I have several road bike and am looking for a comfortable gravel/adventure style bike - I want to try the Great Allegheny Passage, C&O, and the Pine Creek Rail Trail. Probably pack a tent and sleeping bag - light tour gear I guess. I want something not too slow on the pavement but really good on hard packed dirt/crush&run and can handle some mud. I don't see me single tracking it.
So I was looking at the Salsa Fargo - but that seems like too much "mountain" in the bike.
I saw the Fuji Jari on-line (never really considered a fuji) before but seems interesting - they make both steel (lower end) and alloy frames with carbon forks (higher end). Alloy used to ride a bit rough but I have heard they have improved that some but I ride steel road frames. But in a bike that might get wet for a couple of days on a overnighters the alloy would have an advantage in that it would not rust.
Here is the models that I would consider - I pasted the links if you want to check them out and give me your thoughts. If you have ridden or own a Jari please let me know what you think - these really look interesting to me.
Jari 2.1 $999 - steel/steel fork with Tiagra groupset largely, kind of cheap disc brakes. QR axles. Tons of mounts for water bottles and racks and it takes up to a 42mm tire. Weight 27lbs
Fuji Bikes | Jari 2.1
Jari 1.7 $1299 - aluminum /full carbon fork with Tiagra group set largely, kind of cheap disc brakes, Thru axles. Tons of mounts for water bottles and racks and it will take up to a 42mm tire. Weight 23lbs.
Fuji Bikes | Jari 1.7
Jari 1.3 $1699 - aluminum/full carbon fork with 105 group set largely, very nice TRP HD/RD discs braks, thru axles and nice stan grail s1 wheel. Tons of mounts for water bottles and racks and it will take up to a 42mm tire. Weight 22.5lbs.
Fuji Bikes | Jari 1.3