T-girl

Please can it NOT rain tomorrow morning. Really want to ride!! Aaaaaaargh. Weekends are for riding, SURELY the weather knows this???

I'm still a mtbier ... Just want to cross to the dark side too!

ISP?

1.66m tall. That bike is SCHWEEET! Not sure if I would be a small or a medium. My mtb is a medium frame and thats a Giant Anthem...so maybe the same for Giant road bike?

Thats a thought! Although then I would still need to assemble the bike and wouldn't my LBS charge muchos for that? Plus they would probably be bitter I didn't buy from them so charge extra muchos!!

Trouble is there's no CWC store in Durbs... What more important for a road bike; light weight or better components?

Wow ok didn't realise I would pay that much VAT! Drat! Will check out that site, thanks

I'm wanting to buy a road bike soon. B) Not really sure what to go for. Is CRC a good place to buy? Saw this cube bike http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/LargeImage.aspx?ModelID=44405 which has Shimano Ultegra and weighs 8.45kgs. Costs just under 11k. Seems like a sweet deal to me, am I mistaken?

The start better not be freezing is all I'm saying!

I'll probably just crash into a tree like an idiot

Soo...h2h is only just over a week away. Keen to find out the general strategy, if there is one?? I plan to take it real eeeeezeee for the first 60km, then hopefully still have enough fuel in the tank to destory those last hills!! ok, maybe not destroy the hills, but at least drag myself and my steed to the top Any tips? Also any idea how well stocked those water tables are in terms of food? Don't have that much space on me for all the fuel I may need...

Anyone have any DOUBLE DELICIOUS energy bar recipes?? Just want to try my skills at baking for a bit of the old variety to the usual bought energy bars... Plus I think homemade energy bars may be better for you as don't contain any k@k and you can tweak things here and there e.g more protein etc. Thanks!

Ok thanks I'll check them out. The 2009 or 2010 bikes?

Yes, thats right, I am STILL franking bike shopping!! Ok, so far my options are; a 2010 scott scale 40 (hardtail) which I'm hoping is around R16k. A Kona kula deluxe frame (yes please!!) with an xt/deore group set&recon front fork for like R17k (quite expensive for the componemts if you ask me) or the giant anthem X3 with a blue X2 frame... Basically I have made NO progress as I still am unsure if I want hardtail or softtail! Flip! Tho I'm not sure if I can justify getting a dual susp as I only ride on the weekends and when I do races I prefer sticking to the 40km diatances. So surely a light, amazing hardtail is better?? Help!

Ok between commencal meta 5.5.2 (2007 model, 17k) with fox front and rear fork, sram x9 rear, x7 shifters, weight 13.3kgs; or Giant Anthem x3 (also around 17k) which weight around 11.5kgs, slx rear derailer, deore front, fox front and rear fork? Test rode the commencal on the road today, felt really nice, except maybe a bit heavy. i'm thinking the Giant even though the components aren't as good is weights quite a bit less! Any thoughts?

Anyone have any thoughts on Commencal or Cube bikes? They look sweet and components seem great. I suspect you pay more for the name tho...?

Any idea of the prices of the Meridas? Aren't their shocks not a standard brand so more hassle to replace/fix? Most of the Meridas I have picked up feel very heavy! Maybe I'm looking at the wrong ones...

Thanks for the posts guys cat-i I live in Durban so unfortunatley won't be able to take your Trace for a spin, thank you for the offer tho! I'm going to give both the anthem and the trace a test spin, hopefully the bike will indeed 'choose me'!

Ok to throw a curveball I'm now also looking at the Trance x3... And it turns out the Anthem x3 is not all slx; its slx and deore, and I'm not sure if deore is so great?

Haha! if price was not an issue I'd get that anthem x0 or Scott Genius 40! Unfortunatley I do need some $$ left over so I can afford to buy some essential bike-gear (and Gloria Jeans coffee)! I'm thinking that x3 will suit me well. Pity about the white frame tho! Any idea if I'd be able to swap it for an x2 frame? Or maybe a custom paint job (if not too expense) is in order

The X3 has a Fox float R shock and x2 has a Fox float RP2. I'm not a 'racing snake' (1 day, maybe...) but I do weigh a bit under 60kgs, that's why I was originally considering a hard tail.

Thanks for the comments! I have since decided that the anthem x2 is just too far above my budget...any comments on the anthem x3? I know its slx and not xt but the frames are the same and both shocks are still fox! either that or I get a hard tail with xt-grade components...

Cannondale too expense!

Yes it has the upright shock... was going to test ride one next week. It does look very nice!

I have been to all the cycle shops around (I'm in Durbs) Currently riding a mongoose and I must say I'm not a huge fan... I was going to get a hardtail but then thought if I start doing longer races/stage races (and I do intend to) I may wish I had a softtail! Confusion!