First ride review of the new 2023 FOCUS JAM² SL 9.9 – An agile shredder or a slimmed down trail bike?

With the JAM² SL featuring a light FAZUA Ride 60 motor, FOCUS take a front-row seat in the growing market of light eMTBs. Is FOCUS’ interpretation of a light eMTB just as sporty and agile as the other bikes on the market, or are the German brand breaking new ground? We found out for you in our first ride review.

Soaring to new heights! That’s exactly what FOCUS promise with the new JAM² SL as they take on the competition. For their first light eMTB, the German brand rely on the still rather new FAZUA Ride 60 system. The designers and engineers pulled out all the stops in doing so because there aren’t yet many FAZUA equipped light eMTBs on the market. FOCUS are bang on trend with the JAM² SL, spearheading a new generation of light eMTBs. The all-new platform rolls on 29″ wheels, providing 160 mm travel up front and 150 mm at the rear. With the flagship model tipping the scales at just 17.9 kg, the JAM² SL is designed to lift you to new heights. Before you can hop aboard, however, you’ll have to fork out between € 6,199 and € 11,499, depending on the build. We put the bike through its paces to find out whether you get an agile trail rocket that will catapult you to new heights, or gravity will thwart your efforts. Little spoiler: none of us flew away.

The new 2023 FOCUS JAM² SL in detail

The FOCUS JAM² SL features a very distinctive and sharp-edged design. The clean lines of the carbon front triangle are largely based on those of its analogue sibling, the JAM, though it doesn’t have the same bend in the down tube. The lineage of the JAM² SL is just as evident when comparing it to the full-power JAM². However, the SL model evidently inherited the slimmer, more elegant genes, and you have to look quite closely to see that it is in fact an ebike. It’s only the distinctive bend in the down tube and the discreet battery level indicator on the top tube that give the bike away for what it is. The similarities to its brothers stop with the revised F.O.L.D. rear end. In the case of the JAM² SL, FOCUS rely on an entirely new four-bar linkage, breaking with the family tradition of the supported single-bar design. FOCUS have reduced the number of rocker arms acting on the shock, not just saving weight but also minimising the effects of braking on the rear end.

To keep the top end models as light as possible, FOCUS use the MAX carbon layup for the frames of the 9.0 and 9.8 builds. According to FOCUS, the MAX layup is supplemented with high modulus fibres, providing similar stiffness at a lower weight. The resulting weight difference between two frames in size M – one with the MAX layup and one without – is about 300 g.

FOCUS weren’t stingy with the details on the JAM² SL. The cables are routed through the frame via the in-house C.I.S. stem. Getting rid of the cable ports on the frame underlines its super clean and understated look. While it might be nice to look at, your local bike shop mechanic won’t be happy to see it, since the C.I.S. stem isn’t the easiest system to work on. It usually takes more than one person to tighten the handlebar or route cables, as someone must always hold the cables in position. Adjusting the chainstay length is a lot easier. All you have to do is flip the flip chips on the dropouts and the rocker link to switch between the short and agile, and the long and stable setting. Speaking of the chainstays, the drive side is nicely protected from the chain thanks to a generously-sized and ribbed pad. In addition to its protective function, it also keeps the bike pleasantly quiet on the trails, sparing your nerves as well as those of your riding buddies. While it’s commonplace for stones to get stuck in the linkage between the rear end and the front triangle of some other bikes, FOCUS claim to have addressed this issue with a small cover, preventing stones from damaging the carbon frame – excellent!

The FAZUA Ride 60 system in the 2023 FOCUS JAM² SL in detail

The FAZUA Ride 60 motor in the FOCUS is still quite new to the market and you can count the number of bikes available with this system on one hand. FOCUS have done a great job of integrating the 60 Nm motor and 430 Wh battery into the frame, making the most of the new configuration options offered by the lightweight drive system. The motor gets controlled via the FAZUA Ring Control Remote on the handlebar. It’s simple and intuitive to operate: just flick it up for more power, and down for less. However, the finishing quality leaves room for improvement. The plastic ring feels rather fiddly and has some play in all directions. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of haptic feedback, forcing you to look at the FAZUA LED Hub in the top tube to see which support mode you’re currently in. The battery level indicator displays the charge status in 20% increments and the three support modes are each represented in a different colour. The LEDs could be a bit brighter, often leaving you to guess when you’re in direct sunlight. Thanks to the USB-C charging port hidden underneath the LED Hub, you can charge your smartphone or GPS on the go. This is particularly convenient on multi-day rides, or if you’ve just got a bad sense of direction.

FOCUS dispensed with a charging port on the frame for a clean look, and to save weight, which means you must remove the battery to charge it. While this might sound like a considerable amount of added effort, in practice, it’s nothing more than one additional step. The battery cover on the down tube can be opened by a quarter turn with a 6 mm Allen key – conveniently, FOCUS have hidden the matching tool in the rear thru-axle. Under the battery cover, you’ll find a wide opening through which the battery is easily accessible. From the batteries offered by FAZUA, FOCUS opted for the 430 Wh model with a built-in charging port, battery level indicator and practical carrying handle. Thanks to the handle, it’s easy to remove and reinsert into the down tube. The process hardly takes longer than plugging a cable into a charging port on the frame. However, you’re bound to get your fingers dirty when opening the battery cover after a muddy ride. On the upside, there’s no risk of getting the charging port clogged up with mud and grime. Despite the lack of a charging port, FOCUS have said that they will be offering a FAZUA Range Extender, though it’s not yet available. Unlike other systems, the FAZUA Range Extender doesn’t get plugged into the charging port. Instead, it just clips into a special mount that is wired directly to the battery via one of the bottle cage bosses. It should be possible for your local dealer to retrofit the mount as soon as it comes to market.

The FAZUA Ride 60 motor can produce 60 Nm of torque, though you must put in a little more effort of your own compared to a full power eMTB. If you run out of energy or just need a little more help on a steep, technical climb, you can resort to the temporary Boost function. It sounds like the NOS boost button on Need for Speed, but don’t expect flames to be shooting out of the motor (which might be a good thing ;)). However, you still get a decent boost with a peak output of 450 W, lasting for all of 12 seconds while riding, or 4 seconds when pulling away from a dead stop. The FAZUA motor is virtually silent in the lower support modes, but it becomes louder with increasing assistance.

The spec of the JAM² SL 9.9 on test in detail

FOCUS offer the JAM² SL in four versions. The JAM² SL 9.9 on test is one down from the flagship model and the most downhill-oriented variant, and it can be yours for € 8,499. For the frame of the 9.9, FOCUS rely on their higher-quality MAX carbon layup, which should provide the same stiffness at a lower weight. The spec is quite well-rounded, featuring high-quality, affordable components, bringing the total weight to just 18.8 kg in size M. The suspension is supplied by FOX, consisting of the 36 FLOAT Performance Elite fork and FLOAT X Performance shock. Thanks to the GRIP2 damper, you don’t have to make any compromises on the fork, since it’s capable of tackling the gnarliest trails. The reservoir equipped FLOAT X Performance shock isn’t fazed by even the wildest descents either. Our test bike was equipped with a FOX FLOAT X Performance Elite shock for availability reasons at the time of testing.

For the drivetrain and brakes, FOCUS rely on Japanese supplier Shimano. The drivetrain consists entirely of the tried and trusted DEORE XT groupset. You get a pair of matching four-piston XT brakes to keep your speed in check, paired with large 203 mm ICE-TECH rotors. These definitely do justice to the bike’s intended use and ensure that the brakes keep performing no matter how long the descents.

Unfortunately, the robust HX 1700 LS aluminium wheelset from DT Swiss is paired with a set of flimsy Schwalbe tires. The Magic Mary up front has to make do with the second lightest Super Ground casing, while the Nobby Nic at the rear comes in the somewhat thicker, yet still quite thin, Super Trail version. According to FOCUS, the Nobby Nic on the rear promises increased range with its low rolling resistance compared to the more aggressive Big Betty. We’d take more grip on the rear in favour of less range any day of the week. Long-distance riders with a very careful or precise riding style might get away with the thin casings of the fitted tires. However, riders who occasionally get thrown off line or ride in rocky terrain are likely to spend more time mending punctures than they will riding. We would like to see FOCUS spec suitable tires for the intended use, since the lighter models come at the unnecessary cost of puncture protection, grip and damping.

Other variants of the new 2023 FOCUS JAM² SL

With the JAM² SL, FOCUS don’t want to limit themselves to one specific use case. Enduro, trail, all-mountain? FOCUS let you choose the components that suit your style. Those who value a very light and agile bike with a lot of bling are well-served with the flagship JAM² SL 9.0 model. If your trails tend to be rougher, we’d recommend going for the JAM² SL 9.9 on test.

JAM² SL 9.0

The flagship model in the JAM² SL line-up features the higher-quality MAX carbon layup and tips the scales at 17.9 kg, according to the manufacturer. If you’re willing to fork out € 11,499 for this model, you get FOX Factory suspension with the golden Kashima coating. However, not everything that glitters is gold: the FOX FLOAT DPS Factory shock doesn’t have a reservoir, which has a negative effect on its performance and heat resistance when things get demanding. Saving weight in the wrong places, both the front and rear MAXXIS DISSECTOR tires come with the very thin EXO casing and the rear brake rotor measures just 180 mm! At this price point, you would also expect the MAXXIS tires to rely on a higher-quality, softer rubber compound for maximum grip. Providing far too little protection, the thin casings of the tires make us especially nervous when considering the carbon Mavic Crossmax XLR wheels, which could get very expensive. On the JAM² SL 9.0, shifting happens wirelessly thanks to the SRAM X01 Eagle AXS derailleur and SRAM AXS Rocker Paddle on the handlebar. The lightweight G2 brakes are also supplied by SRAM.

JAM² SL 8.8

The JAM² SL 8.8 is available for € 6,999, making do without the MAX carbon layup. The suspension is also supplied by FOX, though consisting of lower-end models. You get a 36 FLOAT Rhythm fork, which is equipped with the simple GRIP damper, providing minimal adjustment options. The FLOAT DPS shock doesn’t come with a reservoir and only gives you three compression settings. Taking care of the gears is a combination of Shimano DEORE XT components and a rather heavy DEORE cassette. The MAGURA MT5 brakes are amongst the most powerful on the market, providing ample stopping power together with the large 203 mm rotors on the front and rear. Unfortunately, the flimsy EXO casings on the MAXXIS tires mean you’ve got to tread just as carefully as on the flagship model. According to FOCUS, this brings the JAM² SL 8.8 to a total weight of 19.7 kg.

JAM² SL 8.7

The most affordable bike in the range is the JAM² SL 8.7, going for € 6,199. This gets you a DVO Diamond E3 fork up front and a RockShox Deluxe Select+ shock at the rear. If you’re a fan of smalltalk on the trail, the DVO fork will give you plenty of opportunity to engage in conversation. The rare US forks still have a certain element of the exotic and always get people asking questions. Shifting is taken care of by a SRAM SX Eagle shifter and a SRAM NX Eagle derailleur, while the GUIDE T brakes are also supplied by SRAM and paired with 200 mm rotors front and rear. Once again, FOCUS opted to use the thin and light EXO casings for the MAXXIS tires. Of course, the lower-end components make themselves noticed on the scale, bringing the JAM² SL 8.7 to a total of 20.2 kg according to the manufacturer’s specs.

The geometry of the new 2023 FOCUS JAM² SL in detail

The FOCUS JAM² SL is available in four sizes from S to XL. The geometry isn’t too extreme on either end with the reach ranging from 430 mm in size S to 515 mm in size XL, thus covering a wide spectrum. If you like to experiment with different geometry settings, you will get your money’s worth here, as the head angle and chainstay length can both be adjusted. A flip chip allows you to adjust the chainstays from a moderate 440 mm to a long 447 mm, depending on your personal preference. The shorter chainstay setting promotes more agile handling, while the long setting should increase the bike’s composure and provide added grip through the corners. The chainstays remain static across all frame sizes, but FOCUS ship the size S and M bikes with the flip chip in the short setting, and the sizes L and XL in the long setting. This should keep the length of the rear end in proportion to the front triangle. The head angle can be adjusted from 64.5° to a steeper 65.5° by rotating the headset cups. The slacker setting provides more stable handling and reduces the feeling of getting thrown over the bars on steep descents. For more direct and responsive handling, the steeper option is your friend.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Top tube	578 mm	608 mm	637 mm	672 mm
Seat tube	390 mm	420 mm	440 mm	460 mm
Head tube	100 mm	100 mm	120 mm	140 mm
Head angle (slack/steep)	64.5°/65.5°	64.5°/65.5°	64.5°/65.5°	64.5°/65.5°
Seat angle	76.5°	76.5°	76.5°	76.5°
Chainstay (short/long)	440/447 mm	440/447 mm	440/447 mm	440/447 mm
BB Drop	25 mm	25 mm	25 mm	30 mm
Wheelbase	1,209 mm	1,234 mm	1,274 mm	1,308 mm
Reach	430 mm	460 mm	485 mm	515 mm
Stack	614 mm	614 mm	631 mm	650 mm

Riding the new 2023 FOCUS JAM² SL 9.9

The moment you swing your leg over the FOCUS JAM² SL, you find yourself in a well-centred, compact riding position. The weight distribution feels pleasantly balanced on steep climbs and you hardly ever have to shift your weight forward to keep the front wheel planted. On flat terrain, you’ll have a bit more weight resting on your hands. While this isn’t a big deal on short transfers to the next climb, it can become uncomfortable for your hands and wrists on long, flat stretches.

On technical climbs, the centred riding position makes a very positive impression. No matter how steep things get, you never get the feeling that you might wheelie and loop out unintentionally, even with the chainstays in the short setting. The steering remains responsive, and you’ll only have to shift your weight forward when things get really steep. As such, the bike is a good-natured climber and encourages beginners to stray off the forest service road and take the trail to the summit instead. The three support modes of the FAZUA Ride 60 motor do a good job of covering the necessary assistance levels. You can opt for minimal support and therefore a natural ride feel, but it’s also capable of offering plenty of assistance on steep climbs when needed. Even if you mis-shift or get surprised by a sudden obstacle, you’ll get to the top reliably.

Once you’ve peaked the summit and head back down into the valley, the first thing you’ll notice is how little there is to notice. The rear suspension is sensitive and responds well. As a result, bumps from small roots and rocks get absorbed almost completely, instilling the rider with confidence. The rear linkage does a good job of keeping the rear wheel stuck to the ground and generates plenty of traction. Unfortunately, this plush feeling comes at the expense of mid-stroke support. Especially when pumping the bike through rollers or preloading it to get airborne, the rear end quickly bottoms out. Therefore, you must work harder to generate speed or catch air on flow trails with quick direction changes. If you want to make the bike more agile when you’re headed to a bike park or doing shuttle runs, you could just leave the easily removable battery at home. Doing so doesn’t firm up the rear end, but it does make getting airborne easier. The linear rear end reaches its limits on technical trails with big drops and hits. In this case, the suspension stays low in its travel and, like an exhausted boxer in the corner of the ring, it can’t recover fast enough to deal with quick, successive blows.

The handling of the JAM² SL is more on the composed side: it remains predictable and doesn’t easily get thrown off line, which also means it doesn’t like to get chucked from one corner into the next. Drifting, Scandi flicks and other gimmicks aren’t quite its thing, and the JAM tends to understeer rather than oversteer. Less experienced and those who value predictable and composure benefit from the sensitive rear suspension, the high level of comfort, the good-natured handling and tracking stability. Riders with an active and playful riding style, however, will want more support and progression from the rear end, which would allow them to be more playful, active, and aggressive.

Our conclusions about the FOCUS JAM² SL 9.9

FOCUS have dared to enter the light eMTB market with the JAM² SL and put together a solid package overall. Compared to the competition, the German brand’s interpretation of a light eMTB provides very good-natured handling, making it an easy bike for beginners to ride. It’s comfortable, stable and composed both up- and downhill, making it a great choice for long rides in moderate terrain. That said, active riders will need more support and progression to soar to new heights.

For more information, visit focus-bikes.com

---

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of E-MOUNTAINBIKE, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Felix Rauch Photos: Peter Walker