The benefits of a properly fitted bike have been recognized for years. It is es- sential for injury prevention and maximized efficiency. And it is the primary determinant in assuring the greatest comfort and enjoyment while riding.
Our first road bikes introduced in 1988, the Quest and Axis (for Jamis history buffs, this later became the Eclipse), were designed in consultation with Bill Farrell, inventor of the first bike-sizing tool, the Fit Kit. Back then, bike companies generally plotted a single geometry on all frame sizes: the blow ‘em up or shrink ‘em down solution – lazy, cheap and thankfully long ago obsolete. We learned from Bill early on how to tune our frame geometries and specify component sizing to account for the multiple variables needed for a proper fit for every frame size. We’ve been honing our fits for every bike, every year, ever since.
But fit is a two-dimensional calculation. Stack and reach. How tall, how long, for me? It’s in the third dimension – the SST dimension-- that Jamis continues to make a difference for you.
Slight changes in tube diameter have a significant impact upon perfor- mance. As diameter increases, strength and stiffness increase along the length of the tube as well. Whether in aluminum, steel or carbon fiber, we vary the cross-section and sometimes even wall thicknesses to fine-tune the performance and comfort characteristics of each frame size.