Firefox Crusador 29 - Review

The Crusador is built around a hardtail Alloy frame. The frame is strong but not too heavy for a MTB this ensures that it can handle a lot of hard hitting from the trail surface. The frame is designed to be taller from the ground up with the bottom bracket much higher than usual. This gives a larger ground clearance, which helped in rolling off obstacles on the trail without the frame getting hit.The Zoom front suspension fork comes with a 8mm travel. This helped in absorbing vibrations of the surface with the smooth functioning of the suspension. It also comes with a pre-load adjuster on the fork crown.

Shimano's Tourney at the front and Altus at the rear form the drivetrain on the Firefox Crusador 29. These gearing components from Shimano were smooth and quick in transmission during the test ride. The 21-Speed gear range was sufficient for steep climbs and quick accelerations. Shimano's Altus EF5 21-Speed trigger shifters with gear indicators were easy to use. For the price of this bicycle the Altus 7-Speed derailleur at the rear is value for money.Note: The 221 version of the Crusador 29 comes with a Microshift 21-Speed gear system connected to Microshift TS38 shifters.</I>

The Crusador 29 which I test rode came in a bright Orange primary colour with Black and Yellow as the secondary colours. The slanting top tube and the smaller front triangle made the bicycle look taller. The matte finish paint job made sure the finishing was smooth and enhanced the Orange colour scheme. The bulky treads on the tire along with the taller build profile made the bicycle look much more premium and higher priced.

The Mechanical Disc brakes were as powerful brakes as it can get on an entry level hardtail MTB. During the test ride, the brakes were powerful and felt balanced to use on flat muddy trails.The Steel 66mm handlebar was ideal in length for easy maneuvering in trails. The 31.8mm raise made the posture comfortable.

This hardtail MTB rolls on a pair of Wanda 29” x 2.21” tires. These tires are heavily treaded with bulky treads which cover the tires evenly. This makes sure even fast cornering is safe on muddy trails. The stock MTB saddle is perfectly designed with ideal width and length but could have little more cushioning on it.