Hercules Roadeo A-300...really a roadeo?(Review)

I recently bought a mountain bike ,Hercules Roadeo A-300 and spent all of my monthly stipend on it. But after riding the bike for a week now I can say that this beauty deserved it. Well I had no intentions of buying a bicycle when I came to Bangalore but when I saw several people commuting to their offices on these intricate machines, I was pretty impressed and I recently had happened to watch the movie "premium rush" which is all about  adrenaline rush and cycling which escalated the will to buy a bicycle. And the distance from my place to office is also optimum  for traveling by bike.

So I finally started my hunt for a bike which had decent looks and good riding experience and I went to a bicycle outlet nearby but was taken aback. In our childhood days I remember, the costliest cycle  we could get was Hero ranger that was priced around 4k but now the scenario has changed drastically due to entry of major international players like Trek, Cannondale, Btwin, Fuji etc. You can get bikes priced from 10k to l lac and may be even more if you have money to burn. Initially I was wondering if they have forgotten to attach engines to these bikes :P.

Then I came to know that what was so special about these bikes.Its the material from which they are made from which is generally extremely light weight alloy or carbon fiber. If you get a chance to ride one of these, you can feel the difference yourself. So I came back and looked for my options under my budget which was around 10k on internet and finally zeroed on Avon koolpro priced at 9.5k. I went to a wholesale market in Bangalore and looked around for various other options like Hero recra, Hercules act, Avon atlantus but when I spotted rodeo A-300 I almost fell in love with it.
The moment I looked at it, the intricate frame, the texture of the white, the way the red and white colors blend,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. Just as soon as finished my test drive, I inquired about the price and it was 14k. But  I managed to bargain and finally settled for 13k which exceeded my budget, which doesn't seem much if you see the whole price but you can get a good normal bike for 3k.

I rode from market to my place 15 kms on trot, it moved buttery smooth on road and I was home in 40 mins inspite of traffic.I was cycling after 7-8 years so it was pretty impressive(rodeo not me) and i didn't feel any tiredness too.

Now for those folks who have been waiting for a review of the Roadeo A-300, here you go. The Rodeo comes with a lightweight Aluminium frame. The front fork is a 70 mm adjustable one from spinner. The front and back derailleurs are Shimano Tourney FD-TZ30 (3 speed) and Shimano Tourney RD-TX35GS (7 speed) derailleurs respectively. For braking there are Front Zoom disc brake and Rear V Brakes. The  Roadeo weighs just around 15 kgs.The Innova 26* tires give it a good grip while off-roading and consume a tad more energy while you are on the road.The gear shift is smooth and silent mostly.  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 frame, the derailleurs are better when compared to other cycles in the same price category.  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.



To sum it up Roadeo A-300 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.
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