Veloce Bikes is a Bangladeshi bicycle manufacturer that aims to provide good quality bikes at an affordable price point. They are set to compete with the likes of Firefox and Hero for a slice of the affordable bike market in India.
The Veloce V200 is the newest in line of budget mountain bikes, providing mid-spec components for an extremely compelling price point.
Let’s dig in.
VELOCE V200 BIKE OVERVIEW
The Veloce V200 is a versatile, all-round, and stylist Mountain Bike that’s fully equipped to handle basic trails and off-road explorations. It sports a sweet 3×8 Shimano drivetrain, with integrated shifters and Tektro Disc Brakes.
The Veloce V200 offers great value for money, perfect if you’re looking to break into the Mountain Biking scene without breaking the bank.
The frame in its Slate Grey stands out and is not just awesome to look at, but even better to ride.
The V200 is fully capable of flying through potholes, or cruising down some rugged trails, and will leave you with a smile on your face regardless of what you’re doing while riding.
DETAILED REVIEW
We typically look at 5 basic areas while reviewing a bike.
- Frameset
- Wheels
- Components
- Drivetrain / Groupset
- Post Sale Support & Warranty
1. FRAMESET
The frame is the most important part of the bike as it defines the bike’s riding characteristics and not something you can really “upgrade” over time – components come secondary. Ironically enough, it’s the one part that riders know the least about.
It’s critical that the frame is well-designed, built well, and is an appropriate fit for your height and should suit your kind of riding
The Veloce V200 has a 650b Aluminum Alloy Frame – Aluminum is a tough and durable material for bike frames and can handle all kinds of riding stresses, without taking any damage. All this while remaining super lightweight and nimble while riding.
The weld joints don’t look slick and even – quite common at these price points. The downside is a lower level of aesthetics and a slightly heavier frame. Not really a deal-breaker unless these matter to you.
The bike geometries seem quite well designed, and the bike rides quite well. A sloping top tube ensures there is plenty of standover height and also aims to keep the weight of the frame as low as possible. We did not take the bike on trails but did mostly road rides on it as we’re not really expecting riders to be riding technical trails with this bike.
2. WHEELSET
Good wheels make a huge difference to any ride but you cannot really expect great wheels on entry & mid-level bikes. The V200 notches a few wins on its wheels though.
The V200 comes with dual 650B tires or 27.5″ tires. This is perfect as it is in between the 26ers and 29er, making them smaller and more nimble than 29″ tires while being able to roll faster than 26′ tires.
Double-walled rims ensure the wheels are strong and can take a lot of beating before they end up needing some wheelwork. Perfect as beginner mountain bike riders and city commuters all end up abusing their bikes, and these sturdy wheels will definitely hold true.
The 650b tires have fast-rolling centre treads and at the same time side knobs to bite into trails and offer some level of trail riding capability. This makes the bike perfect to ride on the road and also do some level of basic trail riding with the stock tires on the bike.
The tire quality seemed low and would be one of the first upgrades that we would recommend to immediately improve the ride quality & capability of this bike.
3. COMPONENTS ON THE BIKE
The bikes make use of Tektro Mechanical Disc Brakes, with a 160mm front and rear rotors. These disc brakes are mid-level and low maintenance which allow for greater stopping power compared to conventional rim brakes.
The 160mm rotors are extremely commonplace, making procuring spares a piece of cake. Also, no hydraulics means no messy liquids to deal with should your cables get damaged or vandalised.
The bike is a hardtail mountain bike sporting a Suntour XCM front suspension with 120mm of travel! This is quite surprising considering the price point, as 120mm forks usually come with slightly higher-end bikes. A bigger front suspension allows the bike to absorb bigger hits and offer a plush ride. Along with the bragging rights that your bike rolls with a 120mm front suspension! The lockout often makes longer commutes a bit easier. The fork is also serviceable unlike a lot of the other entry-level forks that would come on a bike at this price point.
The V200 also features a wide 700mm handlebar, which offers greater control, especially while mountain biking, and is ideal for a beginner who is looking to hone in on their MTB skills starting off. The grips are relatively decent, with a nice waffle design to ensure you have a comfortable yet firm hold on your bike. The lockrings on the grips make it quite easy to remove and clean and also replace when needed. Again, features that don’t normally roll with bikes at these price points.
4. GROUPSET
The Veloce V200 comes with a Shimano Tourney Front Derailleur, and a Shimano Acera Rear Derailleur. It is a simple 3 x 8 – Speed setup which is perfect for Mountain Biking, offering enough range to cover everything from the steepest trails to the fastest straights.
A better rear derailleur compared to the front derailleur is a common strategy by bike brands to ensure money is spent well as most riders end up using the rear derailleur a lot more vis-a-vis the front.
5. WARRANTY
Each Veloce Bike frame comes with a 5-year warranty that covers the frame of the bike against any manufacturing defect from the date of purchase. Most branded components on the bike have their own company dictated warranty timelines.
Not the best warranty on offer, but given its price point and the components on offer, it’s a trade-off that has been thoughtfully considered.
SPECIFICATION OVERVIEW
- Frame: 650b” Alloy MTB Frame
- Wheels: 650B Double wall 32 Hole, AV Hole
- Fork: 650B Santour XCM Suspension Fork, Travel 120mm
- Groupset: 3 x 8 – Shimano Tourney (Front) & Shimano Acera (Rear) Derailleur
- Brakes: Tektro Mechanical Disc with 160mm Rotor
- Seat Post: 27.2mmx300mm Alloy Micro Adjust
- Cockpit: Alloy Semi Raise Bar, Length-700mm, Bar bore: 31.8mm
- Saddle: MTB Saddle with Bk Rail
- Colour: Grey
- Frame Sizes: S & M
- Tires: MTB Tire 650Bx2.10
OUR VERDICT
The Veloce V200 is a great bang for your buck MTB.
If you’re looking for a simple entry-level bike to practice and get familiar MTB trails. Or if you’re simply looking for a bike to handle the abundant potholes which fill our streets, this bike is the perfect bike for you.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CYCLING:
I love the freedom which comes with riding a bike. On my Hardtail MTB , nothing is an obstacle, I seamlessly flow down trails and through traffic like water in a river. And that flow gives me immense satisfaction and the continued drive to get back on my bike the next day.
DISCIPLINE: Mountain Biking & Commuting
CURRENT BIKE: Marin Bolinas Ridge Disc
DREAM BIKE: Cannondale TOPSTONE Carbon Lefty 3
