Tryst with the Áspera
Japanese Proverb – If domestic goods are inferior in quality, then choose foreign goods instead. But if domestic goods are of the same or better quality, even if less famous, then definitely choose domestic goods.
So, to tell my story,
After suffering a head injury and a broken arm in a 2022 accident, I stopped cycling for 3 years. Out of fear, I didn't even feel like starting again. But cycling is an addiction. Once it gets its hooks into you, it doesn't let go. So, I started again. When I decided to restart, I had planned to start with just 10 km. But once I got on the bike, I didn't even realize when I had done 35-40 km. And this continued for 3-4 days straight. No aches, no pains, no discomfort—nothing!
The credit for this goes more to my 'Shunya' cycle than to me. By God's grace, I have been blessed with such a wonderful cycle. With an 8-9 kg weight, a great carbon fork that handles bumps, a double-butted chromoly frame, and a Shimano Altagra drivetrain, it performs flawlessly no matter how much you ride it or how much you take it on rough roads. Today's story is not about my workout, but about this excellent cycle.
This is a story from 2019. I was looking for a good endurance bike. I had taken test rides of the Scott Speedster and the Trek Domane. My nephew had bought a Domane just a week earlier. He was very happy with it. My plan to buy the Domane was almost final. It was during this time, while searching on YouTube, that I came across a review praising a new Indian bicycle very highly. The brand name was Convolution. I went to their website to inquire further and found out the company was based in Pune itself. It was started by two cycling enthusiasts, Upendra Deshpande and Ashish Gayakwad. Their products were two: the Convolution Aspera and the Convolution Asphalt. The first one, "Aspara," was in the endurance category, while the second had a race geometry.
My mind was buzzing. I called my nephew in Pune, saying I was coming, got the car out, and reached Pune in heavy rain. I had already contacted Mr. Upendra Deshpande. I went from their home on Sinhagad Road to their workshop in Chinchwad. It was a nice, neat, and spacious workshop. They had the Aspera in small and medium sizes. Both my nephew and I got to ride them. As soon as my nephew got off the bike, he said, "Mama, if I had known earlier, I would have bought this cycle instead of the Domane." I completely agreed. In every aspect, this cycle was better than the Trek. According to the company's claim, the cycle was built considering the specific body measurements of Indian riders (Upendra had explained many details to me, but I don't remember them now). And you could feel that difference while riding. At almost the same price for which Trek was selling its most basic Domane models, I got this cycle with a mid-tier drive train.
After buying it, I rode this cycle a lot. I did many short 30-40 km rides, but I also did rides of around 100-150 km. This quality vehicle kept doing its job without any complaints. Its drop handlebar is extremely comfortable. It provides excellent grip, angle, and hand position. The stance is not as upright as a hybrid's, but it is quite comfortable. The only practice required is to learn to support the weight of your torso and head with your core. If you don't, especially if your core is weak, the weight inevitably falls on your hands, and your palms start hurting within minutes. So, you need to practice keeping your core engaged. Although it's a bit time-consuming to master, once you get it, it's no problem. You can ride as much as you want, and nothing happens. But in my personal opinion, for touring, hobbyists might find a hybrid more suitable. (Experts can give better advice on this).
by Deep_Sign9014