Hero Octane Caspian (2018) - Review

The Hero Octane Caspian is built on a full 661 Alloy frame. The top tube is flat and thins out as it meets the seat post. This made sure there was no excess frame material used while still being strong on high impact joints. The slanting top tube made sure the rider had extra standover clearance, which makes it easier to ride over bumps.The stock front suspension fork comes with a working travel of 75-8mm and during the test ride it helped in increasing comfort on rough roads and flat trails.

The Hero Octane Caspian comes equipped with Shimano Tourney TZ/TY front and rear derailleurs. These derailleurs are a recent version of Tourney and shifted smoothly during the test ride which was ideal for quick shifts on flat trail and in busy urban roads. The 21-Speed Shimano EZ-5 easy fire trigger shifters were standard and easy to use.

This hardtail MTB I test rode came in a Matte Black frame with Red graphics. The matte finish paint job was smooth and made the bicycle look like a much more expensive and premium bicycle. The colour coded saddle, fork and rims made the design look uniform. The overall design definitely made the bicycle look like the perfect rugged hardtail MTB.

The ‘Yining’ branded Mechanical Disc brakes handled the stopping power on the Hero Octane Caspian. These brakes felt balanced and safe to use during the test ride on rough urban roads, especially on fast turns.The 68mm stock handlebar was lengthy to give the rider an aggressive position to have full control of the bicycle. The slight raise from the middle made sure the rider gets the much needed comfort on bumpy roads and flat trails.

The Hero Octane Caspian rolled on a pair of DSI 29” x 2.1” MTB tires. The DSI branded tires had bulky buttoned treads and were evenly spaced out providing great traction. The 29” tire size made the bicycle capable of handling flat to moderate trails. The stock Sport PU Saddle was ergonomically designed with a good design and grippy leather.