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Hi Hubbers, So this video is a year old now but has anyone here built/welded/carbon lay up a frame together from scratch? If so please do share details and pics😁 I don't currently have the tool-set but think it would still be an awesome project.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a pristine condition used large Silverback Slade Trail, but it really is miles too big for me. I've been looking for a used small trail hardtail build for a while now but haven't had much luck, and used small frames seem even more difficult to come by. The Slade I bought came with really nice components (for a new rider anyway) so I'm considering keeping the components and looking at just replacing the frame. I've looked at the following: Commencal Meta HT (a bit too pricey and no small size available on their site) Trek Roscoe (may consider this depending on how much I can get for my Slade frame) Momsen STR/STF (doesn't support the 140mm fork I have already) Rapide Tigre (no small size) Any suggestions as to what else I could look at in that category? I'm 1.66m and would like a bike I can throw around quite easily so I'd prefer not to upsize if I can avoid it. Many thanks!

Hi everyone, I have a problem. i have started to ride more and more aggressively (came from XC) and now I bought myself a new bike, a 2018 Merida team big nine hardtail, it is an amazing bike and the frame weighs just 900g but I NEED a dropper post, I bought one now assuming it would work but apparently this model cannot use a dropper post, so now I sit with a dilemma I have a amazing bike but the frame isn’t working for me. I was wondering if anyone has or knows anyone who has a Hardtail 29 frame medium or large that is INTERNAL DROPPER POST READY (30.9 or bigger) who is willing to trade for my frame, even something less high of a spec. It’s a medium 29 inch frame! Let me know! Ps if anyone has a way of making it work on my frame it would be Appreciated.

I have been wondering for a while now why it seems hardtails are so unpopular in SA. I mean you hardly see a hard tail anywhere outside of a high school bike shed these days. Seemingly a full sus trail bike has become the entry point to being able to ride even a mild Jeep track. Now sure, I’m exaggerating a bit above, but it would seem locally that hardtails are not really selling anymore. I was in the specialized shop in Stellenbosch over the weekend to see some of the new bikes, and I was surprised not to see any decent hardtails. They only had the really entry level rock hopper hardtails. When I asked a young sales guy if they didn’t have any more serious hardtails in stock, he sheepishly showed me a top of the line S-Works Epic, that was retailing at R140k. Nothing else. When I asked him where all the bikes in between are, he said they don’t carry hardtails anymore, because no one buys them. This is in stark contrast to what we see in the overseas forums, and especially on channels like GMBN, where they seem to absolutely love hardtails, especially for longer rides across the countryside, or just some fun on a trail park. Now I know full sus is awesome, especially on multi day stage races, and especially with lots of long corrugated gravel or very bumpy track....... but for blasting on some flows single track, nothing on earth beats a hardtail. The XCO guys on the international scene also seem to chop and change between there full sus and hardtails depending on the terrain. So why on earth are hardtails basically dead here. Specially in a place like Stellenbosch, that is blessed with loads of amazing trail riding? If I was on a tight budget, I would far rather buy the best hardtails I could, rather than an entry level full sus. I mean bikes of R25 to 30k are being sold with sun tour and x-fusion suspensions, and SLX if you lucky. In these price range I much rather buy something with a REBA fork and full XT groupset....... If I was told I had to choose one bike now, and I could never have another, it would definately be something with pretty slack geometry, 130 mil travel up front, and nice wide 27,5 tires, and a hardtails. I do how ever hope the day never comes where one needs to be married to one type of bike for life......

Hi anyone heard of the pnarello mantha? advice whether to buy one requested

Hi All, Here's a little video of me running my HT against my PR I set on the Kona Process 153. It's a fun little jam. But I do get a bit carried away at the end... Thanx for watching! Phil

Hi guys and Gals... I put together a little (visual) comparison between the geometry of my 26" Shan and my 29" Enduro... The video also features a run down some fast natural single-trail...

A custom build is always a rewarding project. Part of this is the agonising process of looking for the perfect fit of design and components. For me, the direction of the build gets locked down once the look, or in this case the colours, has been decided. Once that is done, then the hunt for a complementary build kit begins. Click here to view the article

One can almost not help but to order a frame from David Mercer. He is as nice as he is enthusiastic and it's plain for all to see that he is a lover of what he does. Talking to him on the Mercer Bikes stand at the Africa Cycle Fair left me hungry for more Hungry Monkey and keen to experience the bike out on our local trails. Click here to view the article

I've been toying with the idea of a long travel, steel hardtail mountain bike for quite some time. Somehow I've always ended up heading in a different direction but not this time. Click here to view the article

I'm a lady rider looking to upgrade from my 26" Raleigh Nomad to something better as I ride a lot more now. I've seen a new 2014 Merida Juliet 500W, and a second hand 2013 Merida Matts Lite XT-edition both within my budget. I'm looking to spend max R13K on a hardtail, 26er or 650B. I'm only 154cm so would like something relatively light and compact (15" frame). I do a lot of single track riding. Any advice on whether I should go new or secondhand, and if there are other models I should consider would be appreciated.

Hi Guys I think the time to upgrade to a 29er hardtail Mtb has come.. So on Fri afternoon I decided to take a trip to my lbs, I asked them bang for buck whats the best value bike they have, and this is what they showed me: http://www.titanraci...m/29rpro.html�� R15k http://www.titanraci...on29rpro.html�� R20k They both identical except the one has a carbon frame, very nice looking bikes, The frames come with a 5yr warranty. Drive train is full XT with Slx brakes. ZTR Crest wheels Here my q's: 1. According to the salesman these frames are made by Merida, is this true? 2. The salesman said he preferred the titan bikes to Momsen, I've always thought of Momsen as the better of the 2, am I wrong? 3. Are these racing style frames? 4. For similar money what else can I get? (New) Thanks

Good Day, I am currently in the market for a new mountain bike. The AXIS A40 seems like a good option, so does the Silverback Sola4 (Similarly priced) Any Advice? Maybe another bike altogether? Regards Adriaan

2015 Cannondale F-Si Carbon Race Hardtail Unveiled, Integrates Everything posted by Tyler Benedict - May 30, 2014 - 12pm EDT http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2015-Cannondale-F-Si-carbon-hardtail-race-mountain-bike2-600x400.jpg When the Flash 29 debuted a couple years ago, it brought Cannondale’s System Integration (Si) to the frame with things like their OPI stem/steerer with Lefty fork and tuned SAVE seatstays. The all-new F-Si takes everything a step further by shifting the drivetrain off center, building a new Lefty, a new crank spider and adding a new SAVE seatpost to amplify the comfort of the micro suspension built into the frame. The result, they say, is the fastest race bike because, rather than just thinking about the frame itself, it’s designed as a complete bike in mind. That’s also how Cannondale builds some of the lightest bikes out there, by creating some of their own components (Hollowgram cranks, Lefties, etc.) to ensure things work together smoothly and quickly. So, what’s new? http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2015-Cannondale-F-Si-carbon-hardtail-race-mountain-bike5-600x352.jpg Starting with the whole frame, the geometry’s been changed to create a bike that’s simultaneously fast, stable and nimble. To get the “fast”, they shortened chainstays to a minuscule 429mm (16.88″), shorter by 15mm than before. To get the “stable and nimble”, they matched a slack 69.5º head angle with a 55mm offset Lefty fork. The head angle keeps things stable at speed while the short offset keeps handling snappy in the tight stuff. These numbers work because a bigger offset decreases the fork’s trail, putting the tire/ground contact patch more in line with the steerer’s center line (click here for diagrams and better descriptions). The prior Lefty 29er was 45mm offset, and typical 29er forks are around 47mm. http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2015-Cannondale-F-Si-carbon-hardtail-race-mountain-bike4-600x236.jpg To get chainstays that short without compromising 2x compatibility and mud clearance, they had to shift the rear hub and drivetrain to the right by 6mm. That let them keep tire clearance on the inside of the chainstays and front derailleur clearance on the outside. If you notice, the front derailleur cage extends behind the front of the rear tire, so by keeping spaced off to the side, it let them bring the rear wheel up closer. This keeps rider weight over the rear tire for solid traction while climbing and super stiff power transfer. http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/cannondale-hollowgram-ai-sisl-crankset-2015.jpg The new spider moves the chainrings out 6mm without affecting the spindle length or Q-factor. Out back, they had to move the hub 6mm right, also, which typically would shift the tire off the bike’s center line. To remedy this, Cannondale has the wheels built with zero dish, which brings the rim into center line without needing any proprietary parts. In the event you wanted to use your existing wheels, you’d probably need to have them redished or possibly rebuilt, but you could keep your existing hubs and rims. All of this comes together in a complete bike package that they say is stiffer and lighter than bikes using a rear thru axle. Yep, that’s right, they’re sticking with quick release rear ends. It’s a race bike after all, so weight and quick wheel changes were of equal importance to stiffness and efficiency. http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2015-Cannondale-F-Si-carbon-hardtail-race-mountain-bike3-600x404.jpg The rest of the frame keeps their SAVE micro suspension seatstays and BallisTec carbon construction where it counts. Keeping with the race theme, they kept all cable routing external. This saves weight compared to an internal routing and makes team mechanics’ lives much easier. There is, however, internal wiring ports for electronic shifting systems. Frame weight is claimed at 1,022 with all hardware (seat clamp, FD mount and cable guides). This is an externally validated, third party measurement. That said, they say they’ve weighed several models in house that have come in at 960g. http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2015-Cannondale-F-Si-carbon-SAVE-seatpost.jpg Complementing the frame is an all-new SAVE seatpost. This version drops 47g while boosting compliance by 20%. The flex is also more linear, which they say helps keep it bending under lighter loads. In other words, it’s more sensitive and should be more comfortable. http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2015-Cannondale-F-Si-carbon-LEFTY-29er-fork-600x433.jpg For the Lefty’s, offset isn’t the only change. The uppers are 2mm larger, yielding a 44mm diameter top structure to make it stiffer. Inside, there’s an all new damper, similar to the SuperMax on the Jekyll. They say it needed an update to handle the more aggressive nature of World Cup XC courses. So, now it’s more supple and there’s more air volume. More clamp widths are offered now (not just one), which means they fit each size frame specifically. For smaller bikes, that helps keep the front end low, and it all looks much better.

Hi Hubbers! I have gotten into cycling, specifically mountain biking, over the past year. At the moment I have two bikes, a 26er hard-tail and a 29er dual-suspension. I have also spent a lot of time on a hard-tail 29er which is a friend of mines. As per the title I weigh +-100kg's, 6ft2, with not much body fat. I live in Cape Town and do most of my riding on Table Mountain with the dual-sus 29er. When I am in other provinces I use the 26er and hard-tail 29er respectively. What I notice is that my worst rides from a struggling with getting up hills point of view and just getting around in general are on the dual-sus 29er. I don't know if it is just because it is much heavier than the hard-tails or if it is just not setup correctly (although I was fitted on the bike), but I really don't enjoy my riding when I ride with the dual-sus 29er. To give you an example, while in Durban I had the pleasure of riding at Holla Trails, the yellow route (48km's) on a hard-tail 29er and it was an absolute pleasure. Back home in the Cape I often cycle to the blockhouse on Table Mountain +-20km, and I also took part in the Xterra in Grabouw which was a difficult 28km's but it felt like murder on the dual-sus 29er, and the blockhouse ride sucks until I start the descent. At the moment the thoughts going through my head are sell the dual-suspension and move to a hard-tail. Carrying 100kg's around is already difficult as it is, am I being foolish trying to do it on a heavier dual-suspension bike? The type of riding I do is recreational, table mountain, the odd off-road triathlon and I am hoping to do some stage races next year like sani2c. Having said that could it be that I need more experience on the dual-suspension, my legs need to get stronger, the setup needs to be looked at? All of which I am going to do regardless before making a decision. I find that it feels like I am riding quite low even with the suspension locked out and my pedals often make contact with objects, which when on a hard-tail, would normally not happen unless the pedals are vertical when going over an obstacle. I climb hills like a demon on a hard-tail and like a rookie on the dual-sus. I would just like some insight from experienced riders like yourself, perhaps this is a normal learning curve. The 29er is a Scott Spark 940. Thanks! milo

Lets say there was no price difference between these two bikes. Which is better?