Mongoose Artery Sport (2014) - Review

Initially we didn't expect much of the frame. It looked like just another average aluminum frame in the market. But the Mongoose Urban Commuter Aluminium frame on this bicycle was way more comfortable than we expected it to be. This extremely versatile frame finds the perfect balance between leisure riding and performance training. You can use this for both long relaxed rides and short commutes as well. <br/><br/>On the downside, the paint and finish on the frame was average, and nothing that will turn heads on the road. The cable routing wasn't the best either and can sometimes be a hindrance when you're carrying the bicycle up or down a flight of stairs.

The shifting was impeccable thanks to the Shimano EF-51 shifters. The basic Altus 7 - Speed rear derailleur might not be the best out there (click here for Shimano component Hierarchy), but it does what it does, well. <br/><br/>As long as you're looking at casual weekend riding or short commutes, you should be fine with these components. However, If you're really interested in an 8-speed variant, the Mongoose Artery Comp 214 comes equipped with an 8-speed Acera groupset.

In the city, it was very easy to manoeuver around busy streets. At no point of time did I feel restricted with my steering. At the same time, it was never over responsive either. The brakes are standard issue Alloy V-Brakes but seemed sufficient enough for casual riding. The Shimano EF51 integrated brake levers have always worked well for me; no qualms there.

Two of the main contributors to the smooth comfortable ride on the Mongoose Artery Sport 214 are the set of wheels and an uber comfortable saddle. The stock Mongoose Urban Saddle made our 2 Km test ride feel like a breeze. <br/><br/>The Innova 7x32c tyres and Alex DC 25 rims combination did a fantastic job of covering road while maintaining a steady ride. The steel fork blades did transmit a fair amount of vibrations on rough roads, but that slightly heavy steering contributes to control and manoeuvrability.