Firefox Nuke D 29er: ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

The Firefox Nuke D comes with an alloy hardtail frame, which is top notch 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 trails. The SR Suntour front suspension fork comes with a massive 100mm travel, which worked to its limits during the test ride. The hydraulic lockout was quick and easy to use and helped ride faster on flatter patches on the trails.

The bicycle which we test rode came in a full black frame with orange graphics in quite a few places on the frame. The model name ‘Nuke’ is visible in a bold font across the top tube, which is very unique. The matte finish paint job is top notch and enhances the quality of the black colour on the frame. The slanting top tube with wide handlebars makes this hardtail MTB look aggressive.

The Nuke D 29er comes equipped with Altus at the front and rear as derailleurs. These are 2nd in hierarchy from the bottom in the Shimano MTB gearing line. During the test ride these gears did perform well and without any lags and glitches. But there was a time on slightly longer/flatter patches when we felt the need for a slightly quicker gear transmission and a Shimano Acera at least at the rear could have helped bridge this gap. Considering the price of this MTB it is reasonable to expect a minimum of Shimano Acera at both the front and back.

The stopping power on the Firefox Nuke D 29er is taken care of by a pair of Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. During the test ride these brakes were amazing to use. They were both reactive and balanced making them safe to use on the roughest and toughest of trails. The brake levers were easy to engage.

The Zoom alloy 660mm wide handlebar on this hardtail MTB was wide enough to give good control of the bicycle on trails. But the slight raise from the middle could have been avoided, as a totally flat conventional MTB handlebar would have complimented the other performance-focused components on this bike.

The Kenda K1027 29” x 2.1” 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 a bit heavy but this is a MTB meant for performance on trails and not speed so this isn’t a concern at all.

The stock Firefox saddle on this bicycle was padded well but for competitive MTB riding it would have been better to have a ergonomical design. The overall ride quality was exciting and comfortable on trails.