Urban Trail HT3 - Review

The UT HT3 is built on a strong and robust alloy hardtail frame. The tubes are welded neatly together with the size of the tubes varying along the frame according to the impact levels. This frame isn’t the lightest but it isn’t even a little heavier than it should be. The material has been used in the frame in such a way to avoid any excess usage. The frame geometry is a good mix of aggressive and comfort for the beginner level trail cyclist. This frame comes in 2 sizes, 18 inches and 19.5 inches.This UT hardtail MTB comes with a front suspension fork which during the test ride worked well on little bumps on the flat trail. The Zoom suspension fork had a comfortable travel of 5-6mm at all times during the test ride.

As mentioned in the beginning of this review, the Urban Trail HT3 is an entry level hardtail MTB. This entry level MTB comes with a not so surprising entry level Shimano Tourney derailleurs at both the front and back. During the test ride the rear derailleurs were smooth to operate and changed without any difficulty but the front derailleur did experience some lags, especially while shifting up and was noisy too. Some gear cable tuning could solve this easily. The Shimano EF51 shifters were easy to operate.

UT's design and colours have always been one step above the rest and the HT3 embodies the same. The bicycle which I test rode came in an equal mix of white and red on the frame. The black lines on the frame added a good contrast to the white colour. The gloss finish paint job was neatly done and this made sure the welded tube edges was covered up well. The saddle and the suspension forks were also colour-coded which made the bicycle look aesthetic.

During a trail ride, the brakes on your bicycle can make or break the experience and ride quality. The UT HT3 comes with Promax mechanical disc brakes at the front and back. For the price of this MTB, the performances of these mechanical disc brakes are to be considered value for money. During the test ride on flat muddy trails the brakes worked in a balanced manner, especially during fast cornering.The UT stock handlebar was 64mm in width and had a very slight 3mm raise giving the rider a comfortable riding posture. The grips did feel a little rough and some extra padding there would have reduced some palm soreness.

The test ride on this hardtail MTB was fast and had a lot of turns. The Wanda 26 inch x 2.1 inch MTB tires were heavily treaded to make sure there was enough traction on muddy surfaces. Well supported by the alloy rims these tires also helped accelerate easily. The stock saddle on this bicycle wasn’t ergonomical but had enough cushioning to keep the rider comfortable. The overall ride quality was comfortable on flat trails.