Montra Blues 1.2 Disc (2017) - Review

The Montra Blues 1.2 Disc 217 comes with a standard 661 alloy frame. This frame has been welded to perfection and this is evident in the neat welding of the edges. This has resulted in the frame using lesser alloy and hence able to keep a very competitive weight. The slanting top tube also makes this the perfect unisex hybrid bicycle. The geometry of this frame is comfort oriented and this makes touring on this bicycle easy.This bicycle comes with a front suspension fork. The SR Suntour M31 suspension fork comes with a 5mm travel and a hydraulic lockout. This is a great feature for this price. The suspension travel works well and makes the riding experience on bumpy roads comfortable.

This brings us to the most important part of a hybrid bicycle, which makes the Blues 1.2 Disc 217 a touring machine. This bicycle is equipped with Shimano Altus at the front and Shimano Acera at the rear as derailleurs. These derailleurs worked smoothly during the test ride and were perfect for slight road elevations in the city. Accelerating was also swift with absolutely no glitches in the gear transmissions. The Shimano Altus 24 speed shifters were easy to use.

The Blues 1.2 Disc 217 which I test rode came in a black primary colour and a sky blue secondary colour. The sky blue is present at various places on the bicycle, including the brake and gear cables. The colour coordination does not end there; the saddle also has sky blue patches. The slanting top tube and the font of the branding adds to the aesthetics appeal of this bicycle.

The stopping power on the Blues 1.2 Disc 217 is taken care of by a pair of C-Star mechanical disc brakes. These brakes with 16mm rotors worked well during the test ride. Both interval braking and jamming of the brakes were balanced and felt safe. The Promax XL-9 alloy brake levers were easy to engage using just three fingers.The XMR Zoom alloy handlebars with a slight raise from the middle made the shoulder position relaxed. The ergo handlebar grips was a highlight with extended padding for the palms to rest on, there was very minimal vibration felt on the arms when riding over bumps.

For a hybrid bicycle meant for fitness and touring rides, the tire quality is very important. The Blues 1.2 Disc 217 rolls on a pair of Kenda K934 7C x 35C hybrid tires. These tires were a perfect blend of speed and traction with intelligently designed treading, which helped me ride on wet and bumpy roads comfortably. The Montra comfort saddle by Velo has a little extra cushioning which is good for long distance rides while keeping the ergonomic shape intact for the sit bones to be placed on. The overall ride quality of the bicycle was comfortable on both bumpy urban roads and flat highways.