Kona Jake as Road bike???

oldholborn
oldholborn Posts: 114
edited March 2016 in Road buying advice
I have got a Jake.
Its great!
However I need a road bike.
Just been down the shop and asked what I can get for £500 quid.
Looked at the trek and Allez and Secteur.
Now they dont seem much lighter than my Jake.
Well I aint gona get much for £500

1) Now would I be better off buying a good set of wheels and Gatorskins for my Sunday rides?
2)Would the Geometry of my Jake be similair to the Secteur?

Comments

  • oldholborn
    oldholborn Posts: 114
    Forgot to say my Jake has been upgraded with Ultegra and 105.
    Not going to get that on a £500 road bike
  • oldholborn
    oldholborn Posts: 114
    Yes im thinking about putting a good set of wheels with gator skins on my bike for fast rides.
    is this a bad idea?
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    the bad part of that idea is the Gator Skins - the gator they are named after is soft as **** and cuts up badly.
  • williamac
    williamac Posts: 71
    I swear by gator skins - over 2,500 miles on country roads with lots of thorns etc and only a single p*****e :-)

    William
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    I swore at them :shock:
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    Gatorskins - one puncture in 3,000 miles...
    http://www.georgesfoundation.org
    http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
    http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/
  • oldholborn
    oldholborn Posts: 114
    Ok thanks.
    Well the use of Gatorskins appears to be a contraversial topic.

    So is having a good set of (road wheels and tyres) to fit to the Jake as and when required a bad idea?

    I think its better than riding a £500 road bike. Similair weights. Lower spec groupset.


    Whats your opinion?
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Get some Planet X B wheels for £99 and some Conti GP4000S tyres.
    Get a smaller block on it too as your Jake probably has lower gears than a road bike would ?
  • owenlars
    owenlars Posts: 719
    mroli wrote:
    Gatorskins - one puncture in 3,000 miles...

    +1 almost completely London commuting and bought another set
  • oldholborn
    oldholborn Posts: 114
    Thanks Cougie
    Yes,pretty much what I am thinking.


    So once I have carried out these modifications can anyone see a drawback?
    So far no one has said buy the £500 roadbike
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Seems a bit pointless really to buy a cheap roadbike ? If it was a grand then I'd say yeah - get a PX or a Boardman or something, but the Jake would be better than a £500 I'd reckon.

    Unless you went second hand ?
  • ex-pat scot
    ex-pat scot Posts: 939
    If your position is good on the jake, then I'd spend the money on it.

    1. 2nd pair of wheels. PX model B is a decent choice. 700 x 23s. 12-25 cassette
    2. treat the Jake to a diet perhaps?
    3. enjoy blasting past roadies on a CX bike!
    Commute: Langster -Singlecross - Brompton S2-LX

    Road: 95 Trek 5500 -Look 695 Aerolight eTap - Boardman TTe eTap

    Offroad: Pace RC200 - Dawes Kickback 2 tandem - Tricross - Boardman CXR9.8 - Ridley x-fire
  • graemematheson
    graemematheson Posts: 18
    I've used my Jake as a winter road bike for a couple of years now as well as some CX. As previous posts have suggested I use a spare set of wheels with a smaller cassette.

    It works well, the slightly more upright position isn't a problem as i tend to ride on the hoods anyway.

    I've taken it out on a few club runs and it's lighter than many other bikes that turn up on our Sat am ride.

    Go for it, if you like the bike why replace it?

    G
  • oldholborn
    oldholborn Posts: 114
    Now I am thinking of running 25mm tyres.
    Would they be more comfortable than 23mm?
    Would they be any slower?

    Having two sets of wheels each fitted with cassettes might I expect the chain to skip?
  • leif_magnus
    leif_magnus Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I have re-built my kona jake to a road bike. To get a better geometry, I would recommend to use a fork mount brake cable holder. Then you would be able to lower the stem a bit more. If you also get a road bike saddle and 20mm offset seat post, the geometry and feel would be road like. Next thing is to use road-bike tires 23,25 or28mm. Sky is the limit.

    Here you can find my build so far. I will change to ultegra components this season.

    http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... 4&t=133339

    I also have a lighter bike for racing, but the Kona is working well for every other occasions.

    You can even mount 2inch wide cross tires if you want to go off road.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    leif_magnus wrote:
    Hi,

    I have re-built my kona jake to a road bike. To get a better geometry, I would recommend to use a fork mount brake cable holder. Then you would be able to lower the stem a bit more. If you also get a road bike saddle and 20mm offset seat post, the geometry and feel would be road like. Next thing is to use road-bike tires 23,25 or28mm. Sky is the limit.

    Here you can find my build so far. I will change to ultegra components this season.

    http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... 4&t=133339

    I also have a lighter bike for racing, but the Kona is working well for every other occasions.

    You can even mount 2inch wide cross tires if you want to go off road.

    Did you realise you were responding to a six year old thread? Nice bike though
  • leif_magnus
    leif_magnus Posts: 2
    Haha. I was responing to another thread from this year. Got them mixed up. :)

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