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A good looking hardtail MTB with powerful mechanical disc brakes and heavily treaded tires.
Polygon is an international bicycle manufacturer from Indonesia. First launched in 1989, Polygon has now close to 30 years of experience in making world standard bicycles for all purposes. Their category of bicycles includes Road, MTB, Hybrids, BMX and Youth bicycles. Polygon has been in India for a few years now and the 2018 range saw a wide range of options for the Indian bicycle market. We got the opportunity to test ride the Polygon Cascade 2 (2018) and here is what we thought.
Frame, Fit and Comfort
The alloy frame is a good combination of lightweight and strength
The Polygon Cascade 2 is an MTB built on a top notch AL6 alloy frame. The tubes on the frame aren’t as bulky but can take a good amount of hard hitting from moderate trails. The thin seat and chain stays surely makes the frame a lightweight one, which helps in acceleration.
This is a hardtail MTB and comes with a Zoom CH-565D front suspension fork with a 100mm travel. During the test ride, the travel worked comfortably up to 70-80mm which was more than sufficient for rough urban roads good enough for flat trails.
Design
The Polygon Cascade 2 comes in 2 colour variants; Red/Black with White graphics and Blue with White/Red graphics
The bicycle which I test rode came in a Black-Red frame colour. This dual shade blended in both the colours smoothly for a refreshing design. The White and Red graphics on the frame are neatly done. The gloss paint job is of good quality and gives a shiny finish to the frame. The colour coded rims, fork and saddle definitely enhance the aesthetics of this bicycle.
Gearing
The Shimano Tourney 21-Speed derailleurs are entry level and come with ST-EF41 trigger shifters
The Cascade 2 is an entry level MTB and it comes with entry level Shimano Tourney front and rear derailleurs. These 21-Speed derailleurs are the most basic it can get and does have its limitations when it comes to smooth shifting. There will be some tuning of gear cables required from time to time to keep the derailleurs shifting up and down without any lags. These gears are low quality and are just enough for commuting and short trail rides.
Brakes and Steering
The Tektro Mechanical Disc Brakes were safe and balanced to use on rough and smooth roads
The Tektro MD280 Mechanical Disc Brakes handled the stopping power on the Polygon Cascade 2 (2018). These brakes performed well during the test ride on both rough and smooth roads. Both interval braking and jamming of brakes felt safe and balanced. The brake levers were also responsive.
The 680mm handlebar was wide enough for a comfortable riding posture as well a slight raise from the middle to give the rider an upright riding position.
Ride Quality
The tires were fast rolling and at the same time had good traction on rough and wet surfaces
The Trax 27.5” x 2.1” MTB tires on the Cascade 2 are heavily treaded and performed well during the test ride. The bulky treads help maintain traction on dry and wet surfaces and on fast corners as well. The stock saddle was not just amazing on the design front but also perfect with its size, to make sure the rider is free from saddle soreness. The overall ride quality was comfortable.
Overall Rating
Performance
Design
Features
Value For Money
- Aesthetic design
- Reactive mechanical disc brakes
- Heavily treaded 27.5” tires
- Entry-level Shimano Tourney derailleurs
Conclusion
This hardtail MTB has entry level 21-Speed Shimano Tourney derailleurs which makes the quality of gear shifts below par but the powerful mechanic disc brakes and heavily treaded 27.5” tires makes up for it. The dual shade frame colour is very aesthetic. If you are looking for an entry-level hardtail MTB for both urban rides and flat trail riding, the Polygon Cascade 2 (2018) could be a choice to consider.
Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.
