2009 Xenith SL Review and Road Test!

So this bike is light!  13lbs out of the box and it was after we weighed it!  The only problem with a bike this light is you think right away, it's gotta to have a lot of flex, at least that's what I thought!  I was dead wrong!  I'm not a small guy so I can twist some shit up at times, not because of power just because of size but this bike gave up nothing!  I smashed it as hard as I could out of the saddle as well as in and it kept coming back for more!  It's a combination of the limited edition carbon fiber frame and the carbon weave that goes into making that frame, other than Pinarello Jamis is the only other brand using a 1k weave outer top coat and it's the only top coat that adds to the structural strength of the frame as well as increases the "stiffness" factor!

The bike comes stock with the sub 2000 gram SRAM RED group with the FSA BB30 SLK light crank set including ceramic bearings along with the 1.5" lower  fork crown race both play a critical part in making this bike flex free!  The bike comes stock with Zipp 404 tubulars but I changed them out for the brand new Zipp 808 tubulars with updated hubs and wow did they also make a difference, no more rear wheel movement due to unwanted play in the hubs!  Jamis also tricked out the bike with some of the new 3T parts like the seat post and just for icing on the cake the brand new full carbon Fizik Arione to match the carbon clamp of the seat post!

This bike has to be one of the best deals on planet, $8000.00 bucks for a bike that you would spend $10,000 building if you could get that much technology some where else?  The only thing I have to compare it to is a 2009 Pinarello Prince using similar parts ended up at $12,000 so you get my drift, nothing wrong with the Prince, It's my favorite bike out there but if you want the bang for the buck in a Pro race machine the Xenith SL is hard to beat!

Test rides available!

HOT ASS FIXED GEAR!

FOR SALE:57CM ORBEA ORCA SRAM FORCE CARBON WHEELS CALL FOR DETAILS!

Spinners Cycling Sweatshirts and hats available for purchase!

Perfect before and after the ride!

New shop pictures!

kjj

Every year about this time there is always one customer that comes in and say's "I need something hot!" " Something much hotter than all of my boys have can you help me out?"  At this point I usually reply with "shit yea!"

This year's choice is a 2009 Pinarello Prince in the limited edition color of Acid Green.  There was only one choice for a bike like this, Campy Record 11 speed of course!  This pure Euro trash machine is litered with all kinds of light weight carbon bits like the SLR full carbon saddle, ITM bar and stem etc. and just to really be an weight obsessed ass hole we added the Zero G Negative G brake calipers and for the over the top totally unneeded we added a set of Zipp 303 ZED tech Ceramic Wheels!  Pure Italian curb factor!  At the register $14,000 Road test scheduled for when it's warmer than 9 degrees...

New Wheel technology!

I'm pretty stoked on some of the wheels arriving into stock!  New Zipp 1080's, 808's and the Mavic Carbone SLR with carbon spokes, pretty nutz!  The new Zipps feature the brand new redesigned hubs, stiffer lighter and of course more expensive.  I will post reviews on both these wheels as soon as they are road tested,  under race conditions of course so stay tuned!

Nothing like over 20K hanging in the stand!

So it's like 20 degrees outside but inside it's pretty hot!  Hanging in the repair stand are not one but two Pinarello Princes both being worked on at the same time.  One is getting new handle bars and the other is getting a set of  Zipp 303 Zed tech ceramic wheels that retail for $3500 alone so that makes this bike around $14,000!  Just another normal day at the shop....

5 Year face lift!

Finally after what felt like 2 months I managed to get the entire shop painted just to change it up a little after 5 years!

13lbs out of the box!

So we just got in a  2009 Jamis Xenith SL!  This bike is built to the max!  Jamis spared no expense in putting together what I think is one of the hottest bikes of the year!  Sram RED and Zipp equipped straight from the factory!  I will follow up with a review after I actually get it out and beat on it for a bit!  I rode a Pinarello Prince last year as as an Orbea Orca fully equipped with SRAM RED and Zipp 808's so the Xenith will a lot to live up to!

Ok, so this is the first post of my attempt to keep in real in 2009!  I figured  I would take it upon myself to break down bike business and anything having to do with it in a way that is straight to the point and no bull shit!