melflygirl

DONE!

Thanks for all the advice. I have just set my heart on and bought my first Carbon hardtail. Silverback Storm 1 2015 from Olympic Cycles. I am so excited I could pop! Just waiting for her to arrive in the post ... Bike set up and maiden voyage this weekend! Look out hills - here we come!

Oh my soul! That sounds brilliant! Just up my street. Hopefully my new Silverback Storm 1 climbs mountains like a Leopard!

Thanks Pure Savage and Thomo I have absolute faith that they will be awesome! Waiting like a kid before Christmas!!! Oh the sweet agony!

Hi Has anyone bought a bike from Olympic Cycles in CT before (online)? They shipping the bike to me in JHB ... If so, can you rate the experience - am about to pay and would like to make sure I am on the right track. So far they have been great. Don't want my excitement to overshadow common sense - rands and sense. Thnx

Yeah, John Denver thought so too!

Thanks - I was worried about that as my Sola was so easy on servicing. Will take it easy with all the new info and go for a few rides. Leaning toward simple stupid. Ta

Thanks everyone. Lighthouse, Lucy Lu and I will miss each other but it's time ... I will def have a look at the Giant and RM. Amberdrake, the weight difference between the Sola 2 Allu (approx 13 kg) and the Big Nine Carbon (approx 10 kg - less with the 1 x 11) - That weight coupled with the different bike position (merida more aggressive, Sola more upright) made a big difference for me. Lot to think about. More homework. Thnx again.

Switching from my Silverback Sola 2 (which I found comfortable and enjoyed riding) to the Merida Big Nine 5000 showed me how massive the weight difference was to my riding experience. I am not physically strong and thus hill climbs like Clarens, Dullies and the little Howick and Karkloof punchy switchbacks drain me quickly resulting in a grumpy tired rider - no one wants to ride with that next to them! This is only my experience - the carbon bike weight just made my riding so much more enjoyable and the climbs are way easier, especially the ones with a few technical bits in them. Hope that helps ...

Lingo wont get me to the top of the hill sadly ... and yeah 30K is a little tight but there is a bike with my name on it out there - just got to mine the haystack! Great will go look at those links - thanks! I actually have the Giant on my list thanks to a little visit to BRC in pta! Makes sense, even 2 is better than none. I have heard that Rock Mountain bikes are great. I might try and get on a few of the different brands to feel the difference - probably prudent before purchase! Tnx Slowbee and myth125

Hi I posted this question earlier and am posting here in the q & a space for a little help with my NEXT BIKE purchase ... Hi, I am Mel and I am looking for a bike ... I am new to this mtb story (3yrs) and get a little overawed by all the brands, slick lines and huge price tickets. Having said that I am trading up from my beloved 'Sabie mt slayer' Sliverback Sola 2 2015 for something ... faster and lighter. Some basics: R30K abso tops price - (bike finance will have to come into it) NO, donate a kidney, price tickets!Year model not a biggie. Happy with 2013/2014/2015 ...I am 176 tall (currently on a Large Merida Big Nine 5000 - just too big sadly - chiro says no!)I ride once a week or twice if I am luckyI enjoy a couple races a year: Ashburton series, Trailseeker Series, Fun Grabadoo and the one time only experience of the Magalies Monster.More control on tricky descents.I have no major bias for a brand but have been looking at the Silverback Storm 1/Merida Big Nine 5000... and a Scott or two, Nino performance wannabe. Bottom line for all the above: LIGHT BIKE that climbs like a breeze and doesn't buck me off on the drop-offs - and affordable. Oh yes ... and pretty! I am a designer and I don't do ugly - I will be looking at her for up to 5 odd hours some days! All advice welcome

Thanks JXV - I will, good idea. Navigating my way around the hubspace, so bear with me... In terms of year - as long as it's in the 2010's we good. I am not iffy about year, bar the obvious tech advantages that come with year in year out manufacturer learnings. Off to start that bike query thread ... Lighthouse

True! Thanks - I am 176 so am leaning more to 29 as we do a lot of open road too and hate being left in the dust ... sometimes it is unavoidable - but yeah advantage in light and fast is what I have enjoyed so far.

Hi Hubbers I am new, to the Hub that is, and wanted some advice on a bike purchase. I have been on a real bike (crashed as a 10yr old and never got back in the saddle!) for just over 3 years now. My learning curve has at times felt like an HC climb. What I have learned, though with little financial injury thankfully, is not all bikes are created equal. I am currently the owner and soon to be BikeHub seller of a Silverback Sola 2 2015 and am now looking to trade up. I would really appreciate some advice on what is a reliable, value for hard earned money, brand and which bikes would be suit my needs. The specs: I am not a 'racing snake' or a 'hill monkey' I ride for fun I enter a couple races a year: Ashburton series, Trailseeker Series, Fun Grabadoo to the one time only experience of the Magalies Monster. I am a single mother - I.E. NO, donate a kidney, price tickets! I love a challenge the odd silencing climb and freak out and cry a little on tricky steep descents, refer to Magalies above! I have no major bias for a brand but have been looking at the Silverback Storm 1/Merida Big Nine. I think I would like a carbon hardtail - LIGHT BIKE! I would also like a little more control on tricky descents I do not want to spend over R30K ... yeah reality bites! I have been on a Merida Big Nine 2014 large and she is just too big for me sadly. I absolutely love her otherwise - she basically just does half the work for me! So that is a bit of a sketch but specs are important so those are mine if anyone would be able to give advice. I am not sure about new or second hand but on Carbon prob new ...? Thnx Mel