[Closed] JONES steel - heavy & stiff?

Planted, precise, direct are the adjectives I would use. It's geometry encourages a relaxed riding position, great for tricky bits.

Would stiff and heavy be fair too?

Compared to what though?

I have a steel diamond / truss, it is stiff in a good way but I really don't like noodly or just so-called 'compliant' twisty/flexy frames. It's a stiffness that adds ability to what the bike is. For what it's capable of I think the weight is pretty good, 5.25lb not inc EBB, 5.6lb inc.
It doesn't get flexed off-line or when hauling SS, it just wants you to ride through and when you overstep your skills it's suprising how often you ride out of situations that would have been crashes on other bikes - I've spotted my landing point then unexpectedly ridden it out with a scared grin on many times. That's mainly down to stiffness+geometry. In many ways the steel diamond out-rides my Ti spaceframe, imo.

For the right rider it's a brilliant bike. It's not a bike for compliance-seeking sat-down types, but if you want to see what you can get away with on a rigid bike and you have basic handling skills sorted, it's inspiring. Fair to say it's overbuilt for 90% of us, me included, but that's just because most of us don't have the skills for big gaps and drops on a rigid.

I've not ridden a JJ, but did own a Wolfhound which had near identical geo.

That was a heavy steel frame and also very stiff with a unicrown fork.

I would say it was stiff to the point of unforgiving and heavy to the point of feeling slow

I used it through two winters, plus a few times through the year, but could not get on with it in the faster drier conditions

I now ride a ti Kona Raijin with a Niner RDO CF fork and that is totally different

I got the bike last Autumn and have ridden it ever since. I prefer it to my other 3 bikes.

Compared, it is more lively, more comfortable and I can get into a flow more easily

The WH was difficult to hold a line when pushing on, and you really felt everything. In the more plodding Winter it seemed to fit in nicely

This is not a better/worse, the Kona is the only other rigid bike I have ridden to compare with

Steel- yes
Heavy- not particularly
Stiff- only in a good way

Diamond and truss here- I go downhill on techy stuff better than my old Pegasus , bit slower uphill but I'm slow anyways
Doesn't beat you up unduly- right rubber helps
Very confidence inspiring due to geometry

Try one you make like it- come to Cannock and you could try every combination of jones there is on sale at the moment ( no ti diamond yet!)

I think if you like the Rajin, you may find the Jones pretty stiff, close to the WH I expect. But they're such different bikes (rajin + jones). I'd find it difficult to ride a ti bike like a Rajin with a Niner fork the way I ride my Jones. But on local singletrack the Rajin could be quicker at times.

I think a lighter more mincey type frame would suit you betterer. 😛

And I don't think it would fit you either.

I'll have to throw a leg over yours 🙂

You're welcome to try it but I really don't think it's what you're looking for.

This was the WH and this felt a small cockpit when climbing, and with straight bars. That is the Jones 'thing' though

[img] [/img]

I agree - but best to put some things to bed properly 🙂