SilverbackLab Stratos AL range thoughts?

[Super Sywurm]

I ride the AL5, excellent bike and I love it.  Did a couple of upgrades.  Had a small problem with one of the suspension bolts and Silverback SA quickly sorted everything out without any hassle.

[Spafsack]

Super, did you change to different rims? I recall you changed shock as well?

[KB280DT]

Posted in another thread as well, but it's only fitting that I post here as well.

 

My Stratos AL 2 - love every minute on this bike

[Zama7]

Posted in another thread as well, but it's only fitting that I post here as well.

 

My Stratos AL 2 - love every minute on this bike

 

Not to heavy for the long rides ? 

[KB280DT]

Not to heavy for the long rides ? 

 

Got the bike late last month, so busy working up to the looong rides, but it doesn't feel heavy to me on the rides that I've been on.

 

Then again, I am north of 100kg in weight - not sure if I'll notice a difference in bike weight anyways 

 

So far I agree with what Nox has said about the bike

[Grease_Monkey]

Not to heavy for the long rides ?

No such thing as too heavy. Geometry trumps weight all day every day - and that bike has the right angles to make for a very good all rounder.

[NotSoBigBen]

No such thing as too heavy. Geometry trumps weight all day every day - and that bike has the right angles to make for a very good all rounder.

Interesting my brother and I had a similar discussion recently ... Obviously unless there were a great difference in weight in most cases once a bike is rolling it's quite difficult to feel the difference in a light or heavy bike, for the average rider, in our opinion of course. I'm sure the 'pro hubbers' will differ and be able to feel a difference of even <100g's [emoji12]

[V18]

Honestly the weight of the bike is a non factor. The geometry/contact points/tyres/wheels/suspension/brakes far outweighs (pun intended) the weight of the bike. Obviously within reason. Pedalling a 20kg ebike with the motor off is a good example. I for one enjoy my bike being on the porky side. If any one of us has to lose weight, it's me! Also. The feeling of dampened chatter due to the significant unsprung weight makes the suspension do amazing things. Like butter. Obviously as a Clydesdale a 17kg enduro rig feels like nothing to me. But if you're a 55kg lady with limited watts, dropping the weight significantly may play quite the role. When my wife is done incubating our second boy I'm going to start building up a bike for her RIDICULOUSLY light. Just to see if it makes a difference to her.

Edited January 12, 2020 by V18

[TyronLab]

Honestly the weight of the bike is a non factor. The geometry/contact points/tyres/wheels/suspension/brakes far outweighs (pun intended) the weight of the bike. Obviously within reason. Pedalling a 20kg ebike with the motor off is a good example. I for one enjoy my bike being on the porky side. If any one of us has to lose weight, it's me! Also. The feeling of dampened chatter due to the significant unsprung weight makes the suspension do amazing things. Like butter. Obviously as a Clydesdale a 17kg enduro rig feels like nothing to me. But if you're a 55kg lady with limited watts, dropping the weight significantly may play quite the role. When my wife is done incubating our second boy I'm going to start building up a bike for her RIDICULOUSLY light. Just to see if it makes a difference to her.

 

I think you mean sprung weight? Unsprung weight is weight that is un-suspended, i.e. wheels, tyres etc.

[Spafsack]

Small frame, carbon flat 760mm bar, few small other add ons, 13.8kg all in. 

First pic is original sweep bar, second one is the new second hand flat bar.

Edited January 13, 2020 by Spafsack

[nox1111]

Small frame, carbon flat 760mm bar, few small other add ons, 13.8kg all in. 

First pic is original sweep bar, second one is the new second hand flat bar.

Congrats on that weight! If you want to shed some more - and improve riding experience at the same time, I would upgrade the brakes. Every now and then a previous gen XT or even XTR Race set comes by on classifieds for cheap as chips and they will drop a few 100grams.  Brakes makes a massive difference to riding experience.

[Spafsack]

Hey Nox, fanks allot.

To be honest, she has not complained about the current breaks, yip, they entry level, heavy but i recon for now we just fine. Still chuffed her bike comes in at exactly 13.8kg. If i do spot second hand parts [better parts] for a bargain i can always do the deed and probably end up saving another 500grams max. Very good bang for your bike this Stratos range is me thinks. 

[PjT]

HI all,

 

Sio, a friend of mine is considering a Silverback Stratos (eith AL3 or 5).

R 20,890 for the AL5

R 26,490 for the AL3

 

My question is, is it in any way a valid comparison to put a TItan Skyrim in the equation?

He is more drawn to a trail style bike than XC.

 

We found a bike shop that still has stock of the 20187 Skyrim Comp Plus (27.5) with very similar specs than the AL5. Retail is R21500

 

Opinions?

[sonofbovril]

Little known fact, Silverback was actually started by a guy down in Cape Town who then later moved to Germany where he partnered with a German company that then progressed into the whole direct to consumer market.

[Zama7]

https://www.cyclelab.com/promotion/midday-madness

 

AL 1 on sale now R28k

[Super Sywurm]

Super, did you change to different rims? I recall you changed shock as well?

The fork is a Reba.  The shock and rims are standard.  I have an extra set of wheels with slicks for some road riding, American Classics.