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The Firefox Charger 29 is a performance focused and all-rounder hardtail MTB for trails and rough urban roads.
Firefox has always been successful with their varied line of MTB’s. Until now they have always been a bit of performance and comfort for beginner riders who want to experience trails. This Bicycle is a complete performance focused MTB and we got the opportunity to test ride the Firefox Charger 29 and here is what I thought.
Weight: 15.3 kgs
Usage: Trail/Fitness
Frame, Fit and Comfort
Strong yet lightweight Alloy frame with a 100mm Zoom front suspension fork
The Firefox Charger 29 comes with an Alloy hardtail frame which is performance focused in terms of build quality and geometry. The Alloy material has been used cautiously in a manner to make sure the most sensitive points on the frame which might experience the most vibrations have extra reinforcements. At the same time, the tubes in between are relatively smaller in circumference which reduces the weight of the frame a little bit.
Being a performance focused hardtail MTB, the suspension plays a big role in the ride quality of this Bicycle on the trail. The Zoom front suspension fork comes with a massive 100mm travel which worked to its limits during the test ride. The lockout was quick and easy to use and helped ride faster on flatter patches on the trails.
Design
The Charger 29 comes in 2 colours; Black/Red and Black/Blue
The Bicycle which I test rode came with a full Black frame with Red graphics in quite a few places across the frame. The model name ‘Charger’ is visible in a bold font across the top tube which is very stylish. The matte finish paint job is top notch and enhances the quality of the Black colour on the frame. The slanting top tube with the wide handlebar makes this Hardtail MTB look aggressive.
Gearing
The Microshift Marvo LT 27-Speed gears were smooth in shifting
The Charger 29 comes equipped with Marvo XLE M-613 3-Speed front derailleur and Marvo LT M46L 9-Speed as the rear derailleur. These are 2nd in the hierarchy from the bottom in the Microshift MTB gearing line. During the test ride these gears did perform well and without any lags and glitches. The gear shifting was smooth with no lags and the 3x9-Speed gears had enough range for quick accelerations and fast climbs. The Marvo LT gears from Microshift are equivalent to Shimano Acera and Alivio groupsets.
Brakes and Steering
The Clarks Hydraulic Disc brakes were powerful to use during the test ride
The stopping power on the Firefox Charger 29 is taken care of by a pair of Clarks M2 Hydraulic Disc brakes. During the test ride these brakes were super powerful to use. They were both reactive and balanced making them safe to use on the roughest and toughest of trails. The brake levers were also easy to engage.
The Zoom Alloy 660mm wide handlebar on this Hardtail MTB was wide enough giving good control of the bicycle on trails.
Wheels and Saddle
The heavily treaded 29” Jumping Hare tires rolled over rough terrains easily
The Jumping Hare 29” x 2.25” MTB tires were heavily treaded. During the test ride these tires proved its worth by rolling over rough surfaces with stones quite easily. The wheelset is strong and is meant for performance on Trails.
The stock Firefox Saddle on this bicycle was padded well which ensured the rider was soreness free even on bumpy surfaces.
Overall Rating
- Top notch 100mm Zoom front suspension fork with Lock-out
- Powerful and balanced Clarks Hydraulic Disc brakes
- Heavily treaded Jumping Hare 29” tires
- For a performance focused MTB, the grips could have had some additional cushioning
This hardtail MTB is packed with performance focused components which helped roll over rough surfaces during the test ride. The wide handlebar and aggressive frame geometry helped being balanced on trails. The Marvo LT 27-Speed gears, Clarks Hydraulic Disc brakes and Jumping Hare tires contribute to high quality riding experience. If you are someone looking to buy your first performance focused Hardtail MTB then the Firefox Charger 29 priced at Rs.38,000 (as on 9th July 2021) is an ideal choice to consider.
Prices and Specifications/Components are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.
