Jamis 2000 Coda

Price Paid:  $620.00 at Bicycle work shop

Favorite Ride:
Ones with a tail wind

Bike Setup:
Serfas seat, Easton carbon seat post (nice)and the rest as in my previous report.

Summary:
My 1st report on this bike was done on 11 Oct 2000. I now have over 4500 miles on this wonderful bike. The bike is fast and I have done 100 mi at an average speed of 16 mph. My weight has ranged from 200-225# @ 5'11" I often average speeds between 17-19 mph for 30 mi and once averaged 21.8 mph for 10 mi while drafting at times behind a roadie much to his shock.

Strengths:
The polished frame, nearly maintance free, excellent componets. Stock tires lasted about 3500 mi. Frame is rock steady no flex.

Weaknesses:
The Richy wheels are now breaking spokes about 1 spoke per month after having the rear wheel re build 10 months ago for the same reason and gone to a thicker gage spokes. Seat post had limited amount of adjustments till the screw striped and had to replace with another post. Roadies hate being dropped by it!

Similar Products Used:
See report dated 11 Oct 2000

Price Paid:  $500.00 at Canal Side Bikes, Gr

Summary:
Wow. Let me just say that I bought my Coda today and can't stop riding it! The bike is awesome. I'm more of a recreational biker - I bike 5 miles to and from school everyday and to work on the weekends, so I wanted a bike that wouldn't leave me exhausted at the end of the ride. The bike is polished beautifully and the components are much sturdier than other bikes I looked at. The seat is'nt the MOST comfortable, but that's an inexpensive replacement. The gears shift with ease and the wheels feel extremely sturdy.

Strengths:
Everything!

Weaknesses:
Seat isn't woman-friendly

Price Paid:  $750.00 at Freerange Cycles

Bike Setup:
replaced saddle, pedals, stem, added fenders, rear rack, bar ends

Summary:
No buyers' remorse here. I just moved to Seattle, a bike-friendly city, and decided to sell my car and get a good, sturdy bike to do my grocery getting. I'm 220 lbs. and needed a bike that wouldn't fold like a pretzel when I hit a pothole. After reading reviews and visiting a few bike shops, I decided on the Coda. I own a Cannondale mountain bike and a Schwinn road bike, and although they each have their niches, neither are beneficial to me for running around town.

The Coda had the best component set for the money that I could find. It's priced below the mainstream names because of Jamis' lack of marketing power, not because of quality.

So far it has been everything I was looking for. I did replace the saddle with a more comfortable gel seat and put on a 40 degree stem since I'm a little taller than the next guy. I also put clipless pedals on - the flip flop pedals work well with normal shoes, but the cages get in the way of ATB shoe treads.

Just today I was in a bike shop getting fenders and the head mechanic asked what I bought it for - suggesting somewhere over $1,000. When I told him it cost $750, he was silent. He said he wants to start carrying them because they are solidly made bikes and carry a more refined reputation then makers that have built reputations in either road or mountain bikes.

I recently rode 50+/- miles on the Coda and for those that say a hybrid can't do it without discomfort, I'm here to say that it is possible.

If I could do it again, there is no question I would.

Strengths:
component set, price, attractive bike in an unattractive hybrid category

Weaknesses:
uncomfortable saddle

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $699.00 at Intown Cycle

Bike Setup:
As equipped by the manufacturer, except for the saddle.

Summary:
The Jamis Coda is a great value. Good components, nice handling, and a great looking brushed finish. The SRAM derailler shifts very smoothly with good ratios. Finish and workmanship seem great. My one complaint about the bicycle was the seatpost and saddle. (I had the dealer swap out the saddle.) Before purchasing I compared the Coda to other Jamis models, to Fuji, and to the Trek 7500 and 7700 hybrids. The Jamis seemed to win hands down in terms of components used, comfort, and handling. I found that prices varied from dealer to dealer, so shop around.

Strengths:
Smooth shirting SRAM rear derailleur, wheels, finish, and handling.

Weaknesses:
Moderne seatpost and BMG Bel Air saddle. (The 2001 no longer uses these components.) I also had a few adjustment problems with the Shimano front derailleur.

Similar Products Used:
Jamis Aragon, Trek 7500 and 7700.

Price Paid:  $750.00 at Phil's South Side Cyclery in Federal Way, WA.

Favorite Ride:
anything scenic

Bike Setup:
stock, but I exchanged the seat for a Terry "Chubby Cheeks" for more comfort on long rides

Summary:
I have a 2001 Coda. The bikes polished frame looks great and the components met all the criteria for what I wanted in a hybrid, without throwing in features I didn't want (& especially didn't want to pay extra for!). It is much lighter and more responsive than my old Trek tank, the brakes are great, and I like the versatility of the 2-sided pedals which accomodate cleats on one side and regular shoes on the other. The RockShox seatpost has helped absorb some of the pits in the road, and with the addition of the new Terry seat it has proven to be a very comfortable and smooth ride.
Jamis currently lacks the name-brand recognition of Specialized, Trek, Giant, etc., but the quality of the bike speaks for itself. And one can hope that the less familiar name will make the bike less appealing to bicycle thieves!
My husband, a long-time bicycle commuter and mountain biker, was skeptical when I finally determined that the Coda was the bike for me. He confesses that he will always go for a Specialized or Gary Fisher over an "unknown" brand, but nevertheless he has been very impressed with the Coda and its components and has grudgingly admitted that it was a good choice.
The longest ride I've done so far on the bike was 33 miles, but I'm gearing up to do longer ones in the weeks to come now that I gave a good feel for the bike. A hybrid may not be as speedy and comfortable as a road bike for extremely long rides, but the Jamis is comfortable enough & fast enough to get me wherever I want to go - and I can appreciate the scenery better along the way!
I've got zero regrets about purchasing this bike. I would definitely recommend it to others who are interested in a hybrid, and I'll definitely look at Jamis again the next time I'm in the market for a new bicycle - which likely won't be for MANY years!

Strengths:
great components for a reasonable price, beautiful polished frame, fairly lightweight hybrid, stands out in a crowd!

Weaknesses:
thumb shifters can be a little uncomfortable to use repeatedly on long rides - but I have small hands so that may contribute to my discomfort.

Similar Products Used:
None