A Decent Hero - Hero Octane Astra (2013). Review on Hero Octane Astra

I have been out of any sort of exercises for couple of years and was looking for a solution. My yesteryear accidents as a racer ensured that my body cannot take power gym equipment any longer. The only solution is to walk.

I tried to walk on weekends which was too little to supplement a regular exercise. This brought me to the idea of buying a bicycle and cycling to office. There started my search for a good bicycle.

After a lot of research on online forums & discussions with my peers I created a need list for my bicycle:

1.Should be light weight, high quality & reliability.

2.Should be brought from a physical shop(meaning, NO online portal) to ensure good after sales support & accessories supply.

3.Good looks.

4.Value for money.(meaning more features for the same price, compared to other brands)

5.With suspension and gears(though there were many avid cyclists who professed against suspension as it reduces speed considerably thus requiring more effort to propel).

6.Good brand.

This led me to many cycle shops in Bangalore helping in zeroing-in on the Hero Octane Astra which is a 26 inch full size road bicycle, completely built on aluminum alloy and is lighter than my 5yr old nephew's bicycle.

Design & Color:

Black frame with red shockers in front+ red swing arm in rear. Complete with yellow decals on frame and black decals on front shocks.

It comes with brushed aluminum rims and decently broad tyres.

The plastic mudguards are upgraded for free by the seller since the original ones were way too small to stop any dirt picked up by tyres while rolling. However, both the original and the replaced ones are stylish with a contrasting matt black finish. Still I think both the mudflaps are not the best in terms of stopping slush - meaning I'd still end up driving to my office in car during rainy season(though it may not be raining at that point in time).

The seat design is quite pleasing and in line with the overall design of the cycle. With red on black leather cover on seat, the cycle without a rider gets even more catchy to the eye.

Needless to say that it looks outstanding from every angle, richer in features and is as good in quality or even better than other expensive brands(such as a Btwin, Suncross, Avon, Hercules or Firefox).

Gears:

Shimano quick shift - 21 gears with 3 on the left handle grip and 7 on the right handle grip.

Though I do not use the combination from 15 thru 21 much, I think it would help commuters who climb steep uphill roads.

The unit comes with good quality chain, sprockets, shifter milling, cables and shifter grips on handles. Overall quality is quite pleasing.

Ergo:

1.The synthetic resin grips on the bike is quite re-assuring, though a bit hard leaves a long lasting feeling.

2.The seating posture and reach to the handly is good, though the saddle cushion is quite hard.

3.The placement of brake levers and the handle bar design too should be appreciated.

Comfort:

The super - shock suspension works well in ironing out bad surfaces and can be adjusted for rebound at the rear for better action. The only concern is with one of the dust covers in front suspension moving along with the fork and leaving scope for dust and water to get in. Though there is another oil seal inside, tiny sand grains may scratch the fork thus damaging the unit.

Safety:

Brakes - The V-cantilever brakes have good stopping power, though these initial days have seen me locking up the back tire more often.esp. in gravel.

Tyres - wide 2.3 size tyres are good for tarmac. However on Bangalore roads(with loads of gravel towards the sidewalks) the grip have not been as effective.

Accessories:

Battery operated headlights+ tail lamps: INR 550. Not quite powerful though, would help the rider in pitch dark situations

Burglar alarm: INR 600 This is a battery operated programmable code based unit which can be fitted to the cycle frame. Once used along with a cable lock, will avert any usual bicycle thieves who are yet to understand this product and how to disarm it.

Ding-dong bell: Free from the seller.

Helmet: INR 1, 000k

Usage:

I ride my cycle for 10kms everyday(5kms one way to office) and over weekend may cover another 30kms, if I am in town. So far it had been a peaceful ride. Will keep this review updated after the first service.

Things to remember:

1. Safety: Always wear a helmet, though it is quite expensive to find one since most of the helmets are . I bought a 12 hole helmet at a deal of INR 1, 000 which actually costs INR 1, 500(still cheap). The expensive ones are upwards of INR 2, 500. Surprisingly almost all helmets have equal levels or protection regardless of their price.

Also remember to replace the helmet once it is damaged(even if the crack is not prominent).

1. Dust: Use a balaclava if you are allergic to dust. Your clothes can get dirty too after longer exposure to dust. So keep an additional pair of dress for office(most ITES offices have a gym where most cyclist would change the dress before they login). Else use a good breathable wind-cheater to keep away the dust.

During rainy season, check the efficacy of the brakes and mudflaps. Take your cycle to the service center for a lubrication. They use a specialized spray lubricant which is not so thick like the yesteryear oil, but would do the job better in ensuring proper lubrication without catching dust and grime!

1. Keep the ideal tyre pressure to ensure longer life of tyres and lower effort while cycling.

   
   




2. If you plan to ride the cycle for longer distance, then try considering a gel cover for the seats, which otherwise may leave you with sore butts!:)

   
   




3. If the cycle will not be used for more than a month, it's been advised to keep it upside down(rest the cycle on its handle bars and saddle) to keep the tyres away from damage.

   
   

Maintenance:

1. The maintenance of a cycle is quite inexpensive still, with an air pressure check every month, if we are using it regularly. The cost would be Rs 5 if you are taking it to the cycle shop or free, if you own an air-pump.

   
   




2. The first service would come free from the seller, though I've already had a small adjustment of chain done due to the slipping gear selector on the 20th day due to heavy pedaling.

   
   




3. Subsequent services would be every yr or every 6months, based on usage, costing INR 150/service.

   
   




4. No additional lubrication of chains, cables, wheel/handle/gear selector/shifter is required.

   
   

Grouses:

1. The positioning of stand interferes the motion of the pedal, many a times jamming the pedal between the stand and the cycle frame.

   
   




2. The gear kept slipping after 15 days and a quick tension adjustment got the same fixed. Need to see whether it repeats in future.

   
   




3. The lining of rear brake and gears are exposed and run thru the upper frame of the bicycle. This sorts of gets in our way while one try to lift the cycle by the frame. Also it looks a bit odd to the prying eyes. These cables gets in our way while cleaning the cycle. Need to see whether this catches dirt in the longer run.

   
   




4. The original mudguards are only meant for looks and cannot handle dirt kicked up by tyres. Even the replacement ones, since it comes in 2 pieces each for front and back, has a huge gap in between, which would render useless in slush.

   
   




5. There are no options available for a bottle holder. The aftermarket fitment for a bottle comes at the rear and would easily catch dirt once ridden thru murky surfaces.

   
   

Price: INR 9, 000(after discounts+ some freebies)

Verdict:

For a city like Bangalore, where the weather is better than many other cities in India, and with such nasty traffic+ traffic lights every 100 - 200meters, it makes perfect sense to use a bicycle to travel. I manage to travel from my house to office in 20mins during daytime on my bicycle whereas in the car it used to take 30~40mins.