Wimmas

@ Rouxtjie, that's good news @ sk27, I will do that. Will likely be end October.

Let me just clear up - do you want either the A10 or A20 in FS or the A10 hardtail or A20 FS? What price were you quoted on both bikes? The A10 is a nice looking bike and has awesome components, but so does the A20. Believe me when I say that you'll need to put on other brakes right from get go. I'm going through the same process, so keep that in consideration.

Have a look at the following bike as well http://www.buycycle.co.za/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=7848

Getting rid of my granny ring will require some more training from my side. The other day I was visiting my GF in newcastle and we went to Vulintaba country estate. Did a 16km singletrack ride and the one long climb was just too much to be on the second ring. I had to put it on the granny ring and the biggest rear just to climb and on some parts the back wheel just spun and I stood still, had to get off and walk. So for now, saving a few grams to go 2x10 will not benefit me and would be unpractical. I must say that my previous bike had a SLX/XT mix and I don't feel much difference on my current setup. These SRAM components shift just as smooth and quick if maintained/lubed properly. It's just the darn brakes So it will be the REBA and new SLX brakes in 4 months. I hope the REBA comes with a pump seeing that's it's R4500?

Well then maybe I should sell my current fork and use the money to buy new brakes and get the REBA. Thanks peeps

SamL I have the Momsen R type, with ZTR rims and XC32 air fork, not the standard version. Here's a pic: Anyway, could you explain to me why the REBA be a better upgrade than the groupset? I'm a student in my final year of a honors degree and do some work for the varsity, so at the end of the year I get some cash for an upgrade, no loans etc. First need to pay off student loans The merida I had, had a manitou minute expert fork on it and it was much stiffer and the ride was much bumpier than the fork I currently have on the 29er, it's much smoother. Maybe it's just cause it's a 29er? Is the REBA also smooth/soft?

Hi peeps Unfortunately for my finances I'm one of those guys who always wants to upgrade whatever I have, it's like a disease Here's the deal - I don't care about winning any races etc, my main focus is comfort, durability etc. I want to get on my bike and be a proud owner, I must enjoy it and feel as though it's perfect for me. I (like any other individual) prefer components work as effective as possible and do what they are supposed to do (Groupset - provide fast, smooth and efficient shifting/braking and fork provide a smooth ride, absorbing bumps and relieving your arms from a lot of strain). My current setup Groupset: (3x10) Shifters: SRAM X5 Crankset: SRAM S800 FD: SRAM X5 RD: SRAM X7 Brakes: Avid Elixir 1 Fork: Rock Shox XC 32 TK air (2133g) I must say I do like the fork thus far, except for the fact that it has chrome upper tubes which is difficult to keep clean, but it is a soft fork and really provides a smooth ride up front. The down side is it's heavy, and like I said the chrome upper tubes. A fork upgrade will save me about 500-600g overall. The groupset does provide smooth shifting, thus far, but the brakes are junk. I would also like for all components to be the same, as in one groupset. I know that different parts work the same but it's a psychological thing for me, it's as if XT was made to be grouped with XT components etc and another groupset has the added benefits of better brakes. So what I have to choose between is: SLX groupset - 2x10 or 3x10? Rock Shox Reba Your inputs will be appreciated

How much do you want to spend and I assume the bike is a 29er? Maybe look at the Suntour Raidon @ CWC http://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/suntour-raidon-shock-29er I think it's a pretty decent fork for a good price.

The XC30 29" weighs 2322g and is coil unless SRAM's 2014 model will be air but it's highly unlikely. The Silver TK on the 2013 model is air and weighs 2186g which isn't a huge difference but like you said BBB there will be an increase in the price of the 2014 model which isn't justified in my mind. I would've understood if the price remained unchanged but due to the exchange rate this is probably not possible. The other day I saw a good value for money bike - The Axis A20 which the LBS sold @ R8800 but I guess that was just a clearance special. It had a RS Recon Gold, with SRAM X9/X7 components. A much better deal if you ask me.

Is it just me or do more and more brands actually accessorise their brands with their own brands like the tyres, and so many bikes are actually downgraded in newer models. I think this reflects that economies over the globe are weakening each year, and that's why these brands need to downgrade to stay in a certain price bracket to be competitive with their rivals. I mean since when do bike brands make their own tyres instead of slapping on some Kenda/Schwalbe etc? Probably a strategic move - Producing their own tyres has become cheaper than outsourcing them from other producers? And I mean the 2013 Big Nine TFS 500 had a RS Recon Silver TK air on it, now one sits with a coil fork? The 2013 had Shimano M446 brakes with 180 rotors front and rear, now it's M445 180/160. The 2013 had M505 clipless pedals which you now have to pay an extra R299 for when buying the 2014 model? These are small things but add up in the end The same goes for Momsen - in 2012 they brought out the AL329 with ZTR rims and a Raidon air fork for under R10k, now the standard AL329 does not have an air fork or ZTR rims, to have these you need to buy the R version which costs R2k more? From what I've also seen the last year is that mountain biking has really evolved and many organisations are now getting involved with much more interest in the sport - this means that more bikes are being sold and every Tom, Dick and Harry want a bike without much knowledge on bikes, so these brands downgrade the bikes without much notice from the consumer's side due to the lack of knowledge. This eventually turns into a negative for riders with knowledge looking at value for money cause now you need to pay extra for a good quality bike as the previous models of a certain bike which was a good value for money bike has now been replaced with lower value for money model. I also think that this trend gives suppliers more power which then transfers down the chain making a bike more expensive to the end consumer. Sigh

My opinion: 1. Leave the bike just like that. 2. If getting those 650b wheels so badly that you would suffer from depression if you don't get them, sell your 29" frame and wheels, get a 650b frame and those wheels, or just sell the entire 29er and get a 650b.

Or maybe I'll wait as I've thought of getting the SLX groupset @ R5900 from CWC in about 4 months time which includes a disc brake set. Then I'll just sell the entire groupset on the Momsen. The SRAM components I have no issue with, they work pretty decent but the SLX groupset is better than the SRAM mix I currently have on.

Ok awesome! I'll take off the avid's and slap a paid of Shimano Deore's on it, 160mm rotor at the back and 180mm up front. I thought these brakes come pre-bled? The brakes are still new so I don't see the point in bleeding them. Thanks for the responses

Getting them bled or getting other rotors is going to cost me. Even if I get them bled the noise is still there so I'll need to get them bled and get rotors whoch will probably be around R650. I think maybe I should just stick it and save for a set of Deore brakes and keep the Avid's as a spare set for another bike or my gf's bike. I'll probably not get much if I sell them even though they are new seeing that they have a bad reputation. It sucks paying so much money for a bike and getting a sh*t pair of brakes on it and having to fork out more money just to upgrade. And the Avid manuals for the braking system also sucks, so they don't just have k@k brakes but also provide you with useless guidelines on how to maintain them. Sigh

Hi peeps I sold my 2013 Merida Matts TFS 900 about a month ago and got a 2013 Momsen AL329R. On Merida's site they say the TFS 900 has Avid Elixir 1 brakes on them but that's not the case, or at least in SA. I remember my Merida had Shimano brakes on it but can't remember which brakes. Now the Momsen does have Avid Elixir 1 brakes on it and I hate it. Even my Silverback Stride 10 had better braking ability and I remember it had a cheap set of Shimano hydraulic brakes on it. These Avid's on my Momsen are noisy and their braking ability is poor. It seems as though the braking intensity before lockout on them are weak and one also needs to pull the levers quite hard where as the Shimano brakes had a lot of braking intesity before lockout and the levers did not have to be pulled hard, they were more sensitive. I tried setting the reach on the Avid's and it helped a bit with the front brakes but the rear just sucks. I don't know if the person who built the Momsen set up the brakes incorrectly but I'm getting sick of these noisy useless brakes. Anyone know how I could resolve this issue or should I just throw the brakes away? Anyone maybe know what brakes are on the 2013 Merida Matts TFS 900? I don't really want to spend a lot of money on new brakes as I'm on a student budget and just spent a lot of money on getting the Momsen and doing a decent tubeless conversion on it.

I would want a carbon 29er frame, seatpost, stem and handlebars by the end of the year and I'm also in Potch until the end of the year Anyway the reason I would not want to do it myself is that I don't know anything about customs, import duties etc and would be too scared that I order a frame from their site and it costs me say R4000. By the time it has landed in my hands it cost me R7000 cause of something I wasn't aware of in the process of getting it from China to me. If it was/is as simple as ordering from the site, paying for the shipping and receiving it without any hidden costs I would've done it myself

i got a Momsen AL329R and I'm impressed. It's got the Snakeskin tyres which is perfect for the ZTR rims, seats so nicely without any issues or pressure lost since I did the conversion almost two weeks ago. Shifting is pretty awesome as well and it's a real smooth ride. The only thing I am going to change on the bike is the brakes. On both my previous bikes I had Shimano brakes, now the Momsen has Avid Elixir 1 and since day one I disliked them. They make noises, the front brake vibrates and sqeeuks and braking power is not as good as I hoped.

All the Titan bikes I've seen are heavier than their rivals, but I stand to be corrected? IMO R17k can get you a much lighter/better bike. Don't just get any carbon bike for it being carbon. There are some light aluminium bikes out there like the Silverback Vida 1, one or two Scott bikes and even the Momsen AL529 which has a great groupset, RS SID fork and ZTR Crest rims. If you really want carbon and only have R17k get a Chinese carbon import frame and build your own bike. It will end up being lighter and you could build it according to your liking.

I've only used Stan's on ghetto conversion as well as my latest - legitamite ZTR Crest + rim tape + valves conversion and it has worked fine for me. Seals them thorn holes nicely. The only time I ever experienced a problem on my MTB was when I rode on tar for probably 3km's to get to my offroad destination and the back tyre ate a peice of glass and spat all the Stan's on my bike/leg. Not even the thickest gator plug could repair it and the tyre had to be repaired from the inside. Furthermore Stan's has never let me down

Lemme splain to ya! 99% of all protein shakes on the market is BS and provide false info on the labels regarding nutritional info. When getting a protein shake, you want the highest amount possible protein p/100g with the least amount of carbs/fats. I.M.O Evox lean pro is very good but if you want THE sh*t look at www.basicsupplements.co.za. They have some raw supplements that have very good nutritional values, it's unflavoured so it doesn't taste like milkshake (but you want it for the protein, not the taste right?). Anyway, ANY supplement on the market is just there to compliment your diet IF needed. If you just eat the right food at the right amount you'll never need to use a sigle supplement for energy or muscle growth, maybe just some vitamins/essentail oils for general health. I know this for a FACT and no oe in this entire world will ever be able to prove that wrong - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!!!! I can write you essays on dieting and nutrition and go heavy into detail but I'll only do that if you're SERIOUS about it otherwise I waste 2 hours of my time explaining it and it falls on deaf ears. Luckily the internet is your friend

My new bike. 2013 Momsen AL329 R type

Sjo! If I have to go by the book on hours/km's I would be broke. All I do is the following: 1. Properly clean ALL greasy parts with parraffin (and I mean properly, with a toothbrush etc) at least once a week and relube chain. 2. Clean upper tubes of fork after every ride. 3. About every 2-4 weeks feel if bearings are fine, feel for vibrations and listen for unusual noises. 4. If cables stretch out, ONLY TIGHTEN THE CABLE, DON'T FIDDLE WITH THE SCREWS ON THE FD/RD. 5. Take the fork for a service about twice a year. Doing this my bike always looks spotless and rides like a dream. But I guess it depends how much you ride, what type of riding etc. If you're permanently in the dirt, bouncing the fork from 3m drops, shifting 30 times in 2 mins, shifting while chain is under severe strain, riding a low cadence etc then you'll need a new bike every week.

The Silverback Spectra is a 26" not a 29er. Any brand or at least most are good. Find a bike that suits your measurements/geometry and you also need to feel comfortable and confident on it. The only reason I said AL329 R type is that you get a set of R6000 rims on it which is also favored when trying to sell, you get a set of snakeskin tyres which also saves you R1100 and you get an air shock, even though it's entry level that's where you can now upgrade. Get any other brand for around R11k and you'll need to get the R6k rims, R1.1k tyres and if you're lucky you'll get an air shock. It's give and take, trade-offs one needs to consider. Just do your research thoroughly before buying otherwise you're going to end up selling it quickly to get something else.

Ok here's the deal - get a 29er. They sell easier if you don't want it anymore, they are really taking over the bicycle market and you'll be happy with it. Walk into any LBS and what do you see - 29ers everywhere. Secondly, there is no better value for money bicycle than the Momsen AL329 R type. It's future proof and has a lot of room for upgrading in the future. The standard AL329 is definitely not a bad deal, but I can't see why not spend R2k more to save SO much more.

Budget R8000. Looking for a Momsen AL329 or maybe something similar.