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  1. The Sphere 1 is Silverback's reimagination of the hardtail with plus sized wheels. It features 3.0" tyres to add grip, stability, and comfort. The extra small and small bike sizes use 27.5 x 3.0” tyres, whereas the medium, large and extra large bikes are fitted with bigger 29 x 3.0” tyres. There are two models available in the range with the Sphere 1 pitched as more performance driven bike of the two, with shorter chainstays and high end aluminium tubing, while the Sphere 2 has a slightly more stable geometry for increased traction and balance for entry level riders. Download attachment: Silverback Sphere 1 1-3.jpg Click here to view the article
  2. At first glance Silverback's Square is a big bike, the 27.5plus, 3 inch tyres dwarfing its frame and even the more typical 2.25" wheeled Silverback Slider model hanging with it on the bike rack on the back of my car. You'll be excused if you mistake it for a typical fatbike, or not know exactly what to make of it. I am in no way an XC racer, nor do I have steel gonads or a never-ending supply of optimism and energy. What I am however, is an aggressive trail rider. I like to do everything with a single bike, ride up at a semi decent pace then fly down. W2W one weekend and then enter an enduro the next weekend, without changing bikes or even suspension setup between events. My review is from this perspective - so please see it as such. I've spent a couple of days with two of Silverback's 2016 models, the Slider and Square with the focus of my time on the Square. FrameBike colours will always be subjective; Silverback has chosen to go the route of bright neons on their trail bikes, and some of them are a bit too bright for my liking. I normally ride my bikes black on black with only small feature pieces. The Square however is both bright enough and subtle enough to attract my attention and highlight it's features. The paint is durable and pretty scuff resistant and the decal design and colours under the clearcoat well thought out. The tubing diameter, profiles and layout looks well proportioned, and has an aggressive feel to it, and not the softer looks that some fat- and plus bikes offer. With a tapered headtube, hydro-formed 6061 alloy tubing, detailed machining and neat welding, Silverback makes a good looking stiff frame that inspires confidence in their build quality. The rear end buttons up with a 12mm Maxle for maximum stiffness. My right inside calf was touching the rear triangle on the upstroke, right at the top pivot bolt (due to the increased width to accommodate the plus sized wheels). This lasted for a couple of minutes and I thought I would get very annoyed with it, turned out I either got used to it, or adjusted my leg subliminally and completely forgot about it. ComponentsDrivetrain:Silverback uses Sram components on their bikes, and so the square features a 1x11 (10-42) Sram GX gear setup with a Raceface Turbine crankset and 32t NW ring. Shifting remained crisp and effortless during testing. I like the yellow cable on the display bike - a detail that works for me with the decals. Slowing down:SLX brakes on 180mm IceTec rotors, takes care of reigning this machine in, and albeit great for everyday trails, I found that they felt slightly under-powered when I was on steep difficult terrain where gravity was hard at work. A bigger front rotor could possibly sort this out, which would be a cheaper solution that upgrading to XT brakes. Wheels:52mm Wide Stans Hugo rims, on Sram hubs (15/110mm T/A front, 12/148mm T/A rear) and tubeless Maxxis Chronicle 3" tyres completes the running gear. The tyres roll fast and handles rocks and roots well, but I felt the front tyre could have more aggressive side knobs to aid aggressive cornering especially on loosepack. I tried different tyre pressures and ended up using higher pressure than recommended, to counter the feeling of sidewall flex in berms. Since the bike was an ex display bike turned demo bike, the bike slipped under the radar and did not get the PSS that would normally be done to a build before it gets sold or added to the demo fleet. This unfortunately meant that for the most components, I got a no-grease, bone dry bike. Only evident after taking a ride when trying to remove the rear wheel, realizing the 12mm Maxle has seized in place, resulting in a damaged axle when I had to forcefully remove it. Silverback assures me that this is a fluke - and all bikes gets a pre-sale service under normal circumstances. Saddle: Seating is provided by a very comfortable house brand Sector Perfromance series saddle on a Sector alloy seatpost. The newer bikes gets sold with internally routed 100mm Sector dropper posts, but unfortunately this display bike was built up before the dropper addition to the spec list and so I could not try it out. Bars/Stem: The cockpit comes in the form 740mm wide Sector double butted alloy riser bar, bolted to a 60mm Sector Box stem. Decent looking equipment, wide enough for good control, functional and clean with no clutter, and very little noticeable flex through the bars. The headset loosened up a few times in the first couple of rides, but after tightening it up the 3rd time, it retained it's place. This is probably due to a lightweight starnut. The topcap looks good, but the anodized alu feature bolt showing signs of wear without any over-tightening. The grips offers good tackiness and thickness, but is a bit hard for my liking and riding them for a long day on hard trails will result in some pretty hardcore calluses, once again that is very subjective. Fit: Geometry numbers on the Square are on par with modern trail bikes with a 69deg head angle, 625mm top tube and a pretty long 1169mm wheelbase. The large was a perfect fit for my 182mm (6'0) height. SuspensionFront:Suspension is sorted at the front by a 34mm stanction, Manitou Magnum Comp, 120mm fork with boost/110mm hub spacing. It has limited adjustability - air spring, rebound and ABS+ compression damper/lockout , but feels planted, plush and stiff, and more impressively - bottomless on trails, even with only 120mm travel. Surely the big volume tyres are partly responsible. Rear:IDS Revo is the name Silverback has given their rear suspension system (bottom bracket concentric cartridge bearings that mounts via linkage to the rear triangle), and running off a Rockshox RT3, the setup provides you with 110mm travel, that is both small bump sensitive, and big hit capable. I never flipped the lever over from fully open and did not feel it necessary on climbs, as the bike never felt like it was squatting or bobbing when pedaling, even out of the seat. The cable routing under the BB in an attempt to get it clean and neat, and to get it away from the wide rear triangle, seems a bit forced, with tight twists and turns. Changing brakes may prove a challenge, considering the length of the needed rear hose or completely re-routing, to make shorter hoses work. Riding the bikeUp:Mountain biking is not exempt from physics, and as per Newton's 3rd law of motion; what goes up, must come down. That means that to get decent downhills, you must endure the uphills. Consequently most good mountain bike trails typically start with a proprietary climb up a hill, leg powered or ski-lift, gradual or steep. Locally in SA, we don't have the luxury of Gondolas and so pedaling the bike to where you want it is standard procedure. The Square is good, albeit a bit slouchy on the climbs - the great suspension and endless grip only hampered by the 15kg+ weight of the bike. if you keep your cadence steady and your gear ratio light (with the legs to back it up), it will climb like a Sherpa over any terrain, but it does take it out of you on longer climbs. Once at the top, you may just want to take a slight breather before heading down. Down: Catch your breath, take a sip of your bottle (of which a full size bottle fits in the front triangle) point the 3" front tyre down and release a whole can of whoop-ass on the trail. The Square has immense roll over ability, and as long as you can imagine the line, the Square will obey, undramatically eating rocks, devouring bumps and ignoring ruts. The Square feels balanced, and composed, on trails, the geometry lending itself to going faster than you would feel comfortable on normally. Riding the bike on fast DH lines and quick Red routes like Red Phoenix, the bike reveals a planted character, unshaken by ruts or braking bumps. What you do also notice is that this stability comes at the cost of flick-ability, and liveliness and running flat out through a chicane will have you working hard to lean and keep the bike dropped retaining traction, especially in the quick switch from side to side. Some traction can be gained by dropping tyre pressures, but there's a fine balance of traction vs rolling resistance and the feeling of the tyre sidewall flexing, makes my stomach churn, especially since I know that if my wheel burps, I need a couple of CO2 canisters, and a whole lot of luck to get tyres seated or inflated. And a micro pump is about as useful as inflating an air mattress with your mouth. It will get you there eventually, but there's easier ways to do things. Riding typical trails where you are doing longer distances, the rolling resistance on wide tyres and extra weight will not go unnoticed unfortunately. Sure you'll get strong riding it all day, or - and more possibly so - you may plan or unwittingly keep your ride distances down to shorter rides than usual, with less traversing and exploring as a part of your ride. Let the brakes go, choose a line and commit and you'll soon go into hyperdrive, where trees blur, and tunnel vision takes over. The bike pops off jumps surprisingly easy for its size, and in the air is a place where the Square feels very at home. It's more comfortable with slight tweaks and dead sailors than with big whips and tabletops, since the sheer size of the wheels generate a substantial gyroscopic force that does not like to be change direction when at speed. Landing is uneventful and almost too easy. With a relatively long rear end, getting the front wheel to stay up and level at manuals takes some practice and technique adjustment - your front wheel needs to be picked up higher to get your weight more off the back of the bike, to counter balance the front end and get decent distance over obstacles. Alternatively, just roll over them, since you probably won't feel it. The real test of the Square's abilitiesAfter pitching the idea to Marthinus of Silverback, he was kind enough to let me run the Square in EzelEnduro 2016, a race that, although only in it's second year, has a reputation to break bikes and riders. The terrain on SS1 starting fast and off camber - sandy, and finishing off SS66 with nothing but steep boulder fields. To setup the Square for the race I did a couple of setup and component changes, just to dial it in. My own wider bars, XTR brakes, Ruby silicon grips to help with arm pump, and my Fox DOSS dropper with SDG iBeam seat and some cage pedals for more secure footing to replace my XTR clipless. Then I also added on loads and loads of frame protection tape and cut up a used tyre as downtube protection, so that I don't return a badly scuffed up bike to Silverback after the race. Other than that, I rode it all stock. The 120mm front suspension from the Manitou Magnum fork, was a concern in the back of my mind, but never felt overwhelmed on the trail, even though I did bottom it out a couple of times, it was never a harsh feeling. On that kind of terrain a 140mm fork would have been better suited, and I imagine the bike would be well suited to the longer travel. The rear suspension handled the rocks well, and not puncturing on any of the stages is testament to how well it coped. The weight of the bike hampering flowy swift direction changes, fast lines where a lot of skipping over sections would be needed, like I normally would do on a lightweight trail bike, but had me choosing seemingly impossible lines and not giving it a second thought, bouncing off big rocks, steep drops and riding in and out of ruts - mostly just over them with abandon. EzelEnduro photo Credit to Ewald Sadie. esphotography.co.za Pushing the bike up to the two final stages (that's just what you have to do - not compulsory, but impossible to ride and pointless to try), I was acutely aware of it's size and weight, as my body was tired from wrestling the terrain, and there is no way I could be carrying it on my back, up the slopes to the starting points. On the race, the Silverback Square proved to be, as my test rides would have suggested, a competent and very competitive and solid choice of bike for the terrain. I think my results, in part, shows what this bike lends itself to.Inspection after the race showed a bike for the greater part unfazed by the terrain, other than the rear wheel bearings may need a service/tightening up, rear spokes needs tensioning and there's a single small flat spot in the rim. The long and short of itBig wheels. Sure you can use it on the beach on your December holidays, and the 3" tyres would do well there running lower pressures; but once you've seen what this machine can do, you'll feel silly using it as a beach cruiser. If you look at it there on the car, dwarfing both the car and most other bikes, it is difficult to picture what the bike is designed for or what it is capable of; so take it to some trails to find out. I've been hitting downhill PR's with it on GSpot, Paarl DH and Eden normally on the first pass already. If you're not hard pressed for fast climbing or all day long distance riding, and more interested in a well mannered trail bombing machine, that goes as good as it looks, look no further. It won't replace a carbon framed lightweight XC machine, and it's not as responsive and forgiving as an long travel purpose built enduro bike. All-in-all though, a great trail bike, but shaving a bit of weight off the build, would definitely give this bike a bit more Synergy... The Silverback Square is a well designed, well specced machine, it is very capable and could make any trail, and especially challenging terrain, seriously fun. The drivetrain, suspension design and suspension components really standing out in testing as well considered parts of the build, with nothing falling in the "why is that on here" bracket. The bike is not cheap, but, at it's price point and impressive part list, it is great value for your hard earned money. Official spec list (slightly different from the bike I tested): Frame: Silverback Intelligent Design System (IDS) Revo Technology, Exclusive Suspension Science, 27.5+ Trail Machine, Hydroformed 6061 Alloy Custom Butted Tubing, Tapered 1-1/8”-1.5” Headtube, Silverback 12 x 148mm Dropouts, Super-Stiff StaysFork: Manitou Magnum Comp 27.5+, 120mm, Tapered Alloy Steerer, Crown lockout, 15x110mm Dropout, Post Mount DiscRear Shock: Rock Shox Monarch RT3, 110mm Travel, 184x44mmRims: Hayes/Sun Ringle Mulefut 50 27.5”, Alloy, 32H, Hayes/ Sun Ringle Rimtape and Valves, BlackHubs: Front: 2 Cartridge Bearings, Rear: 4 Cartridge Bearings, 3 Pawl Chromo SRAM XD 11 Speed Freehub Body with 10° Engagement, 32H, 6-Bolt Disc MountTyres: Maxxis Chronicle 27.5” x 3.0, TR and EXO, Kevlar BeadStem: Sector Box, Alloy, S/M: 60mm; L/XL: 75mm, 6° x ∮31.8mm, BlackHandlebar: Sector Gradient, Double Butted Alloy, W: 740mm; Back Sweep: 9°; Up Sweep: 5°; 15mm Rise x ∮31.8mmSeatpost: SBC Dropper Post, Remote Lockout, Internal Cable Routing, 100mm Drop, ∮31.6mm, S/M: 350mm, L/XL: 400mm, BlackSaddle: Sector Performance series, Cr-Mo RailsBrake set: Shimano SLX BL/BR-M675, Open Hydraulic System, Metal Pads w/Fin, Levers Rotors Front: 180mm; Rear: 160mm, 6-Bolt, BlackShifters: SRAM GX X-Actuation SL Trigger Shifter, 11 Speed, BlackFront Derailleur: N/ARear Derailleur: SRAM GX X-Horizon w/ Rolling Bearing Clutch and Cage Lock, BlackCassette: SRAM XG-1150 11 Speed, 10-42T, BlackCrankset: Race Face Turbine, 32T, 11-Speed, 175mmBottom Bracket: Race Face, BSAImage from Silverback's website.
  3. Hey guys im racing an enduro race this weekend at Grootfontein bike park and im doing it on a Silverback stratos al 3 so basically 120mm front suspension and 115mm rear. I have jumped the bike over the famous road gap (9m gap) and its my first enduro race. Any tips to make my bike feel better racing it downhill? The max tires I can fit is a 2.2 if I remember correctly
  4. Hi All, Complete amateur here trying to relive his youth days haha. I was reading up on some other posts which always concluded in not purchasing a Raleigh or other supermarket bike because well they are *** (even though I only had Raleigh bikes in my youth). So I've been checking black friday deals and came across the following 2 silverback bikes from Solomons and need some advise on what exactly are the differences and what you would go for? or even another brand from another store within that price range: https://solomonscycles.co.za/products/silverback-stride-29-comp/ https://solomonscycles.co.za/products/silverback-stride-29-sport/ One is a comp and one is a sport but look very similar except for the brakes and front shocks from what I can see? just need some advise. Thanks guys, look forward to contributing more once I have purchased a bike and begin riding
  5. I have tried to identify the year of this bike but I cannot, the seller says 2014 and from my research it looks like a 2010/2011 but the text on the frame does not match up (nor any of the specs but this could have obviously been changed), any assistance?
  6. Hi there, First time here. I would really appreciate some help. My husband enjoys Mountain biking as a recreational hobby. He does some trails like the Berg and Bush and other MTB races. He currently has a Scott Aspect 740. I want to surprise him with a new bike. I have looked at the Silverback Sprint Plus or Scott Scale 960. He is a big dude. Weighs 118 kg and is about 1.86 tall. Could you please point me in the right direction? My budget allows for a nice bike up until R22 000.00. Any feedback will be highly appreciated as I am totally lost and it has to be a surprise, so asking him is out of the question...
  7. Bike 1: Silverback Stride 27.5" MD Bike 2: Silverback Stride 29" HD Area, Pretoria. Close to Wolwespruit House broken into on 7 May 2019 Don't have a nice pic of the 29" It's me mum's bike, will see if I can find more info later. Both bikes have gotten 'small' upgrades sometime after these pics were taken: The 29er has Ryder Dual Elite pedals now and should have a tubetubby as well. Can't remember whether the saddlebag was still on. Should also be a red silicone light tied on somewhere. The 27.5 has new platform pedals and a clip under the seat for the saddlebag which they conveniently did not take. There was also a black bell on the handlebars (with paint missing from a fall) and a red silicone light clipped on the right front shock. Maxxis tyre at the front, some other brand on the back since I blew a tyre and tube last month. Hope this might help.
  8. I am in the market for a new trail (all-rounder) bike. I used to ride an xc bike so looking for something a bit more capable in the rough stuff. https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/mtb/products/silverback-slider-lt-2-2018 The bike I'm looking at is a Silverback Slider Lt2. I'm just worried about the Manitou Magnum fork on the front and the x-fusion shock at the rear. I have no knowledge about these components. Are they capable and will they easily be serviceable? Also what other bikes can you recommend I look at? Budget ceiling is at around R27k, but the sweet spot will be around R22k. I don't mind looking second-hand, but new comes with a warranty. I ride a medium sized bike.
  9. It is no secret that the Silverback Sesta's launch has been a long time coming, but instead of rushing to market Silverback took their time to develop and refine the bike until they were completely satisfied. And it shows. Click here to view the article
  10. I'm 42 and started riding again , buying myself a hardtail Scott Aspect 940 after several years of taking a break . This was Oct 2017 . Unfortunately i had a minor lower back injury and had to go for a discectomy in Feb 2018 . The specialist and fisio recommended a Dual Suspension when riding again . I'm interested in the Silverback Sido 3 for myself and the Sola 3 for my wife . Can anyone recommend them and are there any other options to choose from that i'm missing . Your inputs please .
  11. Help me choose from these 3 options on a tight Budget? Now i got a thight budget, i would have to put spd pedals on, a bike fit and extra inner tubes aswell with this budget. My frame size is 56-58 Which one would you choose taken all factors in to account list 1-4: OPTION 1 - Scott CR1 Carbon 56cm - 105 - year:2006 R 8,500.00 https://goo.gl/roM5qZ - OPTION 1 - (doubdt - cant google or find this model specs anywhere???) Silverback Arizona 56cm - tiagara 9x2 - year:UNKNOWN R 4,900.00 --- can upgrade groupset --- https://goo.gl/Y7dSGv - OPTION 3 - bikebay Trek 1500 SLR 58cm - 105 - year:UNKNOWN R 7,500 https://goo.gl/GuFjmH -
  12. Hi Guys, I am new to the cycling community. Me and a friend decided to take up cycling as hobby for socialising while getting fit. We didn't much want to be stuck in a gym exercising and decided we could explore our city in the sun and having fun. After doing some research and visiting various cycling stores, I narrowed my list down to two options, both of which stretched the budget for a simple socialising thing. I came to the forum because I couldn't decide which bike was better. The Scott Contessa 620 (26" 2015 model) or the Silverback Splash 3 (27.5" 2016 model). I initially only thought a 26" or below (kiddies) bikes would fit me seeing as I am only 1.50m in height(shorty - I know) . However I fitted an extra small frame and found I could actually fit on a 27.5" bike. The thing is now I am not sure which to chose? Most people are saying that the Scott is better brand... The stores i want to buy them from are biased to their own product (some are more gentlemanly than others). But i was hoping someone here could explain it better? I tried doing some research but jargon used explaining about the different shimano shiffters and what not, or how they work, is way over my head. Basically I started out by just wanting to get me a normal Marko bike, but after reading various comments and taking advice, I decided to stretch the budget more in order to get me a better bike. So hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction? Thanks for your time Best regards
  13. Howzit guys, One of my lady friends requested my assistance to help her with values of two bikes: Silverback Oakland (XS frame) Gary Fisher Wahoo (unsure on the frame size) Please click here for photos of the bikes. All accessories will be included. All the tyres are inflated with no punctures. The bikes were standing in the garage for quite some time, but they did clean it during the Easter Weekend. Both are in a working mechanical shape. So she wants to know how much she can sell the bikes for. I have no idea, thus why I created this thread. Would appreciate the feedback. Thanks. ~ André
  14. Hi Guys! My wife and an old friend have recently hornswoggled me into getting on a bike for the first time in 15 years by entering me in the Jacaranda Off the Beaten Track race. To see if I could still sit a saddle we borrowed an old 21 speed Nishiki and went for the 17km MTB trail at Red Barn in Centurion. At 15.7km I promptly came off and tore a nice gash in my forearm. Some twisted handle bars and a short ER trip later I was in such a good mood you'd swear I'd won something. The race came and went and long story short (well, not that short) I'm looking to buy a Mountain Bike. Money is tight (true story), but I've managed to find a few that could meet my needs nicely, and was wondering if any of you might have any opinions regarding them: https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-sports-bicycles-fitness/edenvale/silverback-stride-10-mens-mountain-bike/1001961785400910248487209 https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/241287-fuji-nevada-14-large-price-drop/ https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/243528-titan-sport-29er-2015/ https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/244430-titan-expert-29r-for-sale/ I'm currently leaning towards the Titan Expert because of the reviews and forum advice I've seen. The Fuji also seems quite decent, but I'm not familiar with the make of some of the components. I'm about 1.8m tall and weigh around 90kg, so a Large frame should suit me well (I think). If you have any views on any of the above bikes I'd really appreciate your input.
  15. Dear hubbers!! My brother in law lost his bike off the bike rack over the easter weekend! They did not see the bike was gone off the rack until stopping for fuel. They spoke to the petrol attendant and another vehicle overheard the conversation and told them that they saw the bicycle about 10-15km back and put the bicycle on the side of the road. he drove back 2 times but could not find the bicycle. it is a Silverback Mercury1 Dual Suspension XL 26" black, red, silver and white with Shimano XT Tubeless wheels. got a 3x10 SLX Groupset If anyone has maybe seen or picked up this bike please give me a call on 082 334 3794 we would really like to get this bike back. thanks for taking the time to read this unfortunate story. Regards Zarius
  16. OMX Pro Team’s Martin Gluth will pair up with Julian Schelb for the 2017 Cape Epic. The German duo will be aboard the Silverback Sesta Superbike, and with unparalleled and focussed support from their bike partner, will ride under the team name, ‘Silverback OMX’ for the eight days of untamed African adventure that is Cape Epic. The Sesta is tried, tested and proven at the Cape Epic, having been raced to a stage win and a third place in 2015, and numerous top tens in 2016. Click here to view the article
  17. The time has come to upgrade to a full sus and I'm torn between these two. Please could I have your opinions??? Both are retailing for R45999. Much appreciated! http://cyclelab.com/images/detailed/4/SESTA-COMP-1150x766%5B1%5D.png The Silverback has a carbon frame but the components aren't as good as what comes with the Spark. No dropper post, 2x10, no dual remote lockout. However, having a carbon frame allows for the opportunity to upgrade the components down the line. http://cyclelab.com/images/detailed/4/Scott-Spark-940-2017-e1472619134859%5B1%5D.jpg The Spark has an Alloy frame (bike weight reported at 13.5kg) but has better components. Possibly no need to upgrade components but I'm stuck with the alloy frame. http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii77/cityofgates/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%206.09.45%20PM.png Click on the table above to see a comparison! Thanks again for the help!
  18. In review of 2016, Iwan Kemp looks at the best bikes and gear that he rode last year. Click here to view the article
  19. With the year drawing rapidly to a close, we take a look at our ten most popular gear review articles published in 2016. Click here to view the article
  20. Howdy Hubbers, First off, I'm going to ask silly questions, if you're unable to help, please don't comment with rubbish as I'm trying my first ever build since swapping BMX frames in high school. Right, so I have a donor bike which is a Silverback Sierra 26" (Assuming a 2010 - 2012 region model), I bought her used a year ago after my entry lever Silverback Slade 4 650b was no longer doing the trick for me and upgrading components would have costs more in the end, unfortunately the frame was a bit bent at the right chainstay (I bent her straight and rode like that for a year until now) Then this week, I bought a Mongoose Meteore Comp Frame 26" G7 alloy, the frame is in amazing condition but I have no idea of the year model. So in my innocence I assumed it would be a simple swap between two 26er frames, this was not to be as I found out after stripping the Silverback almost bare (excluding the BB as I'm still deciding on buying a tool or not) * My first issue I bumped into was the Seatpost Diameter - this was sorted by picking a used one up from a friend, easy peasy. * 2nd issue: The headset diameters seem to differ, the silverback is a 44mm and the mongoose looks like it used just over 41mm headset It never came with headset caps so now I need to know, where do I get caps from and do I buy new bearings too? When taking the old setup apart, the top of the headset used a cartridge bearing and the bottom had a loose pack bearing with a little plastic frame to hold them (this was a surprise as I spent some time hunting down all the bearings after them spilling out when I removed the fork) Can I at the same time "upgrade" the headset to take the cartridge top and bottom or do I stick to the current setup? There are also several of these metal and plastic o-ring type of things, should these be replaced too (and what order do they go back in, I forgot because I was chasing bearings across the floor)? Further upgrades I'm planning. 1. Upgrade rear derailleur to a Shimano Zee with a 10 spd shifter (on back order) 2. Upgrade to a 10 spd casette (will deore be fine or is slx the way, 36t or 34t?) 3. Ergo - fit bike setup and new saddle (looking at the WTB options) So that's where I'm stuck at the moment, where to go next, any other issues to look out for?
  21. Hi All, So I'm considering getting a beginner mountain bike with a max budget of around 4k I have done some research and came up with 3 options: 1. Silverback Stride 10: Is this bike still available and relevant as a beginner bike in 2016-2017? I can't seem to find anywhere online stocking it, and most 2nd hand deals are medium frame (I'm XL) I'm guessing the price is 4-4.5k? 2. Titan Nova 26: I can't find any information on whether or not this is a good bike, it's definitely the best looking Retails for R4.5k 3. Raleigh Nomad 10 (second hand): My colleague has offered to let his 2011 Raleigh Nomad 10 go for R3k, is this a good deal? It is also a medium frame and I need a XL Which would you rather take and why? I am leaning toward the Titan Nova 26 I basically want a bike that I can take out cycling on the road (if I want to), however would also like something that is capable of entering a comp if I really wanted to? I'm looking for versatility Can anyone advise on what sort of gear I would need to look at too? Nick
  22. Good Day Everyone, I've been keen to try out mountain biking for the past year and haven't really made much of an effort to get into it. I've now decided that I'd like to buy a decent (within budget) mountain bike that will allow me to experience this sport which I'd love to get involved in. My thoughts are to purchase a second hand bike so I can introduce myself with the sport, get familiar with what is needed, what I prefer etc. when it comes to bikes and equipment before purchasing my new ride. I have done some reading as to what goes into choosing a bike, even with this knowledge, I'm finding it difficult to know when a second hand mountain bike is reasonable priced or not. I've found a Silverback Saturn with the following specs given: Silverback Saturn 19"(large frame) 26" Double wall Alloy rims CST Copperhead tyres Shimano hydraulic disc brakes Removable gel seat cover Rebound adjust suntour fork Double butted 6061 aluminium frameSo my question is, what would be a reasonable price for such bike? The bike looks to be in good condition as far as my knowledge allows. Note: I was looking at a cheaper Ralleigh (29 inch), which didn't look too bad, but have a weird feeling that I'd get what I'm paying for. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, especially what you think the Silverback would be worth.
  23. Hi everyone and thanks for making this site so helpful. I'm looking to spend around 10-12k on a hardtail. I have my eye on a new GT Zaskar Sport 2017. Can anyone share their thoughts on this model or its components? It does seem like a great value for money bike (considering it's new). What do you think? I'm a novice who will mainly use it on the tracks around table mountain and for commuting occasionally. I'm not planning on racing or doing anything majorly technical. But I do want something that offers a solid base to build on or to resell in time. Some people have warned me to stay away from GT and that they have a poor resale value. And I've had others say the exact same thing about Silverback (and the opposite about GT). It's hard to find an objective opinion. Most people seem to have higher budgets and are quick to shoot down brands or ranges pitched at a lower price point. I guess I just want to feel confident I'm not being a total idiot in going this direction. But by all means, tell me if+why I am.. The 2nd hand option really does seem more reasonable but I wouldn't know where to start and how to evaluate a bike competently. For example, there is a Silverback Sola 2 (i think 2014) going for 8.9k. Is it worth the risk or would you rather go for a new bike? Thanks for your help, Mintman
  24. First Look Friday is an introduction to the products that we are currently testing for review. This week we're previewing the Silverback Sphere 1 plus bike, Verve Infocrank, and a SRAM NX upgrade. Click here to view the article
  25. Good day from Cape Town I am a proud owner of a Silverback bike and would like to know if any of you guys would know where I can get my hands on a Silverback jersey in the Cape Town Area please! I would love to get my hands on one, I was told that only team riders get them by a cycling shop here, yesterday a guy passed me wearing one If the case is that only team riders get them, I'll need to up my game Hope you guys can shed some light on this topic. Thanks in advance...
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