The FOCUS JAM² is a feast for the eyes, stealing the show with its slim silhouette. However, looks aren’t everything, so we were all the more excited to see how the bike rides.
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB around € 4,500 – 11 exciting and affordable bikes go head to head
T.E.C., short for Tailored Energy Concept, is what FOCUS calls the specially developed battery concept that they use on all of their full-suspension eMTBs. It features an integrated and non-removable battery offering 376 Wh, whose capacity can be doubled with an external battery pack. If you don’t need the additional capacity of the external battery, you can stow tools and a water bottle in its place in the front triangle. The electricity is fed into a powerful and compact Shimano STEPS E8000 motor.
If you want to go on long rides, you’ll need the € 500 T.E.C.-Pack
The components of the € 4,599 bike (without T.E.C.-Pack) have been chosen sensibly but leave room for improvements. The RockShox Revelation can’t quite keep up with the performance of a Yari in demanding terrain, and the front MAXXIS Rekon tyre lacks grip. The Shimano Deore brakes, on the other hand, offer reliable stopping power and modulation.
The FOCUS JAM² Plus in detail
Fork RockShox Relevation RL 140 mm
Rear shock RockShox Deluxe RT 140 mm
Motor/Battery Shimano Steps E8000 / T.E.C 378 Wh
Drivetrain Shimano SLX/XT
Brakes Shimano Deore 200/180 mm
Seatpost Kindshock E30I
Stem BBB 55 mm
Handlebar BBB 760 mm
Wheels Race Face AR40
Tires Maxxis Rekon+ 2.8″
The start button on the top tube doesn’t just look nice – it feels good too!
If you don’t need the extra battery, you can use the rail on the downtube for a bottle cage, plus a spare tube and CO2 cartridge
The rear end of the JAM² responds sensitively, but unfortunately, it tends to wallow under load, both up- and downhill. Volume spacers in the shock can help.
The performance of the RockShox Revelation is okay, but it can’t keep up with the Yari. We would have liked a little more chassis stiffness and better-tuned damping.
The geometry of the FOCUS JAM² Plus
The position on the JAM² is slightly stretched, but very comfortable. Before going off-road, we recommend sliding the saddle as far forward as possible. Otherwise, your weight will be too far back on steep climbs. This is partly due to the rather slack seat tube angle, and partly because the shock sags on steep climbs when you’re sitting, which makes you slide even further backwards. Flipping the climb switch on the shock can help, but it comes at the cost of comfort and traction. If you go riding only with the internal battery, the reach of the JAM² is limited. At the same time, however, FOCUS delivers agile handling due to the reduced overall weight. In fact, the JAM² is the lightest bike in the test field, weighing in at about 21.2 kg. It can’t, however, fully exploit the advantages of its light weight, since the rear linkage absorbs a lot of energy on the downhills and makes the handling unnecessarily sluggish. Hopping off ledges and pinging off roots requires some strength. Additional volume spacers in the shock can help in alleviating this problem. The JAM² will change direction willingly, but it does require a lot of rider input and weight shifting not to lose grip on the front wheel. The JAM² reveals its full potential on fast, demanding terrain. It remains very composed, and so conveys a high degree of confidence. Once you mount the T.E.C.-Pack, the FOCUS not only loses its stylish look, but it will also become noticeably more cumbersome in its handling.
Conclusion
The FOCUS JAM² Plus is a bike for minimalists who attach great importance to a clean appearance and are happy riding with minimal assistance. On the trail, the bike demands an active riding style (as well as experience) to reveal its full potential.
Strengths
– nice to look at
– pleasantly agile in corners
– long range with the T.E.C.-Pack installed
Weaknesses
– expensive (especially with the additional T.E.C.-Pack)
– rear end wallows and sucks energy
– requires an active riding style
Uphill
Downhill
Stability
Agility
Value
For more information head to: focus-bikes.com
The testfleet
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB around € 4,500 – 11 exciting and affordable bikes go head to head
All bikes in test: BULLS SIX50 EVO AM2 | Conway eWME 627 | FLYER Uproc 4.10 | Giant Full-E+ 1.5 Pro LTD | Haibike XDURO AllMtn 7.0 | KTM MACINA KAPOHO 273 11 PT-CX5I | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 800 | Moustache Samedi 27 Trail 6 | SCOTT E-Genius 720 | Specialized Turbo Levo FSR 6Fattie
This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #013
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Words: Photos: Christoph Bayer, Valentin Rühl
