It’s been more than a week since I had this title in mind and finally I get to post it today. To update you folks I’ve bought a black BTWIN RockRider 5.2 from Bike Affair in Hyderabad. I paid around 17k for it with some accessories like a spare tube, tool kit, stand etc. Since the day i took it for a test drive, it’s been quite an experience for me, and I absolutely relish it.
During January, Gautham had decided on cycling as his hobby and I joined him and we started looking for a cycle to buy. We were very actively checking out a lot of sites and gathering info on how to go about buying and how to decide on which one to pick, what parts are good, etc. Though i have had a BSA Mach 5 during my childhood days, somehow it felt more important to do an exhaustive research before buying one, may be because of the price of these cycles. I had somehow convinced my dad for a budget of around 20k for a cycle, but making that decision and buying one wasn’t easy. My friends were arguing that I could buy a bike with some extra cash etc. I always felt that i wasn’t wasting money like everyone claimed, but at the same time i didn’t want to make a hasty decision on the choice of the cycle. I wanted to feel satisfied and proud on the choice of my cycle and its worthiness. So that put a little additional caution on the kind of choice i was making.
By Jan mid every Saturday we (me and Gautham) use to try the bikes at Bike affair, and finally narrowed on to either a Merida Matts 5v, or Btwin RockRider 5.2, or the Cannondale F9. We tried all of them, and were interested in Cannondale F9 initially and somehow its price kept eluding from us. So we removed it from the shortlist and we were left with Matts 5v and RockRider 5.2 to pick. I wasn’t that confident on the RockRider just because the test bike didn’t feel quite comfortable for me primarily because of the size and posture besides its pinkish grey design which never could be my taste. Matts 5v felt better and I thought it was worth the try, but to my surprise they just had one piece in stock. Since Gautham had also liked it, I decided not to go for it and postpone my decision for some time. So we booked the Matts 5v for Gautham and a week passed. Now I was in a dilemma between the Cannondale and RockRider. I seriously considered increasing my budget but hardly was there a possibility. That weekend, we went again to check on other models that might fit my wallet. During the conversation with Krish, found out that the size of the RockRider test bike was small and they had a large one which was the recommended size for me and hence he asked me to try it. One more to try so what’s the big deal was my first though, but to my delight there was my black RockRider 5.2 :).
The moment I looked at it, the texture of the black, the way the grey and black colors blend, the protective wrap for the frame to prevent scratches by the chain, the way design patterns flow on the bike just impressed me in a flash. I knew this could be it and I took it for a spin. It felt awesome, as though it was just waiting for me. The gear shifts were smooth and noise less, the posture was much better than the smaller size RockRider. Moreover since I was used to riding on the Mach 5, it didn’t matter much. Just as soon as finished my test drive, I booked for it. There still was a little doubt on the posture as Krish had cautioned me due to the feedbacks on the posture from his customers. But by then I was really convinced that this would be it. I should say I was not even aware of the specification of cycle as I wasn’t keen on the Btwin’s till then, but that didn’t matter anymore, because I my choices have always been what I like regardless of their feedbacks, reviews price etc.
I bought the RockRider5.2 on 11th Feb 2010 and it’s been 2 months and 3 days as I write and i have roughly covered around 500 kilometers with it. To frankly tell you I’ve fallen in love with it and the bond between me and my bike becomes stronger day after day. It won’t be an exaggeration if i compare it with the way a Navi bonds with a Banshee in the Avatar movie. Rarely do i miss anything as material as a cycle, but now i have to accept that I long to ride my bike sometimes when I am home in Hosur.
Now for those folks who have been waiting for a review of the RockRider 5.2, here you go. The RockRider comes with a lightweight Aluminium frame. The front fork is a 70 mm adjustable one from spinner. S-Ram x4 trigger shifters for perfect shifts. The front and back derailleurs are S-Ram X5 and S-Ram x4 derailleurs respectively. The crank set is Wheeltop TCXC2RC-EX1 while on the rear there is a S-Ram PG –830 8 speed power glide cassettes. For braking there are Tektro 855-Ac V brakes. For a better part by part spec please check here. (These specs are subject to change from time to time and differ from country to country as well). The RockRider weighs just around 13 kg negligibly heavier than the Cannondale f9 or the Matts 5V. The Kenda 26X 1.95” MTB tires give it a good grip while off roading and consume a tad more energy while you are on the road(you can always change to a hybrid tires anytime). The brakes on the bike is good enough but could have been better considering the quality of all the other parts included. The gear shift is smooth and silent mostly until there is any dust in the crank set or the chain. The trigger shifters are right next to your thumbs below the handle bar which make it easy to shift gears while giving you enough grip on the handle bar and more fingers on your brakes while the small display gives you precise info about the gear ratios.
The best about the cycle would be the value for money which you get. Almost all the parts of the cycle are near the best that you can bargain for the price. I am really convinced that the drive train, the crank set, the derailleurs are better when compared to other cycles in the same price category. The gear shifts are smooth and noiseless. The saddle is sporty and good enough, it might feel a little odd for newbies but it’s just a matter of time before you get used to it. The design and the paint finish makes it perfect for a little show off.
The driving posture is something that you need to consider before you pick the RockRider. When compared to all other cycles, the RockRider series have handlebars are little lower than other ones for a little aggression, which in turn makes you lean forward adding a tad more weight on your wrists, elbows and shoulders than usual. Some people may not find the back inclination very comfortable. If you already have signs of backache then this cycle is definitely not for you. The handlebar’s height can be adjusted is what i have found out after some digging on various sites and forums, but haven’t tried it yet. The posture is just fine with me now that I’ve got used it. The pedal clips are a little tricky and needs time to get used to, I have removed it because, the road driving that we do in India, the clips are really a hurdle most of the times. RockRider doesn’t come with a stand or a rear reflector which might add an extra 500 bucks to your budget.
To sum it up RockRider 5.2 is the best investment I have made so far and I am proud to have it. I will always recommend it to anybody. If you want to go by my choice, pick the one which fits you best, gives you the satisfaction when you ride, the one that would keep you interested to ride more, regardless of their specs and features, because on the long run what matters is the satisfaction and not the parts or features.
Hate the post. Like the post. Have suggestions for it. Wanna say something. Go ahead. Write a line below. I ‘d love to hear you 🙂
Update :
My Rockrider completed 10k Kms last month and is still going great. Was totally worth the money i spent on it.
49 responses
Nice one :). Keep posting your riding experiences with me, only positive ones 🙂
hate the post – Show some real time pictures…. A lengthy post… Little pictures would have motivated me to read. Sorry!
@Gautham. Thanks. Will do so.
@ Anonymous . Wish i could show some pics, unfortunately i haven’t clicked any pics yet. you will see some pics soon.
Good that you enjoy it 🙂
Good choice and nice review 🙂
Have fun.
Wow, nice bike. I’ve been checking it out for a while. It must be really fast huh? Nice review as well, but you did not talk much about the performance aspects of it. How does it feel to ride? Is it zippy fast?
@ Btwin Thanks.
@ Sam The performance is really good. Regarding the speed, The max average speed that i was able to go over a period of 90 mins was around 26km/hr, which is decent number considering an MTB. I won’t say it doesn’t zipp, but i would say it would zipp faster if you change the tires to slicker ones. Rockrider is a good trail bike, if you won’t be doing any trails better try for a road bike.
Have you tried adjusting the handlebar height?
Hi Sarvanan Ji,
i read some of your rather old posts on bikeszone, some of your posts at your blog, & saw your FB profile too, all to just ascertain one thing, that whether my decision to go for RR 5.2 is correct or not.
i actually am buying a new bike, and had absolutely settled on RR 5.2 y’day, after going through weeks of research. my budget is about 17k.
but today, at a firefox station close to my home (at thane), i saw the latest GT Aggressor (2011 model), costing 16.5k, and Trek 3700 (19k), and now
again am left in a dilemma ! though at the back of my mind, am sure that ALL I WANT IS JUST RR 5.2 (after reading all the positive reviews of it, & seeing its rugged look-n-feel colour…other bikes like the Trek and all, i find them high on shine-and-gloss, whereas RR 5.2 looks perfectly macho, and am sure performs in the same way too….one particular pic because of which i was smitten by RR 5.2 is this :-
http://ridewithgps.com/gears/5858
though am not very knowledgeable about the technical aspects of bicycles, i still can say RR 5.2 beats this GT Aggressor in terms of componentry).
still, i would like you to kindly provide your own feedback on the the RR that you have, so that my job becomes easier. i would be immensely thankful to you for that.
hope am not bothering you. and, if possible, please be a little elaborate in your feedback, and if you have any idea or experience with the other 2 models i’ve mentioned above, a comparison would be the cream of it! in doing so, though you can rightly assume that i have got a bias towards RR 5.2 particularly, but you may please shatter that notion of mine with your expert feedback, if you see that its unfound.
awaiting your response most eagerly.
warm regards
Sorry, i know you already have written such a detailed review of the RR 5.2, but in asking for your feedback, what i meant was ‘feedback particular to my case, with regards to comparison with the other bikes i mentioned above that i saw today, to help me settle with my decision’.
i hope you won’t mind 🙂
warm regards.
Hi Ankur,
Thanks for dropping by, I am not sure about the GT or about the trek as i have not ridden much of them. As far as the RR 5.2 goes, i have done almost 9000 kms on it since i bought it last year.It has served me well with out any issues, About the components i like the precise shift of SRAM and i feel they are value for the buck and perform really well. I am extremely happy with the bike and would bet on it any day. Take it for a spin and if it fits you and you are comfortable with the posture, please go ahead and buy it. If u feel the posture is a little too aggressive, then Trek might be a better option. For me i am quite fine with the posture and hence i love the ride. Hope my answer helps. Feel free to let me know if u need more details.
Cheers
Saravanan
Hello Saru ji,
thanks a lot for your kind advice ! i have finally purchased an RR 5.2, am utmost satisfied by its ride-quality (though i haven’t been out much on it yet). you can pls have a look at my post here :-
regarding the posture-thing, i have seen people riding, and myself rode, a few bikes like Rock Machine, Trek, etc, & IMO the rider seems to be in a slouching position on these bikes (a little too comfy position ?), and it looks very lame (though the rider himself might not be aware of his drooping posture). compared to that, the ‘aggressive’ posture of the RR is aptly to my liking !
but yes, one thing that i have a serious doubt about(& i have mentioned it in my post at BZ too) is regarding the frame-size. after recommendation from experts, i got myself an ‘L’ sized RR, but now i see today that cannondales, treks, firefoxes, etc in the same size category look somewhat bigger than my RR. are RR bikes having a little smaller frame-size as compared to other brands’ bikes ? though am extremely comfortable (i stand exactly 6 feet in height) with my RR, still, do you think i should’ve gone for XL instead ? since RR is/was unavailable at any store here at Mumbai, i was unable to test-ride different sizes. i remember Mr. Ganesan (‘zipkill’ on BZ) of Wheel Life Adventure (B’lore) telling me over phone that he himself is 6’1″ in height, and finds XL size too large for himself, as MTBs are meant to be shorter in frame-size if one wants comfort-ride. could you please enlighten me on this ?
thanks, and my warm regards…
@Ankur,
Thanks for dropping by. Sorry about the late reply. Regarding the frame size, i would say the geometry varies depending on the manufacturer, hence u might feel that a L size on RR is bigger than the Cannondale etc. But going by the look and size of it would not get u the perfect fit. Always riding the bike for considerable amount of time would be the best solution. Do keep in mind that the geometry of the bike is also the reason why u are comfortable on a bike besides the size. So don’t go by the words that shorter frame size will be comfortable. Personally i have tried a shorter MTB and when i take a turn, the front tire comes in contact with my foot sometimes. So it just your fit on the bike that is important. So get that fit and you will enjoy your rides.
Thanks for the reply Saru ji, but i think i wasn’t able to explain my point to you properly.
” Regarding the frame size, i would say the geometry varies depending on the manufacturer, hence u might feel that a L size on RR is bigger than the Cannondale etc.” — what i meant was, i noticed that ‘L’ size of Cannondales, Treks, etc seemed a tad LARGER than my ‘L’ sized RR. and yes, i have got no problems in maneuvering the bike (like what you said, that if you ride a shorter frame-size the front tire of the bike comes in contact with your shoes), hence i may safely assume that my bike isnt shorter for me, may be its just apt for my height (i am 178 cm, or ~5’10” or 5’11” in height, bare-feet). well, still, my hands are itching to sell off this one ASAP for an ‘XL’ size, if need be so, without much waiting. problem is, no LBS in my city stores RR bikes, & hence i cant test-ride one ‘XL’ sized RR 5.2. sad !
currently am undergoing slight irritation with the FD adjustment (Shimano Altus FD) on the bike. the chain wouldn’t climb onto the middle chain-ring from the lowest one. after several tries & retries myself, i’ve finally surrendered before i manage to do some big screw-up, and decided to take it to the nearby LBS for the issue.
BTW, would you mind telling me the frame-size of your RR (assuming you still have it) & your own height ?
thanks a lot (& very sorry for pestering you)
my regards…
Ankur,
I am 178 myself and i ride a L size frame. I did try a XL and i felt it was too stretched out for me. Regarding the FD tuning if you are not quite getting it right do take it to an LBS, am sure they should be able to fix that for you in a jiffy
Hi,
so you’ve replied the same thing what ‘zipkill’ on BZ has said. he’s also the same height as us, & had to sell off his XL-sized RR 5.2 sometime back being ‘too large’ for him.
and the FD issue has been resolved by the LBS mechanic. its now working super-smoothly ! thank you for the advice !!
regards…
Hey!
Great review about the cycle.
I liked your attention to detail even when you are describing about purchasing the cycle.
I bumped into your blog while I was searching for some good bike reviews. I have been looking for one since few days.
I live in Bangalore and my main purpose is for a leisure ride(maybe 5-7km each day).
I would like to now what’s your opinion about RR 5.0 , 5.1 and do you think it would be worth spending so much for a RR 5.2 considering my usage?
Also could you suggest any others cycle brands for me since you seem to have a good knowledge about them now
Hey Karthik,
Thanks for stopping by, All the bikes you are considering are good. I have no doubts about their quality. the 5.0 has a revo shifters, which might not be the preference for a lot of people, But its not something you would struggle with but the ones on 5.1 and 5.2 are thumb shifters which are a lot better, and easier to use from day 1, With the revo shifters you need to get used to the shifters for some days.
If you can afford to stretch your budget, it always good get the best bike for that budget, that way you always get better and comfortable products which increases your interest to ride more. So 5.2 is justifiable based on how your situations are.
You could look Schwin sporterra, which is a hybrid and Value for Money bike if you u just need to ride on roads, You could also look at the forme1 from Btwin, If you are looking for a commute bike, a lot of different models and price ranges are available at decathlon.
Bike decisions are best made when u know what type of riding you are interested and then picking a bike rather than the other way around.
Hope this was of help to you and sorry for getting back so late here.
Hey!
Thanks for the detailed reply.
I am new to geared cycles (Its been 10 years since I sold my last one) , so I am not sure about the shifters that you have mentioned above. I will definitely keep that in mind while looking for one.
I have decided to go check some of these cycles that you have mentioned at a local dealer. I am planning to go to the local decathlon store once I check the multi brand dealers.
My main use will be for daily commute and leisure ride(should be not more then 6-7 Km/day)
I have gone through some of the the cycling forums like Bike zone. I have also heard some good reviews about Hercules ACT 110. Its seems to fit my usage and my budget.Do let me know if you have any idea about this model.
One of the reasons why I am hesitating to get a cycle more than 10k is that I will be moving out of the city for my higher studies in a year.So it would be lying waste till I am back.
At the same time I am a fitness freak.Also being a middle distance runner would love to get a good cycle .
I recently met someone with a BTwin 8.0 at a restaurant who encouraged me to get into cycling.
Been looking for a cycle since then.
I am planning to visit some of the cycle stores here this week.I will let you once I am back.I will surely have a lot more knowledge and questions then.
Thanks again.
Karthik, it’s best that you give the bikes a try and pick what suits you, ride as Many as possible, see which is comfortable and pick it.
The Hercules is a decent entry level bike, it had issues with the seat posts earlier, am hoping they fixed it, if price is a plus for the bike, the size is a let down. It’s available in only one size which might not be suitable for every one. Until the bike fit is proper no matter what, the comfort won’t be there and hence you will regret the money spent. I think you could look at the 5.0 or the 5.1, they definitely will be worth the price. If you would be just using the bike for a year why don’t you buy what you want and afford and sell it before u leave country, while coming back u can get one from the country u are traveling from.
Revo shifters are like the accelerators on bikes, you turn them to change the gears, thumb shifters are like the horn buttons on the bike, you press one button to shift up and another to shift down. Thumb shifters are precise and comfortable unlike Revo shifters.
Hey Saru!
Thanks for that simple explanation about the gear system.
Just going through some of the reviews. Not able to find if Hercules have made changes to their ACT 110 bike. I will probably find that out from the dealer.
Could you also tell me whats the difference between Btwin 5.0 and 5.1 apart from the gear system?
So I feel my choice would be between a RR 5.0 and 5.1 now . ACT 110 if it has been improvised and the size fits me , Schwinn sporterra has classy looks but its priced way above my budget.20k is a bit too high.
Hey Saru!
Thanks for that simple explanation about the gear system.
Just going through some of the reviews. Not able to find if Hercules have made changes to their ACT 110 bike. I will probably find that out from the dealer.
Could you also tell me whats the difference between Btwin 5.0 and 5.1 apart from the gear system?
So I feel my choice would be between a RR 5.0 and 5.1 now . ACT 110 if it has been improvised and the size fits me , Schwinn sporterra has classy looks but its priced way above my budget.20k is a bit too high.
Thanks
Karhik
The 5.0 doesn’t have a front shock absorbers in the while the 5.1 has it, remaining everything is pretty much the same, for commutes you actually dont need a shock. Shocks are for serious trail stuff.
The schwin sporterra is 14 odd k i guess, you get it in RR cylces for some discounts, check bikeszone you have links and info about people who sell it for 14k. You could also look at the Btwin Forme1 @decathlon, cost 12k but looks decent for the price and should be very good for commutes. you could look at the sport1 as well, if it suits your budget and if you like the riding posture.
Also Saru can you tell me whats the difference between a 5.1 & 5.2 . Wish the Btwin website had a option to compare cycles.
Thanks
Hey Saru!
Had been to the BSA store yesterday. Had a look at the ACT 110. Seems like a decent bike. Just rode it in the corridor. Felt the handle bar was a bit too close.But I am sure I would have to ride it longer to know how comfortable it feels.
Also had a look at the Sporterra 2011 & 2012 bikes too.The 2012 looks really impressive. Couldn’t ride it though. But I am not gonna go for it due to the price factor. The other two cycles you have mentioned above (forme1 & sport1) look like good cycles but I felt I will most likely settle Btwin for now. Might take to better cycles in the future once I am used to the entry level ones.
Planning to check Btwin cycles tomorrow. Will take a look at 5.0 and 5.1.
I feel I might probably get a Btwin cycle itself.
I just have a few more questions.
The hybrid tyres looked quite slim.I was wondering how they perform in terms of road grip, especially when it rains? How has your experience been?
Also how are you finding your Btwin cycle in terms of maintenance? low/high.
Why I ask you this is that the decathlon store is located about 35 kms from where I stay.So I would be difficult for me to get there if it required frequent maintenance. A few times in a year I could manage. I called up the store today and they told me that all servicing is done only at their store.
Do let me know if I have to look for anything else before getting a cycle?
Thanks
Hey Karthik,
The tires on the hybrids are seriously good enough for any kind of roads. The ones on the MTB’s including the 5.0,5.1 etc are built mainly for off the road rides, just that we use it on roads, and since they give a tough badass look to the bike we go for them more than the hybrids. Seriously we don’t need them for the grip, infact we waste more energy keeping an MTB in motion on a road compared to the hybrids. Hybrids are good enough for Indian roads.
The forme1 and sport1 are models from btwin as well, just like rock rider.
The maintenance on these bikes are pretty easy, and very easy to perform, you would need to get it serviced may be once in 6 months or if some thing breaks down. So far i have given it for service twice. The 5.2 has better components overall compared to the 5.1. You can check the bike affair site for specs.
The hybrids is what u should look at if u will be riding on the roads majorly.
Saru.
Hey Saru!
Had just been to RR cycles.Checked out all the good cycles there. The rockrider series does look classy. Had a look at 5.0 and 5.1.
The dealer was helpful enough to explain all my queries.He also showed me some of the top end cycles like schwinn and giant.
He said the 5.0 is a very good cycle.But the one thing he said that may not be good in it is the height of the handle bar, which is a bit low .You need to bend a little further to reach it. He said Btwin 5.0, 5.1 & 5.2 all have this problem
He showed me the difference in the Schwinn cycle which he said has a more comfortable handlebar as it is higher. I felt you sit slightly erect in the Schwinn one compared to the Btwin.
I was ready to get the 5.0 cycle expect when he told me about the handle bar issue. He then advised to go check the Decathlon store as I will be able to ride the cycles there and can feel the difference better.
So I have decided to go check this out at the Decathlon store itself and speak to their mechanics sometime next week.
Since you have been riding a RR 5.2 for more than a year now could you please tell me what is your experience about the handle bar?
Do you feel you have to bend too much while riding your cycle?
Does it affect your back/posture after riding the cycle for a long time?
I have had a history of low backache since childhood , though its much better now. So just want to be a cautious before I decide my cycle.
Thank you,
Karthik
The handle bar is a bit low, making the ride a bit aggressive, and if you already have a history of back ache, I wouldn’t recommend it, for some it is just about getting used to for some it is not so, my review also has it mentioned above. Hope you get to try them at decathlon and buy the bike accordingly.
Saru
Hey Saru!
Good thing I got to know about the low handle bar issue early. I felt I was putting a lot of weight on my wrists and shouder. I will keep this in mind while I try out the cycles at Decathlon.
Read your similar views in your post above.
Really liked the looks and the price of the Btwin cycles. Hoping the handle bar issue can be solved somehow.
Thanks for all the help so far Saru. Gotta go cycle shopping next week.
Will keep you posted.
Hi Saru…
Nice to see RR 5.2 reveiew and couple of days back only i bought it really enjoying ride still not used to shifting gear’s can you give some timps to use the same….
Regards
Prawin
Hey Prawin,
Thanks for dropping by. With respect to shifting, it is always good to start with the middle chain ring in the front and a comfortable gear on the back, depends on how used to cycling you are. The idea is maintain a cadence .i.e the number of times you would spin the pedals per minute (RPM) around 80, regardless of the terrain. So you shift higher(towards 3×8) if its too easy and shift down(towards 1×1) if you are finding it too difficult to spin. Too low cadence i.e below 60 is not advised as you are stressing your knee, you could get it as high as 100 or so. you don’t need to keep counting always, but just get your self around 80 initially by counting it for 20 secs or so and calculate accordingly. it takes a bit of getting used too and once you are, you get an idea of what gear ratio would be fine for a terrain and you would just switch to that automatically, as time progresses you can only get better at it.
Hope this was of help.
Saru
Hi saru
thanks i think this will help me lot will try this and let you know the changes.
Prawin
Hi Saru,
I am new bee cyclist currently riding wih hyderabad bicycle club. I ride a 1998 single speed hawk. So far i have attended 2 rides, one is 43 kms and the other one(today morning is 27 kms roundtrip). I have acl (ligament) tear on my rt knee so it becomes a bit tough to ride uphill on single speed, spcly when i am 96 kgs…Can I put a 5 speed(starlit) gear in it…many are saying no…it wont work well…..some says it will…I m confused…
Eventually i am planning to buy a better bike….I will ride mostly on road and trail…..plannin to do 150 kms-200 kms in near future…..@ d same time I wan tto do serious offroading too……suggest a good bike pls…budget within 20 k….
I have trek 3700 in mind….hows it?
regards,
Dipanjan.
Hi Dipanjan,
Thanks for checking my blog, I am not really sure if you can put a 5 speed on the hawk, because i am not sure if the frame and hub has enough space to accommodate the gears. you should probably check with the mechanic, like Mr.Krishna at the Bike Affair in Kondapur. Let me warn you, even if it is going to support, it is going to be quite a hassle. With respect to the Trek 3700, the bike is good and has a good feedback in the market. you should take one for a spin to see if you like it. you might also want to try the Kona Lanai, and the Mongoose Tyax Sport before you make a decision on the purchase. All these three are pretty comparable in terms of specs. you should try them and make a decision on the bikes. Krish at bike affair could be able to help you fine tune your search and help you with your decision.
Cheers
Saru
Hi
It was nice to read your experience. I am looking for a MTB for regular commuting to office.
I am overweight at 120kg’s and 6 feet 3 inches. Do you think the Rockrider 5.2 will be able to handle my weight? The guys at Decathlon were not sure. RR 5.2 is 16k at Decathlon.
I also checked out the Merida Frontier sport 2011 at RR cycles available for 15k and the Raleigh Nomad for 14k. Do you know if any of these are better than the other? Trying them out I could not find out much difference.
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
@Deepak,
I am not sure what the specs for the Rock rider are with regards to maximum weight, however i am quite sure it definitely should be able to handle your weight without any issues. Hope you can try a sample see if it is good enough for you.
Regards to your other question, Frontier sport is from Schwinn i believe. Correct me if i am wrong.
Frontier sport vs Raleigh Nomad, i don think it they can be compared, Frontier is a hybrid and Nomad is an MTB, if you are definitely looking for an MTB, nomad would be the one among the two.
Hi Saru,
Thanks. I guess I mixed up the name for the Scwinn as the bike I saw was a MTB.
I have pretty much fixed my mind on the RR 5.2. Could you help me out with the following details
1. Does the alloy frame have butted tubing?
Butted tubing means: Thinner walls in the middle (for lightness) and thicker walls at the ends (for strength). This is better than straight-gauge tubing (which is same thickness throughout).
2. Does the RR 5.2 have a replaceable derailluer hanger?
3. Can the height of the handle bar be adjusted. Since the RR 5.2 has an aggressive sitting posture, I was wondering if we could adjust the handlebar height and overcome that disadvantage.
Reference: http://www.myra-simon.com/bike/mtb-advice3.html
Thanks in advance 🙂
The RR has a butted tubing (as far as i could see, at least that’s how it feels) and a replaceable RD hanger. The Height of the handle bar can only be adjusted with a different stem, purchased separately. Hardly any adjustment is possible with the stock setup handlebars and stem. Hope this helps.
Wow. That does help. This pretty much means that this is probably one of the cheapest good quality bikes available out here.
Great website. Lots of helpful information here.
Hi,
Any good shops in Bangalore for Rockrider 5.2? I see Decathlon charging 19000, but in some posts I gigured out people bought at 15.5 k …
Best Regards,
Satya
Hello Saru,
I have used RR 5.2 for more than two years. I have used it on every kind
of terrain, and it has not given me any trouble so far.
I like everything about this bicycle, except for the handle bar position.
It is too low. I have yet not found a way to raise it. I visited Decathelon
store in Bangalore once but it did not help. I end up taking my hands
off the handle bar once in a while to alleviate the pain in my wrists
(I typically ride more than 20 – 30 kms without stopping, and often cover
a total distance exceeding 70 kms).
Any pointers on raising the handlebar from you or others will be very
helpful! It will be great to get in touch with someone who has done it.
Regards,
Sanjeev
Hi Sanjeev,
Thanks for dropping by. You need to look for a raiser stem or angled stem, these are a little difficult to find in local stores. You might try wheelsports and request such a piece, and when venky is traveling abroad he might be able to get one for you. You definitely would be able to find them on a the web in stores like Evans cycles, chainreactioncycles etc,
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Saru
Hi Saravanan,
After studying lots of reviews on net I bought a new rockrider 5.2 today, I have ridden normal cycle about 15 yrs back.
today when I am riding Rockrider 5.2 on normal road, I feel its not moving fast at all like normal olden hero Cycle.
Is there any Gear combination I have to follow.. or MTB do not move fast at all?
Or should I lubricate new bike.
Worried is my investment dead…. Please suggest what to do improve speed….
The Tyres are MTB tyres on the Rockrider and hence when u take it on road u get a lot more grip than what u want. U can just change to slicks (smoother 26X 1.5″ tyres) you definitely will be faster by 2-4 Kmph faster, these tyres are good only for the road though and may be some potholes. if you are going for trails the stock tyres are good. So use them on the trails and try slicker tyres on the road.
You really made a lot of wonderful ideas throughout ur blog post, “My
Second Love- Rock Rider 5.2 reviewed – On The Edge!
| On The Edge!”. I’ll end up heading back to ur website soon. Thanks a lot ,Wiley
Thanks Saravanan..
After worn out of tyres I will switch over to slicker Tyres
as I will be using on roads more.
Also I was new to gears, after some trials I am little comfortable now.
Bye