It’s Friday, it’s Fresh Goods and all is back to normal – well, as normal as things get round here. We’ve had one knife fight, a drunken brawl, the printer has been pawned for coffee beans – and it’s only just afternoon. Strictly decaf on deadlines from now on.
Jeff Jones Steel Diamond frame and Truss fork
This is one bike bike guaranteed to draw love and hate in equal measure; the Jeff Jones designed, Taiwanese built, 4130 steel tubed and conventionally framed version of the innovative geometry used on the rather more rare, exclusive and much more expensive handbuilt Ti Spaceframe bikes the bearded builder is renowned for.
It uses a Bushnell eccentric BB for singlespeed or gear compatibility and uses 135mm spacing at both ends, with clearance for 29×2.55″ and 26×3.7” fat tires.
Truss forks up front…
There are the classic H-shape bars too, but these are the much more affordable Loop H Bar in aluminium…
Price: $750 for diamond frame and unicrown fork, $120 for aluminium Loop H bar
From: Jeff Jones
Continental Mud King 1.8″ tyre
Seeing as it’s British summer time, we’ve been getting in lots of mud rubber for a forthcoming test in the mag. Hopefully we’ll struggle to use it – but that’s a bit optimistic isn’t it?
The Mud Kings are Conti’s tyre developed with the aid of the Athertons and they come in your pick of a cross-country orientated 1.8 with ProTection sidewall (weighing a claimed 550g) or a more downhill biased 2.3″ with tougher Apex sidewall. Both are available in the delightful Black Chili compound which gives all the benefits of super sticky rubber but with improved wear and rolling resistance. A good reason to get out on the grey days…
Price: £44.95
From: Cambrian Tyre
Shimano Deore XT drivetrain
Yup, the drivetrain we first got a ride on last week has turned up for test in the office. Aren’t we lucky? If you want to know all about the latest incarnation of Shimano’s evergreen mountain biking groupset then take a look at our reports from the Press Camp here and here, but in the meantime here it is, all up close and personal.
As it happens you could win an entire groupset like this at the Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender taking place at Lee Quarry on the 9-10th July. What more reason do you need to take part in what’s been called* the most entertaining weekend of racing since mountain bikes were invented?
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT FC-M785 double chainset
Hollowtech arms and available in a 42/32/24T triple, 38/26T Trail double (pictured) or a 40/28T Race double, as well as your pick of black or silver finishes…
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT FD-M785 front derailleur
Just what you need for shifting cogs at the front. Available in pretty much all the mounts you could like including E-type and Direct…
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT CS-M770 11-36T cassette
Your picks of 10 ratios are the back, ranging from 11-32, 11-34 and the 11-36 we’ve gone for. The sprockets are held on alloy carriers to protect your delicate freehub and they feature Shimano’s HyperGlide technology, which helps the chain shift across cogs at selected points on the cassette..
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT BL-M785 disc brake lever and calliper
Jon was rather impressed by the power these all-new XTR alike brakes delivered at the launch. Loads of adjustment, magic heat sink fins on the pads and a nice lever feel…
Price: £109.99 for pre-bled lever and calliper
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT RD-M780 SG rear derailleur
The revised rear derailleur is available in long and mid length cages ad has revised pivots to work with the new Vivid indexing and reduce the effort needed to change..
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT Ice-Tech rotors
The new aluminium cored rotors claim to increase heat loss and reduce pad temperatures to improve braking consistency and reduce the chances of fade on long descents. All we want see is a video of how they make them, but we do spend too much time watching Mega Engineering Super Giant Structure Machines on the freeview channels.
They’ve now available in a 6-bolt pattern if you don’t have Centrelock wheels and you can get them from a dinky 160mm to a mighty 203mm.
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT SL-M780 pair of 10-speed Rapidfire pods
The new XT shifters take their cues from last year’s XTR and have Multi release, Instant release and 2-Way release – in fact more releases than a ‘special interest’ DVD. They also use the new Vivid Indexing system to keep the amount of force needed to shift consistent across the block, so it takes no more effort to shift between the two smallest cogs and the two largest.
Price: £94.99
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT Ispec integrated brake/shifter mount kit
If you’re in search of a clean cockpit then these new mounts will help you attach your XT shifters to any of the new range of Shimano brake levers. You get XTR style reach adjustment too…
From: Madison
Specialized Body Geometry S-Works MTB shoe
These top-end carbon soled race shoes use the Boa twisty retention system on the ‘Engineered Micromesh’ uppers. The sole has fully replaceable rubber tread blocks and uses the Body Geometry system to keep you feet nice and comfy. We’re liking the shiny white finish lots…
Price: £199.99
From: Specialized UK
Filthy filthy booze with twigs in
Mr Matt Wild dropped this bottle of twig filled liquer from the sunny Isle of Mallorca. No information on what’s in it but it has a golden train smashing through green leaf on the front, which probably represents what it’ll do to your mind.
Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender prizes
Yup, here’s just a small selection of the lovely things you could win (as well as an XT groupset) at this year’s Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender. You’d be a fool not to enter. Get yourself an entry online and we’ll see you at Lee Quarry, Lancashire on the 9-10th July…
*by us
Comments (33)
Comments Closed
The Jones looks too ordinary for what it costs.
Ordinary in a wobbly sort of way.
I just don’t ‘get’ the jones bike range, they just look ridiculous
Drink twig flavoured booze at your desk Friday?
I’m a full suspension, big (normal) bars and standard sized rubber sort of person and I actually can’t wait to have a go on the Jones…
You might not get the Jones range, but I’ve seen what’s possible on one. Rode with a guy in San Diego in January (there was a thread on here that I started about it) called Steve Gordenker (aka Aquaholic on MTBR.com) and he was testing this frame for Jeff Jones (Steve also has a Ti version). You wouldn’t believe the stuff he was doing on it. He had the 26″ by 3.7″ front wheel and was riding some pretty incredible trials like lines. I was having to seriously work to keep up with him on all but the seriously rocky descents as well. I watched him launch some sizeable jumps and he rode the thing, single speed, all day for about 30 miles and 4000ft of elevation.
That Jones is gopping! No doubt the fanbois will be on soon saying that it’s the best thing ever…..
Are you having a Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender this year as I haven’t seen any publicity for it anywhere?I think you should promote it more vigorously, perhaps you’ll all end up with free XTR groupsets next year.I’m extremely pleased to hear news of this Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender and cannot wait to enter! Please let me know any and all details you have of this exciting and innovative event, which helps pay for the Singletrack staff to continue to produce magazines through their modest wages!
[If you’re in search of a clean cockpit then these new mounts will help you attach your XT shifters to any of the new range of Shimano brake levers.]
Question, whatever happened to the single leave (Dual control i think it was called) that let you brake and change gear at the samer time, I have not seen them since LX in 2006….They led to the cleanest cockpipt available… Guess who’s are really worn out now.
j e james gets robbed then the next thing is stw has fresh goods – berry sushpicous
I have this very strange impression about the lookst of XT line since like 5 years, especially rear mech and these brake levers: here customer! you get almost XTR performance, but if you want it to look good buy XTR, because this is shyte-loads ugly!
Is anyone importing Jones’ now?
Brake cables!?!? Are they some sort of booby prize?
What is the seat tube length on the Jones?
Quite fancy running the truss forks on my io, how much are they?
The recent ‘Shimano-ing’ with every other breath on this website is getting curiously MBUK-like. Hmmm… I see a pattern here 😕
Sorry but the most interesting thing on this page this week is the add and video on the linked page for the Dyson fans.
So that’s what those kids that did domino toppling grew up to do…..
Hmm, that Jones is *very* tempting … looks like there’s 4 on my shortlist for my next build now.
Super Sessions – the truss fork is part of the frameset so not available as a separate item. The unicrown fork can work in certain circumstances if the length/offset fits.
Jupiter – geometry as the Ti at http://www.jonesbikes.com/images/pf_ti_geometry.jpg
Singletrackjon – loving your open mind :O)
Soma_Rich – not a UK importer as yet, currently direct from Jeff, but Steve has some nice things to say in the latest WMTB so direct distribution might happen if there’s demand arising from that and this.
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Best I add 3.7 tyre fits the front only and the prices Chipps has quoted are US retail. Everyone very welcome to ask me stuff – biff@yesweareontheweb.com
think the 2 ring front end setup will be the future for my full sus dare i say it 10 speed may also feature.
Nothing wrong with XTR Brake cables; send them to 1995 and they’ll go down a storm.
Double chainset and the brakes please. Mmm.
that Jones bike – tis not a new idea – check snoop dogs rides out from back in the day, he’s fly round da hood on a low ryda dude!
Can someone please measure the tube diameters on the truss fork for me, I have a plan.
I had a look at the Jones at MM and it didn’t feel particularly light , not for me, I’m afraid.
The rest of the XT group I think looks good and in keeping for it’s price/position. I have to say though that the crank looks more Deore than XT. Disappointingly cheap looking finish and design. As someone above said I’d either be buying SLX or XTR. Looks are important and I see this as a fail. Shame.
I like the way new XT looks… personal taste innit.
I really like the way the Jones looks too – form following function to a point where ‘odd’ becomes ‘stunning’. If you can get a chance to ride one for long enough to get to grips with it (hour or 2?), do – I was able to ride one for a day and I’ve not looked at mountain bikes in the same way since. A ‘pandora’s box’ kind of bike 🙂
i think the jones looks a bit boring TBH i’m maybe over saturated with “wacky” bikes
The Jones. Early this year I got a Jones steel spaceframe & forks. It was a punt, something different. I too have been a full susp bloke, though I do have Carnegie bars on my Trailfox. Got the Jones, was blown away by the detail of the frame, built it up (XT dyna sys, Hope tech M4, ZTR flows), & started riding. Gently at first – not being sure of this nil-susp thing – then harder & harder & harder. I’m not good enough ever to reach its limits. So much fun. Great bike! Got it through Jeff direct – excellent service.
@ TimT – did you get the standard or truss forks? Any pics?
As someone who piloted a Spaceframe/truss fork/fat tyre through the Trans Provence race in some pretty gnarly terrain (See STW article) I can vouch for the frame/fork capabilities, and the geometry is terrific. It was my only mountain bike for quite some time, doing everything from racinng to alone adventures. It helped to make me much, much better rider.
The price for a Diamond frame/truss fork is pretty similar to say a Niner Sir 9 and no one seems to suggest they’re too expensive?
I would also say objectively, that whilst very capable(but let’s not forget the rider here!) it is not similarly capable to a 160mm AM machine in the gnarr and on jumps etc. There is only so much a rider can do when going very fast in rocky and difficult terrain. the fat front helps enormously and is brilliant on loose shale/rock but also acts like an undamped 70mm fork in successive hits.
I sold my Jones after Trans Povence and have been riding a bruiser of a full suss, but I do miss it sometimes, the steel diamond and truss is tempting at that price..
Yep, truss forks & the loop-bar. The bars work really well with the geometry of the bike by allowing you to get weight back when you need to. I’ll post some pics soon.
Would love to try a Jones albeit while wearing a paper bag! How far do the forks actually flex?
Come on Tim – give us the pics! 🙂