Xspec 26″ 21 Speed Folding Mountain Bike Bicycle Trail Commuter for Adults

I’ve had this bike for a few months now, and overall I think it’s pretty decent for a compact entry level mountain bike. To start with, it’s hard to find a dual suspension 21 speed bike with disk brakes and trigger shifters for a better price (folding or otherwise). Assembly was fairly easy and it seems to come with a more model specific manual now, while still being somewhat general in the instructions. Aligning the front brake took some patience, but is easily doable for anyone with basic tools and the rudimentary skills to use them.

The bike fold up easily and fits in the trunk of my 2013 Sonata pretty well with room to spare. The bike is heavy though (40.8 lbs.) and takes some effort fold it and lift it up. Definitely not for carrying around for any prolonged periods. The bike is also pretty solid and stable once properly unfolded. The wheels tires and brakes all work fine. The kickstand is better than average. The pedals fold (convenient), but are otherwise small and plastic. There is no quick-release or folding gimmick for the handlebars and they are also pretty narrow. However, if the handlebars were any longer it probably would fit in my trunk, so I guess it’s a trade-off for portability. The seat, while not the most comfortable, isn’t terrible and hasn’t left me hurting after any rides.

The shocks are pretty basic. The front fork has about 3 inches of travel with no adjustments for preload or rebound, and only an inch of travel on the rear shock. There are a few options out there for upgrading the fork, but you’re pretty much stuck with the rear shock. However, as is, the pair works well enough for road biking and light trail use.

The Shimano trigger shifters and rear derailleur are entry level, but work well and shift smooth. However, the Sunrun front deraileur was worthless. No amount of adjusting could get it to shift through all three of the front gears. No matter what I did, I was stuck with either one or two gears at best. I ended up replacing it with a nicer, fairly cheap, Shimano Altus FD-M313 front derailleur. Shifts through all front gears perfectly now.

If you plan on doing any serious climbing, a cheap and easy upgrade would be to replace the existing 14-28t freewheel with either a Shimano MF-TZ31 14-34t “MegaRange” freewheel or Sunrace MFM4S 13-34t “Megadrive” freewheel. I went with the Sunrace, because of the extra top end speed you also gain with the smaller 13t gear. In either case you will need a longer chain to wrap around the larger 34t gear. The rear derailleur can handle it though, but it will need to be adjusted accordingly. You will also need a Park Tool FR-1 freewheel removal tool and chain-break tool if you don’t already have them (also inexpensive). It costs around $50 for all of the parts and tools (cheaper if you already have the tools) and it’s about an hours worth of work, but it’s also the best upgrade for the money if you’re willing to do the work.

In conclusion, this is a pretty decent starter mountain bike with the ability to fold and store in most midsize car trunks. With the exception of the weight and front derailleur, it’s hard to fault the bike, especially considering the price and all you get for it. The bike may need some tinkering or adjustments for some, but nothing that can’t be figured out with the manual or YouTube videos. Obviously some compromises had to be made, but I don’t regret the purchase, as it ultimately fulfilled my needs for portability, paved and light trail use, and budget limits.