Take a stroll into any bike shop, read a bike brand’s website or wander around any trade show and it’s clear that gravel is the category these days. In the last few years the activity of riding drop bar bikes off road has grown exponentially and almost every major manufacturer now has a line of not-cross bikes to serve the needs of mixed surface riders.

Fuji has a history in off-road, including sponsorship of four-time national champion Jonathan Page from 2013 through early 2017. In 2018, the brand returned to the forefront of competitive cyclocross as part of Jeremy Powers’ new program.

Launched in 2016 at Sea Otter, the Fuji Jari (pronounced JAR-ee) is the now Pennsylvania based brand’s entry in the gravel and bikepacking category.

Initially offered in a steel or aluminum frame with braze-ons for all occasions, it was a budget-friendly entry that sought to serve gravel racers and touring riders alike.

For the 2019 model year, Fuji has quietly introduced a new Jari Carbon 1.1 version in some European markets and has plans to release it in the United States as well in February 2019.

Cyclocross Magazine got the chance to take a sneak peek at the new Fuji Jari Carbon 1.1 for this In Review Spotlight.

The Jari Goes Carbon for 2019

The Fuji Jari will be available in two models. We received the $3,000 Jari Carbon 1.1, and a Jari Carbon 1.3 model with a SRAM Rival groupset will be offered for $2,500.

The new Jari Carbon 1.1 frame is built with Fuji’s top-shelf C15 carbon and has a claimed frame weight of 950g while retaining the utility of the metallic version with fork leg braze-ons, rack eyelets and four bottle cage mounts.

The seat stay has a Fuji micro-suspension system that provides a claimed 15mm of flex when roads get rough. The frame has claimed clearance for 700c x 47mm or 27.5 x 2.2″ tires.

The Jari Carbon 1.1 has a mechanical Shimano Ultegra groupset, including the clutch RX800 rear derailleur and a FSA Energy carnkset with 46/30t chain rings. The brakes are flat mount Ultegra hydraulic disc.

The wheelset is WTB’s KOM Light i23, and the stock tires are 700c x 43mm Panaracer GravelKing SK TLC. The tires are tubeless-ready, but it did not ship with tubeless valves.

The Jari also comes with a number of features we have come to expect from gravel/adventure bikes. It shipped with Oval Concepts 325 flared drop bars and plenty of rack and fender mounts, including on the fork.

Other additions include a top tube bento box—not included on the alloy and steel models—and a shouldering pad on the underside of the top tube.

One curious thing about the Jari is as of now, it appears to be available in four sizes: 52, 54, 56 and 58cm.

Our complete size large build weighs just a hair over 20lbs. Without wheels but with thru-axles, the bike weighs 12.6lbs. The bike has a claimed weight of 18.5lbs, so a tubeless setup will shave some grams off our bike’s measured weight.

Stay tuned for initial ride impressions and a full review.

For more on the Fuji Jari gravel bike, see the specs and photo gallery below.

Brandon Grant and Zachary Schuster contributed to this report.

Fuji Jari Carbon 1.1 Gravel/Adventure Bike Specifications

Frame: Fuji C15 one-piece carbon, flat mount, 12mm thru-axle

Fork: FC-440 Cross carbon monocoque, flat mount, 12mm thru-axle

Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra FD-R8000

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra RD-RX800

Crankset: FSA Energy Modular, 46/30t chain rings

Cassette: Shimano Ultegra, 11-34t

Shift/Brake Levers: Shimano Ultegra R8000 STI hydraulic disc

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc, flat mount

Rotors: Shimano Ice Tech Freeza, 160mm

Wheelset: WTB KOM Light i23, alloy

Tires: Panaracer GravelKing SK TLC, 700c x 43mm, tubeless-ready, tubes installed

Handlebar: Oval Concepts 325 flared drop

Seat Post: Oval Concepts 925

Saddle: Oval Concepts x38

Others: Top tube bento box, shouldering pad

Photo Gallery: 2019 Fuji Jari Carbon 1.1 Gravel/Adventure Bike