Decided to take one of our women's specific demo mountain bikes out over the weekend on a group ride at Syncline. I rode the Specialized Jett Expert 29er in the small 15 inch frame. The Jett is a solid mid-range hard tail cross country bike, it is equipped with the RockShox Reba RL 29 80mm, with the ability to quickly lock the fork via Push-Loc remote lock-out. The drive train consists of the the SRAM S-1250 XC double crankset with Shimano XT Shadow rear derailleur and SRAM Elixir 3R SL hydraulic disc brakes. I love riding the 29ers for their climbing advantage and general ability to handle obstacles on the trail with ease, however as a shorter women at 5' 2" it is a challenge for me to find one that I can stand over and maneuever comfortably. I currently ride a 15" Redline 29er and it works well, but being a men's frame there are certain challenges for me with regards to general handeling of the bike, little did I realize how much I was missing. After jumping on the Jett I immediately felt the difference riding a bike designed with a women's specific geometry. The swooping frame provides for ample stand over clearance, the shorter reach was much more comfortable and allowed for better control and overall handeling of the bike. The 29 inch wheels no longer felt like they were dominating or overpowering the manueverability on the bike.
Taking this bike to Syncline proved to be a great place to test the versatility as it offers a variety of trail options. There is great cross country riding with plently of climbing and the ability to choose between nicely flowing technical descent down Little Maui or a more agressive freeride descent via Little Moab. The Jett as expected, climbed smoothly up the trail, rolling easily over the rocky terrain with the shifting being quick and responsive. The descent down Little Maui was fast and fun. I felt like I finally was able to position and put the bike where I wanted it through the turns and over the rocks, rather than merely following that big wheel down the trail. Overall I had a great time on this bike.
Whether you're in the market or just want to try something different, I highly recommend coming out and taking the Jett for a spin. We have two available for rent a 15" and 17". When I was trying out each bike to see which one to take I could have easily ridden the 17" as well, probably because I am just used to riding a mens bike and feeling stretched out. I decided to go with the 15" and am glad I did, if your are borderline on size, I suggest going on the smaller side as it will likely give you greater control over the larger wheel size.
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