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It's being introduced as a bicycle that weighs less than a three-year-old baby. The ‘complete carbon body' Montra bicycle unveiled by TI Cycles today weighs 8.76 kg and it is possible to sling it over your shoulder and walk. It is a different matter though, that the bicycle may weigh heavy on your wallet — it costs Rs 60,000.
But the India of today is an aspirant nation and TI Cycles, a division of Tube Investments of India Ltd of the Chennai-based Murugappa group, expects to sell 1,200-1,500 bikes in 2011-12.
The company's officials have said they would rope in the noted Indian race car driver, Karun Chandhok, to promote the bicycles.
TI Cycles will position the bicycle as a premium performance product, targeted at people who want to cycle for fitness.
The cycle is made from material that rockets are made of, said Dr D. Raghuram, President, TI Cycles, at a press conference here today. The frames of the cycles are made of carbon fibre composites.
The ‘Montra' bicycles come in three variants. Montra Techno is the priciest, and is made almost entirely of carbon fibre composites. It comes with a 10-speed gear system.
Montra Jazz comes with an alloy frame with carbon fork and dropped handle bar and an 8-speed gear. The Montra Country has an alloy frame with dropped handle bar and 9-speed gears.
The products will be sold at a starting price of Rs 21,000 for the alloy range and Rs 60,000 for the carbon range.
The Montra consumed investments of only Rs 10 crore. Company officials said the prototype was tested for 2,000 km.
TI Cycles also sells international brands of bicycles (Bianchi and Cannondale) in India, but these products are priced over Rs 1 lakh.
The Montra addresses a lower price segment. Once it stabilises in the Indian market, TI would look at taking the brand abroad.
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