Testing the new FOCUS JAM 6.0 LTD 2022 – Playful trail bike for jump and flow trails?

With the new JAM 6.0 LTD, FOCUS present an entirely new platform with an unusually shaped top tube and other great features. It looks well-specced at first glance, but what’s the new trail bike from the German brand got to offer? The revised geometry promises to be versatile enough to tackle any terrain, or does it prefer playful riding on jumps and flow trails? We’ve put it to the test to find out.

The new FOCUS JAM 6.0 LTD is based on an entirely new frame, relying exclusively on 29″ wheels and offering 150mm travel at the front and rear. The F.O.L.D. linkage of the rear suspension has also been redesigned, promising to be significantly more progressive than its predecessor. According to FOCUS, the new JAM will even work with a coil shock. The frame is made of hydroformed 7005 aluminium with a strikingly shaped top tube that partially integrates the shock, which looks very neat. The frame bag comes factory fitted, allowing you to store a small tube such as offered by Turbolito and a minitool, keeping the contents free of dirt and dust while leaving enough room for a water bottle on the down tube.

The C.I.S. cable routing keeps the cables routed internally throughout, giving the bike an unmistakable look. As part of the C.I.S. system, FOCUS rely on their proprietary stem via which the cables are fed into the headset and frame. Doing so makes cable ports in the frame redundant and looks super clean. Cool! FOCUS have also designed their own chainstay protector. Unfortunately, it pops off the chainstay the moment you touch it, which is why we recommend securing it with cable ties. Another nice gesture, though not perfectly executed, is the down tube protector. It’s too small and not much thicker than a standard tube. The rear end of the new JAM is relatively wide around the shock mount and it’s likely to bother riders with big calves or knock-knees.

The components of the FOCUS JAM 6.0 LTD

The JAM 6.0 LTD on test comes equipped with smartly chosen, high-quality components, putting performance before bling. Weighing in at 16.3 kg, it’s available now at a well-priced € 3,999. However, if you want to call the beautiful, raw aluminium JAM 6.0 LTD your own, you must act quick as it’s limited to 100 bikes! Almost all the components have been carefully chosen and offer a great compromise between price, performance, durability and weight. Up front, the 150mm travel RockShox Lyrik Ultimate offers sufficient reserves while responding sensitively off the top. You’ve got a RockShox Super Deluxe+ shock on the rear, which can be adjusted to suit the rider by adjusting the pressure and low-speed rebound, and the lockout lever provides an efficient pedalling platform for the climbs. In our recent article presenting the all-new GX AXS groupset (click for review), we hoped that we would soon see it on the first complete bikes, and lo and behold – the JAM 6.0 ltd comes specced with SRAM’s innovative wireless GX derailleur, guaranteeing quick shifting and a super clean look. Together with 200/180 mm rotors, the SRAM Code R brakes offer reliable stopping power aboard the JAM. The combination of a matchmaker, Code R brake lever and AXS Rocker Paddle keeps the cockpit looking very clean, but the paddle’s position protrudes far into the grip and takes getting used to. Together with the C.I.S. stem, you’ve got a 780 mm wide Raceface handlebar with a 35 mm rise to complete the cockpit. Unfortunately, the 170 mm Kind Shock dropper post has a lot of lateral play. The bike rolls on a sturdy aluminium wheelset from DT Swiss, consisting of 370 hubs and sturdy EX511 rims, which we often find on full-on enduro race bikes. Brilliant! The tires are supplied by MAXXIS, consisting of a Minion DHF MAXXGrip variant up front – offering a lot of grip on rocky and wet terrain – and a Minion DHR on the rear with the EXO+ casing and MAXXTerra compound.

Fork Rock Shox Lyrik Ultimate RC2 29 Boost, DebonAir 150 mm
Rear shock RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ 150 mm
Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle AXS 1×12
Bars RaceFace Chester 35 780 mm
Stem FOCUS C.I.S. integrated 50 mm
Seatpost Kind Shock RAGE I
Brakes SRAM Code R 200/180 mm
Wheels DT Swiss EX 511 G/DT Swiss H370
Tires Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5″/Maxxis Minion DHR 2.5″
Tire compound 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ TR/3C MaxxTerra EXO+ TR

All build variants of the FOCUS JAM

As the name suggests, the JAM 6.0 LTD is only available in a limited number of 100 bikes. However, FOCUS also have two other builds. The JAM 6.9 (€ 2,999) and the excellent value JAM 6.8 (€ 2,399) offer an affordable introduction to mountain biking. Despite the low price point, they still come with several of the same smart features and components as on the flagship LTD model. They feature the same proprietary cable routing solution, keeping all the cables almost completely hidden inside the frame from the cockpit down. The convenient frame-mounted storage pouch also comes as standard, keeping your essentials protected from dirt. The MAXXIS tire combination is another common theme across the range, consisting of a Minion DHF with the sticky MAXXGrip compound and a Minion DHR MAXXTerra.

The components of the FOCUS JAM 6.9

The FOCUS JAM 6.9 comes with FOX suspension. The Fox 36 up front offers 150 mm travel with the Grip damper. For the shock, FOCUS rely on a Fox Float DPS without a reservoir, which can affect the performance of the rear suspension on long and rough descents. The excellent XT groupset takes care of the drivetrain, offering precise and crisp shifting together with the 10–51 t cassette. The four-piston XT brakes are also supplied by Shimano and offer plenty of braking power. The JAM 6.9 is available now at an affordable price of € 2,999.

The FOCUS JAM 6.8 build spec

The entry-level FOCUS JAM 6.8 comes with a RockShox Revelation fork instead of the Lyrik featured on the LTD model. It relies on the same, less stiff 35 mm stanchions as the Pike – the little brother of the Lyrik – and a much simpler RC damper. Matching the fork, you’ve got a RockShox Deluxe Select shock on the back without a reservoir, just as the FOX shock on the JAM 6.8. The drivetrain offers a range of 11–50 teeth and consists of NX and SX components, which, though heavier, are known for their reliable performance.

The geometry of the FOCUS JAM

The geometry has changed radically from the predecessor. The chainstays of the new JAM are very short, giving the bike its playful character. Despite the short chainstays, the size L frame has a relatively long wheelbase of 1239 mm due to the slack 65° head angle and long front centre, with a 480 mm reach. The bike can be adapted to personal preferences via the flip-chip on the shock mount, though, in typical ENDURO style, we almost exclusively rode it in the low position. In this setting, the head angle is slackened from 65.5° to 65.0°, the seat tube angle relaxes from 76.5 ° to 76 ° and the reach shrinks by 5 mm from 485mm to 480mm. The JAM is available in sizes S, M, L and XL.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	390 mm	420 mm	450 mm	470 mm
Top tube	570 mm	600 mm	635 mm	670 mm
Head angle	65/65.5°	65/65.5°	65/65.5°	65/65.5°
Seat angle	76/76.5°	76/76.5°	76/76.5°	76/76.5°
Chainstays	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm
BB Drop	30/24 mm	30/24 mm	30/24 mm	30/24 mm
Head tube	90 mm	100 mm	120 mm	140 mm
Fork length	561 mm	561 mm	561 mm	561 mm
Rake	44 mm	44 mm	44 mm	44 mm
Wheel base	1,166 mm	1,200 mm	1,239 mm	1,277 mm
Stack	602 mm	611 mm	630 mm	648 mm
Reach	420/425 mm	450/455 mm	480/485 mm	510/515 mm

First ride review – The FOCUS JAM 6.0 LTD on the trail

The riding position aboard the FOCUS JAM is upright and comfortable, making you feel right at home. It’s ideal for long tours on flat terrain and seemingly endless, steep gravel climbs. However, the rear suspension wallows a little and tends to bob, so it’s worth locking out the shock when winching your way up forest roads and long ascents. On narrower and more technical trails, the sagging rear end reduces ground clearance and you’ll have time your pedalling to avoid getting caught on roots or rocks.

You benefit from the added stability of the low bottom bracket and integrated riding position when headed back down. The bike does a good job of absorbing hits from roots and rocks before they reach the rider. On flowing trails, the JAM reveals its agile and playful character, motivating you to cut into the apexes of corners, get a little sideways and exit with a manual.

Tuning tips: very active riders should instal more volume spacers in the shock and fork and should secure the chainstay protector with tape or cable ties.

Large compressions on jumps and hard landings are effectively absorbed and the bike remains composed. That said, when you get into fast and rough enduro terrain, the bike reaches its limits and demands everything from the rider. The suspension doesn’t have enough reserves to cope with high speeds on bumpy terrain, so you’ll have to get on the brakes and take it down a notch. Adding volume spacers in the fork and shock can remedy this to some extent.

Conclusion

The FOCUS JAM 6.0 LTD features a classy raw look and is very well priced at € 3,999. Its components offer an excellent compromise between price, performance and durability. With its integrated riding position, the bike motivates you to manual out of every corner and boost the jumps as high as you dare. When the trail gets too steep and fast, the JAM is somewhat lacking in composure and stability. If you predominantly ride flatter, more playful trails, steering clear of steep and rough terrain, you will have a blast aboard the JAM. But you’ll have to act now: FOCUS are limiting the JAM 6.0 Ltd to just 100 bikes.

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For more information head to focus-bikes.com

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Words: Nils Mai Photos: Thomas Weiß