Firefox Trooper 21S - Review

The Firefox Trooper 21S is built on a strong hardtail alloy frame. For MTB standards, this frame isn’t the chunkiest. But the brand has made sure that the parts of the bicycle which is the most vulnerable to absorb vibration have maximum reinforcements. This had made sure the overall frame weight is in check. The frame geometry is comfortable to make sure the rider gets total control while riding on trails.The SR Suntour front suspension fork comes with a claimed 75mm travel. During the test ride the travel went up to 65mm comfortably and this helped ride over bumps and curbs easily.

As in the name of this bicycle, the 21S denotes the 21-Speed drivetrain on the Trooper. Firefox's practice of installing Shimano's mid-level Acera's at the rear has been followed in this hardtail as well. With Acera at the back and Tourney at the front as derailleurs, this gearing combination worked smoothly during the test ride with no lags. The 21-Speed Shimano EF5 trigger shifters were easy to use and responded quickly as well.

This hardtail MTB that I test rode came in a full black frame with red and silver graphics. The matte finish paint job was of superior quality and made the graphics stand out. The ‘Swiss Military’ text on the top tube gives somewhat a Military/Army theme to this bicycle, which goes with the name Trooper. These new graphics look bold and refreshing.

The Trooper comes equipped with Tektro Novela Mechanical Disc Brakes at the front and rear. During the test ride these brakes felt sharp and precise on muddy surfaces. The reaction time from the Shimano brake levers to the disc brake pads were fast and also felt balanced when jamming the brakes.The 66mm handlebar from Zoom had a slight 3mm raise from the middle, giving the rider a comfortable riding position and also enough width to easy maneuver.

This hardtail MTB rolls on a pair of Kenda 26’’x 2.1’’ MTB tires. Having a 26’’ tire did help in acceleration, especially on rough urban roads. The big and spaced out treads helped get maximum traction off the surface, which helped stay balanced even on fast corners. The stock Firefox saddle was simple in the shape and design with just enough cushioning for a comfortable flat trail ride. The overall ride quality was comfortable on smooth and rough surfaces.