Urban Trail H2D: ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

The Urban Trail H2D (2015) comes with a full alloy frame which was welded to perfection on all the tube edges. The top tube is slanted from the top near the headset to the bottom near the seat post. This slant is very evident and makes the bicycle easy to hop on to and gives the rider a better stand-over and saddle posture. The down tube which begins near the headset is chunky and then lessens in thickness as it goes down. This makes the frame have more material at the most vulnerable places to absorb vibration of the surface.

This UT hybrid bicycle comes with a front suspension fork. The Zoom branded suspension fork worked well during the test ride on some rough roads. The suspension lock-out feature helped rider ride faster on flat roads.

The bicycle which I test rode came in a full black frame with blue and white graphics. The graphics were minimal but had a very different and refreshing design. The secondary blue shade is spread all across the frame evenly whilst not over-powering the primary black colour. The black saddle also has blue lines running over it making it colour coded. The matte finish paint is a job well done on this hardtail frame with a smooth texture. This bicycle comes only in this 1 colour variant.

Whether it is for fitness or for commuting, a hybrid bicycle requires gears to enhance the riding experience. The UT H2D comes with Shimano Tourney as the front derailleur and Shimano Altus as the rear derailleur. Yes, these are entry-level components in the Shimano hierarchy but that does not hinder the performance one bit. During the test ride these gears changed smoothly without any lag or jumps at both the front and rear. The Shimano EF51 rapid shifter was in perfect hand position and easy to use.

In the name of this bicycle UT H2D, the D stands for disc brakes. This hybrid comes installed with mechanical disc brakes at both the front and back. These disc brakes were smooth to operate and felt balanced during the test ride. The brakes were reactive on both wet and dry conditions and the brake levers were long and easy to engage using just three fingers.

The H2D comes with Zoom alloy flat handlebar which is 600mm in length and has a raise of 25mm. This wide handlebar makes for an open chested riding posture for the rider.

The UT H2D comes with a Wanda branded 700 x 35C hybrid tires. These tires were well supported by double walled CNC alloy rims. These tires were treaded well in the centre and edges to make sure the rubber can withstand wet conditions on the tarmac. The wheelset was also lightweight making them zip through in traffic.

The stock saddle on this bicycle was shaped ergonomically with just enough cushioning to make the rider be soreness-free. The overall ride quality was smooth and fast on urban roads.