short reach that you didn’t like. Love hauling on mine as a SS using a fwd grip on the H bar, I did notice it took a few months to get used to using different muscles that I now think are a stronger group of muscles – considerably less arm-shoulder fatigue over long SS rides anyway.
(not saying you’re wrong, just interested and it’s a fave topic as some will know..)

Sanny, got it. I’ve not ridden a steel SF. Thinking of a unicrown fork for my steel diamond for some trips, heard it’s a bit more flexible, but I do like the bar-roll supprt the truss offers plus it’s a bit lighter (ha, 100-odd grams on a 13kg+ bike..)

I know I want a 29er, and have demo ridden a couple
with around 120mm both ends

Don’t take this the wrong way but the Jones may not be for you.

As great as they ride they are still a rigid bike and do remind you of that from time to time when trying to go a little too fast on real rocky trails.

As others have said though one of the best handling bikes out there on steep slow tech.

Only ever owned spaceframes (Ti and steel) so can’t realy compare them to the diamond frame.

If you’re ever in the midlands you can have a spin round on mine.
Currently set up with rabbit hole rims, knard front and 2.4 ardent rear.Also got a fat wheel for it if that’s your bag.

Great bikes but common as shit now, how are you supposed to get your niche on with so many Attention whores about

Ringo.
A few lead but many follow. 😉

Haha true, that’s why I sold mine to tollah 😉

Truly brilliant bike. Had mine a couple of months and it’s constantly surprising me at how capable it is. If, like i did, you want a rigid bike to ride in (without trying to sound all gnarcore) a relatively aggressive manner then get one with either a fat front or 29+.

If you want to plough through braking bumps and rough rocky sections feeling like you’re invincible then get a four inch full susser.

Ride one on your local trails as its a massively different experience to a T129; you’ll either love the rigid thing or hate it.

Fwiw mine is diamond frame and unicrown fork with a rolling darryl fat front.

TBH, I aint seen Ringo do much leading,except to the bar…..;-)

Leading or leaning (on) ?

8)

leading to the bar and buying early Jones bikes, must be wealthier / less tight than me…

True about the short reach, i have just about got used to it now, playing with the angle of the loop bar is a good idea, made a big difference when i found the sweet spot for me, it has made out of the saddle climbs easier on it too. Has anyone else found Jones’ dont respond well to hard efforts ( sprinting )? I am finding i go faster when i relax my whole body on the bike and ease the pedals around.

Definitely leaning on 🙂

Sean I found no matter what I did I still went painfully slow on my Jones

Has anyone else found Jones’ dont respond well to hard efforts ( sprinting )? I am finding i go faster when i relax my whole body on the bike and ease the pedals around.

I found out this summer that sprinting on a 34-12 top-geared Jones against a master’s track champ sucks .. )

It’s not a sprinter-masher riding position, but wind it up and it goes and stays at speed pretty effectively. Similar to the way many randonneurs describe their slim-tubed rando bikes. Those guys can be very strong riders but maybe not often great sprinters.

Mine sprints just fine, but then I mosh like a metal thrashing mad munchkin at the best of times.

or just sit on the nose of the saddle get on the front loop and spin like a rabid hamster and it goes like a muther hucker as well.

can’t do bimble on a jones…it just feels wronger than kissing ya grannies under carriage

Tazzy, i have started doing the same thing on road sections, its pretty effective, a la time trial position. 8)

Had a diamond,got a SF- use it for everything , even used on 4X circuit and DH, maybe not as quick or as comfortable in these situations as a full susser, but very capable. Handling is great and with a 29 up front feels quick. can’t comment on using gears though on a jones though..

Gears on a Jones? Sacrilege.

(Mine doesn’t have a rear hanger or cable guides so I can’t succumb at weaker moments)

From all the comments I get the idea that the jones
has a fairly short reach and prefers to be smoothly spun
more than flat out hammered.
I like bikes that have a fairly long top tube, that can be sprinted/
hammered everywhere.
I also hate being dropped by my mates on 160/26″
bikes. The Whyte was great for this and was all over everyone whether
it was up steep tech climbs, across fast rolling single track or down
fast Lakeland bedrock slab descents.
As I said I’ve no longer got my ragley Ti HT, the Jones sounds closer to the Ragley
than the fast 120mm 29er that I think would suit better.
The fact they’re rare and very niche makes them very attractive.

Is there anyone oop north that fancies letting me have a look/go on theirs.
Cheers in advance.
John

Just get the Whyte and have some fun ……

That sounds like sense ..

I get the idea that the jones
has a fairly short reach and prefers to be smoothly spun
more than flat out hammered.

Yes on the reach but it’s not really comparable to conventional bikes there, it’s just diffferent. Deffo a bike you can hammer though.

I also hate being dropped by my mates on 160/26″
bikes.

It’s not the bike for you then. It’s a rigid.. you may annoy them by keeping up on a rigid a lot of the time, but not always.

The fact they’re rare and very niche makes them very attractive.

Odd reason to buy a bike. Not particularly rare now anyway.

I still am not convinced the 1 size fits all. I’m 5′ 7″ and I find I’m not using mine as much as I thought I would. I may sell mine and buy a Krampus….

no, but i’m sure it makes stock control and production a breeze…
😀

jameso,
what Jones you riding? Diamond with truss fork?
thanks, andy

Andy – a diamond with truss and a ti spaceframe ss. Only bikes I’ve spent £ on in many years so not as daft as it sounds, I hope.

James,
sounds ok to me. Any chance of a ride sometime please.
andy

sure. mail in profile.