Jamis Renegade — Long-Term Review (and Now For Sale) | Custom Build

A year and a half on the custom Jamis Renegade, and Steve’s opinion has shifted. This is a follow-up to the early first-impressions review — after a full season of racing (Reid rode it to a DAMn 240 finish, Big Sugar, and a lot of gravel miles), a couple of things Steve wanted to correct, and now the bike is up for sale on the shop floor. Here’s the long-term take and the current build.

The Opinion That Changed

When Steve first built and reviewed the Renegade — nearly two years ago, only a few rides in — he pegged it as leaning toward the adventure side of gravel, past what he then considered a neutral, middle-of-the-road gravel bike. Gravel has moved a lot since. With the category splitting into ever-more mountain-bikey rigs on one side and increasingly race-focused ones on the other, the Renegade now reads differently: it’s the neutral, do-everything gravel bike — not slammed and racey, not overly mountain-bikey, just a comfortable, versatile bike in the middle.

The generous stack gives it a slightly mountain-bike feel that’s really just comfort. Of all the demo gravel bikes still in the shop, this is the one Steve would keep as a do-everything backup — in fact he rode it once this year on a quick shakedown and briefly reconsidered selling it at all.

A Season of Racing

This isn’t a bike that sat on a stand. Reid raced it hard through last season — the DAMn 240-mile gravel race, Big Sugar, and a lot of miles in between. It’s been ridden, and it’s held up.

Why It’s Easy to Live With

Part of the appeal is how simple it is. It’s a 2x mechanical build with fully exposed cables — you don’t have to de-cable the bike to change a headset bearing or do routine service. And the frame is genuinely versatile: with a universal derailleur hanger, you can run it 1x, 2x, or electronic. It’s an easy-riding, comfortable, low-drama bike.

The Honest Quirks

A couple of things to know, straight from Steve:

Tire clearance. The frame is rated for 50mm tires, and it’s fine in the front and in the chainstays. Where it gets tight is behind the seat tube. The shop ran 45s with zero issues; if you go bigger, watch your rim-and-tire combo and measure for real. (For reference, the same 45s clear with more room on a Niner ORE.)

Fit. The seat tube angle is a little laid back, so you may end up running the saddle a bit more forward than on some bikes. At 5’10”, Steve fits the 54 well; taller riders have been happy on the 56. This 54 currently wears a longer-than-stock stem, and the shop will swap the stem and dial the fit for whoever buys it.