Strengths: Steel soaks up road vibration and weight is not a factor. Great value for the price. Nice upright riding position that adds to the comfort.
Weaknesses: Seat is not comfortable and changed handgrips to more ergonomic style.
Bottom Line:
I have the Coda Elite which has the same frame as the Comp, but with upgraded components. I've been riding a Cannondale Synapse Sport for the past 3 years but wanted a more upright bike with flat bars. My friend swore by steel frame bikes and after testing Specialize, Trek, and Giant aluminum frame flat bars I decided to give Jamis a try. First off I was impressed with the workmanship and paint scheme and lettering of the Coda and the quality of components for the price. This is actually a 2009 model in metallic gold paint. Second, I was blown away with the ride feel of the bike. The steel frame really soaked up the road vibrations and had a solid feel that the aluminum bikes could not equal. I was sold and bought it on the spot.
Strengths: Steel, steel, steel!!! The component group that comes stock is unparalleled by it's competition.
Weaknesses: Absolutely none.
Bottom Line:
I just absolutely love this bike. I looked at the Cannondale Bad Boy (which I liked a lot), Specialized Sirrus, Trek 7.5FX, and the Giant FCR2. All these bikes are great bikes, but when you look at what you get, the Jamis Coda Comp totally outshines these other bikes. The bikes comes with XT derailleur (second from the top-of-the line XTR), SL-660 shifters (second from the top-of-the line SL-770), Avid SD-5 brakes with SD-5 levers, and not to mention the Reynolds 520 steel frame. This bike is considerably faster the the Bad Boy and as fast as the others I looked at. It will climb hills as well as the Bad Boy and much better that the Sirrus, FCR2, and the 7.5FX (street hills, that is). I am a commuter and will ride paved trails when I can get the time. This bike excels in those arenas. The steel frame takes the buzz out of the road and makes the ride extremely comfortable. The gearing makes it easy to climb the most difficult hills and also allows you to tear up the road on straight-aways and down hills. I can't say enough great things about this bike!
Strengths: Beautiful steel frame - very nice ride even on rough city streets. Fast, agile, and comfortable. Good, confident braking.
Weaknesses: My friends say it is heavier than my old road bike (not noticeable to me). Brakes are hard to release when removing the front wheel.
Bottom Line:
Wow, I love this bike! I use it for commuting and for weekend fitness rides. Traded in my Bianchi road bike because of neck and back pain. I can ride the Jamis comfortably for hours, unlike my other bikes. This has become the favorite bike in the house. I rode most of the competing "hybrid" flat bar road bikes - the Jamis was love at first ride for me. Highly recommended.
Strengths: Steel, steel, steel. (The carbon fiber fork and suspension seatpost also don't hurt....)
Perfect first road bike for the ex-MTBer.
Tried-and-true MTB components won't leave you stranded in the urban grind.
Sub-$900 price won't break the bank yet buys you enough bike for years of enjoyment.
Weaknesses: Weight--heavy for a "true" road bike. Fancier components would lighten (and price-n) it up.
Bottom Line:
I bought my 2008 Coda Comp (there was no pulldown for '08) after I decided my 15 year-old mountain bike was not best suited for on-pavement recreational/fitness riding (well, duh)....
As a casual rider who only rode MTBs, the upright posture and flat bars of the Coda cut down on the intimidation factor. Other MTB-esque features like rapid-fire shifters, Shimano LX gruppo, etc. also smoothed the transition.
I cross-shopped the Trek FX, Specialized Cirrus, and Cannondale Bad Boy (had a discount on those brands thanks to a friend who worked at another LBS). I also had half an eye out for one of the boutique brands that seem so popular on bay area streets--I ultimately decided that my riding level hardly justified a $2000+ bicycle.
The single biggest difference between the Jamis and the aforementioned contenders is the Coda's Reynolds 520 steel frame. The old-timers had already told me that "steel is real," but I didn't fully realize it until I took the Coda on a bombed-out and depleted (i.e., typical) Oakland street. Put simply, the steel frame takes the edge off. Small road imperfections and large potholes alike are soaked up by the steel. The difference is immediately noticeable; over the long haul, the relative cushiness of steel makes up for any weight difference compared to the aluminum competition (my 21.5" Coda Comp weighs almost exactly 25 pounds "empty").
The benefits of the steel frame were so striking that I'm surprised Jamis doesn't promote it more--perhaps they're worried about steel's old-fashioned image? Frame material is something the casual buyer can easily overlook, especially in this price/market segment, but my experience has been that frame material alone can be a MAJOR determining factor...enough for me to skip my Trek/Specialized/Cannondale discount and pay full price for the Coda.
The included components are a nice, rugged compliment to the frame, and if my knee weren't so sketchy, I'd ride this sucker across the country.
Looking for opinions on the Coda Comp vs the Urban Extreme. I'm trying to get back into some sort of shape. I prefer the flat bar ride. I will mostly be riding on paved paths an Read More »
