[AnniHilat0R]

If anyone was looking to buy the Triban RC 500 in Large size, there are couple of units showing in stock right now.

[Mik]

Need recommendations for a budget hybrid upto 20/25k.
I know I will use it occasionally only over weekends. Not a serious cyclist. Previously have used a Firefox Target with 21 inch wheels but it was too small for me (5'8") Tried out a friends Hiland with 29 inch wheels and it felt too big.

Note: All my cyclist friends laugh at the budget But hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things

[Fillmore]

I had an entry level MTB from Falcon. During the COVID period we temporarily moved out of Bangalore and took my MTB over there.

Now that I am back in Bangalore was looking for a Hybrid, do a bit of daily morning riding plus on Sundays we have a small group in our Apartment and we do a group ride. Not too far but a round trip of around 30km.

With demand exceeding supply I too was faced with the issue where most of the sought after models were out of stock. After a lot of looking around finally settled on this one.

Polygon Path - 2
Drivetrain 3 x 8
Front Derailleur Tourney
Rear Derailleur Altus
Mechanical Disc brakes
Wheelsize 700 x 40mm
Tyre threading is more road oriented.

So far am liking the bike. The stock saddle is pretty good and from Entity.
Riding is smooth and does not need as much effort as with an MTB, more closer to a road bike.

Rear gearing is pretty smooth on the Altus, Front has a bit of a knocking at times when you upshift especially from 1 to 2. Thinking of upgrading the front Derailleur from Tourney to Altus/Acera.

Pics from todays morning ride.

[papr23]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Rear gearing is pretty smooth on the Altus, Front has a bit of a knocking at times when you upshift especially from 1 to 2. Thinking of upgrading the front Derailleur from Tourney to Altus/Acera.

Nice bike, Fillmore! That's a nice wheel size to go anywhere.
Smooth upshifts at the front is little tricky. Try adjusting the derailleur to see if there is any improvement.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Rear gearing is pretty smooth on the Altus, Front has a bit of a knocking at times when you upshift especially from 1 to 2. Thinking of upgrading the front Derailleur from Tourney to Altus/Acera.

That's a nice looking bike.

Though not really an expensive upgrade, a higher level FD is not really necessary and you just need to get the very decent Tourney (I have been using an older generation, albeit Taiwan-made one on my ACT for close to 15,000 km without any issue) set up properly in terms of the limiting screws and alignment .

Unlike the rear derailleur, the front one is rarely used and the climbs from a smaller chainring to a bigger one are always going to need significant left thumb pressure and movement to the outer limit of the range of the lever to get the chain to climb up and wrap itself around properly. That's because of the difference in the size of the two rings which is quite large (10t).

You will notice somewhat the same on the rear if you have a MegaRange freewheel where the last biggest cog is 10t larger than the next biggest one (34 and 24). There too, climbing from the 24 into the 34 takes similar effort of your right thumb.

Since you use the rear derailleur and shifter a lot more than the front one, and because of the larger number of cogs tightly packed, shifting at the rear needs to be much more precise, and therefore if/when manufacturers mix and match components between two groupset series you will always get the higher level one at the rear. More bang for buck.

Cheers, Doc

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by ebonho

That's a nice looking bike.
Edit
@ebonho looks like our updates just crossed in parallel.

Have a query for the experts.

I currently have a Polygon Path - 2 Hybrid
The rear derailleur is a Shimano Altus and the rear cassette is a Shimano 8 speed CS-HG31-8

I want to know if it is possible to upgrade the cassette to a better quality compatible 8 speed which can offer a wider range say for easier climbs / faster road bike like feel etc..
i.e. maybe in the Acera ++ quality range ?

Expecting to go nearer to a Road category Cassette and not an MTB one.

What are the specifications / models that I need to look out for ?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Have a query for the experts.

I currently have a Polygon Path - 2 Hybrid
The rear derailleur is a Shimano Altus and the rear cassette is a Shimano 8 speed CS-HG31-8

What is the current cassette setup in terms of the 8 different cogs?

And more importantly, what is the setup in front of the 3 chainrings (number of teeth for both)?

Cheers, Doc

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by ebonho

What is the current cassette setup in terms of the 8 different cogs?

And more importantly, what is the setup in front of the 3 chainrings (number of teeth for both)?

Cheers, Doc

For the rear cassette the largest cog has 32 teeth and the smallest has 11 teeth. Model [ CS-HG31-8 ]

For the front the largest cog wheel has 48 teeth. Could not find any model number. I think it is hidden.
Later when free will check the smaller teeth rings too. It is a 3 speed.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

For the rear cassette the largest cog has 32 teeth and the smallest has 11 teeth. Model [ CS-HG31-8 ]

For the front the largest cog wheel has 48 teeth. Could not find any model number. I think it is hidden.
Later when free will check the smaller teeth rings too. It is a 3 speed.

So then there is nothing more you can do.

You are lucky to have a road-biased triple crank (48-38-28 in all likelihood ... lots of lower end hybrids come with MTB style smaller triple cranks like 44-34-24 instead) and you already have a wide range cassette with 32 as your biggest cog (which with a 28 as your smallest ring in front gives you a low enough lowest gear) and a 11 as your smallest cog (which with a 48 as your biggest ring in front gives you fantastic top end ... lower spec 7-speed freewheels like what I have on my ACT are limited by having only a 14 tooth smallest cog, for comparison ... even 12 is great, which a lot of lower end cassettes have - 11t is fantastic, and a proper road bike cassette gearing).

Hope that helps. You have the best possible gearing currently on a 3x8 hybrid setup.

My ACT in comparison has 48-38-28 in the front and a 7-speed 14-34 Mega Range freewheel in front which is 14-16-18-20-22-24-34 (so actually basically its a 6 speed drive train from 14 to 24, with a 7th "bail-out" ultra low 34 gear to get you up steep climbs).

Cheers, Doc

[papr23]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

The rear derailleur is a Shimano Altus and the rear cassette is a Shimano 8 speed CS-HG31-8

I want to know if it is possible to upgrade the cassette to a better quality compatible 8 speed which can offer a wider range say for easier climbs / faster road bike like feel etc..
i.e. maybe in the Acera ++ quality range ?

Expecting to go nearer to a Road category Cassette and not an MTB one.

What are the specifications / models that I need to look out for ?

My hybrid has a similar cassette CS-HG30-8 and a triple crank at the front with 48-38-28. I am happy with the range it offers. Actually I don't use more than 4 or 5 combinations out of 24 that it offers.
The granny gear is so small that you hardly move if you try using it on a flat surface and I use it on stiff climbs, say, the last couple of hairpin bends at Nandi hills. Give your legs some miles and you are fine with what you have at the moment.
If you are keen to do any DIY, as your bike seem to have a relaxed upright position, try converting your flat bar to a drop bar and change the tyres to skinnier ones i.e. if available

My bike comes with an aggressive position and with every growing inch of the waist I found it hard to ride long distances. So changed my flat bar to a butterfly bar. It gives multiple positions.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by papr23

My bike comes with an aggressive position and with every growing inch of the waist I found it hard to ride long distances. So changed my flat bar to a butterfly bar. It gives multiple positions.

Attachment 2169279

Where does one find this butterfly bar? It does look very comfortable.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by papr23

If you are keen to do any DIY, as your bike seem to have a relaxed upright position, try converting your flat bar to a drop bar and change the tyres to skinnier ones i.e. if available

My bike comes with an aggressive position and with every growing inch of the waist I found it hard to ride long distances. So changed my flat bar to a butterfly bar. It gives multiple positions.

I don't like the drop bar posture.
Since I prefer an upright posture have added a stem riser and increased the height of the flat bar. This in turn let me increase the height of the saddle a bit which I feel gives a better stretch position.
i.e. my legs stretch to a better angle when in the down pedal position. Makes it easier to pedal.

[papr23]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Where does one find this butterfly bar? It does look very comfortable.

I couldn't find it anywhere in Bangalore/Hyderabad offline/online. I found something similar on a kids bicycle and went around a lot of shops and couldn't find it. Finally bought it from Wiggle and shipped it to US. An unfortunate cousin brought it here. It is also called a trekking bar. It is the preferred handlebar for tourers.

[sharma_sanjeevi]

Thanks for the kind comments Anand!!
Yes, certainly its sheet Nostalgia.

Good Old Memories.

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

Nostalgia!

I got the BSA SLR in 1987 (belonged to my cousin but was with me for a few years) and I was thrilled when I first saw it. I was 11 and didn't know any technical details and it didn't matter. I just rode it everyday. The ornament on the front mud guard as you said (even today, I don't know what it's called ) was chrome and with a rounded head and was one of the many beautiful things about the cycle. I loved the way the cycled looked and used to drag my feet every monsoon when everyone else used to apply the horrible looking yellow anti-rust coat on all non painted parts of their cycles and I had to do the same too.

Three of us used to ride to the New Zealand hostel building in Aarey Colony and then race on the slopes. Crazy fun! Fixed ratio (I didn't even know back then that there was something called as "geared cycle"), avg brakes (which would do nothing to slow the cycle down on the Aarey slopes) but nothing mattered.

Thanks for bringing back those lovely memories!

[Red Liner]

Can someone please school me on the best kickstand and fenders (something that accomodates upto 40 size tyres) please? Decathlon stuff doesn't inspire any confidence.