Cyclocross - Kona Jake vs. Giant TCX 2

Hey all, I'm looking to get my first cx bike, and I've come to the decision of either buying a Kona Jake or the Giant TCX 2 from my LBS. I'm split 50/50 and need to know which would be better bang for my buck!

I don't care about how they look, just how they ride. If you've got any info that would be much appreciated.

Max

I would go with the Jake, hands down. It's got better components (shifters, front derailleur, wheels and crank), and it has a steel fork, which makes for a nicer ride.

I have an '08 Jake, and I'm very happy with it.

thanks, that's what I noticed too about the shifters tiagra vs sora. but I'm not too crazy about the chainring on the jake. It's three ring while the TCX 2 has 2 and a tooth count of something like 36/46.

What do you use the jake for? I'm planning on trying my first race this fall.

What do you use the jake for? I'm planning on trying my first race this fall.

Everything. Mostly I use it for commuting, but that's only because I have a commute every day and there are only cross races a few months out of the year. :-) I also use it for centuries during the summer. So the triple makes sense for me.

In general, I see the usefulness of the two-ring setup for cross racing -- I tend never to leave my middle ring. I'm not sure I'd need both rings on a cross-specific double. A lot of people run 1x9, which you could do with the Omega on the Jake.

The spec for the crank on the Giant site is a little weird. It says it has an FSA Vero, but it also claims a MegaExo bottom bracket. As far as I know, those two things don't go together. It also lists the rims as "FSA BB-7420, Cartridge". I suspect that's the real bottom bracket spec. Anyway, my point is that while the chainring configuration may be better on the Giant, the actual crank on the Kona is a better component level.

You might be able to get your LBS to swap out the triple for a double.

Thanks man, I am gonna go with the Jake. It seems to be a lot more versatile. Thanks for all your research! I also think most of the components are better on the Kona. I also want to use it for some centuries so I'm glad to hear you've done that already. The geometry on both models is the exact same for their high-end models, the only difference is the sexy scandium Mig Fighter material on the Major Jake. You really did help, it doesn't even seem like the TCX 2 is very popular.

Max

I have a 07 Jake and it rides awesome! Im thinking about upgrading a few parts to make it more race ready.

I have the '08 Jake and love it for commuting and occasional CX racing. I didn't like the triple chainring, so I bought a compact double Tiagra crankset from ebay for 40 bucks and haven't looked back since.

I just got an '09 Jake and like it very much. Installed 700x32 city tires on it and it goes faster than I anticipated. The only change that I made was to remove the existing brakes and put on some Avid 4 Shorty cantis. It stops much better now.

Hey all, I'm looking to get my first cx bike, and I've come to the decision of either buying a Kona Jake or the Giant TCX 2 from my LBS. I'm split 50/50 and need to know which would be better bang for my buck!

I don't care about how they look, just how they ride. If you've got any info that would be much appreciated.

Max

Isn't that a personal thing? What has a nicer ride for me, will likely be a different experience for you.

I have an 06 Jake, and upgraded most of the components about two months ago to Ultegra except for the BB and Crank, I have the parts, just haven't gotten around to chaning them yet, I have been riding too much. The shifters I feel made a world of difference, but before then I was still super happy with the 06 Jake. I also purchased some new Mavric rims with Ultegra hubs, and put some 700Cx32 commuter tires on, and its a little bit faster with the smoother tires, so I would recommend if doing some centuries, to buy some commuter tires or slicks, which ever you perfer. Enjoy the bike, I still am.