A few days ago, I asked about a ~2010 Santa Cruz Superlight on the sub. Some liked it, but most said hard pass—outdated geometry, 26" wheels, expensive maintenance, and parts that are a nightmare to source.
The top advice? Grab a hardtail: cheaper recent models, tons of fun, and perfect for leveling up your skills.
My budget was super tight at ~€500, but after hunting around, I scored this Jamis Highpoint A2—an obscure American brand with barely any online chatter—for just €280. It's got a solid triple-butted aluminum frame and modern geometry that's in my humble opinion not too far off from the enduro hardtails I was dreaming of, like the Canyon Stoic or Nukeproof Scout.
The bike's practically new: bought for the owner's girlfriend, ridden maybe twice, then tucked away in the garage. Only issues are a visible scratch (planning to tape it up) and a sliced saddle.
The remaining saddle works fine for my height, but I'm stressing a bit about that visible upper cut and how the seatpost end is almost kissing the top of the frame slot. Am I overthinking it?
(check the pic)
Overall, pumped about the steal—it's a budget bike for sure, but what do you think? Any tips on keeping it running sweet (products, when to swap parts, etc.) would be awesome!
Thanks!
by olivataggiasca
3 Comments
You need to make sure the seat post is inserted enough or you are gonna break it, not fun! Some posts have a mark for insertion depth.
Grab a dropper with your remain budget or a longer post if needed. Enjoy!
If I see this correctly you definitely need a longer seatpost.
This would be a great opportunity to switch to a dropper seat post. This makes all the difference when riding trails
Nice work!
If you mean the bottom of the seat post is nearly at the slot of the frame, sounds like you need a longer post. There should be a minimum insert mark on the seatpost which you shouldn’t have outside of the frame. It’s a quick way to damage a frame.
Maybe even get a dropper post fitted?