The bike that I bought is a hardtail Polygon Cozmic CX 3.0. This is the 2013 model, which means that it comes with improved components compared to previous years' bikes. The reason I chose this bike is because for the price of 1.1k, this is probably the best spec-ed bike you can find out there! Let us take a closer look at the individual components on this new MTB.
First, the drivetrain. It is a good 30 speed Shimano DynaSys drivetrain, with a mix of Deore and SLX components.
Deore crankset and FD, SLX RD.
A nice Hollowtech II Deore crankset, much stiffer than square taper cranksets. Worth the extra money. DynaSys 42-32-24T.
Front triple Deore FD. Solid performance for an affordable price.
Pretty high end SLX Shadow RD. This is the new 2013 SLX M670, with a new outer link design. This one is the normal version without the Shadow Plus clutch mechanism.
New RD hanger design! Direct mounting for the RD is possible, without the need for an extra plate as seen on conventional Shadow RD. Makes rear wheel removal easier. But this also means that it is not possible to mount non-shadow RD.
This is the older SLX M660, with an extra link between the hanger and the RD as shown. Fits all bikes with conventional hangers.
Deore grade 10 speed 11-36 cassette, CS-HG62-10.
Comes with the new SLX SL-M670 shifters too! This version does not have the optical gear display.
Shimano hydraulic brakes, BL-M445. Not the best around, but definitely better than the commonly found Tektro brakes.
Shimano hydraulic brake calipers and rotors.
Centrelock disc rotor mounting system, for ease of removal without having to unscrew all 6 bolts.
Rear brake caliper, mounted on the chainstay instead of the more conventional seat stay.
Shimano MT55 wheelset, decent performance for an affordable price.
Nothing much to shout about, but I'm not too particular about tires as long as it does not give me problems. May change these Kenda Kharisma II tires to some Schwalbe ones in the future.
This bike comes with a pretty decent suspension fork! A Rockshox Recon Solo Air. Would probably cost $300+ on its own.
A lockout switch is expected. But no remote lockout here.
100mm travel, more than sufficient for light offroad.
A simple table to help you set the air pressure in the air spring.
At the bottom of the right suspension leg, there is also a knob to control the speed of the rebound.
Here is a brief summary of the bike specifications:
Fork: Rockshox Recon Silver Solo Air, 100mm travel
Crankset: Shimano Deore FC-M590, 170mm, 42-32-24T
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore FD-M590
Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX RD-M670SGS
Cassette: Shimano CS-HG62-10, 11-36T
Chain: Shimano CN-HG54
Shifters: Shimano SLX SL-M670
Brakes: Shimano BL-M445, BR-M446
Wheelset: Shimano MT55
Tires: Kenda Kharisma II, 26" x 2.10
Entity brand stem, handlebar, seatpost and saddle. Ritchey headset.
The stock pedals were pretty lousy, being flimsy with bad bearings, so I changed them out for a pair of Wellgo pedals that I had lying around. A bit small, but it will do until I find a pair of proper MTB pedals.
Overall, for this price, this bike comes with pretty good specs! It is a fun bike to ride, with the large wheels and suspension fork absorbing all the bumps. It offers something very different from my folding bikes.
For the pedals, if you're looking at clipless, I would recommend any from the Time range, I currently use Time ATAC ROC S on my Dr.Hon VISC P18 and Time ATAC XC on my Merida Big Nine Team Lite 29er MTB, easy to clip in and out, and minimal maintenance.
ReplyDeleteHello, where did u buy this bicycle? is it really 1.1k? because i was looking for this bike and i wanna have it
ReplyDeleteRodalink carries this bike
ReplyDeleteDoes that Polygon chainstay protector come with the bike?
ReplyDeleteYes it comes with the bike.
ReplyDeleteAlright thanks, I just purchased this bike at Rodalink's online sale going at $809. This is the only review of this bike, thanks again.
ReplyDeleteYa this bike is now going so cheap, at 300 dollars off. That is a 25% discount from the original price! Kind of makes it seem silly to buy it at its original price.
DeleteHave you taken this bike to offroad trails like T15? If so how well does it perform?
ReplyDeleteYes I have tried it at Track 15. Quite a decent bike for mild off road trails. However it is kind of heavy and so will be tougher on climbs. Suspension and tires work well, drivetrain and shifting is also good.
DeleteDo you have any idea how much the bike weighs? Was hoping for a relatively lighter bike since upgrading from an entry level one with those super heavy XCM forks.
DeleteIt is about 12.8kg inclusive of lights and saddle bag and tool kit. So I guess it will be about 12kg in stock condition.
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