Montra Timba 1.1 (2017) - Review

The Timba 1.1 has a lightweight 661 alloy frame which rides great on flat urban roads. The response from the frame during the ride was superb. The welding was great and has helped shed some material weight from the frame. The place where the down tube joins the bottom bracket is bulky which is great to take in the hard hitting's on bumps and speed breakers on city roads. The steel rigid fork is bladed but even that could have been alloy, further reducing the weight of the bicycle.

The Timba comes with Shimano Altus front and rear derailleurs. They are beginner level gearing componentry but worked well during the test ride. The gears fell smoothly without much lag. The shifters were easy to use and at a comfortable hand position. But for this price, an Acera at the rear could have been the selling point and also boosted performance on urban roads and even on long distance rides.

The Timba which we test rode came in a full black frame with maroon and orange graphics. The matte finish paint job was top notch in quality. The internal cable routing made the bicycle look neat. The curved bottom tube near the bottom bracket and the uniquely shaped seat stay gave a new outlook to the Timba's design.

The Timba 1.1 comes with Promax Alloy V-brakes at both the front and rear. These brakes were sufficient on city roads when riding through traffic. They would work well even on wet conditions. But for the price of this bicycle a mechanical disc brake could have been worth the money. So the brakes aren’t value for money but that doesn’t dip the braking performance.The XMR Alloy 62mm handlebar was perfect in length and the padding for the palms on the grips were useful and comfortable.

The Kenda K934 7x35C hybrid tires were fast and provided good traction on city roads on both dry and wet conditions. The alloy rims were lightweight and supported the tires on the bumpiest of city roads. The stock Montra comfort saddle was comfortable with extra padding on the widest parts. The overall ride quality was fast and comfortable in the city amidst traffic.