Jones Plus – This is it. - Jones Bikes Blog

JONES PLUS

So everything is in one place this post repeats the earlier Plus post – read it again or scroll – thanks.

I did not design this bike based on market research, a reaction to what other people were making, or because people were suggesting I make ‘this’ bike or ‘that’ bike – their idea of what I should do next. I made this bicycle because I wanted it and I think many others will love it too. I realized that I do not need or want a bike that has the absolute shortest wheel base possible for every ride, and I knew that you don’t need to have a steep head or seat angle to have a responsive bike that is fast, efficient and comfortable.

I designed my 29er bike years ago with a slacker seat tube angle, slacker head tube angle, shorter reach, lower BB and more fork offset than what was considered correct and normal at the time. I did this for a better ride based on what I had learned, not because it was popular. Nowadays many 29ers have more fork offset and slacker seat tube angles etc. Some have even branded and marketed this change in geometry… I never named my geometry, but if I did, let’s call it “JJ1 Geometry”, then this Jones Plus has “JJ2 geometry”. I spent hours working on it – centering the rider, considering the BB height, the angle and offsets, the rake and trail – the ride is everything.

People might try and simplify it – “it’s just a long wheelbase Jones with 29+ tires” but it isn’t. It’s so much more. It is NOT slow handling. I’ve done so much work to make it still ride the way I want a bike to ride. Hours of geometry drawings and thinking. Notes and testing. This is really even more of a ‘rigid specific geometry’ for a ride that is much more comfortable and stable yet still with very quick handling. It is balanced in a way you wouldn’t expect. It’s big but feels right. You ride very much in this bike. There’s no roughness, no “I’m gonna crash” sensation or fears. It’s just smooth! And it climbs. If you stand there’s no wheelie. It’s planted. It delivers excellent traction and a huge sweetspot (and I don’t mean the tire contact area – I’m talking about the big space for the rider to move around (in the bike) and still have their position, the grip and the power transfer working for them).

The Jones Plus is a bike for riding fast, slow, the rough with the smooth; safely, aggressively, laid-back or raging; with a big load or stripped to the bare essentials; on road, dirt, mud, snow; in the mountains, on the flat lands, around town or across the county; around the world or your local loop; for getting rad or just getting away. It sets a new standard for bikepacking yes, but it’s so much more than that – it’s a bike for technical trails and big trips. It really does it all. I’m really excited by this bike. It’s good.

Jones Plus (24” and 25” effective top tube sizes | 29+ (and 29) tires)

The Plus 24” frame with bolts, EBB and derailleur hanger weighs 2705g
(24” is Effective Top Tube, equivalent to 23” Jones 29 sizing)
The Truss Fork with uncut steerer and bolts weighs 1290g
The Front Axle (for Plus thru-axle Truss) weighs 100g

• Unique Jones Geometry frameset – frame and forks designed as one.
• EBB geometry adjustment accommodates rider/tire/use choices
• Steel Diamond frame and Truss fork
• 4130 cromo (custom-butted top and down tubes)

• Excellent clearance for 29+ tires (10mm+ clearance either side with a 29+ tire – with 29er tire you can get a palm in between the tire and stays).
• Ample chainring/stay clearance
• Huge frame pack capacity (Jones bikepacking bags available).
• TIG welded – brazed on cable guides, bottle, rack and fender bosses.
• Multiple rear rack and fender mounts for the best rack/fender/tire size fit (extra bosses allow you to have the rack at a height to suit the tires/wheels) so very versatile and accommodating of different equipment and different set-ups.

• Jones Truss fork – comfortable, precise handling, no brake stutter.
• 135/142mm Thru-Axle front hub – for more front wheel stiffness and strength.
• Fork accommodates 29, 29+ and 26 x 4.8” tires

Geometry details:

Angles
The frame has a 67.5 degree head tube angle with 76mm of fork rake/offset for a short trail measurement so the handling is quick even with such a slack head angle. This is twice as much fork rake as many 29ers had. The 71 degree seat tube angle can be used with a straight seatpost and will give a similar seating position as the 72 degree seat tube angle with a set back post on a Jones 29. Tall riders or riders that want to sit further back may want to use a set-back seat post. The chainstays are 19″.

There are two sizes: 24″and 25″. This is the effective top tube measurement. The 24″ size (with a straight post) has a very similar fit as the 23″ Jones 29 frame with a set back post (the seat-tube is two inches shorter than the 25″ size). It is just a little longer in reach to the bars and the bars are little higher. The 25″ size with a very short reach stem can be set up so the cockpit position is the same as the 24″ size but you get a massive frame for carrying more stuff and a longer wheel base for a smoother ride, for adventures. And it will fit tall rider with a set back post and longer stem (custom extra long steerer tubes are available to raise bars even more). Both sizes with stem, seatpost (set-back or straight) and EBB adjustments can be fine-tuned and adapted for different styles of riding and rider. A short wheel base is not the only way. Long has many benefits.

Wheelbase and reach – [new 13th November 2014]
The ‘reach’ on the 24″ Jones Plus is about the same as the reach on the 23″ Jones 29″. The wheel base is longer on the Jones Plus but the cockpit / seat to bars distance and the reach is not longer. The rider fit is not stretched out, the wheel base is. 24″ wheel base is 1175mm / 46.26″ and 25″ wheel base is 1205mm /47.44″ – both 24″ and 25″ have a longer wheel base than the XXL ECR or Krampus. The Jones Plus 24″ has less reach than a small Surly ECR and the 25″ has less reach then the medium. A long wheel base does not equal a longer reach and cockpit fit. [end new]

EBB versatility
The eccentric bottom bracket (EBB) ensures the Bottom Bracket BB height is adjustable. When using the smaller 29″ wheels (tires) you put the BB at the top of the EBB to keep the BB height the same as when you have taller 29+ wheels and the BB at the bottom of the EBB. You can also run the BB at the bottom for a extra low BB with 29″ wheels, or run the BB at the top with 29+ wheel for a higher BB. BB drop: BB in top position – 76mm, BB in bottom position – 88mm.

And here’s a video!