Hero Octane Iguana 700c: ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

The Hero Octane Iguana 700C is built on a lightweight Alloy frame. The frame geometry is endurance-focused which means it is ideal for anyone who is new to road cycling and also for anyone who wants to ride long distances. The rigid fork on this road bicycle is made out of Alloy which keeps the front weight of the cycle at check.

The Iguana 700C that I test rode came in a Fluorescent Yellow primary colour with Black as the secondary colour for text and graphics. The Yellow streaks on the saddle and the text on the chain stay were stylish. The internal cable routing was not only aesthetic but also saves the gear cables from dust and major wear and tear.

Hero has done well in the gearing department by installing Shimano Claris derailleurs at both the front and rear. These 2x8 speed derailleurs worked efficiently during the test ride and its smooth and quick shifting helped maintain a high cadence all along. These gearing components are entry-level road specific components from Shimano and they are ideal for a beginner level road bicycle. The Iguana’s gearing is controlled by 16-Speed Shimano Claris integrated shifters, which were easy to use and reactive as well. The long levers made sure the shifters worked efficiently and made it easy to operate.

The Hero Octane Iguana 700C comes with a pair of Tektro Road Caliper brakes. The brakes were powerful in stopping during the test ride. Along with the integrated brake levers these brakes stopped quickly and also felt balanced during the test ride on both dry and wet roads. The brake components were compact and lightweight which is ideal for a road bicycle.

The Alloy road bicycle handlebar measured 420mm in width. This wide handlebar was perfect for beginners to get used to the road bicycle body posture and makes long distance rides comfortable.

The Hero Octane Iguana rolls on a pair of Chaoyang 700x25C road tires. These tires are well supported by double walled Alloy rims. The impressive thing about this wheel set is its weight. They were light and this did help the rolling resistance. The treading on these tires could have been better as it felt a little too smooth with not much grip on wet roads, which can be a letdown especially on long distance rides.

Any entry-level road bicycle requires a comfortable saddle as one will be sitting on it for long hours and the stock saddle on the Iguana is ergonomically shaped to keep the sit bones in place and keep the rider free of any soreness.