Brooks Myth 7S 26 (2017) - Review

The Brooks Myth 7s 26 comes with a full steel frame. This Hi-tensile steel frame is robust and solid with not much complications. Like all steel frames this bicycle is heavy but that isn’t a big surprise. The heaviness is transferred on to the rider while pedaling and there was a little extra effort than usual to push forward. The geometry was simple and comfortable which is ideal for city riding.The forks on the Myth 7s 26 is also made of steel. This rigid fork is tubular but not chunky. This is a good thing as it decreases the material used and hence reducing the overall weight for the bicycle.

As the name suggests this bicycle comes with a 7 speed Shimano Tourney rear derailleur. The 7 speed gearing is just enough for the city riding one would be doing with the Brook Myth 7s 26. The rotor shifters surprisingly worked well during the test ride with quick and precise shifts. The rear derailleur was noisy but that did not affect the gearing performance. The transition of speed and pressure on the pedals were felt instantly.

Since the Brooks Myth 7s 26 is available only online, it is very important for the design of the bicycle to be top notch. The image is going to replace the touch and feel of the bicycle and that means the weightage of colour and graphics are high. The bicycle which I test rode came in a dark blue primary colour with light grey as the secondary colour. The secondary colour and the graphics which includes the brand and model name are all stickers and are not embossed on the frame. The gloss paint job with these stickers aren’t the most aesthetic to the eye, but it does match the expectations for a bicycle at this price.

The stopping power on the Brooks Myth 7s 26 is take care of by a pair of V brakes at the front and rear. Performance wise these brakes were a letdown. The brake pads did not react well and made the bicycle come to a halt very slowly. This can be a problem especially when riding in the city amidst traffic. The plastic brake levers felt loose even after tightening it a few times during the test ride.The handlebar on the Myth 7s 26 comes with a slight rise. It a simple bar but with hard grips which will transfer most vibrations of the road surface. It is easy to maneuver in traffic using this handlebar.

The Myth 7s 26 comes with a 26 inch stock tires which are heavily treaded to tackle the rough city roads. During the test ride I rode this bicycle on both dry and wet surfaces and tires handled them well on corners. The weight of the wheel set is slightly higher than usual.The spec sheet of this bicycle says the saddle is an ergonomic comfort saddle. But the test ride said a different story. The saddle had rounded edges with no ergonomic shape to it. There is cushioning but not much thought has gone behind the shape for the saddle. Ride more than 25 to 3kms and you are sure to experience some saddle soreness on this bicycle. The seat post does not have a quick release lever which was a disappointment.