My search for a road bike ended with a hybrid. It only took 3 days to convince myself that it “was” the bike I had been searching for. I have been riding ACT 103 for over a year now. It is a decent MTB, but MTB nonethless. (I have changed its knobby tyres to a slick pair, so it is a bit fast.)
It’s been a week since I bought 110, but I only used it for commuting. I was waiting for an opportunity to test if it could be used for short trips. ECR was long due, so went for a jaunt that stretched the limit of both the bike and the owner. I circumnavigated the southern suburbs of Chennai. The route was this: Chitlapakkam-Medawakkam-Sholinganallur-police outpost on ECR-Muthukadu-Thiruvanmiyur-TIDEL Park-Raj Bhavan-Saidapet-Ashok Pillar-Saidapet-Guindy-Meenambakkam-Chromepet-Chitapakkam. Total distance covered: 75km. Time: ~4 hours. I haven’t fitted Cateye Strada yet, so could not calculate the exact time. Also, I combined a personal work with the ride, and had to kill time between 9:00am and 10:30am.
Now to the bike.
Positives:
It was a breeze riding this bike. I haven’t ridden Treks, Meridas, and other videshi bikes, but this was super fast compared to my other bike, ACT 103. It could be the aluminium frame, 21 gears, 700cX27 tyres, or a combination of all these, but I could accelerate at will. On bad roads, the frame held well, and on ECR, it cruised like the falcon. The Tourney rear derailleur, though basic, worked like magic; gear shifting was butter smooth. The C050 front derailleur was ok, though I didn’t face any problem. V-brakes were adequate.
Limitations:
The highest gear combination (42X14) was found wanting once I had set into a nice rhythm and wanted to go really fast. After all, it is a hybrid, so has its limitations. After riding for 30 to 45 minutes without break, my wrists became numb. Again, may be, I am not used to the aggressive posture. Only another trip will tell.
To sum up:
I found it very good. One of the best-looking Indian bikes I have seen. Fit and finish and paint quality are all top notch. Will it retain its quality trip after trip? Will update after sometime.
Technical Specifications:
Frame: 19″; Aluminium 6061
Front Derailleur: Shimano C050;- 24-34-42
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney 7 speed; 28-24-22-20-18-16-14
Headset: Promax
Shifters: Shimano ST-EF50
Wheels: 700X35C; 28″
Quick release for the seat post and front wheel.
Finally, a couple of pictures:
