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All-New Jamis Renegade Carbon Adventure Bike Looks to Crush the Tushar. Again.

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2015 Jamis Renegade carbon fiber disc brake adventure road bike

Jamis’ sponsored pro Tyler Wren successfully crushed the Tushar in 2012 aboard a prototype carbon fiber Supernova disc brake ‘cross bike, which was followed with production alloy Novas before the carbon frame got final.

Now, he’s looking to repeat the performance aboard the all-new Jamis Renegade adventure road bike.

Built from the ground up to be both racy and all-day comfortable, the Renegade uses a consistently progressive stack and reach growth across all frame sizes. The frame is a mix of high- and mid-modulus carbon using their NearNet molding process and uses size specific layups and tube sizes with three different fork offsets. Then they built in three different BB drops, three different rear-center measurements and two rear triangle sizes. They say that makes it as close to custom as you’re likely to get off the shelf. From there, spec is very good with two complete bikes ready for pretty much anything, with looks ready to rebel against pavement at a moment’s notice…

2015 Jamis Renegade carbon fiber disc brake adventure road bike

To boost comfort on the bike, the ECO (Enhanced Compliance Offset) fork legs are raked forward further to allow for better vertical compliance to handle road irregularities, washboards, etc.. To prevent it from feeling floppy, they use internal ribbing and a 15mm thru axle that’s offset behind the legs to keep it stiff for both steering and the increased braking forces from hydraulic discs.

It, and the frame, provides clearance for 700x40c tires, or 35c wide treads with full fenders. And both builds are spec’d with wide, tubeless ready rims.

2015 Jamis Renegade carbon fiber disc brake adventure road bike

To get that tire clearance working properly in the back, the bottom bracket is BB386 EVO. That let them push the chainstays wide enough to clear the larger rubber. By setting them wider, along with flaring the seat tube out wider, it also made the area much stiffer for better power transfer. The drive side chainstay gets a slight angle where the chainrings pass it to keep clearance at acceptable levels.

2015 Jamis Renegade carbon fiber disc brake adventure road bike

Seatstays were made smaller and set lower to add a bit of compliance, and they get an ovalized shape to allow compliance only in the vertical plane but remain laterally stiff, all of which is enhanced by the lower contact point of the seatstays on the seat tube. Combine that with the beefier chainstays and you get a frame that’s ready for strong legs and strong brakes. By spec’ing only hydraulic disc brakes, though, your hands can be as weak as you want and you won’t need to worry about fatigue from pulling cable all day long. Yes, it does make a huge difference.

2015 Jamis Renegade carbon fiber disc brake adventure road bike geometry chart

The Renegade has relaxed endurance geo, stretched out a bit compared to their road and ‘cross bikes. Jamis’ rep said they had to open a lot of molds to make all the different rear ends, forks and parts to make each frame size ride just as well as the next, but they wanted a bike that felt right for every size rider.

The prototype size 56 is coming in with a painted frame weight of 1120g (w/o hardware) and the fork at 470g. Road PM Todd Corbitt told us he expects production weights to be the same.

It’ll hit shops in January 2015 with two builds: Elite with 11-speed Shimano Ultegra, Shimano hydraulic disc-brakes and American Classic Argent tubeless wheels for $4200, and the Expert with 11-speed Shimano 105 build, TRP hydraulic disc brakes and Alex tubeless wheels for $2400. Even though both builds are mechanical, the frame’s ready for electronic drivetrains and internal seatpost batteries, too.

www.RenegadeAdventureBikes.com

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Superstantial
Superstantial
9 years ago

Doesn’t this look like it should be made by Giant? What with the lower seatstays and all, it looks to me like the TCX’s cousin.

That being said, seems like they put a lot of thought into it. I’m looking forward to seeing one around.

Superstantial
Superstantial
9 years ago

– “Combine that with the beefier chainstays and you get a frame that’s ready for strong legs and strong brakes. By spec’ing only hydraulic disc brakes, though, your hands can be as weak as you want” – those lines are hilarious. Well done.

Also, the link at the bottom doesn’t seem to work.

Tim A
Tim A
9 years ago

That’s one good looking bike.

Mindless
Mindless
9 years ago

Now somebody knows how to put in modern features on a road bike. All should be just like that, 40mm clearance, through axles, hydro disks.

King County
King County
9 years ago

Obsolete with those ‘old’, non flush, brake mounts. Lol.

Henry
Henry
9 years ago

So does Shimano make hydro mech shifters?

Jack
Jack
9 years ago

So I’m a bit confused. Is this a new division of Jamis called Renegade, as all logos state Renegade and the Jamis logo is absent or is this because it’s still a prototype? Anyway I love the understated logos, just enough to identify it without it looking like s F’king Vegas billboard like so many bikes today.

mudrock
mudrock
9 years ago

This is a distressing trend to see sponsored racers on prototypes racing and winning these citizen races. not that the prototypes are anything special, but a guy that doesn’t have to work for a living, except ride his bike, shouldn’t be allowed in these gravel grinders.

saddlesniffer
saddlesniffer
9 years ago

@Superstantial, I don’t know how giants would ride this bike? So why would giants be making this bike?

mudrock
mudrock
9 years ago

superstantial – it prob is made by Giant

Tomi
Tomi
9 years ago

Henry: they are coming. This fall according to my lbs.

Nice looking bike but a shame the headtube is way too long. Riding in the dirt doesn’t mean I want to ride with a dutch city bike position. With a shorter headtube people like me could use the bike while those looking for a more relaxed position can still use some spacers + stems pointing upward like they have always done. I don’t get that trend to artificially limit the number of people that could fit on the bike thus the potential buyers.

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

@ Mudrock:

Ummmm…riding a bike as a professional rider IS working for a living. Really damn hard work. Safe to say the average pro is probably more tired after a day at their “office” than you are at yours. If you think it’s not working for a living why don’t you give it a go and let us know how that works out?

Also pros showing up and racing in amateur events is hardly a new trend. Greg LeMond often competed in local races. when I lived in the Bay Area we’d have several local pros show up for amateur cyclocross races. Years ago it was a violation of USCF rules for a licensed racer to participate in any cycling event that handed out prizes and wasn’t sanctioned by the USCF. I remember back in the 1980’s Andy Hampsten got in trouble for riding in the El Tour de Tucson, a non-race century that did hand out trophies to the first riders across the line.

Of course if you like to ride long distances and don’t want to have to compete against the pros you can always do Paris-Brest-Paris next year. That event still bans professionals (and I suspect few professionals would be crazy enough to want to enter!)

Ramjet
Ramjet
9 years ago

Whether giants built this using tweezers or not – it’s a great looking beast. Makes me wish I had room for a third jamis.

Ramjet
Ramjet
9 years ago

Whoever said you should turn your hobby into your profession – and you’ll never have to work a day in your life had it right. For pro. Riders – it might still be work but it’s also a passion. *envy*

Ty
Ty
9 years ago

Chris, I would not discount that working as a pro isn’t a job. But the citizen racer works a 40 and then goes out before, after, weekends and tries to get in enough training to compete. So besides taking 40 hrs away from possible training/recovery time he also has to compete against equipment not available to him. Yeah I know life isn’t fair.

joby
joby
9 years ago

@Tomi, @Henry – agreed via my sources, the mechanical shifter/hydro brake lever at the Ultegra level is going to be out later this quarter…it will give SRAM serious competition headaches. Glad to see this getting momentum as it is consumer demanded vs. the usual race-tech, trickled down. As a rider that frequently rides in the wet/rain (NorCal), the benefits of a disc brake system is an enormous safety/performance upgrade over rim brakes when it gets wet. Even crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in the summer, braking performance is seriously compromised by the heavy fog wetting down the rims. I really don’t care what the UCI thinks (I’m too old, fat, slow…whatever), I for one cannot wait for road discs to get out into the market as they will work really well for the majority of my riding.

Champs
Champs
9 years ago

This bike would crush my Cat 6 commute if it had fender *and* rack mounts.

I’m kind of serious about that, just like it kind of looks like a TCR or a Defy, i.e. “not very much”.

Velo
Velo
9 years ago

Yeah, does it have mounts?

It does look very similar to a Giant TCX Advanced, but with a more sloping top tube.

I do like the look of it. Not as much as the new BMC CrossMachine though.

mudrock
mudrock
9 years ago

Sponsored racers have no place in Trans Iowa, Dirty Kanza, Tour Divide etc. these are events for non-licensed riders, not sanctioned by USA Cycling, UCI, or any other racing body. They are for anyone who wants to pay the entrance fee and ride with others competitively or not. Having sponsored racers toe the line at these events is like having Ricardo Ricco show up at your local gran fondo. You like racers on drugs at your races? The difference, and unfair advantage, of having sponsored racers at these citizens races is many times that. To pretend otherwise is bullsh*t.

Eddie
9 years ago

Check your charts, check your charts….
Size 61 stand over height is 10″ short.

Nice bike!

scentofreason
scentofreason
9 years ago

See the 2015 Norco Threshold. The mechanical Ultegra version is only $3300. It’s frame is less than 1000 grams, it has through axles front and rear, and it will be available next month…

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
9 years ago

There are a lot of things in the world to get wound up about, but pro racers showing up at amateur events isn’t one of them. Hell, it’s not even in the top 5000 things to knot one’s panties over.

This new Jamis, however, might be worth getting wound up. Jamis appears to have got a lot of things right with the Renegade. Bring on the ride reviews.

Brad
Brad
9 years ago

The first spec I look for in a geometry chart is bottom bracket drop. When it’s not listed then I remove that bike/frame from consideration. BB height is a near-useless spec.

jeffrey S Barton
9 years ago

fast looking bike

Travis
Travis
9 years ago

@mudrock – quit complaining about all that, the races you mentioned don’t have entry fees and no real prizes…so so what if pros show up. I personally think it would be fun to have the chance to just ride while there is a well known person there. I can’t say that I would be racing with them haha. How do they have an unfair advantage? Because they get free bikes? What if I only care about biking and just buy the new and best bike every year a new one comes out and you don’t? Is that unfair? It’s not the bike, it’s the rider. You are probably not going to win any of those races anyway so what is it to you? Just ride your bike and keep the complaining to yourself!

Travis
Travis
9 years ago

@mudrock…why don’t you read a nice article written by the guy you are complaining about…it’s intriguing…http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/04/news/tyler-wrens-journal-outcry-shows-riders-can-influence-sports-direction_281893
And the races you mentioned don’t have entry fees or prizes, so what’s the deal exactly?

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

@Henry – Yes, the new 5800 group has a mech/hydro shifting option

Derron Tanner
Derron Tanner
9 years ago

How is the effective ST on the 61 smaller than on the 58? & Tomi, what size do you normally ride? The HT on the 48 is under 4″ and only 4.5″ on the 51.

Bill
Bill
9 years ago

@Derron…..looks like a typo as the measurement in MM is 853, so the ST is 33.58

David D
David D
9 years ago

The geo chart isn’t exactly “solid”. Check the wheelbase for the 56 size frame…

I’ll do the conversion arithmetic for you–it’ll cost you a frameset, though!

Hitchhiker
Hitchhiker
9 years ago

@Brad. That statement is bordering on moronic. BB drop is only the relationship of the distance of the BB Vs the rear wheel hub. The truly important measurement in this reference is the BB hieght. BTW, If the BB drop is that important to you then subtract the BB height from the wheel and tire combo radius. Basic math.
IMHO, a far more important spec is the chain stay length and chain stay width. I’m looking for a new bike to do gravel and mixed events on like the Belgian Waffle Ride (last year on a BH ultralight with 28’s). This bike or the GT Grade are right up there. I discounted the Synapse as the CS length is IMHO too short. (Even though Neil Shirley won on not) !!

Hitchhiker
Hitchhiker
9 years ago

I meant won on it!!

Jeff Ray
Jeff Ray
9 years ago

Will they offer the platform with different sized crank arms upon request….Or are they like Giant….Thoughts…

RBW
RBW
8 years ago

Has anyone else bought this bike? I see no other actual non-bike sponsored sites discussing actually personal experience. Well I ordered my Renegade Elite 61 in November 2014 after see all the early reviews and that great video. Expecting delivery in January, as advertised, but told in January it would be February, and in February told March. When March arrived I was told Jamis would not be building any 61 in 2015. Being persistent my dealer was able to locate a Demo 61 frame that had not been assembled. We purchased it and built the Elite with all the Shimano Ultegra components. I began to ride my new bike which I loved the fit and comfort, but after my third ride in 2 weeks, on rough asphalt and gravel roads (not mountain bike trails), no crashes, not wrecked, never dropped the seat stay cracked. We sent the frame to Jamis expecting a replacement which was declined. Jamis clams “There is no other way this damage could have appeared on the stay, it could only be caused by upward force being applied to the seat stay and this is not possible during normal riding conditions.” I had three normal rides on a bike that was designed as a ‘heavy duty” adventure bike. I did not do anything that was not normal in any way. So now I’m stuck with a $4000 bike with a broken frame. If I repair it and ride normally it could possibly break again. It maybe the size 61 frame design cannot handle the “heavy duty” label, or the reason Jamis pulled the 61 size Renegade this year and why the Renegade Exploit is come out in 2016 (steel frame). One can only wonder why Jamis can’t seem to support their “high end” product as most other manufactures would. So I will start my shopping for another manufacture today and I won’t be back.

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