Firefox Stravaro 29er - Review

The Stravaro is built on a full alloy hardtail MTB frame. If you like your frames to be angular and a little aggressive then you will love the alloy frame on this MTB. The head tube tapers slightly at the very top and that extends into the front-end. The top tube is more sloped than most, increasing the triangulation of the mainframe, and in turn increasing stand over clearance.The Suntour XCM front suspension fork comes with a massive 1mm travel. This suspension fork can withstand the hardest of trails and the hydraulic lockout was ideal to keep the bicycle rigid and ride faster on flat patches.

Firefox are clear that this bicycle is meant for getting full on performance when riding on trails and the drivetrain reflects just that. The Stravaro 29er is equipped with Shimano Acera at the rear and Shimano Altus at the front. These are mid-level MTB components from Shimano and the transmission was quick and smooth during the test ride. The 27-Speed gear set gives a huge range of gears to help ride through both climbs and accelerate on plains as well. The Shimano Acera shifters were fast while switching gears.

This hardtail MTB that I test rode came in a silver colour frame with black and yellow graphics. The gloss paint job was of superior quality and had a neat sheen to it. The edges of the tubes were welded smoothly and felt like the whole frame was one complete piece. The super slanted top tube along with the 1mm suspension forks gives the bicycle all the aesthetic characteristics of a performance MTB.

The Shimano Acera M396 Hydraulic Disc Brakes are one of most powerful hydraulic disc brakes in its class. This proved to be a solid durable system that was delivering a respectful amount of stopping power on wet and dry trails. The smooth moving Shimano Acera break levers let you apply exactly the right amount of stopping power and with just 2 fingers.The Zoom Alloy 7mm handlebar was flat and wide which gives the rider the much-needed control on trails, especially while going downhill.

The Stravaro rolls on a pair of Kenda K127 29” x 2.1” MTB tires. These tires were fast moving and thick square shaped knobs. The casing strength on these tires was high thus giving enough traction on even the most slippery trails. Maybe a tire liner inside would be needed to decrease the chances of punctures on unexplored trails. The stock Firefox saddle on this MTB was wide but could have had little more cushioning to keep the rider sore free on bumpy trails. The overall ride quality was comfortable on both flat trails rough urban roads.