WHAT IT'S GOT
How in the world is it humanly possible to spec a bike at a price-point below $800 and still make it a decent ride? Somehow, the people at Jamis have accomplished this seemingly impossible feat

The Dakar Sport's double-butted chromoly frame is a carryover from last year and has proven itself to be reliable. The entire frame is TIG-welded, and the front triangle especially shows of nice, clean welds.
The downtube is ovalized to provide extra rigidity between the headtube and the bottom bracket so there's minimal frame flex.

Rear suspension is a four-bar design with a beefy pivot just above the bottom bracket for the solidly-built rear triangle to move on. The rear triangle itself is well built and has forged dropouts and a seatstay bridge just a few inches down from the lower shock mount.

Where product managers can get chintzy is with suspension, but Jamis didn't short sheet the Dakar Sport here. The high-quality Fox Shox Vanilla coil-over shock provides 90mm of smooth rear wheel travel. Linked to a set of forged alloy bars attached to the rear triangle, the Fox Vanilla delivers both performance and value to the Dakar Sport that any rider will appreciate.

Up front is the RST 381 TL fork, which also delivers 90mm of travel. The coil-spring/MCU- suspended unit supplies reliable performance that is absolutely essential to a value-driven bike like the Dakar Sport.

It has external preload adjusters, chromoly stanchions, a forged alloy crown and one-piece alloy sliders - performance and product features that will last as long as the rest of the bike.

Another incredible value feature that would've been unimaginable a year or two ago is the Dakar Sport's nine-speed drivetrain. Front and rear derailleurs are Shimano Deore mated to SRAM Attack nine-speed Grip Shifts. The crankset is SR SunTourÕs MD350. Another quality touch is the Real Design 11-32 cassette, a very cool choice which could have been just as easily handled with a no-name brand to shave a couple pennies.

The last major components are the brakes, which are Formula MD-1 mechanical calipers and stainless discs from Italy, mated to the disc hubs by Formula of Taiwan. Disc brakes have come a long way since they became common spec, and the MD-I's are no exception, with evolutionary details that have been incorporated to improve feedback, modulation and brake pad life. They're mated to Avid 1.0L levers
which are beautifully shaped and are right where you want them.

OTHER DETAILS
Sun rims are laced with stainless spokes and roll on 1.9 Hutchinson Chameleon tires. The front end of the rider compartment features alloy riser bars and a forged flip/flop stem with a Cane Creek AheadSet.
Saddle duties are handled by an anatomic Jamis Comp saddle with steel rails. Holding the saddle is a
beefy alloy seatpost with microadjustable head. All in all, a great rider package.

TAKING IT OUT
They make no secret in the 2000 model-year Jamis bike catalog that the Dakar Sport is not a light bike - 32.5 pounds, to be exact. The Mountain Biking Scale of Truth confirmed this. The secret in weight is how it's carried, and the Dakar Sport carries itself well. While the 32-plus pounds are noticeable, they're not offensive.

Part of the secret is the Dakar Sport's distribution of weight which is evenly spread between the front and rear ends. When it comes to climbing, the rear end doesn't feel like an anchor. Thanks to the Fox Vanilla shock and layout of the bike, the rear has a nice, lively feel to it that works for, not against, the rider.

At the other end the RST 381 TL doesn't feel like it's bogging down the rest of the bike. An average rider will have to work a little to loft the front end through some ruts or over a rock in the trail, but it's nothing that's going to go spoil the overall riding experience.

The key to weight distribution is where the rider is; the layout of the saddle relative to the handlebars and stem length, and it all falls into place for an average-sized rider. Coupled with the stem, the bars have just enough rise and pullback to them to offer a comfortable reach; the saddle didn't have to be adjusted much
at all to get the right riding position dialed in, nor was there a lot of bending over or reaching.
Everything feels good on the Dakar Sport.

Shifting is crisp and precise, thanks to the thoughtful choice of drivetrain components. The SRAM Attack shifters never skipped a beat working with the Shimano Deore derailleurs and the SR SunTour cranks. Nearly every shift was smooth and controlled, especially where it counted on long, grinding climbs which often show how well a drivetrain works. No probs at all.

For the average rider the moment of truth is when you hit the hills, and the Dakar Sport delivered the goods. The front end stayed the course while the rear suspension helped the rear wheel hook up. Average riders who have trouble climbing will really like the Dakar Sport, which proves that a value-driven bike can also be a confidence-inspiring ride as well.

On singletrack the Dakar Sport handled itself with aplomb. By dialing in a little more preload on the
Fox Vanilla rear shock, it was possible to make the front end turn sharper. Once again, test riders with average skills ended their rides with nothing but good things to say about the Jamis.

IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER?
Who would have thought that anybody could design and build a dual-suspension mountain bike with quality components for just $750! The Jamis Dakar Sport is proof that it's entirely possible. Jamis is to be commended for building Mountain Biking's choice for the bike that's Best of Under $800.
Sure, the Jamis Dakar Sport costs $750, but it really does ride like a million dollars!

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