# Ventura Comp Review (First Road Bike)



## c_kyle (May 28, 2010)

Hello,

I though I'd join the Jamis forum, since I'm now a Jamis owner. I recently bought a 2009 Jamis Ventura Comp. I've been riding mtb, mainly xc, since 1993. This is my first road bike, so take that into consideration with my thoughts on the bike so far. I've done one 28 mile group ride, averaging 22-23mph, and a few miles around the neighborhood getting used to the bike.

What I was looking for was an entry level road bike that basically had a decent frame and fork. I'm not too concerned with componentry, as long as I can ride the bike. I'll be swapping everything out for what I want anyways. That's just what I enjoy doing. I think the Ventura fills that requirement, even though the frameset is a little heavy, at ~2150g for 51cm. I'm guessing at the weight based off of frameset weights I requested from Jamis. The total weight of my bike, with two alloy bottle cages and Candy SL pedals is 21.8lbs.










Link to spec sheet

The frame and fork feel good. The bike is not squirrely, and goes where I want it to, almost intuitively. I'm 150lbs, by the way. Minor road imperfections are not felt, and other things like train tracks just feel like bumps. Although, I am attempting to unload weight as each wheel crosses something like that. The welds look great, and the paint looks good. I'll wax the frame and fork; hopefully that will help prevent scratches and paint chips.

The drive train is a little better than what I would expect from bottom line Shimano. I am thoroughly unimpressed with Sora shifters paired to double chainrings. Sora shifters are double and triple compatible. What I quickly learned is that you can over shift into a phantom granny gear and it's a pita to get back into the big ring. It's a learning process, though, so I can now deal with it. I also dislike being able to shift into easier gears in the drop, but not shift into tougher gears in the drop. I can't reach the little thumb shifter from the drop, which could be just that I cannot reach it, rather than it's designed that way.

The rear shifting is pretty smooth and doesn't require a lot of force to the shift lever to perform the shifting, unlike the front shifter.

Still, I think Jamis should have just went with Tiagra shifters. The consumer retail price difference is ~$50...not a big deal.

Brakes are Tektro dual pivot (not sure which model) and work fine. Again, I don't have anything to compare them to.

I can't really comment on the wheelset. I only have about 35 miles on them.

The Vittoria Zaffiro tires are decent. They're light-ish, grip well enough, and haven't gone flat yet. I have rolled over a few thing that I should have avoided, and they survived. 

The Easton E30 cockpit is OK. Everything is staying in place and is secure. I have no idea how much these part weigh. The drop bar is almost comfortable. I could use one size wider, though. The Jamis suede bar tape is pretty comfortable. It's cushioned, and white. I'm not sure how long it will stay white, lol. 

Now, to the part that really surprised me...the Selle San Marco Ischia saddle. I'm saddle persnickety, and this saddle is pretty comfortable. 

So, overall, I'm happy with the Jamis Ventura Comp. I think it's nice bike, especially for the price. Everything on the bike is from an aftermarket vendor, down to the Jagwire cableset. I'm not sure if that's actually relevant, compared to an inhouse branded part.

Future plans for the Ventura:

SRAM Force drivetrain
3T carbon bars
KCNC crank and other parts
Soul 3.0SL wheels w/ Veloflex tires

I am somewhat of a weight weenie, so the fun (besides riding the bike) is getting her down into the 16lbs range.


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