Focus Jam² SL 9.9 Long-Term Review Part 2

Fundamentally, the riding experience is simply put very awesome both downhill and uphill - especially downhill. Here, Focus with its "ride a new high" slogan hasn't promised too much
Typical for e-bikes, the speed limitation acts as resistance on flat terrain as well as on slight inclines, beyond which any further acceleration can only be achieved with the highest effort. In comparison to my regular mountain bike, however, an average speed of about 30 km/h can be reached with ease. And this, despite the Focus being fitted with significantly more profiled tires.
If you are the only e-biker in a group, flat sections can quickly become a strenuous effort. But at the latest uphill, you will catch up with the group easily again.

Uphill, the Jam² SL climbs really well thanks to the Fazua Ride 60 drive system. Nonetheless, you can notice significant differences in power compared to stronger motors, such as the Bosch Performance CX. They provide noticeably more support, which, however, can also give the impression that you are sitting on an e-moped.
The Fazua motor works much more subtly and supports as soon as pedaling commences, always matching the force that the rider transfers to the pedal. The artificial power thus dynamically and harmoniously amplifies the muscular effort in tune with one's own cadence.

The suspension from Fox - at the front a 36 Float Performance Elite 29 with 160 mm of travel and at the rear a Float X Performance shock - turns every trail descent into a true pleasure.
The components are highly adjustable and perform excellently in rough terrain. Once the fork and shock are properly adjusted to body weight and riding style, the Jam² SL seemingly plows through the terrain like an icebreaker. Smaller, rapid hits, such as over root carpets, as well as the heavy impacts from jumps, pose no problem for the suspension.
If anything causes problems, it's the tires. At least on clayey soils, the tread on the Schwalbe tires clogs up after a short time. However, on dry, sandy, and rocky trails, the combination of Magic Mary and Nobby Nic offers the best grip.

Tech Specs

Geometry

Speaking of holding and controlling the bike: The Focus Jam² SL can be ridden in four different geometry settings. By turning the headset and thanks to the flip chips on the rear triangle, the steering angle and chainstay length can be adjusted relatively easily. This feature practically invites experimentation to see how 1 degree (64.5 or 65.5) and 7 mm (440 or 447) affect the handling of the bike.
Steep and short make the bike appear more playful and agile, although there must be slight compromises in terms of stability and climbing eagerness. For me, the flat steering angle and the longer rear end are a bit too sluggish, especially since I come from BMX riding and like to have a nimble bike beneath me. For downhill enthusiasts and riders who want to really let loose on rough terrain or simply want more security, the Jam² SL certainly has the necessary aces up its sleeve with the two adjustment options.

What is an E-Bike without the E? The Jam² SL is equipped with the Fazua Ride 60 motor, including a powerful 430 Wh battery. It is advertised with the claim that it should look and ride like a "Pure Bike". I can largely agree with the former. Many people I met on my rides were surprised to find out that this mountain bike in plain black is actually an E-Bike.
When you compare the Focus with modern, non-electric full-suspension bikes like the Scott Genius or Santa Cruz Megatower, you will notice that the downtube is very voluminous in all three cases. At first glance, there isn’t much difference. However, if you look closer, the Fazua motor, the control ring on the handlebar, and the LED display on the top tube reveal the true nature of the beast. Or better said, why the guy with the black full-suspension bike is leaving everyone behind on the uphill so disproportionately fast.
The fact that the wolf in sheep's clothing doesn't immediately reveal its true identity, both visually and acoustically, is mainly thanks to the whisper-quiet Fazua motor. This Bavarian motor is certainly one of the quietest E-Bike motors on the market. And this fact is worth its weight in gold. It is simply balm for the soul to ride uphill effortlessly, without being constantly accompanied by an annoying hum.

But looking inconspicuous and being pleasantly quiet alone does not make for a good drive system. In this sense, also fine and functional: With the new Fazua app, the motor - or rather its support levels - can be customized.
Breeze, River, and Rocket (that's what the support modes are called) can be individualized in this way. The smartphone can also display current riding data. If one has a bike computer or similar, these data can (to save phone battery) be displayed there as well.

The e-drive is controlled via a plastic ring that is attached to the handlebars. This remote switch, called Ring Control, has a super minimalist design, but the material and especially the operation feel somewhat clunky.
For my taste, the rotary ring simply gives too little feedback, so that from time to time it is necessary to glance at the LED display to figure out which support mode you are currently in. Moreover, it has happened to me more than once that I accidentally touched this ring during a trail descent and switched off the motor. Conclusion: Design and appearance are top-notch, but ergonomics and, above all, "button" feedback leave something to be desired.

Finally, a word about the battery. The obligatory opening of the flap and removing the battery for charging becomes tedious sooner or later. And that's for very pragmatic reasons: especially when the bike is heavily soiled, some dirt does fall off when removing the plastic cover. However, this is nitpicking at a high level and probably because I am more familiar with e-bikes that have a charging port on the frame.
If you want to ride the Jam² SL without motor support, you should remove the battery beforehand. This way, the e-bike weighing 19 kg becomes about two kilograms lighter. At 17 kg, the then (almost) conventional bike is still no lightweight, but it is certainly rideable. For a short round with a buddy without an e-MTB, this setup is absolutely fine. However, I wouldn't want to do a multi-day alpine crossing with it.

A little anecdote to finish: A friend and I were at a trail center in the outskirts of Vienna. There we met another friend who kindly offered to take us back to Vienna in his car. After a tiring day in the forest, this offer was more than welcome.
However, the E-bike could not be transported on the roof rack of the car due to its thick downtube. No matter, let’s just put it in the trunk, my buddy was riding his new Scott Spark anyway. "It has to fit!", we joked hopefully. But Murphy’s Law confirmed itself once again: Of course, the downtube of the Spark with its integrated shock was too thick as well.
In the end, we headed to the nearest train station, which was hardly an effort for me since the battery still had more than enough juice.