reno327

Which is a better fit for a clyde of 400#s riding on roads/asphalt.......a Kona Dew or a Jamis Coda? They are within my price range. Let me know if either of these bikes are worth looking at. Thank you all.

flip18436572

Go to an LBS and find the better LBS. If you can get both from you favorite LBS, ask them to help you out.

wrk101

The Kona has an aluminum frame, while the Jamis is steel (cromoly). Probably better off with a steel frame (but I defer to the experts out there). And I am kind of biased, as I like steel.

Seatpost on the Jamis is a suspension post, which is a non-starter. But easy enough to have the LBS change it out for you when you buy it.

Jamis may have a little better components.

I would suggest you do a search on this topic, as there are many good threads out there.

+1 If you are buying new, go with the shop that you have (or you feel like you will have) the best relationship with. Thats a big part of what you are buying when you buy new (otherwise, everyone would buy off the internet, used, or whatever).

And be sure to leave some money in your budget for gear.

George

I have a Jamis Coda and I have 5000 miles on it and love it. I' not having problems with the wheels, but I just ordered Velocity Fusions for it. I weigh 200#, but when I bought it I was around 225#. My weight and the bike with bags on it, put it at around 275# and I had zero problems. About the only problem I had, was with the owner of the bike shop. I see your from Texas and if your around Houston, I would go somewhere else.

flip18436572

Oh yeah, if you look at my signature it is all Jamis. That is only because of the LBS. The others I went to didn't want to help me or brushed me off. The LBS in Council Bluffs, IA, called True Wheel is the only one that wanted to actually talk to me and listen to what I wanted to do. Now, we have purchased three bikes from him.

Barrettscv 

Consider the Jamis but plan on upgrading the rear wheel & tire ASAP.

Michael

Jerry in So IL

Keep your tires at the correct air pressure. The stock wheel will be ok, unless you are bunny hopping them.

I like steel frames, but the Dew is a nice bike. I think the commponents are decent, not the best, but they are surely servicable. The frame is nice for non steel. Kona is going something right with their metal!

I'm at 290, and I test rode a Dew on Wedensday. Like I said, steel is real, but this frame was great. I wished they had it in the shop when I bought my first bike this year. I have high praises for the Raleigh Passage series, but the Dew is better.

Now, I think the Dew is better than the Coda. But I don't play around with allot of gearing either. I'm a SS man. When I had gears, I only used about three after trying them out.

BTW, welcome.

Jerry

Wogster

I am not sure your taking the right approach, visit a few bike shops, without a preconceived notion about what your looking for, it makes the process easier. Go in on a week day, during the day, when the shop isn't that busy, it's worth using a personal day if you need to. You should be approached by a sales person, they will not flinch when they realise your shopping for yourself, they will ask about budget and the type of riding you want to do. They will then suggest a couple of models, they may want a couple of measurements, height, inseam length (from the pubic bone to floor -- in stocking feet put a book between your legs and hold it, then get an assistant to measure from that to the floor) and the length of the arm from the shoulder to the base of the fingers, you can do these measurements at home before hand and write them down. Another measurement that they may want is from the part of the collar bone that sticks out, to the floor. Some will us fit tables, some will use a computer, and others will simply use experience.

A good shop will suggest a model or two at or slightly below your budget and another maybe $50-100 over your budget, test ride all of them, if one bike seems to suggest that you could go lots of wonderful miles together, buy it, that's the one you want.