GLuvsMtb

I fear that players with Disciplinary problems / reputations may be a liability during the world cup. What happens if Bakkies Botha gets suspended for 8 weeks during the WC? We will be without a key player for the rest of the tournament. As much as I like Bekker as a player, I don't think he should be in the starting line-up. At this stage it will go to Danie Rossouw in my starting 15. I agree that Smith may have to stand aside for new blood. Make him part of the management team to retain his rugby brain. He must have one, we would not have won the last WC with a moron for a captain.

Hopefully we'll be seeing a price war soon between Cyclelab and CWCycles - seems like CWC dropped their Oakley Jawbone prices already...

This world is not big enough for another one.

You can always sell a kidney instead - reduces weight you know 2011 Rear Triangle angle with the rear shock seems to be better aligned than the 2010, which will improve the performance of the rear suspension system. Lets hope that they are actually at the ride before you buy in CT (Did not notice them at the last one) so that I can give it a fair review. I would have liked to see a SRAM X9, X0 and XX build running concurrently with the Shimano SLX, XT and XTR build.

Nothing like a quick slash at the top of a climb when you are waiting for the slower folk in the group... Oh you mean a slashed tyre.... <whistles and walks off>

A few things to consider when using a UST / Tubeless system: - The system's primary focus is not avoidance of punctures, but rather better comfort and control riding lower pressures - Conversions are not guaranteed to work and are more likely to fail when repairs are done on the trail due to not having workshop conditions to fit and inflate the tyres. - If you get a side wall cut and need to put a gator in, you may as well put a tube in. - Put some sealant in your tube - this will reduce the chance of a second puncture. The 50ml of sealant is hardly noticable, unless you are the type that removes 3 of the 6 disc mount bolts on your rotors to save weight. - Remove your tyre every 6 months to inspect the condition thereof and to refill the sealant. At this time make sure the valve / rimstrip are removable. - If you have UST rims you will be able to inflate the tyre with a good foot pump. It is worth the upgrade and can save you a lot of hassle when having to do repairs on the trail.

Ach henry ey lav it wen you talk forrin!

I think it was the 2010 model. I am not an engineer, but I think you would get a better suspension system ih the rear shock and top stay was aligned at 180Deg (a straight line). Much easier to set up and less stress on the system. The 2010 model had what looked like a 15deg angle between the shock and the top stay. I also think that SRAM makes better (and cheaper to service/replace) components than Shimano. So consider a SRAM spec as well if you have not done so yet.

Would love to ride with you. At the moment I am putting in serious hours for the Trans Baviaans, so lets call a ride for a week or 2 thereafter. I can then point out what bothers me about the Mercury design. I'll bring the beer too.

Hehe. And I do like to rev your enjin for you. I'll sit and watch Neotel DVD's all day as long as Nolan Hoffman is not in them. He single-handedly succeeded to put the development of previously disadvantaged cyclists back by 3 years. Those who know me also know that this is a topic that I feel very passionate about. And yes. The Merida is taking a short break. Got an offer to sell her for about what I paid for her, but can't let her go. Its another bike that I love and I have promised her that I will ride her from time to time.

Agreed buddy. Its not an attack on the brand, but rather a statement that I simply can't get excited about the current bikes. There is nothing that is unique about it. I will also not ride a Canondale Lefty, but it still remains unique and for that I have huge respect. Futhermore the potential sponsorship of the SA team may be commendable, but it is not an indication of what the best brand is, its rather an indication of who out there is willing to commit. I hope that they get a decent return on this investment and also that this doesn't back-fire like the Neotel sponsorship did.

Since we are knitpicking here...How many races have you been at where you have "seen" this? You somehow don't strike me as the racing type... In theory a Tata bakkie would beat a ferrari on anything that is not tar...

I have tried the Mercury 2 (I think it is the same frame as the Mercury 1) and found the floating pivot-thing a bit unpredictable in fast corners. Furthermore I would have gone with SRAM X9 as I think shimano is over-priced and overrated. It didn't give me that warm fuzzy feeling... It was simply a bike to ride.

If we had a local cheap car in SA I would have compared it to that. I used Tata because SA is where India was 15 years ago ito world economy. None the less. I don't simply buy local because its local. I will not buy a Kurt Darren CD simply because he is local. The fact that Morewood is a local brand is incidental and I bought the bike because I loved it from the minute I saw it (even before all the reviews and the hype that now surrounds the Zula). I would have paid R80k for the bike - I wanted it THAT much. You are missing the point. You buy stuff to satisfy different needs. A "sensibile, cheaper" purchase satisfies basic needs, where a more expensive purchase for a similar product satisfies more complex needs as well as basic needs. Its like expecting to get twice as drunk on a bottle of Kanonkop Pinotage (2002 if anyone wants to buy me a case) opposed to a bottle of Beyerskloof Pinotage. Getting drunk was never the intention when you bought the more expensive option (and I am NOT saying that there is anything wrong with the Beyerskloof either, in case you miss the point again) Oh and racing snail - don't make calls on people's personallities when you really don't know them. If I was saying that Silverback is crap, rather buy Morewood, I bought one and this makes me Mr-Cool-dude-I-know-everything, your emmigration comment would have been warranted. Different strokes for different folks is what I'm saying. Not one is better than the other...

On the topic of pro-riders using Pick n Pay specials: David Kinjah and Davidson Kamau came second in the Joberg 2 C on bikes that made Pick n Pay Specials look good. Makes you think what they could have done on sub 10 kg 'dales or Spaz's... (ask anyone who was there...) Here are 2 pro's that simply ride because they can...

1. Nolan Hoffman is an admitted doper. So if there was any justice in the system those victories would have been allocated to the true winners. Silverback brand was badly damaged which is why they are now trying to penetrate the MTB market. Nolan was never concerned about his carreer - he was only concerned about winning a few races so he decided to take short-cuts. 2. In the national setup riders have little / no say about the equipment that they get to use. In the perfect world the national administrators would have asked for proposals from 4 or 5 companies and thereafter got the role players and riders to give their input (I'll give 5 to 1 that this did not happen). 3. Spec is one thing. Geometry and suspension systems are another. If you put ferrari door handles on a tata, its still a tata. 4. Refer to my earlier comment about the psychology behind buying a bike. You satisfied a basic need by buying a budget-bike. Silverback is lucky to have a few peeps that want to recognise with the brand. A few Tata drivers also love their cars. Lets hope that if you ever have a warrantee issue, Silverback will take that into account. I am the first one to admit that my Morewood won't make me twice as fast as my old merida, even though it was twice as expensive, but it sure feels awesome riding her. B)

Sounds like a half baked attempt by a Silverback employee/rep to push the brand. We all know that the pro riders will ride pick-n-pay specials if they have to. A crappy sponsorship is better than no sponsorship at all. And besides: how much say did the riders have in this issue? Betcha some palms got greased at Administration level to procure this sponsorship.

...unless the frame is hand-welded in Pietermaritzburg.

Some people are content to drive a Kia, some people like to own the latest Mercedes. The latter costs twice as much as the former but you don't end up getting twice the amount of car. If you apply Maslow's theory here you will find that the Kia drivers look to satisfy their basic needs with the purchase and the Merc drivers look to satisfy higher needs as well. Buying a bike is the same. If you want a bike to ride - buy the cheap branded bikes, but if you want more from the bike go for one you REALLY like.

Next someone is going to say that the Devil made em do it... Come-on Fritz, don't insult our intelligence. If the minutes were inaccurate did you propose any amendments after they were circulated? None of you did that, so you must have been happy with the content.

Bloody agents!

youtube.com/watch?v=AZQf1bduGYs

Rode Shimano for 3 years - Changed to SRAM this year (X0 trigger / X9 RD combo) and haven't missed a gear since. Nothing like a picture to illustrate a point: New bike will have SRAM X0 Gripshift / XO RD combo. B)

Around Sep/Oct 2002 it hit R 12:50 to the $ if memomry serves me. The point is that a 20 to 30% improvement in the exchange rate has been passed on to the consumer. Wish the same happened in the motor vehicle industry, instead we pay 20% MORE for our cars (locally and internationally manufactured) than a year ago. To all the conspiricy theorists out there: Lets see what the commision finds.

See you all tonight. Seems like the "fast" group riders are all staying at home tonight... reminds me of the story of the tortoise and the hare...