Walter Denton

After trying out several bikes, I am down to deciding between a 2016 Roam 1 and a 2015 DXT Comp. They would both be the same price, $770, at a lbs. They don't have a Roam available but I have been impressed by the 3x10 Shimano Deore components with Shimano m355 hydraulic discs. It seems to be a good value. The Roam has about a 1/2 inch lower standover which would be marginally better for me. I am not, however, particularly impressed with the photos I have seen of the Roam 1. I'm not enthusiastic about the black color although I could live with it.

I have test-ridden the Jamis DXT Comp and I really like it but it only has an 8 speed crankset with Acera in front and Deore rear dérailleur. The Jamis DXT brakes are Tektro Aurigas and I am not sure how they compare to the Shimano discs. I believe the DXT has a better suspension fork but correct me if I'm wrong - and does it matter much? It feels comfortable and shifts and brakes well, at least around the parking lot (as most bikes seem to). I also really prefer the appearance of the Jamis. So, my head is telling me to get the Roam 1 but I seem to be attracted to the DXT.

Does it seem to be a mistake to get the 8 speed dérailleur rather than the 10. I will be riding on paved trails and some unpaved trails but nothing too steep or too rough.

OnyxTiger

They're both triple crankset, with the Roam having a 10 speed cassette and the DXT Comp having an 8 speed cassette. So total you're looking at is the difference between 30 total gears vs. 24 total gears. On mostly paved trails and unpaved, 24 is going to provide more than enough variety for you.

They both have 63 mm of travel. In most cases, a suspension fork on a hybrid only serves as a very slight buffer against road vibrations, but not enough give for more technical mountain biking. Personally, I see it as serving more flash than function, because the shocks only add more weight to the bike. A rigid fork could serve admirably in most cases, depending on the terrain.

If those were the only two on your shortlist, I'd go with what looks best to you, as shallow as that sounds. Those two bikes are really neck and neck, most of the time you're going to be staying in a certain gear at the front, so an Acera FD isn't much of an issue. I can stay in the middle gear up front and just use the 8 in the back and fare off great in most riding cases.

Seeing as your stock tire options are at 700 x 40c for both, you're kinda on the wider range for hybrids. Your ride will be comfortable for sure. That's why I don't particularly like the shocks. But if you're eventually going to look for speed, you'll want to go thinner rubber and drop the shocks eventually, anyways.

one4smoke

Personally, I'm a Giant fan having a 2015 Roam 2. I really wanted the Roam 1 that was charcoal w/red accents, but could not find one a month ago. So, I decided on the Roam 2, charcoal w/green. The 2016 Roam 1 would be OK (color scheme wise) with the black and red, but I don't care for the light blue accents on it. But, I certainly could learn to live with the color just knowing the bike it's on.

Shanej

I went with a Roam 1 for the value. You are getting more for your money. I have been happy with mine overall. I did respoke the rear wheel after a year because I was breaking spokes every few trips. I attribute that to the crap job the LBS did setting it up. Also the tires aren't exactly durable. I am about done with flats and am looking at new tires now.

Walter Denton

Thanks for the responses, folks. I think I am leanng toward the Roam 1. It is hard to beat the value and I've known that all along. My problem is that I was swayed by the good looks of the DXT and I was hoping for some way to justify it. I suppose the DXT components would be "good enough" for the kind of riding I will do but I would always know I could have had better for the same price.

Shanej

Have you test ridden both? I think your ultimate decision would be best decided by fit. You will notice that much more than the slight difference in components.

The Roam fit me the best out of the bikes I test rode.

Walter Denton

Yeah, that's part of the difficulty. I am very aware of the importance of fit. No LBS within 90 miles has any Roam in stock. The medium size DXT feels comfortable on a test ride but it is very close to being too big. It has almost no standover room but the saddle to pedal distance seems good with the saddle down as far as it can go. Based on the geometry specs I have seen it looks like the medium size Roam has a slightly lower standover and a slightly shorter effective top tube both of which should be marginally better - but I don't know for sure what it feels like. Still trying to decide so I would be open to other thoughts.

Thanks for for your input.

Walter Denton

I had an opportunity to test ride a Roam and it fit pretty well. Standover is a little tight but everything else about the fit is great so I pulled the trigger on a 2016 Roam 1. I'm really psyched about the level of the components I'm getting for the price. The bike should be in next week and I'm really looking forward to it. Now, on to thinking about a helmet, tool kit, pump ...

avidone1

I think it's a beautiful bike. I really like the color scheme.
As for quality vs. value, I think it's a winner there too.
You did well my friend.
Enjoy

Doctor Morbius

I do like the look of the Jamis DTX frame, but the components on the Roam 1 would win me over.

Congrats on the new bike. I have an older Roam 2. You're going to like it.

Little Darwin

While everyone is different, in most cases, if you have to have the saddle slammed all the way down to feel comfortable, then one of 2 things is going on.

1) The bike is way too big for you

or

2) You need to get your saddle up to the place it should be.

or possibly some combination of the above.

While everyone is different, the old rule of thumb is that the distance from saddle top to pedal top (at the bottom of the stroke) should be about 109% of your inseam for a starting point. A couple of my bikes don't have much clearance for my tender bits over the top tube, but I still have at least a few inches of seat post showing to get the saddle height I need for efficient pedaling. If you don't ride on the balls of your feet, you may need to be a little lower than the standard, and if you have big feet (like me), maybe you need it a bit higher, but the guidance is usually that the saddle is about the right height if you only have a very slight knee bend when your leg is extended.

Walter Denton

Little Darwin- Thanks for your input. The Roam does seem to fit me better than the Jamis. The saddle on the Roam is not slammed all the way down, although it is pretty low. I do pedal with the balls of my feet and I have a slight bend in my legs at the six o'clock position of the pedal so I think I'm ok. I have pretty short legs and a long torso and so I seem to need a medium size frame to get the right position for my back and arms. I am 5'11" and when I have tried a small frame the top tube seems too short. Of course, I realize different bikes have different geometry in the same size but that was the way it worked out for the brands (Trek, Giant, Jamis) that I was able to test ride. I'll post again when I get the bike and have a chance to put some miles on it.

downtube

I would not worry about the 8sp vs 10sp comparison. However I would look for a wide cassette 11-28 or 11-32. You will get better quality shifting on the rear, hence a nice wide cassette is nice to have. It also sounds like the Giant will have better resale value, so that should be a factor in your decision.

Thanks,
Yan