Focus Jam ² - Nicest eMTB yet?

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,971
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how can you change the batt in the down tube? it makes no sense at all to do this as will not last forever.
 
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Monoblock

Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2016
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how can you change the batt in the down tube? it makes no sense at all to do this as will not last forever.
You can swap it out, there are 2 bolts holding it in place, there is also a clip on additional battery so it's circa 350w with the intergrated batt with the option to take it up to 730w I think when you bolt the additional batt on if u are doing a long run
 
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EddiePJ

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 7, 2013
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Two things instantly put me off the whole range of bikes.

Firstly the fact that Focus can't even be bothered to put the bikes weight in the spec. How can they put TBA. They must know what their own product weighs! Especially as they make a point about the motor weighing 2,800g.

Second is either having to run a second battery clipped to the frame and so adding roughly 2.5kg of weight to the bike. Or if the above by Monoblock is correct, the hassle of having to undo two bolts to remove the main battery, if as in my case, the preference is to carry the spare in a back pack, so not add yet more unnecessary weight to the bike. eMTB's are generally heavy enough as they are, especially if for any reason that they have to be lifted/carried. Why add more?

I'd sooner stick with my 500wh battery over the very low output 378wh one that is standard on the Focus, or two 500wh batteries over two 378wh ones. I'm sure than anyone would prefer to go out for ride, without having to cut the ride short because of the battery capacity.

I'm also another that isn't interested or impressed by stupid acronyms to pad out and enhance a product. It is yet another detail that sets alarm bells ringing. If a product is good, it doesn't require bull to sell it!



.
 
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Trevormonty

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2016
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I can see good and bad in battery design. With internal battery, lighter better handling bike plus a waterbottle holder and tools. Stealth mode. With advantage of extra battery, which rider doesn't have carry, for long days. Eddie pointed out cons.

The advantage of standard battery is it can be swapped between bikes and not locked into one supplier ie Jam.

Weight varies between frame sizes and spec levels which us why some manufacturers don't give them. If you are that interested, weigh it in shop.

E8000 drive is lighter than Bosch CX by few 100grams.
 

Monoblock

Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2016
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I'll likely be able to tell you a bit more come end of April - that's when mine is due!
I had a Haibike AllMtn Pro which died, after being promised the first production run, then then Jan, then March, the May but maybe just I decided to take my £5800 back off of them, plus the new AllMtn 8.0 is getting pretty awful reviews of its magura forks and they are not a cheap item to replace.

So the Focus Jam2 it is, as above, stealth mode for the trail, even the magnet is hidden by the disk brake (renders a badass speed cheat redundant!- if I had one [emoji12])
I've got the TEC pack so, 350w in the frame, one of the better handling emtb's for it
Want a longer run, you don't carry a second battery, an additional goes where the water bottle can go, the lead clips to the battery and the charging port with magnets so have a tumble and it will come away - no need to carry another batt.
So that's 750w, all interstated, the handling is meant to suffer but if I'm doing a long run to need that wattage it will be less important to me anyway.

Will post a review once I've had it for a bit - until them I'm a Boardman carbon road bike make, quite happy it just won bike of the year and amazingly I use less calories, have a lower average heartbeat and get to work quicker on it so the EMTB won't do the 40 mile round trip to work anymore, it's now an off-road toy


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Monoblock

Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2016
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In fairness both in the same mag at different times, have a look at E-Mountain bike mag, German mag but translated to English shortly after each issue launches, only review I've seen so far but "not fit for purpose" "ok over small bumps, get out of shape with repeated hits" "a long way short of fox 36 and rockshox yari" "a lot more flex that we'd expect, event with the large axel" are not what I want to hear about a £6000 mountain bike.
They loved the Allmtn pro and seem to love other Haibike models, did not pan it all together but with this being the first real attempt by Magura to make a high end EMTB fork and by design having little adjustment - I'm not happy to be the guinnea pig, will be interesting to see what others make of them when people actually get them delivered, being OEM only I don't believe the general public has any yet


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Richard-Ebike

Pedelecer
Jan 3, 2017
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sheffield
What I'd like to know is
Ok so you flatten the pack built into the bike but want to ride more
Can you connect up the other pack or will it link them both and that's not a safe thing to do ?

Does look nice tho
They have one on Rotherham and you can rent it for a test ride
 

IR772

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 5, 2016
931
1,044
Leominster
If you have the second battery it is wired in as they quote the capacity for two batteries as 756 Wh. Which is a lot, a big lot. Probably a LOT
 
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Monoblock

Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2016
27
26
42
What I'd like to know is
Ok so you flatten the pack built into the bike but want to ride more
Can you connect up the other pack or will it link them both and that's not a safe thing to do ?

Does look nice tho
They have one on Rotherham and you can rent it for a test ride
Yes, the testers on some of the reviews do just that, ride it l, then bolt the secondary on, it connects to the charging slot so I guess it's a bit like riding it on the mains, it's getting a charge from the second pack, until that one goes flat of course.


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Eckythump

Pedelecer
Jan 16, 2017
55
57
52
North Yorkshire Moors
Had the first blast on mine yesterday. Took it round the full loop at Hamsterley Forest.
Used half the pack riding predominantly in eco though it did have a thrashing in boost when my buddies sessioned it round 'Odd Sox' to see what it was like and dragged one of them up a hill in trail mode.
The STEPs system behaves like the Brose with a bit more poke. Smooth immediate build up in torque rather than the nothing, nothing , wallop of the Bosch.
Noise level falls between Brose & Yamaha. More high pitched than the Yamaha powered Haibike that was with us.

Pleased with it so far. Was going to use the purchase reward points from JE James to get the add on battery but not so sure I need it now. May use them for a Gucci rear shock instead.

IMG_4796.JPG
 

Eckythump

Pedelecer
Jan 16, 2017
55
57
52
North Yorkshire Moors
Yes, the testers on some of the reviews do just that, ride it l, then bolt the secondary on, it connects to the charging slot so I guess it's a bit like riding it on the mains, it's getting a charge from the second pack, until that one goes flat of course.


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When connected the add on TEC battery is used by the motor first leaving the built in pack untouched until the TEC one is depleted. It does not charge the onboard pack.
Positive being you can use the TEC pack to get you to the trails then remove it to take advantage of reduced weight. Downside you cannot use the TEC pack to charge the bike if you cannot get it to a power outlet.
 

Steve A

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 28, 2016
704
414
Ashford, UK
When connected the add on TEC battery is used by the motor first leaving the built in pack untouched until the TEC one is depleted. It does not charge the onboard pack.
Positive being you can use the TEC pack to get you to the trails then remove it to take advantage of reduced weight. Downside you cannot use the TEC pack to charge the bike if you cannot get it to a power outlet.
But you still have to carry the battery with you ?
 

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