Boast about your latest purchases here...

[Zorro5614]

Today I got a new paint job - another outstanding job from CBR in Durbanville - my brief was army green and said "hey maybe Cammo" - This is what I got and I'm blown away

Wow amazing, how much is such a paint job roughly?

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Wow amazing, how much is such a paint job roughly?

I've now had 3 bikes painted by them including an outstanding purple pyga - I think it's great value and the service has been excellent but I'd rather not quote on their behalf - I'm sure Justine 083 357 4368 would be happy to let you know or carbonbicyclerepairs.co.za

[Piston ZA]

Today I got a new paint job - another outstanding job from CBR in Durbanville - my brief was army green and said "hey maybe Cammo" - This is what I got and I'm blown away

Very nice! I'm loving the matte olive green/military look at the moment.

 

Are the orange accents so you can find your bike again when you put it down out on the trails? 

[Reme Le Hane]

Out of interest do you find kit be it for cycling or motorbike expensive or is it relative to your salaries?

 

I would say relative to salary, 2 years ago earning less than half of what I do now it was expensive, now on the other hand I have 2 bikes hanging in my garage, 1 of which costs more than my motorbike.

 

A lot of things surrounding it can still easily be considered pricey regardless of income, but at this point in my life its a lot less painful buying a R1000 shorts or a R2000 helmet, the later obviously being the more nb. lol

 

Think it can also be considered a value aspect, if you really enjoy something you are more willing to spend money on it as regardless of the expense. So it becomes a perception of expense. 

 

When I got my new bike a few months ago I thought nothing of getting a Spark 930 for 38k down from 55k, pretty much everyone in my social circle thought I was off my rocker, for them it is an expense but for me its a way to have more fun on awesome trails and score a great deal on a great bike. By no means saying a 40k bike is cheap, but it was an amount of money I could justify as I knew it would have long standing value.

[BaGearA]

Today I got a new paint job - another outstanding job from CBR in Durbanville - my brief was army green and said "hey maybe Cammo" - This is what I got and I'm blown away

DUDDEEEEEEE     

 

flippen proper 

[patches]

Out of interest do you find kit be it for cycling or motorbike expensive or is it relative to your salaries?

 

I'm guessing you're asking about specifically here in NZ.

 

Well... that's a bit of a tough one.

 

Initially I'd say it's cheaper relative to ones salary based on the following:

• One should be earning more. I know "one shouldn't convert", but the rough guideline I'd say is one should be earning 1.5 - 2x what they earned in SA for a similar job.
• Cycling gear is somewhat globalized in terms of pricing. I often don't even bother with CRC because the local shops here are only a few dollars more on most items.
• More product available and WAY more cycle shops, so prices are pretty competitive.
• When shops have sales, they're ACTUALLY sales. Not the common trick of quickly hiking up the RRP so they can give 10% off.

There are other factors that play into it too. Like Kiwis generally don't care too much about what car they drive. They'll be perfectly happy driving a NZ$6 000 used Japanese import Subaru station wagon, with a NZ$12 000 specced Santa Cruz on the bike rack. Go to any bike park or riding spot and this is a common site.

 

So cheaper car = more expendable income for bicycle stuff.

 

Let's attempt to compare apples with apples.

 

*Disclaimer: Figures based on internet findings, industry experience, rounded figures and an exchange rate of R10 : NZ$1 (for simplification purposes). "net salaries also only account for income tax, and not pension, medical aid etc.

 

One can't compare median salaries between the 2 countries due to unemployment rates, minimum wage, etc. So in stead I will try compare a specific industry and job... the lowly engineering graduate.

 

NZ Engineering grads earn between R500 000 - R550 000 pa. We'll work with the lower figure, which brings us to a net monthly income of approx. R34 000.

 

SA Engineering grads earn around R300 000 pa. Their net monthly income will be approx. R21 000.

 

Instantly one can see that the lower NZ  salary is approximately 65% higher than the SA salary.

 

Now lets compare the bicycles. The pick... a 2018 Giant Anthem 3 29er.

 

 

 

 

 

NZ price is approx. R33 000 from a standard retailer, with no discount applied.

SA price is approx. R32 000 from CWC.

 

So therefore the net monthly income of an engineering grad can purchase the following:

 

• In NZ: 103% of a bicycle
• In SA: 66% of a bicycle

Once again, I know the comparison isn't that straight forward as cost of loving, and all sorts of other things play a part. But hopefully that basic comparison gives you an idea.

Edited September 20, 2018 by patches

[dbotha]

Wow! 

Today I got a new paint job - another outstanding job from CBR in Durbanville - my brief was army green and said "hey maybe Cammo" - This is what I got and I'm blown away

[Pieter1]

Today I got a new paint job - another outstanding job from CBR in Durbanville - my brief was army green and said "hey maybe Cammo" - This is what I got and I'm blown away

Dude! Thats AWESOME!

[Fruity]

Two more pairs to add to the collection

[Reme Le Hane]

Decide after 3 years, on and off of ridding it's well overdue to get into those basics, first bike came with clips and ridden that way ever since.

 

To this day I can still not wheelie, bunny hop, manual or nolie.

 

May or may not be true, but I feel it would be easier to learn on flats, and from what I have seen in many YouTube videos, clipless can lead to wrong form for some of those basics.

 

Going to ride some unknown trails tomorrow, so will swap these out Sunday and work my way into a flat riding life. See how it goes...

[Alouette3]

Persevere, you might hate flats for the first couple rides, but so worth it. Tried flats a couple years back to improve skills and haven't gone back to SPD's since

[stefmeister]

Decide after 3 years, on and off of ridding it's well overdue to get into those basics, first bike came with clips and ridden that way ever since.

 

To this day I can still not wheelie, bunny hop, manual or nolie.

 

May or may not be true, but I feel it would be easier to learn on flats, and from what I have seen in many YouTube videos, clipless can lead to wrong form for some of those basics.

 

Going to ride some unknown trails tomorrow, so will swap these out Sunday and work my way into a flat riding life. See how it goes...

Wrong form, or worse, being clipped in when a manual/wheelie goes wrong.

[J∆kk∆ls]

Knog Plus 

 

Needed a new front light for late commutes home. 

This is a great light. Pops on and off the fastened attachment with a magnet for easy charging.  

 

 

 

[Reme Le Hane]

Persevere, you might hate flats for the first couple rides, but so worth it. Tried flats a couple years back to improve skills and haven't gone back to SPD's since

Fortunately giving up is not in my personality matrix, especially after spending a grand on pedals.

 

Put the clips back on for like XC races, like k2c next year.

Wrong form, or worse, being clipped in when a manual/wheelie goes wrong.

Which is what first prompted me to order the flats, the manual going wrong while trying to learn to manual. Being clipped in, off your seat, front wheel off the floor and the bike falling left is not fun.

 

Pondering if I need to add shin guards to the knee guards order...

[WaynejG]

Decide after 3 years, on and off of ridding it's well overdue to get into those basics, first bike came with clips and ridden that way ever since.

 

To this day I can still not wheelie, bunny hop, manual or nolie.

 

May or may not be true, but I feel it would be easier to learn on flats, and from what I have seen in many YouTube videos, clipless can lead to wrong form for some of those basics.

 

Going to ride some unknown trails tomorrow, so will swap these out Sunday and work my way into a flat riding life. See how it goes...

Also moved to flats and loving it. Confidence is way up and at this early stage skill levels also improving.

[BSG]

Wrong form, or worse, being clipped in when a manual/wheelie goes wrong.

I fell my arse almost loose trying to wheelie while clipped in.