Strengths: Bang for your buck. Feels steady and well built. If this were a Trek it would be $1000. I don't care if I have a Chinese from that says Trek or Jamis.
Weaknesses: Not very aggressive so if you are in good shape and really start riding you may want something more race worth. But I flipped the stem, slammed the bars and it feels great.
Bottom Line:
I pooped my pants.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
benroe1000
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2012
Strengths: stiff frame, comfortable ergonomics, great mile eater
Weaknesses: wheels, stock seat
Bottom Line:
I'm a big guy at 6'4" and 280lbs. I love to ride and most of my riding is done on back roads with tar and chip and hot melt surfaces running about 50/50. The ventura sport has been a good companion and I consider it my go to bike on charity rides. It has not been without issues though. I know this is the entry level into the road bike line but something has to be done about the alex/formula combo. I was constantly breaking spokes and warping the stock wheels. I upgraded to a shimano r500 wheelset that has been tough as nails so far. A megasoft seat also made a nice upgrade as the stock seat is uncomfortable at best. The stock aluminum fork also pales in comparison to the origin 8 carbon fork I upgraded to. But hey, I got this thing for something like 600 bucks out the door which is great for a new road bike. If I was a skinny lad the wheels may have held up better but who knows. I am very pleased with the bike and even after the upgrades I will have far less in it than another brand and have a bike that fits me well and I can ride all day without worries. I would definitely recommend this bike for someone getting their feet wet in bicycling or for someone looking for a decent bike on the cheap.
Strengths: I feel you get far more bike than what you pay for. Tiagra/105 work great! The Ritchey DCS wheels that came on my bike are still true!!! This bike is very durable.
Weaknesses: Handling can be scetchy at little sketcy at times coming down mountain passes, the crankset flexes and is noisy under load. Not a fan of the ergo handlebar.
Bottom Line:
This review is on my older '04 Jamis Ventura Sport, but the bike hasn't changed much since 04 was the first year it was 7005 aluminum. I bought the bike the end of '04 to do a little riding and some commuting. First thing I did was upgrade the seapost and seat but everything else is still as it came from the LBS. I will turn 10,000 miles on the bike in the next month and I think this bike was the best $700 investment I've ever made! Granted the my model had a Tiagra/105 mix rather than the current Sora/Tiagra so shifting and overall operation has been great.
This year is the first year I've really focused on speed and power, thats where the miles, age and components start to show thier weakness. The bike still feels great under me except under extemely hard burst out of the saddle on larger climbs. I can feel the cranks/bb flex pretty bad and it even makes occasional mercy squeaks and pops. The frame however still feels and looks great. Minor knicks and dings expected from over 7 years of rain, mud and rocks but no defects, fade or peel.
For mose people, this bike will be a noble companion and offer years of flawless service. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it again and will keep it in my stable as a commuter and trusty rider in bad weather.
Bike Setup: Ritchey cockpit and DCS wheelset, truvativ touro triple, tiagra sti shifters, 105 fd and rd.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Billy Stratton
a Road Racer
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2011
Bottom Line:
STIFF. I just relocated to Australia until June, and this is the bike to get me through that time away from my beloved Fuji Newest 1.0 2007. For my money, it doesn't get any better than my Fuji (and I've ridden some rad stuff), but the Jamis Ventura Sport 2010 compares pretty effectively. The bike is used, so I think that explains a little creaking and squeaking that the warranty should take care of. Apart from the squeaking, the breaks are quite unresponsive. The derailleurs are clunky; not nearly as quick-witted as my old Fuji. One thing I will say is even without a carbon fork, the Jamis seems lighter, but it's stiff as anything I've ever ridden.
After riding my Jamis for close to a year, I feel that I have gotten to know it pretty well.
On the plus side, I find my bike to be very comfortable, even on 60 mile+ rides. In fact, compared to my other bike it feels somewhat like a Cadillac (slow and sedate). I found this to be an enormous plus in helping me put more miles in. The fastest bike in the world wont make you faster if its too uncomfortable to train on.
Also, $600 (what I paid) is about the least you can spend and still get an actual road bike, so value is a definite plus.
Things to be aware of: I hate my drivetrain. The Shimano 2200 shifters (the lowest quality they make) have eaten 3 shifter cables, leaving me stranded on the road twice. Also, shifting is often clunky and not responsive. This is my only serious complaint with the Jamis.
Overall, I really like the frame and comfort of the Jamis, but wish I could have invested in better shifters and derailleurs (I may still) to improve its reliability.
