2022 FOCUS JAM All Trail Enduro || Best Value Do It All MTB || BIKE REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 1 чер 2024
- #mtbreview #mtbhowto #flowmentum #ridemtb #flowmentum
Whats Up Everybody, Welcome Back!
Welcome to my second ever bike review, a bike review would have to be hardest to do as im not a fan of watching someone just sitting/standing there talking, its watching the trail or the ride that keeps you into the vid but you cannot give a true review while riding, so I have tried to find the perfect balance between the 2 and I hope it works.
This review is for the newly released 2022 Focus Jam 6.9, an ENTIRELY NEW platform for this year and the changes are a serious and competitive step forward for Focus and should be a concern for other brands.
There isnt much I can or will say here as I think ive covered it in the vid, so, if you are looking for a new bike or considering one down the track I would 💯 recomend adding this to the consideration list.
Without a doubt a great trail/enduro bike, seeiously responsive and stable without losing any agility, I completely enjoyed my time on this bike...
A MASSIVE shoutout and thank you to Fred and the team at RT Cycles for always keeping me on the trail -
www.rtcycles.com.au/
Full specs and geo on this Focus Model -
www.focus-bikes.com/au_en/bik...
#focus #focusjam #rtcycles #bikereview #mtbreview #flowmentum - Спорт
A great no bull shit super clear honest review. Also, top work Rt Cycles for initiating this. And Craig, great riding footage as always.
Tris thank you so much for your words legend, very highly appreciated buddy, thanks...
Awesome review mate!!!!! We love your work. Never change :)
Thank you legends, appreciate the support.
Love the content during these times just subbed
Legend thank you greatly//
Really useful review, trying to chose between the Occam h30 and this very bike. Thanks for the no nonsense approach to the review 👏. Best wishes from the UK😎🤘.
Hey I appreciate the kind words. Ive actually got a soft spot for the Occam and Orbea in general, honestly between these 2 bikes you cant lose in any way but one will offer more than the other.. Not sure about the UK but here in Aus the Orbea is a little more expensive so the Focus will offer more bike for the money..
Great review Craig, nice work. Thanks for share. Keep it up and have fun. Ride on
Thank you Christoph, hope the riding weather is good for you over there right now..
@@FlowmentumMTB Thanks for asking, yes the weather is good at the moment, let's watch if I get on my bike tomorrow. I hope the weather is good for you too. Ride on and have fun
Brilliant review Craig. All the info anyone would need. Perfect representation of the bikes capabilities. Cheers bud ✌🏼
Thanks Jules…
I'm torn between buying this bike or the commencal meta tr 🤔.
After watching this video and recommendations I bought the Focus Jam 6.9. Thanks for the great videos 🙏
My pleasure and thanks for chiming in, I hope you enjoy the bike as much as I have 👍
Excellent review mate. Need more of them. I may be in the market for a full suspension bike soon & appreciate your unbiased opinions. Unlike the sales people at our local bike shops. Keep up the great work.
Thanks a heap Griff.
More coming soon as well, Rocky Mountain Instinct and the new Mondraker Foxy. Stay tuned mate.
Mate, cheers for the review. I’m having a look at one today ✅
👊
Just ordered this beauty as first bike ever. I live in Zermatt (CH) with plenty of trails, I hope I made the right choice as first fully to learn the basics and become a good rider! Great review btw, congrats for the channel!!
Hey Leonardo you have definitely made the right choice, new or experienced this bike will deliver what is required of you.
Thanks for the props, ride on and welcome to the awesome world of Mountain Biking.
Sick review mate. Says a lot for a rig if a rider like yourself is endorsing it! Love the "riders review" 👌
Thank you David, your words strengthen my need to try more of this, appreciate the support as always buddy, enjoy your weekend..
Very helpfull review, thank you!
My pleasure 👊
Nice review mate, cheers.
Thank You Bernie, glad i don’t do these often, A bike Review is so darn difficult..
I don’t want to overload with pointless info but need to make sure I get the details right...
Thanks for the review - just purchased one off the back of it. Managed to get mine for a crazy £2.5k - that's £700 off RRP here in the UK, brilliant!
Damn that’s crazy value, congrats. Now it’s time togo shredding.
Quality review mate 👊🏿
Thanks Nathan, I’m not overly happy with the layout of this one but I think I’ve relayed what needs to be said. Hopefully, Maybe, I’m not sure 🤔👌
@@FlowmentumMTB you definitely have mate, I have watched a thousand bike reviews and you hit the key points, maybe stock hubs, wheels and tyres are the only other key pieces, although I can see you are running your own wheel set up. With how approachable you are I am sure those super keen could ask those questions anyway, thanks again!
@@nathanbrooks6423 thank you. I did put the link in the description for the full spec breakdown and I did consider mentioning these parts but really tried to keep it short and focus on the qualities that can’t be shared on paper,
And you are correct, I ran my own wheels as I love abs trust my Michelin tyres, this way I was able to ride it to its fullest without hesitation.
Thanks again for your words, really means a lot.
Good stuff mate. What a great idea to have a pocket that is designed to hold the spares. Its a bit of, about bloody time someone thought of that
Yep frame mounted, hard to believe w it took this long huh.
This was so helpful, I ended up buying one 👍
Nice work Alan, good times ahead for you thats assured.
Just got this bike as my first full suspension after riding a Marlin 7 for 2 years, after the first ride, it feels amazing. Feels like i’m floating on even rougher trails.
Yeah the FOLD linkage just works do darn well..
I'm eventually looking at upgrading to a dully but sticking it out on my hardtail as I hone my skills and confidence.
I've been doing research and found Focus to be such a great price point and German's never fail us.
This review really makes me want to get it haha.
Its great hearing some common sense come from a fellow rider, in regards to sticking to a hardtail in order to improve. I see sooo many riders jump straight into the deep end and think they are awesome riders NOT REALISING the bike is doing most of the work then they encounter a section beyond the bike and end up over the bars and in hospital (Friday Fails is a prime Example).
Its great to learn to get a solid feel for trails first and no better than a hard tail to do so...
Agreed on price point on Focus Bikes but also the fact that they ride so darn well, good luck in your decision Mick...
@@FlowmentumMTB I really appreciate the reply! I'm just waiting on the lockdown to not be so bad in Victoria so I can head out to more trials!
Thanks again for the review and reply!
@@lamdog24 yes good luck, and the second you are allowed out I say go for it and cover as much trail as possible as there’s no telling how soon until the next lockdown will be put in place.
i am looking at buying one of these, other bikes i am looking at are the specialized Stumpjumper Evo and the Canyon Spectral. Not sure if you have any experience with those 2 bikes, but how do you think it would stack up? i mostly ride steeper rockier terrain. One of the concern's for me is the dps rear shock, was wanting something with a piggy back, but you seem to think it wasnt noticeable. What terrain do you find it is happiest riding? Rocky gnarlier, or more smooth and flowing? sorry long comment ;)
Thanks mate! I just bought one and I can’t get off it!! Totally transformed my trail riding first ride was easy and got mostly PR for Strava ridiculously smooth rig!!!
Nice work Roy, they ride soo darn well and well beyond anything you would expect for the coin these are on the floor for..
Hi. What size would u recommend, I'm between sizes, atm I ride a medium on most bikes but I'm a large on a trek. Thanx
@@alexferguson9856 me too go the large
Hey, nice review! I have this exact bike and after 4 rides so far, it is great! You can actually change the stem, the cables go through the top cap of the headset. That is the only thing you need to keep, the across topcap. I am planning to change it aswell!
Hey thanks for chiming in, yes I didn’t mention the top cap option, only issue with that is we are trying to tidy up our cable setups, It would visually drive me insane seeing my cables coming up, over and into my stem from the top.. But yes it is an option for now.. Cheers.
@@FlowmentumMTB Hi, there is a video in german which tells you how to change the stem (ua-cam.com/video/dqW4J7x6bt4/v-deo.html, underneath there are links to the parts you need for that)
@@wurstfontaene cheers. Have seen that, unfortunately it wasn’t around or available back when I did this video.
Hey flowmentum sick video so much aiiirr
Thank you so much. Appreciate the words.
Great review! I think this has helped me make the decision to get one
If you are looking for a new ride and a mid travel on a budget is what you want then you wont find better, I work within the industry and there is no chance of any model competing on Value For Money, the other bonus is that this ride has the nicest geo and well suited for all trails riding.
I want one bad but just don’t have the money at the moment...
@@FlowmentumMTB I'm looking at the nukeproof mega and the YT Jeffsy, aswell as the obvious like the Trek Remedy and Stumpjumper Evo, have you any experience with them?
@@Toms275 all mentioned above are nice bikes, Bang for buck you won’t get the better deal on a Trek or specialized.
They are good value but nothing like the Focus.
The Mega is nice and better value for money than Trek or Specialised but the lack of in store back-up has many riders disappointed as these are direct to consumer.
For me personally I still believe the Focus comes out on top for 3x key factors,
# Instore sales, service and backup.
# Best value for money
# The Fold linkage suspension system is so far advanced it leaves the others sitting on the “Basic” system level.
These are just my own personal opinions but I think are to the point and accurate.
@@FlowmentumMTB that's a really helpful reply, thanks.
Great review Craig a lot of it was lost on me 😂 not sure I’d be willing to part with five grand for a bike, but I’m guessing their is a market out there for them. Nice to see you’re nearly at 2k subs 😀😀👍👍
Cheers Kevin, nothing wrong with a budget or entry level bike but something that veers a little towards being spoilt really does increase ride quality and safety. But yes $5k these days is a heck of a lot of coinage.
@@FlowmentumMTB Craig I guess if you are really serious about mountain biking then you obviously would want the best. I think my bike cost me just over $450 and I’m so cautious with it……sometimes it’s met it’s fair share of trees and dirt in the last 12 months. I was thinking to that 5K was the total cost of my last overseas holiday to Canada/USA.
@@kevinmartin225 hah, nothing wrong with the cost of any bike brother, just so long as its dialled and you are out there riding....
@@FlowmentumMTB exactly Craig and I’m out there dialled and riding and seriously really enjoying it…..never thought I would. I’ve also reconnected with one of my younger cousins in the UK who also rides and is extremely jealous of the trails that are so close to me. Might have sent a few links to your videos as well.
Welcome Back, this vid is my own personal thoughts and opinions on the new 2022 Focus Jam, this is the 6.9 and was super fun and enjoyable to ride over the 3 weeks I had it... Hope you Guys n Girls enjoy this one and please feel free to comment your thoughts below... But PLEASE play nice, reviews are hard as they are purely the personal thoughts and opinions of just one person and can vary from one rider to another..
Awesome review mate I pick mine up next week. Could I ask what rims you upgraded it too?
Hi, I just borrowed this bike new for a few weeks for the review so I opted to use my own personal wheels which are the DT M1700 fitted with Michelin Force AM2 Tyres... The wheels that come on the bike are fine if you got yourself the 6.9 but its always hard to deny a DT Wheel upgrade IMO....
@@FlowmentumMTB yep I ordered the 6.9 so all good. Thx for your reply
Awesome bike man, i’m still riding a hardtail dreaming of the day I can buy myself a full suspension trail bike. I almost went ahead and pulled the trigger and got one this year but decided to give it another…
Any Bike is a good bike and props to you for sticking your loyalty's to the hardtail.. you know you are doing yourself a favour right, Riding a Hardtail teaches you how to actually ride properly and not to rely so heavily on suspension etc.. When you do migrate your way to a dually you will ride smooth and beyond what you thought were your possibilities....
@@FlowmentumMTB I’ve heard this, was super excited to rent a trail bike at the bike park I was going to visit last week and see how it feels. Ended up breaking my big toe instead and never went to the park… haha
Nice review mate new subs here
Thank you kindly, welcome aboard 👍
Good review mate.I wish they were available in Oz. Where are those trails you are riding?
Hey John, this model is available here in Australia, due to demand on most brands and models many dealers are sold out but I know these are still available in some stores, RT Cycles that I mention in this video have a few still available... The trails Imam riding are in South East Queensland, Nerang, & Mount Cotton... Great Fun locations.....
@@FlowmentumMTB Awesome. Im in WA but Ill give them a try. Cheers mate
@@johndingey8110 I have a great relationship with RT Cycles, they will go out of their way to get it to you if they still have some in stock.
Hi mate,
I met you at Coast Cyclery at Tweed. Just wondering your expert opinion. I was looking at either the Jam or Sam. I love the Jam specs but I was also wanting a bike to take to bigger spots other than trails like Perisher, Boomerang Farm, NZ and also race enduro when my life settles and I’m back home loving again etc and was thinking even though the Sam will be slower climbing it would be better maybe for what I’m after? What’s your thoughts?
Hey buddy I remember you, you have been away for sometime and had just got back when I saw you in the shop yes? I love the extra travel of the Sam and it will certainly take bigger hits etc but me personally, I’m not a fan of 27.5” wheels, thats my only drawback. Plus if the bulk of riding you do is around SEQ with occasional visits to Thredbo, Tassie etc then the Jam will do you better as it will be more adaptive to bigger parks than the Sam will be to SEQ trails...
Please understand thats just my thoughts, plus the Aussie wholesaler didnt bring the better high end Jam into Australia so the Sam does come in a better package. Therefore id suggest for you and what you are wanting the Sam would be your better option..
Coomera jumps 👌
Hey Mate,
Really helpful review, looking at getting this bike as i can get it for an absolute bargain. Do you think it would be fine for long fire trail rides and single track trails?
Hey @gamesta8353 yes absolutely. Clearly not as well as a 13kilo lightweight carbon but as I mentioned somewhere in the video that I was blown away at the phenomenal amount of power i was able to get through the pedals. This bike pedalled and climbed better than i had expected. The suspension platform with the Focus GOLD dual linkage helps to eliminate pedal sag which created a nice and direct amount of power. I would still gladly ride this bike on any of my rides i do.. And the price at the time was ridiculously cheap compared to other major brands in the same spec, and right now you can get them a-lot cheaper again..
@@FlowmentumMTB Thanks do you know anything about the Cannondale lt 2. If so do you think it is better and appropriate for the same style of riding.
@@gamesta8353 The Habit LT2?
I know a little about it but as I’ve not ridden one I’d rather not try compare. I know the Habit is under the same category as the sham but a Long Travel trail or Enduro rig but it doesn’t offer the spec for dollar as the group set is a mix of XT and SLX and the Jam is full XT.
I love the Focus suspension BIG TIME but as I said I’ve not ridden the Cannondale so I can’t speak for it.
Great review mate. What size is the one you review?
Thank you. I had a Large
@@FlowmentumMTB cheers mate. I’m not sure what size to get. L or XL. Im 179cm tall
@@Krooker85 I reckon you are borderline on either and the correct size should be decided on your riding level or preference... Im 181cm and would definitely stay on the Large.. If your a skilled or experienced rider comfortable in throwing the bike around and jumping etc id suggest the “Large”... If you are more sit and pedal rider that just wants to enjoy riding the trails and tech without treating it like a BMX then the “EXTRA LARGE” would be my suggestion..
Hi mate, great review. Question. Do you think the 6.9 is worth the extra $1k over the 6.8?
Hi Ben.
Thats always going to come down to your own personal finances HOWEVER when you spec the 6.9 against almost every other Bike Brand on the market the same cost will only give you similar spec to the Focus 6.8..
The 6.9 is remarkable value for money and the additional $1k more offers A FULL XT Drivetrain INCLUDING the 4Piston XT Brakes, Stiffer more responsive Fox Forks and the Fox DPS rear shock will offer a slightly nicer feel than the RockShock Select rear.. That additional $1000 will go a long way....
Thanks for getting back to me. Ended up going with the 6.9. Should get it this week. Can’t wait!
@@benomalley1533 nice work Ben.
What shop, or should I say Suburb n City are you at
@@FlowmentumMTB I’m in Melbourne. Purchased from cycle house in Greensborough. Ride predominantly in Plenty Gorge
@@benomalley1533 you will love every trail you ride on this im sure..
Hi Craig, maybe an odd question but, can I ask how tall you are and what size of bike you are riding in the video. I’m 185 cm tall an wondering if I should get an L or an XL
Hey JB, I rode a Large in the video and am 181cm, If I were to buy one it would be borderline L/XL.
At 185 I’d suggest a large if your skilled on the bike and want to throw it around heaps, ride big dirt jumps and bike parks.
If you can handle your own but looking more for getting out riding trails, hitting jumps and doing longer rides I’d suggest the XL.
I personally would probably go an XL if I were to get one, they aren’t overly big bikes in comparison to many others.
How did the FOLD work for climbing? Did you use the lockout on the rear shock?
Hey Joonas, had no issues at all, I loved this bike for climbing, I’ve owned the previous model for 2yrs and found the FOLD system very effective all round. I ran a lower 25/28% sag which also kept it planted on climbs and didn’t rob any small bump sensitivity on the flat and descending.
I never flipped the lever on this bike at all, on my own the only tones I do is when I rode the roads to get to trails etc a d even then I don’t often.
Hi! good review. How tall are You? I am 179 and I am wondering if M size will be good for me.
Hi there, I’m 180mm and the Large I tested was just big enough, being a BMXr I prefer them slightly on the smaller side, meaning I could have gone an XL if I wasn’t into throwing it around so much.
A Medium would certainly be too shall, I would suggest a large 💯
@@FlowmentumMTBHi, I am now facing the choice of this bike. What do you mean by saying it is quite small ? Reach in size L has as much as 480mm
@@domtech5 sorry I may not have been very clear, I normally ride an XL so going to this large felt small, not suggesting the Large is small compared to other large but it is compared to an XL that I was riding. It is the perfect size for a Large and at 180cm tall I fell in love with the size.
Hi, what size is it the bike? and how much are you tall? thanks for answering
Bike is a large and I’m 180cm/6 foot.
Was a great size for long rides and riding aggressive.
hey does anyone here know if they changed anything about the bike in the 2023 model? i am looking into buying one.
Hey I am so sorry I’ve not seen your message until now, sadly I’m sure it’s too late to give a true answer HOWEVER Ian please to say the frame design and suspension platform has not changed for 2024 as this model (2023 onwards) was the first horizontal shock from Focus and it is a huge success.
As for spec it is the same for this model Running the XT Groupo But there may be small changes like grips, Tyre models etc and ofcourse new colour ways.
Hey Team Focus now have an adapter to run a conventional stem with these models. SKU : KD120424999, HEADSET C.I.S COVER/ADAPTOR 62mm Jam/Thron. The cables run under the stem and into the frame.
Yep great to see they have done this, thanks..
M8, you told that you needed a token almost instantly. Is there a token inside out of the factory? I cant seem to bottom it out or get full travel, even at lower PSI of 70
Hey SidNic I managed without one and had the rear shock at 240psi, i would liked to have had a token in the rear but didn’t end up doing so..
I would be taking the bike straight back to the retail outlet you purchased it from and have them check it out. Something not right with the shock..
@@FlowmentumMTB sorry, i mean the fork 😅 Do you know if there is a token in the fork? I have the shock at 230 aswell and performs good and uses full travel.
@@SidiNic I actually found the Fork to be too soft, yes I did put a token in the front, memory is a little vague but I’m near certain I ran 120psi in the fork, I usually run 100-110 but these lacked the ramping up at the end of the stroke.
Your forks should tip out easy at 70psi even for a light rider.
Have you let the air out completely and re-inflated.
@@FlowmentumMTB nope, i am gonna try that. Could be that I didnt equalize the pressure. Thnx for your answer
Well i let all the air out and equalised it. Also had to burp the fork, there was a lot of trapped air. Could be they over greased the air shaft from factory. Will have to ride to check how it handles but the weather is shit
Where did you get that top bottle cage bag from
It comes with the bike, it mounts with screws similar to the Biddon mounts.
Doesnt the bike come with a rodi wheelset and dhf/dhr tires, why did you change the wheelset,
Out of respect to the bike shop who loaned me a brand new bike to review.
I prefer my Michelin Tyres and this way when the bike was returned the wheels are still new.
Did the E13 chainstay come with the bike?
Hey Karlosp02 yes indeed it did.
It‘s a nice bike, but isn‘t it a bit heavy on uphill ways??
Nope not at all. The bike is a little heavier than a Carbon one as it is a full Alloy frame but not by much.
The pedaling dynamics of this design is phenomenal and I found that it climbed more efficiently than my sub 13kilo Jam from last year.
@@FlowmentumMTB ok. Good to know. Thank‘s.
Btw have you been to the Coomera dirt jumps, they are raaad
That’s where these jumps are taken, I live just up the road.
@@FlowmentumMTB hey that’s sick maybe we should meet up I am a ten year old shredder and am still working up the courage to get a whip maybe you could teach me and even some other tricks!
@@Hezi_Hoops go down there any day after school or weekends as there’s a few local boys around 14 yrs old that started riding there recently abs they all learn from each other.
Yeah ive seen them there got themselves some siiick bikes they taught how to do the big drop in up the back. Just learnt how to clear the middle line of these jumps
How was it on jumps? Thanks
Brilliant, as seen in the video I had no issues gapping or throwing it around, was surprisingly stable and agile.
Hi mate what size is this bike large or medium?
Hey Blake, this one I tested was a Large, perfect for me at 6foot even, I do like the bike to lean more on the smaller than the larger side as I,like to throw it around more.. Id have gone an XL if my riding style focused more on longer rides and less aggressive trails..
I’m looking to change my Genius carbon 27.5, its only negative point would be roughly its overweight, for less than 4300 dollars, considering the equipment it makes you want to lighten the wallet
I was worried about the weight as it is almost 2 kilos heavier than my Jam 8.9 Carbon but I honestly didn’t notice the weight at all. This bike climbed better than mine and was obviously more stable in the air.
hey what store can I get this from?
I know that RT Cycles have a few left in stock, you can go there and see them in person, they even have the actual one I rode in this video and are hiring it out as a demo bike so you can take it for a half day or full day.
This or Norco sight?
I Don’t understand your question.
@@FlowmentumMTB focus jam or the Norco sight? Which is the better choice
@@barrakingbeatz7794 tough call as both are great bikes, well known for reliability and performance however I would go the JAM 💯, It is is far better value for money, the equivalent SIGHT is the A1, it is $1500 more than the JAM and only has Sram GX which in comparison is a step below Shimano XT.
However these are relatively simple and affordable upgrades so then it comes down to suspension design and again I prefer the JAM, as stated in the review the JAM has the FOLD System which is a 2 stage travel and although very advanced it works relatively simple yet offers so much more than the basic Horst Link design on the NORCO.
The Horst Link system is popular for a reason, it works, its simple but it does the job, but a 140mm feels like 140mm, sometimes this Horst Link Design struggles to really bring out the smoothness in rougher terrain as where the FOLD system on the JAM kicks in on the bigger hits and higher speed stuff and flattens everything out.
Its all personal opinion but the JAM is far better value for money and the suspension is flawless..
Nece arena sob
It‘s a nice bike, but isn‘t it a bit heavy on uphill ways??
It performs better downhill than uphill, but i can reach everything that i did before. It rides very good, but not for long 60k plus rides, that is when i notice the weight the most