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Picked up a Scott Atacama X60 finally after much deliberation. The cycle feels good, even though I have to get used to the bigger size. Rolls much easier than my previous one. Picked it up at Procycle in Bangalore and had a good experience with them. Only flip side is I had to wait about a week for the L size.

Thanks to everyone who guided me on the purchase

Running on a treadmill looking at the wall in front of you is just about the most boring ways to try and loose the extra cellulose. Unless, ofcourse you have the luxury of doing the same thing in a nice gym with fellow joggers looking out of a glass window. But then, what do I do with the treadmill at home which I bought during a moment of madness. Well nothing! But then its an excuse for not joining a gym. So the treadmill remains, occupying precious space. Do use it sometimes, to hang clothes when its pouring outside. The urge to loose weight, however, is quiet strong and I was desperately looking for something that would be interesting as well.

Tried fixing up something for playing badminton or tennis. Somehow none of the courts had slots available. It was when I was parking the car that I noticed my old cycle, a hercules MTB,rusting away in the corner. I had found my new work out. Promptly took the cycle to the local cycle wallah. Well, it was almost falling apart. He said most of the parts would need to be replaced. I decided to go in for a new one and thus began my quest for a new bike.

Firefox was the first brand that came to my mind as i had decided I would go for a good one to keep the enthusiasm going. Did some research on the net. I quickly realised that the cycling world had gone leagues ahead. Hybrids were something new to me. The specs didnt mean anything then. I somehow liked the Roadrunner pro. Probably because of the looks. I liked the colour combos on them. Went to the firefox station here in Coimbatore the next day. The Roadrunner was there on display. It looked quite nice. But then the tires looked really skinny. Besides, I started doubting whether the frame can take my weight (am 95) along Coimbatores roads which are permanently dug up or filled poorly. Decided then and there that I needed a sturdier bike and so started looking at the MTBs. I did see a few Treks there but didnt pay much attention as they were way beyond my budget. Was almost sold on the Target 21 without the disc brake, though I didnt like the blue colour.

Something told me to do a little more research.

Stopped over at the BSA Hercules showroom on the way back. Felt like I had just discovered a treasure trove. What with some amazing bikes on display. Cannondales, Shwinns, GTs, Montras. Liked the Montra Jazz a which was similarly priced as the Roadrunner with a 5% discount. The Montra Blues were nice too. But then a little beyond my budget and my doubts on the hybrids prevailed.
Came back home for further research. Stumbled on the track and trail website. There were 2 dealers in Coimbatore, one of was the Bsa dealer I had already been to. Gave a call to the other one, MVS enterprises. They told me to come over the next day. Further research went on and I had a rough idea of what was available in India.

I went looking for MVS enterprises the next day. Was expecting a showroom but was surprised to see they operated from an office inside a huge mill compound. Met Mr.Sanjay and when I told him my budget he showed me a Montra Rock 1. For the first time I was offered a test ride. I loved the bike. I had never ridden an imported bike, so I cant really judge. But I loved it all the same. He offered a test ride on an Axis as well. But I liked the Montra better. But then, I was in for a surprise when Mr. Sanjay told me that my 6 foot frame needed a larger bike. The Montra was a medium. An instant liking for Mr. Sanjay for being frank and not trying to shove an ill fitting bike on me. He didnt have a large frame on any bike in my budget. Went home disappointed with a new criterea - size.

More research and phone calls.

Decided to up my budget a bit more.

Spoke to a guy who stocked Giant, Huffy, Raleigh, La Sovereign and Fuji. A little more educated now, I insisted on a L size. He offered a Fuji Nevada 2.1 within my budget. Had never seen the brand on Indian sites until then. He assured me that he had a L frame. I told him I will check and see him in his store the next day.

Did some further research on the net.

Fuji had some good reviews though most of the reviwes were for their high end bikes. But then I liked the Nevada. I thought I finally had my bike.

Made a very expectant trip the next day. But then when you really want something you dont get it. The Fuji was unboxed in front of me. A small frame! He apologised. He offered me other bikes. But then the damage was done. I no longer trusted him. Tried a Huffy Denali 29er. Though I didnt like the bike, the large tires were a revelation.

Went back home and researched more on 29ers. Firefox had Gary Fisher 29ers way beyond my budget. Further searches bore no fruit. All of them had 29ers but not in Coimbatore. Large frames were available on order. But I didnt want to put my money on something I hadnt tried.

Finally gave a call to Mr.Sanjay with my new budget. He offered an Orbea Toubkal and if I stretched a little more, a Scott 680. Enter cyberworld again. Orbea would do just fine. Trip to Mr. Sanjay for a test ride. Rode the Orbea and the Scott. May be inexperience, but I didnt feel any difference. I had my new bike. Mr.Sanjay is quite rigid with his prices. No discounts. But then I knew I was going to buy it even if he didnt. Probably he knew too. No accessories except for a free side stand. Anyway, he had only high end accessories and I felt I could do with cheaper stuff from the Bsa/Firefox bin for the time being.

And so I rode home in the Toubkal today.

Am no judge and I cannot compare. But it rides like a dream. A little tough on my butt after about 20kms. But then i guess the butt will get tougher in a while. As of now I intend to use it for working out only and am planning 1 hr rides in the morning. No accessories yet.

I plan to go in for a speedometer, front and rear lights and a bell for the time being. Suggestions are welcome.

I will post a few pics in a while from now.

Note from Support - Please space your sentences well using paragraphs and punctuation as it makes for an easier read. Thanks!

Posting a few pictures of the Toubkal.

On the Scott, I see that the left brake lever operates the front brake while the right one is for the rear. Now, this is totally opposite to what I am used to. I checked with dealer to see if it was set this way accidentally, but was told this is the norm and that I should get used to it (even though I can change it if required). I am unable to verify the advantages of this scheme over the usual (left/rear, right/front).

Do you suggest I get used to this new scheme? If yes, does it provide any advantage? My right hand is the dominant and I use both the brakes while braking (which probably is responsible for me not realizing this "swap" earlier).

- Girish

I have this set up on all my bikes. The advantage I see is in this situation. I am going to turn right and need to signal and slow down at the same time. If it were only the rear brake, I would run the risk of the rear wheel skidding if I brake too hard. This will not happen with the front wheel and in any case, the front brake is way more effective. Its therefore a good idea to get used to this set up.

Hi!

When I compare cycles, I find for the same specs the price vary significantly between makes. Does it mean brands like cannondale,trek etc are really so superior to merida,scott etc. or its just because of the brand.

Thanks,
Kiran

Use the same logic and ask yourself why European cars always command a premium over Japanese and in turn why Japanese cars command a premium over the Koreans or even, why Swiss watches command a premium over say, Japanese watches.

Why should one pay more for a bespoke ready-made suit from Savile Row than for a superb suit of the finest cloth, custom-tailored for one's individual requirement, at a Premium Indian Brand Store?

Its all about brand equity, aspiration value, heritage, category expertise and that in-definable thing called 'cachet', where the heart takes over from the brain...

Its the same either way. Except in cycles its not like Old Indica vs Volkswagen Polo.

More like McGrawhill Indian edition textbooks.

Guys, any feedback on the below?



The decals on the cycle says Decathlon Trail (Man) bicycle but is this a re-badged BTwin? It is equipped with a 21 gear system.

Took her for a short spin around the block yesterday and loved it. The brakes are super sharp and she is pretty easy to ride. I'm going back to zero bhp riding after almost 2 decades. :)

Picked this up for a superb price, 4 months old, hardly used, spanking new condition.

I'm going to buy a bell, cable lock, water bottle with holder and a gel seat pad in a few days.

Main reason i bought this is to get some exercise and improve my fitness and also to shed some kilo's.

Thanks for your replies.

Can I know which are the Rolls Royces, Mercs, Toyotas, & Indicas in bicycles. This is just to be informed when I talk to the sales guys who always say that they sell the best :) and the brands they sell are mercs.

Kiran

pinarello, Surly, bikefriday, specialized, BMC are the ones which i can think of.

@ aditya, decathlon trail is really a good bike for the price. please stay away from gel seat, its does no good. it takes some time getting use to hard saddles. you need to be seated with sit bones (google it). gel seat puts pressure on your perineum and leads to numbness.

Good Choices. Go for the Schwinn Frontier Sport, or Elite for the same price as the GT Aggressor 1.0 since you are getting the 15% discount. I got mine last week for 22k final price with some freebies. Frontier Elite has disc brakes and 80mm more travel on the front suspension, and believe me you wont regret your purchase. Check on your height and correspondingly choose the frame size.

wow the bike looks really sporty in that red color and not to mention those smooth shifting Shimano Altus gears:D. However that saddle/seat looks really uncomfortable. i had the same problem with my bike. A thicker seat or a Gel cover is an absolute must because long rides are bound to pain in the posterior.i also believe these bike saddles are designed for 55 kg Europeans rather than for Indians with slightly generous proportions lol:

@bobster

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, the seat is a bit uncomfortable. I did point it out to the dealer. He discouraged me from using the gel pads. A few of the biking sites say the same thing too. A gel seat is okay but not pads. Didnt want to spend the extra bucks. Atleast not now.

Having ridden it for about 50kms now, it does feel a little better although I still wish it had a plusher seat.

Guys, I find the handle bar height too low and its got spacers. Any idea if I can increase the height without replacing the whole bar?

Another issue that I discovered during cycling is that because of the angle that I am seated, its extremely difficult to turn around and look over my shoulder when you want to cut across a road or move to the sides. I dont see any other option other than fixing some ungainly mirrors. Any suggestions?

Yeah, rode both the bikes on a mini test ride the other day and definitely preferred the Schwinn.

Now I recently got to ride a couple of more bikes from Merida and boy are they wonderful! 100mm suspension travel on all models. Rode the Matts 15v and 20md(with discs). All the bikes from matts 20 onwards also have locking suspension which helps riding them fast in plain roads. Thats something I wish the Schwinn bikes had. Personally I dont have a problem with V brakes and I'm sure they'll be easier to maintain than disc ones too. Also I might be able to get the 40v at the same price as the 20md(around 21-22k after discounts) which means a higher model with better components.

Anyone have any opinions on Schwinn and Merida bikes? Would love to hear some personal experiences.