habib

Hey Chris so it all depends on overall condition I would love to buy a Great condition at like R4500-R5000.00 with all the upgrads already done like trigger shifters etc... but what I can afford is R3500.00 around each which would be from what I can see a neat but used stock standard.

I have been looking for preowned in the Hades range either 24D or the 24 9R I like the way they look but keep missing the deals in preowned cant afford 2 new one bikes so hoping for some good preowned bikes hence the reason to look for a different brand Also left this purchase late I need them for Christmas

So I have read many a review on the Forum about the Titan Hades specifically the 24 9R as that was the route I wanted to buy for the two kids (Girl and Boy) but I have also now been offered a Signal Starlet can anyone give their opinion on them, they seem specked nicely and have a few things I like over the Titan Hades. please can someone give thoughts

Hill to Hill dont know as I said I am a noob and dont know about any of the stage races even this one was a chance race where and when

I would love to try that long a single track sounds rocking

I had a similar problem a few weeks back and someone told me to put less pressure on the hands. this seemed to work on the ride the weekend but I did find the more fatigue set in the more I rested on my palms and less weight was taken by the lower back. And I found a good combat to the tingling / Numbness was just take a second or two to hold your hand like a stop sign and flick the fingers a few times it seemed to help my

I would honestly agree with the idea of pointing fingers at these people who litter during rides, I notices a lot of that at the Dusi Mfula this weekend, a lot of people would say but there is already litter there so what is the difference. I say the difference is every little bit less litter will make our country side a better place to look at. But then again I also noticed a lot of the riders this weekend did not take the time to look at the views, sights or country side so maybe they dont really care where they riding at all. I will be the first to put my name up on the forum with an offenders details (race number etc... if I see it happen)

Just a bit of a rave here and maybe I know no better being the Rookie and Noobie I am but. A mate and I Have recently started Cycling about 3 month I think, we are both very keen sportsmen and due to this decided what is a sport with out a challenge. So the hunt began to find a race / adventure We were both keen on the Sani2sea but after a lot of searching realised its normally impossible to JUST get a entry to this stage ride. so in a bit of a depressed state I found an entry to the Dusi Mfula for sale in the hub classifieds (Thanks Cranky) Which we just had to buy so with one moth to go and no proper training yet we need to get cracking. We trained but not almost enough In my opinion. the weeks went fast and the training non existent. Friday the 5th June 2009 we drive to PMB and stay in a very nice back packers where the Rats were as tame as the dogs but none the less a bed and a place to sleep the night (nerves have set in proper non stop bathroom visits) 5am awake and off too the start at Bishopstowe yes were are nervouse even more then the prvious night and also very early, But despite our early arrivals we were welcomed and registered as the 1st team to arrive (if only we were batched according to promt arrivals hehehe) 8:30 batch A start about 15minutes later us at the back of the last batch (Batch D) the experinece begins, and well we had 80km of grueling, sick, insane but what a jol amount of riding with some spectacular views amaizing over the rolling hills (looked like mountains to me) the Dusi River its self and rural homes. Awsome super cool decents with very lekker technical single track and as awsome as the decents were, the climbs were killers horrible gradients but what would MTB be with out them right. 6hrs20 we clock in at the Inanda dam all our luggage waiting for us with a decent meal hotish showers and Clean toilets. We moved up a batch (yeeepeee) placed 173 Day two: still nervous but what the hell he done more then half the ride already so we just need to finish it now. Check our equipment realise the rear wheel is not free wheeling at all though it was the disk breaks catching. Wishful thinking rear wheel hub bearing seized, (according to a fellow rider tent neighbour) he tried what he could with what tool we had but not much was solved. I can't give up now. and off we go for a further 40km of what to me was super cool riding I loved all the scenary and vegitation. Burma road Its not a road at all dont let any one ever tell you its a road it was mad this almost sheer incline of something like 1km of walking up. Eventually we see durban Longest 8km ride I have ever done to eventually bring us cross the finish line with a time of 9hrs50 and placed 165 And would I do it again HELL YES if you said I could try it again tomorrow I would and thats no lie i saw places in South Africa (Natal) That only a select few ever get to see was it tuff absolutly tuff but was worth every second and every KM riden Would I suggest you do it as long as I have a place to do it then yes but if you gonna take my place NO. Was it dangerous: besides the stone which some little kid shot at me with a Katty on day one (something I would have done so I deverve that) and the golf ball which almost took my head off n day two crossing the Umgeni Golf course no more dangerous then any other Mountain bike ride just be focused I hope you enjoyed the read and see you at some other events. habib2009-06-08 08:56:33

Will definatly be there so far I have only been riding the rietvlei trail and done the melville and areas once where else is there to go Habib

Thanks will do that now

Cat Eye Mity 8

Hey Guys I just need to ask some teck on the wheels they sized 260x2.1 does that mean my circumfrence is 2.1 (210cm) so I can set my Computer Habib

Thanks guys I know I will really enjoy the bike, I have already signed up for the duzi tooooo excited (I do think I have thrown myself in the deep end with the Duzi but hey if I dont try I wont Know). As for if it is new or preowned it is New Been looking for pre owned but also got impatient could have waited but was not happy with no bike Habib

Hey guys to you that were involved in assisting with my choice on what bike I should get thanks and here are the pics of what I eventually got myself Merida XC TFS 900, Already took 3 decent falls last night thank goooodness my legs are strong kept the bike from scratching but got some decent roasties. (I really need to get used to the clip in type pedals) Ok and before you all tell me how it should be on or at least in front of a couch I will defend myself and say I was sooooo excited to get a bike I just took the pic and will put a couch there some where

Hey Borriz WOuld you be so kind as to send me a picture of your rack you made for the Bakkie I need to make something for a Corsa utility and I dont have a tow bar.

If the goal is FR/AM type riding' date=' then the Teocali for sure. BUT, for a beginner a hardtail may be better to learn on. If you can do the technical stuff on a hardtail properly first, you'll be much better off. [/quote'] The Teocali is 'All Mountain'. NOT 'FR/Freeride. I think guys are constantly getting these two terms confused. I for one wouldnt like to take a burly 2 meter drop off on a Teocali. The entire bike is specc'd for as an AM bike, from the Pike/Fox forks to the MC rear shock. Habib, it's a pity you didnt buy that Teocali. It would have been a really good starting point. The myth that it's better to start out on a hardtail to "learn on" is just that, a myth, and I for one wish that Mythbusters would do an episode on this. Bike skills are bike skills, comfort is all you'll be without now. A full-suss bike has got much more traction on hills, your center of gravity is lower as you tend to sit a LOT more. The Teocali would have given you a good base to build from, as it's light enough to take on hills, strong enough to do moderate drops, burly rock gardens, sling it onto your back and portage it, technical singletracks, the lot. It's always the problem with forums, you'd have been better off reading the reviews on both bikes in www.mtbr.com (and I know I'm being a hypocrite by saying this, but feel I have a valid opinion since I own the bike you asked about) Good Morning bustthesickness I absolutly and totally appreciate everyones opinions and you are very right in saying asking a question like this on a forum is also not the best thing to do as everyone has such vast & different opinions. I did also look into the revies section and well to be honest you get a similar results out of that, I say this due to the fact on the reviews section you still have the guys who really like the product and there are the other guys who really dont. I did get to take the whole review thing one step further though, and did not base my entire decision on the forums the way I did it I was lucky enough to get the oppertunity to ride a soft tail and a hard tail on a course with single track technical some decent accents and really fun decents (not sure if you know of the tracks at Rietvlei Zoo Farm) And this is where I finally made my decission the ride on the soft tail was absolulty amaizing it was so smooth and well very very easy to forget you traveling at high speed on a rocky decending terrain. and for me that was the big thing I relly enjoyed the way the hardtail threw me around i like the mission to have to fight the bike to stay on track just makes for a more exciting ride for ME. Other then that I have also now got really good components and shocks etc... so in 1 year from now if I am propper bored with the hard tail I can look at buying a decent soft tail frame and put my components on. I hope you see my opinion on why I went the way I did. either way the ride for me was fun. Habib

Ok guys to all of you who gave there opinion and ideas on what bike they like and what would suit me the best THANK YOU, it definatly you guys made it very easy to ask the question which to a guy who rides a lot seem stupid but for a noob things they dont understand so thanks for listening and answering with patience. I did eventually make a decision today and I am now a proud owner of a Merida TFS 900D Hard tail Thanks again guys

Hey Guys thanks for all the advice and you have given regarding the right bike for me I finally made a choice today and bought a Merida TFS 900 D thanks every one for the help Habib

I was also in no way worried about riding a preloved bike but I am still very slow on the uptake and seem to miss all the decent bikes up for grabs I havent bought yet so there is still the option for preowned

Sorry wrong data Specifications Frameset Sizes S, M, L, XL Frame Generation Frame Technology, G2 Force Fork Rock Shock Tora Race Solo Air Wheels Wheels Novatec Sealed Disk Hubs, WTB Speed Disc Rim Tires WTB Prowler MX 26" x 2.1 Drive chain Shifters Shimano XT - Rapidfire Plus Front Derailleur Shimano SLX Rear Derailleur Shimano XT Crank set Shimano SLX Bottom Bracket Shimano SLX Cassette SRAM 11-32T, 9 Speed Chain Shimano HG73 Pedals Shimano PD-M520 Components Saddle Silverback Extreme Seat post Silverback Race Light Alloy Handlebar Silverback Race Light Alloy Riser Bar Stem Silverback Race Light Alloy Headset VP Components Brake set Shimano Hydraulic M575 Weight 12.4 kg

Please bare with my ignorance but what and where are the better components all I know about at this point is the XT is the range of gear I am going to try aim for is that correct as for the Shock I have seen a lot of different Tora what makes the difference and the same with the breaks I have added the Specs from the Sierra just so I can compare and you can show me what to compare IF YOU DONT MIND Frame Geometry Size S M L XL A seat tube C/T 390 440 480 530 B seat tube C/C 328 378 418 468 C top tube - horizontal 555 580 600 620 D head tube angle 70.5˚ 71˚ 71˚ 71.5˚ E seat tube angle 73.5˚ 73.5˚ 73˚ 73˚ F head tube length 90 100 110 130

OK but in this price range of R 11k what model GEE TEE they great bikes but do you not end up paying for name as well

I am going to Buy a bike this weekend (My first proper bike) I have increased my avaliabe funds from R8K to R11K just coz I want happy with the options I Had out there for a bike. After some hours shopping these are the 3 I have narrowed down to. The Silverback from what I have read has the better components all round, the Merida is apparently a better knowen brand and the mongoose has basic components but is a FS, All of this is the very limited knowledge of a nooby So If I have said something wrong or incorrect here please correct me and give me your idea on what you would Buy