Reviews for Firefox Rapide 2013, Montra Jazz A 2012, Hercules ACT 110

[Nitin Munjal]

I am having a tough time locating the reviews for these bikes. Can somebody point me to people who have used one or more of these bikes? All are in the range 12-16K.

Here is what I perceive / have gathered from my friends about these bikes. Please add to these based on experience (or even if you don't).

Montra Jazz A - May have been discontinued. I have called many shops. They say they are not getting its supply. The configuration looks good. The components are similar to Trek 7.1 FX. I do not know how good is the frame. If anyone can refer me to some shop selling this, would be great.

Firefox Rapide 2013 - Firefox is not known to produce good bikes. Are their frames heavy? The configuration looks acceptable though. 

Hercules ACT 110 - The design does not look good. It has three naked wires (for gear and brake) running on the top tube of frame which will attract dirt. It has Shimano Tourney as rear derailleur which is also not very great.

Also, how is the gear ratio in the bikes? By gear ratio I mean the ratio of number of spokes in the front largest gear to rear smallest gear. I would not like a bike where the largest ratio is similar to the other non-gear bikes.

[Hari Krishna]

Are their frames heavy?

Weight isnt the only thing to look for in a frame. AFAIK Firefox doesnt even have the concept of frame sizes.

It has three naked wires (for gear and brake) running on the top tube of frame which will attract dirt.

Wipe it often! Attracting dirt isnt the problem. They might rust.

It has Shimano Tourney as rear derailleur which is also not very great.

Yea Tourney is the least in Shimano's line. But would you be riding in a way that it makes a difference? People have completed even the 600K on bikes with Tourney RD.

Also, how is the gear ratio in the bikes? By gear ratio I mean the ratio of number of spokes in the front largest gear to rear smallest gear. I would not like a bike where the largest ratio is similar to the other non-gear bikes.

Most decent brands mention this. And no hybrid/MTB has the largest ratio equal to the ratios on singlespeeds.

Hari Krishna Malladi

Ph.D. Student,

Department of Computer Science and Automation,

Indian Institute of Science

Cell: +91 9945676016

Web: www.harikrishna-robotics.com
My DIY Blog: harisgadgetry.blogspot.com
My General Blog: harikrishnamalladi.blogspot.com
My Cycling Blog: ridestoremember.blogspot.com
My Trekking Blog: trekstoremember.blogspot.com

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[Nitin Munjal]

Hey,

Thanks. 

1. What are the other things to look for in a frame? Most bikes mention alloy or aluminium. What can you make out of it (besides the obvious like the weight etc.) by looking at the frame?

2. Here is a picture of Hercules ACT 110. If you look closely, it is not easy to keep the top frame bar polished.

3. Also, I am going to use the cycle for commuting and am going to change the back gear often at red lights. I really don't want the lowest quality derailleur, here Tourney. If someone does 600Km without changing gear, it gives me no information about the efficiency of the rear derailleur.

4. I mentioned about gear ratio because my earlier bike Hero Octane had 21 ratio gears with the highest one being 40:14. I observed fellow cyclists who had gearless cycles and noticed that my highest gear ratio was the same as theirs. Hence I raised this question. And I don't believe most brands (as you mentioned) mention the gear teeth in their crankset. I have seen some mentioning the teeth in the front crankset but not the rear crankset. I would be glad if you can enlighten me by giving examples.

N

[anil s kadsur]

" If someone does 600Km without changing gear, it gives me no information about the efficiency of the rear derailleur".

I didn't think Hari told someone did 600 kms without changing gears!!!

very truly,
anil s kadsur
http://kadsur.blogspot.in/

---

From: Nitin Munjal <nitin....@gmail.com>

Sender: bangalor...@googlegroups.com

Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2013 13:10:01 -0700 (PDT)

To: <bangalor...@googlegroups.com>

Cc: Nitin Munjal<nitin....@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [BBC] Reviews for Firefox Rapide 2013, Montra Jazz A 2012, Hercules ACT 110

[Hari Krishna]

And Denzil did 460Km on the Tristate 600 with Tourney gears. Cant imagine him not changing gears!

Hari Krishna Malladi

Ph.D. Student,

Department of Computer Science and Automation,

Indian Institute of Science

Cell: +91 9945676016

Web: www.harikrishna-robotics.com
My DIY Blog: harisgadgetry.blogspot.com
My General Blog: harikrishnamalladi.blogspot.com
My Cycling Blog: ridestoremember.blogspot.com
My Trekking Blog: trekstoremember.blogspot.com

[Nitin Munjal]

Sorry I did not intend what I apparently wrote. If you are comparing performance and durability of parts that work all the time like the tires, rim, crankset or fork, the quoted example of 600Km in a stretch would have been very well valid. In case of things like gear derailleur, where the full functionality is not at test at all the times (like changing the gears - you don't keep doing it), the example didn't feel right. A more valid example would have been that Shimano Tourney derailleur hasn't given problem in (say) 10,000 Km.

What about other questions guys?

1. Manufacturers don't give the rear crankset description. Do they? Or is it that the the number of teeth are usually standard (and they don't need to mention them)? In some cases I don't find the front crankset description as well from sites like firefoxcycles.com or bsahercules.com sister websites.

2. What qualities can you perceive by looking at a cycle frame?

Nitin 

[Hari Krishna]

A more valid example would have been that Shimano Tourney derailleur hasn't given problem in (say) 10,000 Km.

My RR 5.0 is a standing testimony to this.

Hari Krishna Malladi

Ph.D. Student,

Department of Computer Science and Automation,

Indian Institute of Science

Cell: +91 9945676016

Web: www.harikrishna-robotics.com
My DIY Blog: harisgadgetry.blogspot.com
My General Blog: harikrishnamalladi.blogspot.com
My Cycling Blog: ridestoremember.blogspot.com
My Trekking Blog: trekstoremember.blogspot.com

[Hari Krishna]

What about other questions guys?

1. Manufacturers don't give the rear crankset description. Do they? Or is it that the the number of teeth are usually standard (and they don't need to mention them)? In some cases I don't find the front crankset description as well from sites like firefoxcycles.com or bsahercules.com sister websites.

It's pretty much constant for freewheels. 

2. What qualities can you perceive by looking at a cycle frame?

Look at frame geometry, the alloy used, etc etc. There are tons of articles on frame materials and geometries. Well built steel frames are much better than poorly built alloy frames. And there are various types of alloys. Just google on that topic.

Hari Krishna Malladi

Ph.D. Student,

Department of Computer Science and Automation,

Indian Institute of Science

Cell: +91 9945676016

Web: www.harikrishna-robotics.com
My DIY Blog: harisgadgetry.blogspot.com
My General Blog: harikrishnamalladi.blogspot.com
My Cycling Blog: ridestoremember.blogspot.com
My Trekking Blog: trekstoremember.blogspot.com