Jamis Dragon 29 Sport (2014)

Stalwart steel steed from Jamis

Pros

- Steel Frame
- Good Components

Cons

- Cheap Pedals
- Upgradeable Forks

Review

The smooth lines of a steel frame. Wait, steel? That's right, steel is back! Despite the bike market being flooded with carbon fiber, aluminum and 'vertical compliance' ...it seems you can still get your hands on a steel bike fitted with modern components.

Jamis have put together a wonderful package with their Dragon 29 Sport steel trail bike. The frame features Reynolds 520 tubing, with reinforced headtube collars and forged dropouts for added strength and stiffness where required. The supple ride quality will be noticeable immediately, so get ready to hammer through those rock gardens cowboy!

An aluminum steerer attaches a pair of RockShox XC32 forks which feature an Air Spring internal system along with external rebound adjustment and complete lockout when required. This gives 100mm of cross country suspension.

The contact points on this Jamis are reliable and affordable - the pair of ATB platform pedals is the only thing we would recommend you replace, as they're cheap and nasty. They serve their purpose nonetheless. The seatpost is a Ritchey Dual Bolt setup, offering easy adjustment via a Quick Release system. The WTB Silverado saddle will see you through many miles. We loved the Ritchey 4 Bolt Stem, which has a nice 6 degree rise for plenty of adjustment range. The handlebars are some pretty standard Ritchey Comp Flats, with a 5 degree rise and 720mm of width.

Wheels keep you charging, and that's exactly what the WTB Disc 29er rims will do, featuring reinforced double walling and eyeleted spoke holes for added strength. You'll be happy with the Geax Saguaro 29" tires, offering plenty of grip in all conditions!

Last but not least, the full Shimano groupset. A matched pair of Shimano Deore front and rear derailleurs and handlebar shifters offer extremely reliable shifting, along with a Shimano Deore crankset (38/24 tooth) and a Shimano 11-36 tooth cassette. The bottom bracket matches the uniformity, with a Shimano Deore sealed bottom bracket... Matching the same drivetrain components ensures smooth shifting and reliability in the long term.

Along the same lines the brakes are a set of Shimano Deore with a well chosen 180mm front rotor, mixed with a 160mm rear rotor. This offers increased brake performance and a finely tuned brake modulation feel when you slam on the anchors.

The Dragon is a simple trail bike that looks good and with matching components keeps things smooth, reliable and easy to replace or upgrade parts. A frame of this quality will last forever so upgrading pedals and perhaps the fork will be very possible down the track. Highly recommended.