Clinton1

So after much research, some discussing on here, and more research I eventually took delivery of my 2011 Silverback Phoenix! And the best part of it is that I got a brand spanking new bike for only R4,500! I was not certain where to put this but I thought I'd put it here as I would like to rave about Leewees Cycles from whom I bought the bike. The price was exceptional and after making contact they had the bike packaged and ready in double quick time (a family member was collecting it and then flying it to Durban). They also responded promptly to requests for banking details and confirmed payment as soon as it was received. So thank you Leewees for my new bike. And thank you The Hub SA for providing a forum for people to sell items and share their special offers as it was here I saw the advert. Rode it today and am totally stoked.

Thanks. Am I correct in assuming from the link provided that it is Specialized dealers that do these BG fitments? If so I'll probably head to Burry's shop up in Waterfall.

Thanks. So the next obvious question is how much that cost you? More opinions welcome. I do have a friend who is a mountain biking nut and knows his stuff. If it's too expensive to get it "professionally" done I'm sure he'd be happy to assist. Also is it necessary considering I am not planning on doing the Epic but will in all likelihood do some social riding and maybe the odd shortish race.

What is your opinion/advice on the above topic? Now bear in mind that a lot of you might be fairly clued up on these things but I have only ever had experience with v-brakes and rigid front forks but am now going to be dealing with hydraulic brakes, air forks etc etc. So is it advisable to presumably pay, as I bought the bike in Jhb but live in KZN, a shop to assist with the correct set up or do you reckon I'd get away with doing a little online research and setting it up myself. Related to this, are most of these bikes able to be used as is once bought? Will the brakes need seeing to? I understand the air fork will need adjusting according to my weight etc? Are these all easy things? As I am typing this I can imagine most of the answers will be to do it yourself but perhaps you can point out something I may overlook with a new bike. Thanks

Wow, that was unlucky! Mine arrived and I collected it at the post office with no additional duties. Yes, it is a problem, we need one of these : http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/accessories/all-accessories/power/chargers/nokia-bicycle-charger-kit OP, here is a little review I did on it as part of a competition to win a Nokia N8 : http://n8reviewza.posterous.com/lets-get-fit I still use it every time I am out exercising so feel free to fire away with the questions.

These sort of discussions interest me as I am a bit of a detail freak. I just bought a Silverback Phoenix which is said to come with an "AL 6061 Generation II Technology" frame. Your Ventura is one up in the Silverback hierarchy and comes with an "AL R6 G2 Force Generation II Technology". A Google search reveals a lot of answers as to what a 6061 frame is - an aluminium magnesium alloy - however, information on the "R6" was not as readily found. I'm sure the materials differ slightly but not sure it makes too much of a difference. General consensus seems to be that all aluminium used is of high enough quality to not be of concern. The part I did find interesting was when comparing the geometry of the Phoenix and Ventura frames. By all accounts they appear identical for the large frame. The dimensions shown on here are identical except for a slight variance in the top tube length (2.1mm): http://www.kayalamicycles.co.za/images/stories/silverback/silverback-mountain-bikes/ventura//ventura.jpg http://www.kayalamicycles.co.za/images/stories/silverback/silverback-mountain-bikes/phoenix//phoenix.jpg EDIT: Found some more boring stuff Seems the R6 is in fact a 6066 aluminium alloy. These links show the properties of these two aluminium alloys: 6066 http://www.matweb.com/search/datasheet.aspx?matguid=2af4dd4c6d5740489dc5b342ef1ab84b&ckck=1). 6061 http://www.matweb.com/search/DataSheet.aspx?MatGUID=1b8c06d0ca7c456694c7777d9e10be5b You can see that the 6066 is slightly stronger with a tensile strength of 57000psi vs 45000psi and a shear strength of 34000psi vs 30000psi. But that seems to show both as being plenty strong enough! PS I am no expert on the matter and am as interested as the OP but just sharing what I found.

Thank you so much for the offer, Mackie, that is truly generous! Luckily enough I have a family member flying to Joburg for business on Monday (tomorrow) for the day and they have agreed to bring the bike back on their Kulula flight for me. Apparently it will be free if they have no other baggage otherwise R200 if it is loaded as a second piece of baggage. Thanks again for the offer. Great to see our community still has this sort of willingness to help!

So you too eventually took the plunge? I was over just reading and not commenting and joining in! Welcome Luckily my budget seriously limits the choices so it is not too bad for me! ha ha. I also tend to be very frugal so will in all likelihood ride this new bike into the ground before upgrading... but let's see I also have this thought in the back of my head the whole time that I am in this to get fit and not to win races. Linked to this mentality is the, perhaps incorrect, thought process that if I am on a heavier and inferior bike I am probably getting a lot more exercise out of each kilometre than the guy with the latest, lightest, most efficient bike. Yeah, I hear the arguments about being able to enjoy the ride more if you have the most comfortable bike but they do say no pain, no gain The only reason for this current change was that the bike I had inherited was a medium and far to small for me. During this buying process, when frustrated, I often considered just continuing to ride my current bike but the new one won over because my GF is going to inherit the old one for some social riding so I had double motivation to get a new one. I am in full agreement here! And I can reaffirm this after the process I just went through. I often wonder, and this is with all due respect to the regulars and those that suggested it, whether second hand is not often recommended so as to stimulate the market in which many of these regular riders are trying to sell their old bikes? Yes, you are not always going to get "last year's model" (and I put that in inverted commas as I am now getting a 2011 in 2011) at a bargain price but it seems to happen more than most would like to admit. As a result of suggestions to get 2nd hand I almost bought the 2011 Silverback Phoenix, with someone else's wear and tear for R4k. Luckily it fell through and I am now getting a brand spanking new one for R4.5k because of an end of range clearance sale! So yes, guys on the look out for new bikes towards the end of the year, rather look at clearance sales first before considering the 2nd hand market. This might not be a popular opinion on here but it held true for me.

It's not at all as it is a Medium.

I do need to still try and get it from Jhb to Durbs now.... ASAP as I want to jump on and ride!

Wow! As they say, everything in life happens for a reason! After the disappointment of having the purchase of the 2nd hand Silverback Phoenix for R4k whipped out from under my nose this morning, I take a peek at the classifieds and there I see a clearance sale with a brand new Silverback Phoenix for R4500! And it's mine! Stoked!

Well after all this decision making, research, seeking advice and visiting shops to try bikes and sizes I just discovered one of the huge negatives of buying 2nd hand that is never mentioned... being at the mercy of the seller. I had eventually decided to buy the 2nd hand Silverback, a decision not taken lightly as I had already stretched the budget from R3k to the asking price of R4k+plus courier costs, but just as the deal was about to conclude and the money get transferred, the seller informs me that a family member has decided to take the bike! Extremely frustrating and disappointing to say the least. I almost feel like giving up and sticking with my inherited old Giant Boulder SE (Medium) as I'm not sure I want to go through the whole research process again..... So if anyone knows of someone selling a Silverback Phoenix 2011 (Large) - or equivalently specced - for R4000, please let me know as I have the money ready....

Ha ha always interesting, and fun, reading these sort of threads in hindsight! It always shows how quick we are to write off our sportsmen yet they time and again prove that they will always put up a fight. Come on Proteas!

After reading your thread I just took a peek at a few sites to check the specs of this bike and found it interesting that a few of them listed different components for the exact same model of bike. Cyclelab showed the MERIDA MATTS TFS 500 (2012)to have an SR Suntour XCR-RL 100 fork while elsewhere it was shown to have ROCKSHOX XC30 POPLOCK 100. I am a noob but I thought the one shock was superior to the other.

Ha ha that was my exact complaint! You walk into a shop and say R3k so they show you a bike for R4k. You then settle on that idea and walk into the next shop and they show you one for R4.5k.... and so it goes on!

Yip, it was that one. Spoke to Duane who assisted with the setup and advise and then I just took a small spin around the car park to get a feel. Kudos to them as they were exceptionally helpful. The seller claims around 600km ridden and the reason for the sale is that they are looking to go full suspension. I hear you regarding waiting and a bargain will come along but equally so the money starts burning holes in your pocket about you just want a new bike ASAP! I hear you. I was turned off by the 2nd option though as it does not give you the quick fix of walking into a shop and walking out with a bike. It involves patience. Like asking a kid to only unwrap his Christmas presents at dinner time! However, you can get better value if you are patient. The only reason I was considering new is because it was a special offer on a 2011 bike because the new 2012 bikes have been released, so also a bargain. Thanks, will do and will also do some online research. I had not heard of that brand yet. Those are rather reassuring words regarding the service. And true too. Unless there is major physical damage a service should usually fix things up. And thank you. The only problem now is that all the 2nd hand bikes that appeal to me are all in Joburg or CT so even more patience required! ha ha So I presume from the comments that there is no particular bias on here towards either Titan or Silverback?

This is why chatting is so useful! When looking at the spec I totally missed the fact that the Silverback had an air shock. Thanks The Deore components are obviously superior to the Alivio too but as stated it always depends on condition.

Hi again, I'm not sure why I am asking this as I have seen a lot of comments on here about 2nd hand vs new already but let me give it a go with regard to specific bikes If you personally had the choice between the following new and old bikes, for the exact same price, which would you go for : NEW 2011 model brand new Titan Fork SUNTOUR XCR R/L B-Lever TEKTRO DRACO Brake set TEKTRO DRACO 180MM/160MM Chain SHIMANO HG-53 Chainwheel SHIMANO M430 44-32-22T DERA-F SHIMANO FD-M430 DERA-R SHIMANO RD-M430 Freewheel SHIMANO HG-50-9 Hubs SHIMANO M475 Pedal VP ALLOY Rim ALEX TD-17 2nd hand 2011 model 2nd hand Silverback Fork: Suntour Raidon LO Air 100mm Rims: Alex ACE 17 Double Wall Aluminium Hubs :Novatec Sealed bearing Disc Tyres: Kenda Small Block Eight 26" x 2.1 Shifters: Shimano Deore 9 Speed Rapidfire Plus Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore Rear Derailleur : Shimano SLX Shadow Chainwheel : Shimano M443 Octlink 22/32/44T Bottom Bracket: Shimano E525 Octalink Cassette : SRAM PG-950, 9 Speed 11-32T Pedals : VP Components Brake Set : Shimano M445 Hydraulic Disc

They do indeed! If only the budget could stretch a little (actually a lot) further!

The budget was originally R3k, it is now R4k... hoping it stops there! The Elite seems to be changing quite a lot in 2012. It currently has Alivio components but next year will be getting Deore. Apparently the price for the 2012 model will be over R7k. Not certain whether this is a good thing or a bad thing if I were to get the 2011 model in terms of resale.

Hi, thanks. Interestingly I popped into Concept Cyclery today and they put me on an XL Titan Sport and said it was a good fit. The Titan XL is a 21.5". It seems I am the height that sits on the cusp and there are different opinions regarding what is the best fit for me. Personally, after having ridden a M for so long, they both feel good! There was only about 2 inches free when I stood over the XL. I've heard some people advising a little more than this. I'm personally thinking that for the extra R130 I should go for the Elite due to the better components. But it is an XL. Damn, this is confusing. Also concerns me that it may be more difficult to sell an XL later on whereas L seems to be more common and desired. I have seen talk elsewhere that Titan do not have a website but it appears they now do. Strangely enough it doesn't seem to show up on Google when searching for Titan. The site is : http://titanracingbikes.com

I'm new (and will by all accounts, from what I see on here, be ridiculed for being new) but I have read through this thread with interest. Surely it is perfectly acceptable for someone to come and vent on here under a sub-forum specifically named "Rant and Rave". Or are you only allowed to rave if you have less than a certain number of posts and rants are the exclusive preserve of regulars? I found this comment particularly interesting. What does the poster have to personally gain from this? Yes, you could argue that he is a competitor but you seem to insinuate that he is hoping to benefit directly by doing this and by getting the Cycle Lab owners to jump. How? He has used a pseudonym and in all likelihood this "Ben" fellow will not remember him anyway. He had the bike fixed so they cannot now offer to do this for him. It seems to me that it is rather likely that he felt frustrated by the service he got and felt the need to share it. Good on him. Surely that is what forums are for? You may choose to ignore his one complaint but it is now on record. If someone else comes along and complains about bad service at this branch then you might start wondering about the accuracy of these complaints. Add ten more and there clearly is a problem. You may get great service, but then again you seem to know the owners personally so this is always likely to be the case. And "Andrew", should probably not jump at one complaint like this but as an owner of any business I would take note of it and at the very least chat to my staff. EDIT : After reading further it was interesting to read Andrew's response to this. So it seems all of those jumping to Cycle Lab's defence were indeed wrong as he admits the manner in which the client was told was perhaps lacking. It is great to see him respond directly to the client, and as stated above, take the complaint to heart. Most people will not go to the effort of signing up and complaining just for the hell of it.

My first thought was second hand but I just found that nothing was coming along that suited my needs and wants. Or maybe I was just being too fussy and not looking hard enough. I also have to factor in previous use and abuse. I then considered going down the path of buying this year's models seeing as though the 2012 are now being released and it has thrown up some decent prices. If a second hand model jumps out at me that suits my needs I'll be more than happy to consider it. I suppose it is a bit like anything though... getting something shiny and new always gives you that extra little thrill W@nna-BE, don't even go there! I already took a peek at the 29'ers on offer. But again I am not fussed with having the latest and in doing so I would be paying a few grand extra for the same components.

@Breezer, yip, that is exactly where I got the pricing. Thanks. The only big spanner in the works is the fact that they only have the Elite 2011 in XL. Most websites seem to indicate that I am near the cusp of large and XL but fall more into L. My "ape index" (ie length of outstretched arms) is about 5cm longer than my height which some sites say means I could well go a size up. I am lead to believe that the stand over height of the Titan bikes is less than other makes though. Perhaps I could get away with an XL? Any comments on this from anyone?

Thanks for the response thus far, guys, much appreciated. @W@nna-BE : Excuse my ignorance but is the cycle hub an online store? I am Durban based. Would be interested to hear what price you got your elite for. I have been offered it new at R4200 while the Sport would be R3900. @Breezer : Yeah, I have read a few complaints about the Suntour fork on the Sport but not certain how much better the Elite one is. Apparently Suntour do not have a great rep. As stated by W@anna-BE it does have the remote lock out which is a nice gadget but I reckon with my type of riding it will hardly be used. PS I am terrible when it comes to buying things and have done some research on the actual components but it is rather difficult with the naming conventions to find everything you need to know on the different parts.