SilverbackLab Stratos AL range thoughts?

[nox1111]

Edited October 16, 2019 by nox1111

[Chadvdw67]

Hey @nox1111, how would you say this fairs against the likes of say the Giant Trance and Merida 120?

[nox1111]

In Giant only the Stance is similarly priced at R28k... So I would not go that route. QR, budget frame etc...

 

The Merida 120 at R27500 is an 11spd bike with a SR Suntour fork and does not have a dropper post.

 

The frame on the SB AL3 is the same frame that you'll get on the AL1.

 

Sure for more money you can buy a better bike. But if this is your price bracket - you'll have to have a hard time beating the AL3.

 

Ride quality is great, parts are decent and geo makes it a great all-rounder.

[throwawayquestionaire]

OK, I actually got to ride one this AM - AL3. Good times.

 

I actually typed a decent review and then accidentally deleted it before sending. So here is the condensed version.

 

Climbs: really well - composed, great traction. No bobbing, even when suspension fully open.

Traverses - singletrack rallying: Super nimble, feels fast and playful

Descends - Not an enduro bike. Not supposed to be. Descends like a light trailbike. Really fun, rips!

 

Initial reservations overcome by ride: Tyre choices.

 

Like: Geometry spot on. Handles like its on rails.  Dropper opens up world of play.

 

Dislike: Brakes felt overwhelmed at the speeds the bike allowed me to carry.

 

Overall: moerdyk its a fun bike. If I was in the market, I would get one. And then immediately change the brakes to Deore. Permanent smile glued on: Check

 

I am a fan, also a logical guy - and I call a spade a spade.

Hey Nox1111, I only saw your reply now. Thanks so much for taking the time for a review!. Really glad to hear from someone who has tested it and enjoys it. 

 

I think i'm sold and definitely gonna go with this model. I have high doubts I'm nearly as fast as you but will change the brakes once I get a bit better.

 

Hope you have a good weekend ahead!

[Spafsack]

Hi guys, what can I do to my wife's al5 To reduce weight? Probably new wheel sets but I gather that's pricy...

[solty]

Hi guys, what can I do to my wife's al5 To reduce weight? Probably new wheel sets but I gather that's pricy...

Yes, could change wheels to something lighter and wider. Silverback website lists rim internal width as 21mm which is very skinny. Wider rims increase the tyre volume, which means you don't have to pump it up as hard. Softer tyre is more comfortable to ride and gives better traction. Feels better.

 

Does your wife find the bike too heavy when lifting it or does it "feel" heavy when riding it?

 

This is a very entry level bike and thus a bit of a boat anchor. You can get the weight down by changing lots of components, but can't change it's mass significantly without spending lots of money but can change it's perceived weight. Some suggestions:

 

Check sag and rebound in fork and shock are correct.

Standard handlebar width is listed as 780mm. This is very wide especially if your wife doesn't have very broad shoulders and long arms. Trim it down, it's aluminium so a regular hacksaw will do just fine. Serious. Try 740mm.

Does your wife like the grips? Maybe try some different ones, in a colour she likes. Don't have to use the stuff the bike came with.

Are the handlebars aligned correctly, not rotated too far up or down?

Check seat height and position - think about investing in a bike fit, especially if your wife is doing frequent and longer >1hr rides.

Are gears adjusted - no skipping/slipping or hesitancy when shifting. Clean and lube the chain.

Are the brake and gear levers at a comfortable location.

 

There are many small things you can do to make a bike feel nicer for little or no cash.

[Spafsack]

Hi Solty, thanx so much for the detailed reply and advise.

 

Wife is 52:kg, 1.5m in height, skinny, 46 years old, so coming off her old Giant Talon 1 27.5 hard tail which came in at under 13kg, might have been lighter thinking about it now, the Stratos al5 at just under 15kg does make a difference, she could immediately feel the weight difference.

 

I also noticed the rims are very narrow, 21mm, so as you suggested, when upgrading opt for wider. So to answer your questions, she does not have broad shoulders, shaving off 20mm on the bars each side in my mind would make the bike feel less like a ship and a tad snappier. I could look for second hand carbon bars, 740mm wide with a sweep back.

 

I have checked sag and rebound, it seems fine, i told her to lock out front and rear as much as possible, when on tar, gravel uphills, she agrees it makes the bike feel lighter as its more rigid, less loss of power.

 

I have changed her grips to sbc blue, makes the bike pop more, not much else i can do looks wise.The handle bars seem alligned correctly, we did a bike fit at the lbs and looking at her ride, next to her, she looks good. Her seat i changed to the Giant Liv she had on her old bike, way better, moved it very far forward as she was not comfy with it centre or back.

 

The bike to her feels heavy when riding and picking it up to answer your question. I actually feel sorry for her as on the same 20km ride we do twice a week i can see on her stats, heart rate etc... she is working much harder than me, and harder than when she had the lighter hard tail, BUT we had to change to soft tail as she has neck problems and since the soft tail no more pain on bumps, no more pain what so ever. The al5 is a comfy ride and for anyone older than 45 years old it seems soft tails are the best option.

 

At 21.5k, which i paid with tubeless conversion, i could not find a brand new bike, in another brand, which is 1 x for that price. Yes, it is an entry level dual sus, but it is just a pitty about the weight as when you are older weight means more than when you are in your thirties and can easily lose 3kg in a few weeks or months.

 

I think becuase this is a slacker bike, trail focused in a way, it might add to the feeling of feeling 'heavy' I sometimes wonder if XC bikes with steep head angles climb better, or actually feel easier to climb as we all hate long uphills and maybe this makes her feel that she is working harder on climbs. By the way, on straights and downhills, no issues there, much better than the old Giant 27.5.

 

Gears work fine, i lube after every ride. In hind sight, maybe i should have looked at the older Sido range, maybe the Sido 2 or 1 demo or second hand would have been a better buy as they come in at under 13kg, it seems 2kg makes a huge difference, so for me to save 2kg on this bike will end up costing me big bucks. 

 

I have no idea at all which wheel sets to look for, what is compatible or not. Changing seat post and bars is easy, the front shock i suspect is also heavy, but if you look at changing that as well then i might as well look at another bike.

 

For now i will see what i can find on classifieds and so on. Its not all doom and gloom, the design of this frame is something else, on silverbacks website they claim the stratos frame is 455g lighter than the older sido, so in theory, this can be a very very good bike if you change allot of components, but then you might as well opt for the AL3 or lighter models. Perhaps all entry level dual sus bikes in the range of 22kg weigh in at just under 15kg, you get what you pay for, at least she rides without pain and is super comfy over rough terrain.  

[Kranswurm]

Hi Solty, thanx so much for the detailed reply and advise.

 

Wife is 52:kg, 1.5m in height, skinny, 46 years old, so coming off her old Giant Talon 1 27.5 hard tail which came in at under 13kg, might have been lighter thinking about it now, the Stratos al5 at just under 15kg does make a difference, she could immediately feel the weight difference.

 

I also noticed the rims are very narrow, 21mm, so as you suggested, when upgrading opt for wider. So to answer your questions, she does not have broad shoulders, shaving off 20mm on the bars each side in my mind would make the bike feel less like a ship and a tad snappier. I could look for second hand carbon bars, 740mm wide with a sweep back.

 

I have checked sag and rebound, it seems fine, i told her to lock out front and rear as much as possible, when on tar, gravel uphills, she agrees it makes the bike feel lighter as its more rigid, less loss of power.

 

I have changed her grips to sbc blue, makes the bike pop more, not much else i can do looks wise.The handle bars seem alligned correctly, we did a bike fit at the lbs and looking at her ride, next to her, she looks good. Her seat i changed to the Giant Liv she had on her old bike, way better, moved it very far forward as she was not comfy with it centre or back.

 

The bike to her feels heavy when riding and picking it up to answer your question. I actually feel sorry for her as on the same 20km ride we do twice a week i can see on her stats, heart rate etc... she is working much harder than me, and harder than when she had the lighter hard tail, BUT we had to change to soft tail as she has neck problems and since the soft tail no more pain on bumps, no more pain what so ever. The al5 is a comfy ride and for anyone older than 45 years old it seems soft tails are the best option.

 

At 21.5k, which i paid with tubeless conversion, i could not find a brand new bike, in another brand, which is 1 x for that price. Yes, it is an entry level dual sus, but it is just a pitty about the weight as when you are older weight means more than when you are in your thirties and can easily lose 3kg in a few weeks or months.

 

I think becuase this is a slacker bike, trail focused in a way, it might add to the feeling of feeling 'heavy' I sometimes wonder if XC bikes with steep head angles climb better, or actually feel easier to climb as we all hate long uphills and maybe this makes her feel that she is working harder on climbs. By the way, on straights and downhills, no issues there, much better than the old Giant 27.5.

 

Gears work fine, i lube after every ride. In hind sight, maybe i should have looked at the older Sido range, maybe the Sido 2 or 1 demo or second hand would have been a better buy as they come in at under 13kg, it seems 2kg makes a huge difference, so for me to save 2kg on this bike will end up costing me big bucks. 

 

I have no idea at all which wheel sets to look for, what is compatible or not. Changing seat post and bars is easy, the front shock i suspect is also heavy, but if you look at changing that as well then i might as well look at another bike.

 

For now i will see what i can find on classifieds and so on. Its not all doom and gloom, the design of this frame is something else, on silverbacks website they claim the stratos frame is 455g lighter than the older sido, so in theory, this can be a very very good bike if you change allot of components, but then you might as well opt for the AL3 or lighter models. Perhaps all entry level dual sus bikes in the range of 22kg weigh in at just under 15kg, you get what you pay for, at least she rides without pain and is super comfy over rough terrain.  

You will battle to get the weight down to 13.It will cost you a fortune to upgrade all the parts and wheels to reduce weight.Even the AL 1 comes in at over 14 kays.It is what it is

[Hairy]

Hi Solty, thanx so much for the detailed reply and advise.

 

Wife is 52:kg, 1.5m in height, skinny, 46 years old, so coming off her old Giant Talon 1 27.5 hard tail which came in at under 13kg, might have been lighter thinking about it now, the Stratos al5 at just under 15kg does make a difference, she could immediately feel the weight difference.

 

I also noticed the rims are very narrow, 21mm, so as you suggested, when upgrading opt for wider. So to answer your questions, she does not have broad shoulders, shaving off 20mm on the bars each side in my mind would make the bike feel less like a ship and a tad snappier. I could look for second hand carbon bars, 740mm wide with a sweep back.

 

I have checked sag and rebound, it seems fine, i told her to lock out front and rear as much as possible, when on tar, gravel uphills, she agrees it makes the bike feel lighter as its more rigid, less loss of power.

 

I have changed her grips to sbc blue, makes the bike pop more, not much else i can do looks wise.The handle bars seem alligned correctly, we did a bike fit at the lbs and looking at her ride, next to her, she looks good. Her seat i changed to the Giant Liv she had on her old bike, way better, moved it very far forward as she was not comfy with it centre or back.

 

The bike to her feels heavy when riding and picking it up to answer your question. I actually feel sorry for her as on the same 20km ride we do twice a week i can see on her stats, heart rate etc... she is working much harder than me, and harder than when she had the lighter hard tail, BUT we had to change to soft tail as she has neck problems and since the soft tail no more pain on bumps, no more pain what so ever. The al5 is a comfy ride and for anyone older than 45 years old it seems soft tails are the best option.

 

At 21.5k, which i paid with tubeless conversion, i could not find a brand new bike, in another brand, which is 1 x for that price. Yes, it is an entry level dual sus, but it is just a pitty about the weight as when you are older weight means more than when you are in your thirties and can easily lose 3kg in a few weeks or months.

 

I think becuase this is a slacker bike, trail focused in a way, it might add to the feeling of feeling 'heavy' I sometimes wonder if XC bikes with steep head angles climb better, or actually feel easier to climb as we all hate long uphills and maybe this makes her feel that she is working harder on climbs. By the way, on straights and downhills, no issues there, much better than the old Giant 27.5.

 

Gears work fine, i lube after every ride. In hind sight, maybe i should have looked at the older Sido range, maybe the Sido 2 or 1 demo or second hand would have been a better buy as they come in at under 13kg, it seems 2kg makes a huge difference, so for me to save 2kg on this bike will end up costing me big bucks. 

 

I have no idea at all which wheel sets to look for, what is compatible or not. Changing seat post and bars is easy, the front shock i suspect is also heavy, but if you look at changing that as well then i might as well look at another bike.

 

For now i will see what i can find on classifieds and so on. Its not all doom and gloom, the design of this frame is something else, on silverbacks website they claim the stratos frame is 455g lighter than the older sido, so in theory, this can be a very very good bike if you change allot of components, but then you might as well opt for the AL3 or lighter models. Perhaps all entry level dual sus bikes in the range of 22kg weigh in at just under 15kg, you get what you pay for, at least she rides without pain and is super comfy over rough terrain.  

But is she currently faster on the downhills?

[Spafsack]

You will battle to get the weight down to 13.It will cost you a fortune to upgrade all the parts and wheels to reduce weight.Even the AL 1 comes in at over 14 kays.It is what it is

Hi Krans, i hear you. It will cost a fortune to reduce weight by 3kg so it ends up at around 13kg, not worth it. If i can drop 1kg so it ends up at 13.8kg at an acceptable cost then that is my end goal. I just saw a carbon 740mm bar and seat post on the classifieds for R700 each which seem a good deal. Maybe that saves me 200 grams. I have no idea what the stock bar and seat post weigh.   

[Spafsack]

But is she currently faster on the downhills?

Hi Hairy, yes she is, thank goodness for that. She can also sit more often on bumpy straights or slight downhills so its not all bad.

[Hairy]

Hi Hairy, yes she is, thank goodness for that. She can also sit more often on bumpy straights or slight downhills so its not all bad.

Then she is in a win win situation

[Spafsack]

Just cut 20mm of each bar side, now they are 760mm wide. She test rode it, feels better. Will see what she says after a short 18k ride later today. Must say it looks better as well, more in proportion.

[Zama7]

Had a look at the Stratos AL 2 today (same as the 3 except has NX Eagle and slightly better breaks and fork). Must say really impressed probably the best bike you can find new at around 30k.

[Spafsack]

Hi guys, i noticed the AL5, AL3 come standard with Surface rims, think the more expensive AL's come with Stans.

Has anyone changed to different rims, ie: lighter, a tad wider [internal] and if so, what is the estimated weight saving.

I wonder how much a set of the oem Surface rims weigh? I see on Rapide's website they have big specials on alu rims and

it states combined weight of around 1.6kg, i suspect the standard Surface might be much more ? A weight saving of 500g

can make a massive difference but maybe going carbon is not the way forward as its hellish expensive, over cap on bike

in my view.

 

 

[TomvdP]

The Surface rims on the Stratos bikes are 545g per rim. I don't know wheelset weight, but there are definite weight savings to be had on the rims.