Wheels review - JRA Jawbones
thesledge
Posts: 46
Folks,
Just thought I'd share my thoughts on a new set of wheels I fitted to my Focus Izalco Ergoride last week, purely as an observation.
I've been riding Ksyrium Elites and Racing 3s for the last couple of years and had been wondering what all the fuss was with wider rims so, in a weak moment, decided to buy a Jawbone wheelset from Just Riding Along in Oughtibridge near Sheffield.
The Jawbones have Pacenti SL23 rims with JRA hubs and mine came with black Sapim Laser and Race spokes for £380, £100 less than Ksyrium Elites but £100 more than the Fulcrums. Skewers are also not included.
So are they any good?
On my first ride (a flat 20-miler) the Bitex hubs felt a bit heavy but span more easily towards the end; the wheels were certainly more comfortable, absorbing road buzz better than my other wheels. I ride Cont GP4000s and at 85 psi the ride is terrific.
Less positive is the effort needed to get the tyres on - the bigger rims are a challenge and much profanity was shared setting them up...
Yesterday I took them out for a long ride which fittingly included Jawbone Hill (aka the Cote de Oughtibridge, which was included in the TdeF Grand depart). I also covered High Bradfield, Midhopestones, Pearoyd Lane, Cat Hill near Hoylandswaine and Litherop Lane at Bretton... 8,400ft of climbing in 76 miles.
I ride all those lumps regularly, but this was the first time' I'd grouped them together and the JRA Jawbones excelled themselves. After downloading the ride to Strava, the results were unbelievable - PBs not just on every single major climb but on every descent as well. Now I accept that riding with new gear often has an uplifting effect but the times on some tough climbs throughout a six-hour ride were astonishing.
I'm riding The Struggle this weekend and it can't come soon enough!
The service from JRA was first class - I ordered the wheels on Wednesday and they were ready for collection on Friday: the staff were friendly and helpful on the phone, and pleasant to deal with on collection.
Interestingly I purchased some Ti skewers from Planet X in Barnsley on the way home, having ordered them online for collection on the Wednesday. I did try speaking to someone at PX first but despite repeated calls throughout the day no-one answered the phone...
On getting to PX, one assistant said he'd be with me in a minute - two of his colleagues who were unpacking boxes continued to ignore me while I stood at the till for 5 mins, breaking away only to marvel at a belt they'd found in one of the boxes. I thought this level of disinterest in customers was unique to Evans Cycles in Castleford but clearly not.
The skewers are great, though.
In conclusion, £405 for the JRA Jawbones and PX skewers is a cracking deal - at 1,433g they're very light for the price. They also look good with black rims, spokes and hubs. I've also colour coded the graphics to key in with my frame. If anyone is looking at upgrading they certainly come with my recommendation. Five stars from me.
http://www.justridingalong.com/wheels/jra/jawbone-wheelset-380-440.html
Just thought I'd share my thoughts on a new set of wheels I fitted to my Focus Izalco Ergoride last week, purely as an observation.
I've been riding Ksyrium Elites and Racing 3s for the last couple of years and had been wondering what all the fuss was with wider rims so, in a weak moment, decided to buy a Jawbone wheelset from Just Riding Along in Oughtibridge near Sheffield.
The Jawbones have Pacenti SL23 rims with JRA hubs and mine came with black Sapim Laser and Race spokes for £380, £100 less than Ksyrium Elites but £100 more than the Fulcrums. Skewers are also not included.
So are they any good?
On my first ride (a flat 20-miler) the Bitex hubs felt a bit heavy but span more easily towards the end; the wheels were certainly more comfortable, absorbing road buzz better than my other wheels. I ride Cont GP4000s and at 85 psi the ride is terrific.
Less positive is the effort needed to get the tyres on - the bigger rims are a challenge and much profanity was shared setting them up...
Yesterday I took them out for a long ride which fittingly included Jawbone Hill (aka the Cote de Oughtibridge, which was included in the TdeF Grand depart). I also covered High Bradfield, Midhopestones, Pearoyd Lane, Cat Hill near Hoylandswaine and Litherop Lane at Bretton... 8,400ft of climbing in 76 miles.
I ride all those lumps regularly, but this was the first time' I'd grouped them together and the JRA Jawbones excelled themselves. After downloading the ride to Strava, the results were unbelievable - PBs not just on every single major climb but on every descent as well. Now I accept that riding with new gear often has an uplifting effect but the times on some tough climbs throughout a six-hour ride were astonishing.
I'm riding The Struggle this weekend and it can't come soon enough!
The service from JRA was first class - I ordered the wheels on Wednesday and they were ready for collection on Friday: the staff were friendly and helpful on the phone, and pleasant to deal with on collection.
Interestingly I purchased some Ti skewers from Planet X in Barnsley on the way home, having ordered them online for collection on the Wednesday. I did try speaking to someone at PX first but despite repeated calls throughout the day no-one answered the phone...
On getting to PX, one assistant said he'd be with me in a minute - two of his colleagues who were unpacking boxes continued to ignore me while I stood at the till for 5 mins, breaking away only to marvel at a belt they'd found in one of the boxes. I thought this level of disinterest in customers was unique to Evans Cycles in Castleford but clearly not.
The skewers are great, though.
In conclusion, £405 for the JRA Jawbones and PX skewers is a cracking deal - at 1,433g they're very light for the price. They also look good with black rims, spokes and hubs. I've also colour coded the graphics to key in with my frame. If anyone is looking at upgrading they certainly come with my recommendation. Five stars from me.
http://www.justridingalong.com/wheels/jra/jawbone-wheelset-380-440.html
It's sad how Wile E. Coyote is remembered for his violence, and not for his brilliantly realistic paintings of tunnels.
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Comments
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I will second that recommendation for JustRidingAlong.
The difficulty getting the tyres on has nothing to do with the width of the rim, sadly its the same with most 'tubeless ready' rims. The easiest one I have found is the Archetype, which is a super rim. JRA built these onto American Classic disk hubs for me which are also superb, although not cheap.0 -
apreading wrote:I will second that recommendation for JustRidingAlong.
The difficulty getting the tyres on has nothing to do with the width of the rim, sadly its the same with most 'tubeless ready' rims. The easiest one I have found is the Archetype, which is a super rim. JRA built these onto American Classic disk hubs for me which are also superb, although not cheap.
But Archetype is not a tubeless ready rim... it sort of works with road tyres, but if you use it with CX tyres at low pressure it burps like crazyleft the forum March 20230 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:apreading wrote:I will second that recommendation for JustRidingAlong.
The difficulty getting the tyres on has nothing to do with the width of the rim, sadly its the same with most 'tubeless ready' rims. The easiest one I have found is the Archetype, which is a super rim. JRA built these onto American Classic disk hubs for me which are also superb, although not cheap.
But Archetype is not a tubeless ready rim... it sort of works with road tyres, but if you use it with CX tyres at low pressure it burps like crazy
Ah - that'll explain why they are easier to get tyres on then! I had just assumed they were, dont know why - never looked at it as I am still not drawn to tubeless for some reason.0 -
"I'm riding The Struggle this weekend and it can't come soon enough! "
See you there !
Regards
ILG0 -
ilovegrace wrote:"I'm riding The Struggle this weekend and it can't come soon enough! "
See you there !
Regards
ILG
Bring it on! Hope the Met Office have got the weather forecast wrong though....Park Rash on wet tarmac after 54 miles is going to be 'fun'It's sad how Wile E. Coyote is remembered for his violence, and not for his brilliantly realistic paintings of tunnels.0 -
apreading wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:apreading wrote:I will second that recommendation for JustRidingAlong.
The difficulty getting the tyres on has nothing to do with the width of the rim, sadly its the same with most 'tubeless ready' rims. The easiest one I have found is the Archetype, which is a super rim. JRA built these onto American Classic disk hubs for me which are also superb, although not cheap.
But Archetype is not a tubeless ready rim... it sort of works with road tyres, but if you use it with CX tyres at low pressure it burps like crazy
Ah - that'll explain why they are easier to get tyres on then! I had just assumed they were, dont know why - never looked at it as I am still not drawn to tubeless for some reason.
Any good advice out there on the best way to manipulate a tyre back onto a 23.5mm wide rim while out on the road that involves reducing the risk of pinch flats? The P Fairy has only visited once in the last 3 years riding Conti GP4000s but after the trauma of putting the tyres on for the first time, the prospect of seeing her again fills me with dread :roll:
Can you buy viagra that works on your thumbs?
It's sad how Wile E. Coyote is remembered for his violence, and not for his brilliantly realistic paintings of tunnels.0 -
I got a set of these, but not had to use them yet: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/var-tyre-levers-prod27539/
They take up more space than normal levers but not a huge amount more.0 -
just push the bead into the well and it will pop on or off quite easily.0
