Altair bicycles: an overview of the best models and recommendations for choosing

Altair is a Russian brand known to both children and adult riders. The model range of the brand includes more than 20 items, each of which is aimed at fully meeting the needs of the audience in high-quality two-wheeled vehicles. Original product design, modern components, production entirely carried out in Russia - all these advantages make the company one of the leaders in the budget segment of the market.

Most people start their acquaintance with the Altair brand with the best children's and adult bicycles. City 24 and City Boy 20. However, other models for girls and boys, adapted to Russian road conditions, are also of great interest. To determine the choice, it is worthwhile to study in more detail all the available offers of the brand, as well as look through the reviews of owners who have already purchased Altair bicycles.

When deciding to purchase an Altair bike, the buyer can be sure that the country of manufacture of this vehicle will definitely be Russia. The brand is one of the brands owned by Forward. Bicycles are produced at domestic enterprises, all stages (from drawing up to assembly) are performed by highly qualified specialists.

Altair's products focus on quality and reliability of technology. The product lines include original city bikes, lots of colorful teenage bikes, mountain bikes and even folding bikes. When choosing materials, the company prefers reliable, simple and proven options.High-grade steel is used, paint is applied to the frame using modern technologies, welding and many other technological operations are robotic, which eliminates the human factor.

Since there are already enough sports and professional bicycles on the Russian market, the creators of the Altair brand from the very beginning decided to fight for a different niche. The company creates city bikes that do not require complex repairs or lengthy tuning. They are devoid of a redundant set of options and are available to a wide range of buyers.

Among the obvious advantages that Altair bicycles have, the following points can be noted.

• Attractive cost. These bikes will definitely be affordable for most buyers. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the budget prices are quite consistent with the class of equipment, only the buyer does not have to overpay for the loud and beautiful name of the company on the side of the bike.
• Extended complete set. Already in the basic versions, there is most of the attachments that may be needed on the road. In children's models, there are often support wheels, in the rest there are fenders, a footboard, a bell, grips to protect against slipping of the palms on the steering wheel.
• Full guarantee. The bike manufacturer installs it on both the frame and the attachment. Only the terms differ: no more than 6 months for all additional components and 3 years for the frame.
• Reliability of welded joints. Steel structures truly handle loads effectively without the risk of collapsing at the most inopportune moment.
• High quality metal. The pipe elements used by the Altair manufacturer meet all the established requirements, the frame does not bend and retains its geometry even during hard riding.
• Compliance with the Russian standardization system. This means testing products by domestic laboratories with the issuance of appropriate certificates.

With such an impressive number of advantages, the question involuntarily arises - are there any disadvantages at all? The rather heavy weight can be attributed to the disadvantages of Altair bicycles, although for mountain models it is rather a plus, providing stability on difficult road surfaces. The quality of the components that the brand produces on its own is not too high.

Altair bicycles are presented in a wide model and size range. The performance of each bike is precisely tailored to its intended use. Wheel diameters of 12, 14, 16 inches are considered children's, in this category you can find the best models for boys and girls. They have the appropriate color, design, and are equipped with additional wheels to ensure safety.

For older children, teenage bicycles are produced that fully correspond to adult models, but in a reduced format. Here, the size range varies from 16 to 24 inches. For adults, urban and mountain ranges of two-wheeled vehicles are produced. MTBs are aimed at novice riders, city bikes are quite diverse in performance, there are foldable options designed for compact storage.

Altair is ready to offer the following models for the youngest riders.

• Four-wheeled Kids with wheel diameters from 14 to 20 inches. In most models of the series, a chain guard and a steering wheel pad are used, there are trunks that support wheels, fenders. Foot brake, there is a rudder limiter.
• Kids 20 Compact. 2019 model with foldable frame design and large wheels. Suitable for preschoolers and younger students. Additional wheels are easily removable.

Bright yellow, pink, blue, red - Altair creates all bicycles for the teenage audience exclusively in off-road design. The most popular models of 2019 are the MTB FS 20 and MTB FS 24 Disc - double suspension with disc brakes. The main difference here is only in the diameter of the wheels. The steering wheel is threaded, there is a footboard, plastic fenders, 18 speeds.

Among teenage hardtails, a model can be distinguished Altair MTB HT AL 24 Disc with a lightweight aluminum frame with a special geometry.

The line of city bicycles Altair is represented by city bikes with different wheel diameters:

• City Boy 20 / Girl 20;
• City 24;
• City Line 28;
• City Low 28;
• City High 28.

Models with 28-inch wheels differ mainly in frame height - low or high, otherwise they are quite identical. There is no gear shifting - these are just comfortable and reliable bicycles with good basic equipment. City 24 - a variant with a folding frame, a rigid rigid fork, a spring-loaded saddle.

In the Altair mountain bike range, there are 2 basic models. MTB HT AL 26 Disc - version with lightweight aluminum frame, front suspension fork, threaded steering column and disc brakes. The package includes fenders, a footrest, spoke protection on the rear wheel, reflectors. Another option MTB - HT 26 2.0 with 17 '' and 19 '' Hi-Ten steel frames.

Adult double suspensions in the model range of the manufacturer this year are presented in 2 versions. MTB FS 26 2.0 Disc with disc brakes is especially popular... This is a modern off-road bike. MTB FS 26 1.0 has more budget equipment and is cheaper.

Among the important points of choice are the following.

• Bicycle type. It is necessary to take into account the mandatory age restrictions. A bicycle is not a product that is purchased for growth, it must match the length of the legs and the height of the rider. Adult models are divided into mountain and urban. The first ones are suitable for conquering off-road, especially in two-suspension version, hardtails have shock absorbers only in the front and are more resistant to collisions with the road. Citibikes are simpler, most often with a rigid fork - they are inconvenient to ride outside the asphalt.
• Wheels. Their diameter directly depends on the type of bike. In addition, you need to look at the tread - a smooth, narrow tire needs a surface with good grip. You can't ride this in the mud.
• Number of speeds. Multi-speed models are mainly relevant for use when driving with a change of surface or for acceleration on the highway. For everyone else, a single-speed sprocket is enough.
• Brakes. The V-type braking system will satisfy the needs of most riders. For beginners, you can opt for a bike with a foot brake.
• Equipment... If you don't want to buy additional accessories and look for them in stores, you should immediately choose the most complete equipment.

When starting to use Altair bicycles, you should pay attention to useful recommendations, which the manufacturer gives in the instructions for his technique.

• Before the first ride, it is imperative to carry out a full examination of all the nodes of the bike. If necessary, you will have to tighten the mountings, adjust the height parameters of the handlebar and seatpost.
• When adjusting the seat, take into account the type of road you will be traveling on. The distance between the horizontal pipe and the groin should be 3-5 cm for driving on an asphalt highway, 5-8 cm for country roads and at least 10 cm for driving off-road. When choosing a size, the rider's foot should be on the floor or other flat surface.
• On single speed bikes, it is very important to keep track of the chain tension. It should not sag much, the maximum free play range when pulling should be 20-25 mm.
• It should be noted that Altair bikes have a break-in period. After the two-wheeled vehicle has traveled about 50 km, it needs additional adjustment. In this case, the service life of the equipment will be longer. It is recommended to perform repeated maintenance every 50 km.
• When planning to send a bike for storage in a house or apartment, it is worth paying attention to the transforming models from the very beginning. In this case, it will be enough to simply fold the frame and make the two-wheeled vehicle twice as compact.

Customer opinion on Altair bikes mostly positive... However, one can hear fair criticism from the owners against the manufacturer from Russia. For example, city bikes have not very comfortable grips, and there is also a need to replace the saddle - for experienced riders it does not seem comfortable enough.

With regard to MTB from the Altair brand, we can say that they are quite heavy and massive. For residents of apartment buildings, this is a definite disadvantage, especially if the elevator does not work. Among the advantages of mountain bike models, the owners note the reliability and passability of the structure: the equipment copes well with off-road conditions, and is suitable for riding both adults and adolescents. Gets good reviews Lady series, where women’s bikes are balanced and attractive in appearance.

It is also noted that most of the brand's mountain bikes behave well on the highway and can be considered as versatile means of transportation... The Russian off-road does not deliver any particular difficulties, the bike confidently overcomes bumps and bumps, is suitable for non-stop operation in a variety of climatic and weather conditions.

For an overview of the Forward Altair MTB FT 20 children's bicycle, see the video below.