Talk Wrench

Don't get me started fellas. As one person of many that has the challenging task of speccing bikes, I can tell you it is no easy feat. Spec is driven by demand, but demand is tempered by price. Brakes are expensive, yes, and we as a brand always try to spec as well as possible within the pricing constraints. The real challenge in the market is the perceived idea that bike parts don't get more expensive as time goes by and therefore there should be stasis on bike pricing. Nothing could be further from the truth. Last year Shimano had a global price increase for OEM producers, factories increased their labour charges ( the Chinese are pretty well-paid) and shipping costs all increased. This does not even take into consideration the depreciating currency value for SA market. What used to be a R8000 bike is now about R11-12k just a few years down the line. The reason for decreasing spec so blatantly on brakes and other places, is because the consumer generally expects to see a certain spec level on fork, cranks, shifters and rear derailleur for a given price, year model irrespective. Coupled with demand for other features (tubeless rims and tyres) on low to mid value bikes but expectation of the same retail price and something has to be compromised. The easiest place is brakes, cassette and chain. For us as Saffers, the position of our currency makes it really difficult to ride what we really want. Yet, in the global market, yes, there are unscrupulous manoeuvres to reduce bill of material cost for the sole purpose of profit increase. Our brand has always- and will always drive prices down through cautious speccing, negotiation and reasonable margins. We are not trying to retire off the first bike we sell. AND, we have still been winning design awards while providing the best tech possible for the category while not smashing the consumer's piggy bank.

Hi all Hubbers, I am busy on a project to assemble information regarding SA bike manufacturers. By manufacturer, I am meaning a brand of bike or bike builder where frames are made in SA (Like Mercer) and or where the bikes are assembled in SA entirely from scratch. Hint, it is in the best interest of all cyclists in SA to give me whatever information that you have that may be useful. It relates to protecting our beloved industry from additional import duties which are already levied against complete bike imports and which SARS I am sure would love to levy for any other opportunity given the chance. Your assistance in this regard (and as quickly as possible) is highly appreciated. Kind regards Talk Wrench

I know of somebody that bought it for precisely that kind of reason. He is pretty much over the moon with his choice. What size do you need?

You notice what bike the Brit was racing?

Goodness knows that the Silverback folks have been breaking themselves and certainly deserve the win as much as any other brand. That company works darn hard to provide equipment to the consumer that is at least equal to or better than their competitors and at a better price to the consumer too. Silverback is now not only the consumer champion, but now they own a UCI Podium top step too. Those ladies on their team have put on nothing but a good show since during the Cape Epic.

Hi Slickjay, what size are you looking for?

No ripoff, see the reply to Oldtmr

Hi Oldtmr, There is more to the matter than meets the eye. The bike at Cycle Lab has a higher parts spec overall but at the expense of the lack of dropper post. The SA spec of the Square has SRAM X1 instead of the dropper equipped SRAM GX bike that you are seeing online. I hope that this clears the matter for you. Regards Talk Wrench

Hi Oldtmr, There is more to the matter than meets the eye. The bike at Cycle Lab has a higher parts spec overall but at the expense of the lack of dropper post. The SA spec of the Square has SRAM X1 instead of the dropper equipped SRAM GX bike that you are seeing online. I hope that this clears the matter for you. Regards Talk Wrench

Like the video and the kid can ride, with style. This is the second video from SA that I have watched that has "speed" sound effects added. It detracts from the video, if you are going to add something, put in a good soundtrack, but leave electronic "wooshes" out.

Hey Crosschain, Did you get your Sido 1 yet? What's your opinion?

These bikes have a suggested retail of about R33k. Average weight for a medium is 12,12kg, give or take for manufacturing variances.

You can be sure Rhodent, that Silverback is a brand that loves their consumers and really enjoys communicating with them.

Because OMX is sponsored by SRAM and opted for the lightest available option at that time. BTW, XX brakes work great if you know how to bleed them. The team had to have a number of Guide brakes replaced by SRAM at last year's Epic.

There will be. For now SB are doing complete machines. Find a mate that needs a components upgrade and split the complete bike between the two of you.

Check what Matthew Keyser and company's parents have ponied up for...Sesta.

That's the problem with most of the lighties and Saffers in general. They have one pair of favourite tackies for their bikes and don't take mud tyres to races. I have changed tyres minutes before the start at Nationals in the past, people looking at me like they know I am mad, only for them to later wonder how the heck did I manage the mud so well. Locals have also not learned from the up and coming has-beens with a very bright future behind them. If it is stupid-muddy, then you wipe the whole frame down with silicone spray (dispense onto cloth first) or spray and cook. Mud tyres are not open tread 2.25" tyres. They are open tread 1.8 or 1.95 max. My personal favourite is/was the Bontrager Mud-X. Personally, I ride a Sesta. I might not be as fast on a flat or a climb as I used to be but most of the time and especially on the descents I ride it like I stole it and these sleds rock(et). This bike has a sense of poise, balance and unreal tracking on a descent that I have yet to encounter in another competitor. Best handling 29'er I have ridden, and I have ridden many.

Preach it Mr X

Well, it looks like these Silverback Sesta bikes are really gaining traction (pun unintended but nonetheless enjoyed). This is no phantom bike and there are plenty of these slick sleds headed to SA. Currently in stock with a consistent stream of continuity planned or at worst, never out of stock for more than two weeks. There have been some brilliant race results on these bikes both locally and internationally now and some of the local youngsters have hit top step on the XC race podiums of late on these awesome machines too. Many non-Silverback dealers are paying attention and signing up too I hear. That is a very good sign. I have reliable info that the 'Hub will be posting a review in the not too distant future as well. They have one in their grubby mitts as we type... Must be a very good reason why certain well-seasoned (and well-known) riders are forsaking their Big C surgeon's tools and Big S full sussers.

Sesta Concept 1.0 size medium. Anybody keen? Somebody caused a small amount of damage to two cable guides in transport but its fully serviceable. In the background the luscious Slider 1 2016 with dropper post and stealth cable routing...

Check Post by Talk Wrench

Here we go. The bike won its first award at Eurobike in concept status (yes, I know, the word "Concept" appears in the name also). (The second award was recently given by the German Design Award council.) Then after further significant development and testing the bike was produced in a limited quantity for the OMX Team to race experimentally in 2015, which they did and very successfully (Prologue win Cape Epic, two top ten overall Cape Epic, other podiums in Cape Epic as well as podiums and wins in Swiss Cup etc.) Not satisfied with the stiffness to weight ratio, SB continued further testing under newer more stringent standards for bikes destined for Euro market. (Most brands on the market likely have not needed to submit existing rigs to be tested with the new standards.) After almost two years of development, SB decides that the current version is market ready, unfortunately testing and remanufacturing with new layups on carbon etc take a lot of time and manufacturers oftentimes take longer to fill the process than stated or desired, this is not the fault of the bike brand generally speaking. Sometimes test-lab equipment even fails and has significant down-time before being redeployed, this did happen in the train of events for Silverback. Currently, the Sesta frame exceeds the industry standards requirements to make certification by about 200%. That is significant especially in light of the new standards. There are a good number of a Ltd edition Sesta landing in the first week of December and then the bulk should arrive in January. As for cost, there is nothing anybody can do about the mighty US $. Check the currency rates a year ago compared to now. Unfortunate collateral damage of politics is bike prices for Saffers.

Hey bike fans. Anybody travelling to Mauritius soon? I need to get something to somebody over there but the shipping cost:item value ratio is just ridiculous. Of course an assistance fee can be negotiated, even bike parts... Regards

TeamOMX took it a step further this last weekend at the PMB Festival event which is a UCI accredited points race with an HC (out of category) rating. That means tougher than tough. OMX riders on Silverbacks took Elite men 1st and second place and Elite ladies 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Isla Short who came 2nd in the ladies is only 18 years old. Team OMX now stand inside the top 15 teams in the world by UCI Points Rankings after the weekend's racing. Awesome and so exciting.

I see that Silverback made a top-10 honourable mention for one of their fat bikes. Seems like Silverback has done really well at Eurobike this year... What is the feeling about fatbikes in SA? I would love to ride one of these beasts in the dunes.