Focus Jam² SL 8.8 endurance test: The Focus Jam² with Fazua Ride 60 motor in endurance trail use

Honestly? I used to be one of those people who ridiculed e-MTB riders. According to the motto "If not under your own power, then not at all". But I've changed my mind. Not least because my riding habits have also changed. In the past, classic cross-country tours were mainly on my touring list. A long, steep climb uphill and usually down a forest road again.

I now choose my tours more and more according to the trail factor. If I'm going to struggle uphill, then at least have maximum fun on the way down. More and more often in bike parks or on natural trails in Austria, South Tyrol and now also in Tuscany. The opportunity to test the Focus Jam² SL 8.8, a lightweight trail e-MTB, over a longer period of time came at just the right time. The idea: the more energy you can save on the climbs, the more strength and concentration you have left for technical descents and the more trails you can speed downhill during the day.

Focus Jam² SL 8.8: Facts & figures about the endurance test bike

• Motor: Fazua Ride 60 (60 Nm)
• Battery: 430 watt hours
• Carbon frame
• Wheel size: 29 inch
• Spring travel: 160 / 150 mm
• Weight: 19.9 kg (EMTB measurement, size L)
• Permissible total weight: 135 kg
• Price: 6999 Euro >> at Bike Components or Bicycle XXL available at a reduced price

Motor & battery: lots of power, little to hear

Focus relies on the mid-motor from the Bavarian manufacturer Fazua for the Jam² SL 8.8. Not a bad choice, as the Ride 60 was also convincing in our last motor test and secured the tip for lightweight e-mountainbikes ahead of Bosch and TQ. A great power-to-weight ratio, plenty of range given the compact battery and a very discreet soundscape are sure to impress. Only the minimalist HPR 50 from TQ is a little quieter. The visual advantage of the Fazua: thanks to the compact design of the motor unit, the frame is very slim and elegant for an e-mountainbike.

>> Between lightness & power: The Fazua Ride60 in laboratory and practical tests

The integration of the battery is particularly important for light e-MTBs, as this can save a considerable amount of weight. Focus placed great emphasis on user-friendly handling during development. The Focus Jam² SL 8.8 is characterised by simple and quick battery removal, which is rarely found on light eMTBs.

Elegant, slim frame without charging socket

The Fazua battery is installed in such a way that it can be easily removed via a large opening in the down tube if required. The cover can be removed using an Allen key and the 430 Wh battery removed from the frame. Clever: The appropriate Allen key is located in the rear thru-axle of the Focus JAM² SL and is therefore always to hand. After opening the cover, the Fazua battery can be removed from the frame with just one click.

There is no charging socket on the bike, so the battery always has to be removed for charging. This allows the designers to save some weight on the frame. Overall, the full carbon chassis from Focus is relatively light for a bike in this price range with a classically removable battery.

The Focus Jam² SL 8.8: Light eMTB with a good price-performance ratio

In addition to the stylish frame in a two-colour finish, Focus has installed a clean, integrated cockpit on the Jam² SL 8.8. All cables run from the handlebars into a special stem and through the headset into the frame of the Jam² SL. 8.8, which makes for a tidy look. Focus has abandoned the usual cable routing through the stem - those who do their own bolting can breathe a sigh of relief.

There's plenty of travel. Focus gives the Jam² SL a Fox Float Rhythm fork with 160 millimetres at the front, while the Fox Float DPS shock delivers 150 at the rear. A Shimano XT 12-speed drivetrain, Magura's MT 5 brakes and Raceface wheels with the potent Assegai/Dissector combination from Maxxis round off the equipment. Our test model Focus Jam² SL 8.8 weighs 19.9 kg in frame size L and costs 6999 euros. All in all, a convincing price-performance ratio.

The Jam² SL 8.8 thus positions itself as a trail bike with all-mountain suspension travel and a correspondingly wide range of use. The Focus cuts a fine figure on easy tours as well as on difficult terrain. Special feature: The geometry and therefore also the handling of the bike can be extensively customised. The length of the chainstays can be adjusted longer or shorter via two flip chips in the rear triangle - depending on whether you want a smoother ride or more agile handling. The steering angle can also be adjusted by one degree via an angled headset. This also ensures either smoother running or more direct and neutral handling.

Focus Jam² SL 8.8: The geometry at a glance

• Seat tube length: 434 mm
• Wheelbase: 1270 - 1244 mm
• Reach: 486 mm
• Stack: 638 mm
• Steering angle: 64.7 - 63.8 degrees
• Seat angle: 77 degrees
• Chainstay length: 446 - 440 mm

First test: The trails of Massa Marittima

For a first practical test, we head to the Tuscan trails near Massa Marittima. The Spaghetti Uphill Trail is perfect for getting used to the bike. As a former normal biker, it's not at all easy to find the right mix of motor support, speed and balance on the bike on the tight, sometimes rooty uphill bends.

But I have enough battery and do the spaghetti uphill three times in a row. I would never have done that on a mountain bike. Each time I do it, the much-cited uphill flow becomes more and more apparent. And the best thing is that I still have enough energy for the downhill trails in between.

A regular update on the endurance test of the Focus Jam² SL 8.8 can be found here. The next highlight will be the trip to Vinschgau. There, the Jam² will prove itself on the trails around Latsch. More about this's coming soon.

>> More power? The Focus Jam² 8.9 with Bosch CX - Test: Touring all-rounder with tuning potential