It's hard to get 36 holes hub nowadays and the common standard now has become 32 spokes as technology on aluminum are progressing and there's no need for 36 holes. In fact small wheelset for folding bikes are usually 20, 24 and 28 holes. Even that is enough. It's quite easy to find used one nowadays and if you find those used on 8 speeds and above, it would be ideal and most definitely lighter than your present 36 holed hubs and rims. Lacing and truing a wheelset is also expensive nowadays as it is time consuming, in fact many LBS don't do it unless it is their own sale and product.

I check through bicyclebuysell.my , I can scan through over ten of these wheelsets for sale. So it is not hard nowadays. Just buy and plug in and use. As for you old hubs, I think it would be an easy sale because most 36 hole hubs are freewheel and many want to upgrade to cassette system but hard to find.

To be frank, at present ( if I were you ) , I worry about the wheelset later. Just get the Sora on it first. You will lose a lot of low gears though, because you are going for 53/39T chainrings but you get more high gears. So, which is more important, more low gears for hilly roads or more higher gear for speed on flats or downhill ? Also my Giant original hubs are also cone bearing types and when it is new, they seem sluggish because of too much grease inside. I took them apart and then cleaned them and regrease with lighter grease and it is spinning good now. Even cone bearings and seal bearings have their pros and cons. There must be a reason why Shimano hubs from basic to their top XTRs and DuraAces are still using cone bearings. So, before you want to change the wheelset just because it is cone bearings and not seal bearings, ponder for a while.

I check the comparisons between the original 27 speed against the Sora 2 x 9 speed and the gain and loss from both are actually quite negligible. Sure you want to mod it? Might as well stick to the original. That is ......I assume that your Sora chainring is 53/39T and your present one is 48/36/26T.

Well analyzed Mr.Etigge, i'm study it right now... kinda have some free time at work now.

thanks for sharing your experience bro... i'm interested to get one as well...

where did u get it from...?

also, why do you say the group set is going to give problem soon? I don't i'd want to spend extra $$$ to mod here mod there haha...

Welcome man, I got it at Elegant Bike shop (can found in FB page) - At Cheras, his price is the cheapest for this model.
There are many foldie there, you can have a pick Java, Dahon etc...

Problem will come just wear and tear, i'm going to use this bike for quite frequent and planing to ride further journey with my wife. And i do have this kind of setup on my mtb with shimano set years ago and just 1 month i have to change the hub then later full set due to wear and tear too. So it just base on my own experience, even now riding on the Mongoose the gear shift is not as smooth as i expected, but the bike itself is nice handling. I'm 6 foot tall with 83kg... can use it as measure reference... haha.

The thing is with tht price tag, is either go for at least 1.3k or 1.6k range group set. But i choose this Mongoose for the design and have intention to swap the group set, as long as the frame is good enough... i'll take it.

Oh ya... the Hydraulic brake is more than acceptable, the shop can swap it to mechanical for you for free. He will tell you your lost if you do't want Hydraulic. hahaha... i have spare shimano mechanical brakes.

I'm too long never ride and read bike stuff, so i'm consider a newbie here. Hope you found your bike bro.

wear and tear is like tax and death, it will always catch up with you

Something is very wrong if your hub worn out just 1 month… could be ultra low quality fake, with fading logo print and burrs sharp enough to use as a kitchen knife, or terribly worn out "recon"… or completely incompetently setup/installed/tuned.

If it's not your parts quality, it could be the way you cycle… or the terrain you ride on…
I am 20kg heavier than you and my 20 ringgit cup and cone hub is a lot older than 1 month…

I use cheap parts exclusively. also good fakes intentionally. What the hell, cheap or expensive, they will all wear off after 3 years…
If it doesn't it only means you don't ride as often as you dreamed you did…

BTW, on drive train parts, the more expensive your drive train, the faster they wears out… shimano say one…

This post has been edited by KenC: Jun 8 2017, 09:12 PM

I saw this selling in the market by a Samuel Soon in Recycle Bin facebook. Must be new in the market. 10 speed flat bar shifters and good thing is it is friction , means non index forthe FD and we can choose either friction or index for the rear gears. One thing about friction is, no hassles in calibrating. Just set the limits of the derailleurs, hi and lo and then pull or release until the gears engage.

I'm so worried you will reply my post, u're damn truthful in all post . hahaha... good morning KenC

As for only 1 month facing issue on wear and tear is because newbie facts, didn't know how to take care MTB parts for cross country hard tail bike... just whack every corner and down hill and never clean/lube well. So maybe what my case is only apply to newbie fact. Bro KenC, i love good fake parts too. As long as it didn't break my neck.

Well said Shimano, hope one day i can afford to get their most expensive stuff.

Very flexible shifter design indeed.
Thanks for sharing~~

Maybe you are not so knowledgeable on mountain bikes as well. I started from mtb and stopped and then to folding bikes but back to mountain bikes nowadays but I do ride folding bikes sometimes. The thing with your so called hard tailed mtb is ........many in our market are for mild offroads only. Even a couple friend of mine, husband and wife , did not listen to my advise on buying mtb. They budget about 2K for each bike. I advised them to get second hand units but , NO ! , they did not listen.

They went ahead and got a TREK (branded ones) but for RM2400 you get lousy components , while the husband got a Cube for about 1.9K and off course same lousy Accera group. Thing is , if you are using this non series components on road, they are fine but if you really thrashed them for what mountain biking is for, these are not going to last. Both their bikes now looks like junk! Creaking here and there and even that we didn't really go for extreme offroading. Minimum stage is Shimano Deore or SRAM X7, else your bike is not going to last. Also the front forks are really really important. If you use 'chapalang' forks or even the Suntour XCMs , you are going to shake like nobody's business and thrashed every part including yourself. That's why there are 20K mountain bikes and those bikes can really take a beating. These are for those who are rich or many I see, willing to sign with 3 cards and pay slowly. I took the longer way, just like my foldie, I first get a good frame, a used Santa Cruz hardtail frame for only 1K. Then I bought Exitway mtb (complete bike) for the components, because they give very good OEM components, Fox's fork with XT components ! I sold off the Exitway frame. Then later I change the wheelset to Fulcrum. After a year, I found a bargain on a Giant full sus frame, I have to drive all the way to Raub to get it. Transfer all the components over and have been riding it since for a year and half now and till today there are no major replacements for components except the chain and cassette. I am riding an mtb with 12K spec but I got everything for less than 8K with the selling off and changing components in the early stages.

It is very hard to convince ....even for folding bikes, the advantages of a good groupset and components. We are also talking safety issues here, especially mountain biking. I have seen a rider split his front fork after hitting a rut! But to many, an RD is an RD regardless if it is Shimano Tourney or an XTR. To them, it's all gimmick so, I can't really convince nor want to convince. Most importantly, regardless of what type of rider you are, you must know the threshold where your requirements really needs. Off course higher if you can afford

Thanks for the advice, it does help.
It remind me what i'm doing right now are partly right. I can't really remember my time in MTB last time, i stop after an major bike accident in Frim while training. It does effected my career that time for 8 months recovery. It was 10 years ago, so i'm knowing nothing at this time but learn and absorb at the moment. Or maybe ter-asked stupid question.

Currently i'm started with the similar concept with low budget, second hand (not the Mongoose) and get good parts for the bikes. I'm not going extreme this round, just want to enjoy the ride...

Looks like a bargain. Poor man's Brompton.........actually not really as it is quite pricey too! But coupled with the Wheelsports wheelset.....hmm
It says 8v , don't know what that means but from the picture, it is with front derailleur so it has to be 16 speed .






This post has been edited by etigge: Jun 9 2017, 12:39 PM

Sorry to hear about your last mtb incident. I have seen many newbies who went 'gung ho' downhill without considering the skills needed. Like me and wife, we need to pick up skills and at times secrets to riding by experience. These are not told by more seasoned riders, you know, there are many selfish riders out there. Skills like for example ,

Braking is reflex, we never brake both at once. We pull our right hand side levers first before the left but many other skilled riders do both together. Many 'gung ho' riders panicked and press just the left hand side and fly over their handlebars. Sometimes bikes are fitted with the right hand side levers for front and vice versa. I like to coincide the levers and gears on the same side.......eg. rear derailleurs , rear brakes on the same side and also front derailleurs and front brakes on the left.

Changing gears while riding, we shift up only when we pause a while during pedaling. Only when the click is complete , I continue. If you get used to it, it just a blink of an eye anyway. Many just crunch through the shifting while pedaling hard and then we hear the 'kracccck ! kraccck ! kraccck! ' if the groupset is of the lower quality. But I do that even when I am using higher ends. On the safe side. It's not going to loose me a lot of time anyway. Even then, I broke my chain a few times riding uphill and I was shifting higher.

And there are many more. We are not talking about technical skills but rather safety skills here. It's more important than technical if we want to enjoy cycling. I can understand your situation. I also have a friend who went riding with me but he was trying to showoff by riding fast and went a wrong turn. Then while hurrying back, hit a rut which we went over once when we set out and went flying over and hurt his wrist and chest. Went back and still can't operate his noodle stall for a month and his wife went bonkers and ban him from riding. Mainly it was his own fault but the wife blamed us.

Whatever bike we are riding, take it slow. Learn the ropes and make riding an instinct and reflex. Learn to understand your bike too. Also, there are many factors that makes riders enjoy and be happy when riding.

01). is NO STRESS ! My policy is, if others riders are missing in front, go ahead. Still they need to wait for me and if they don't , I won't ride with them anymore.

02). Functioning well bike, this is where quality comes in. That's why I explained, where we need to set a bar , a threshold on our bike level for the group we are riding with.

03). Riding with the right group. There are many types, the road runners , these are not my type though, usually roadies. Only thing that matters is distance and time. On the ride, if there's an accident or something got blown up or a beautiful lady on the side of the road, they never notice. There are foldies in this category though, especially Ipoh. Gourmet riders. There are many of these in KL. This is the most fun group but also can chalked up quite an expenditure. They ride high end bikes and they choose a point to start and the destination is somewhere there is good food. Once a while they take the train to some other states and do the same. I am occasionally this kind of rider. This is usually folding bike group but there are some tourers and mountain bikers in the group. Tourer groups These are usually loner packs. Not more than 3 or 4 riders. They are smaller grouped because they want to cut down the hassle. Big group means big problems. Too many opinions and too many cooks! They have to ride a week, a month sometimes so less is better , sometimes only lone rider. Mountain biker At present, due to the emergence of enduro and all mountain bikes, these riders have egos as big as their wallets. Mountain biking to them now is technical only. Flat offroads are not their style anymore. There was a comment in another tread saying that a hardtail is not even a mountain bike anymore.
Then also there are the normal mountain bikers, we ride because we need a bike that can go all terrain and the lighter it is, the better , hence XC mountain bikes. Prefers offroads into oil palm plantations, discover new trails, waterfalls, sceneries etc. Also maybe add in the Happy group, eating good food at destinations. So, I guess you can guess which group I am in.

Many choices. Just a matter of getting used to which and which is more enjoyable to you. Important point is..............don't give up ! You will come to make a decision if you stick to it. That's why sometimes you see folding bikes in road bike groups and mountain bikes in folding bike groups and all rojak. If one can stick to that group and can tolerate, the rider will switch to the majority in that group. I know one rider in Balik Pulau who has all 3 kinds of bikes, both husband and wife. He's the kind who will slow down when he needs to.

Happy riding.

This post has been edited by etigge: Jun 9 2017, 01:27 PM

Almost every cyclist I know around my age group ( +/- 25years)take up cycling because of health problems of every kind. They or should I say we need a good exercise regime urgently.
Golf also sport ma, why not play golf? Why not jogging?
We (hopefully it's not just me) picked cycling for cardiovascular, zero impact exercise and entry cost is minimal ( until you start buying cycling attires and chasing after expensive grouppo and become yet another weight wiennie).

After we got hooked, admittedly, we human just love the freedom these wheels brings us. bicycle expends our distance and increase the amount of air in our hair… SPEED! ahhhh… addictive.

However, nobody took up cycling because of that smooth gear shifting, sub 7kg bike, 45km/h ave uphill speed, Century ride, 600km Audax or podium chasing… All those come later as everyone has the urge to stand out from the crowd… and some even went overboard to impose Do and Don't… my foot…

One must not get carried away from ones primal objective. Stick to it and not get distracted by the noise your chain drive makes and welcome the bicycle weight imposed on your legs and lungs.

One can waste time and still rip fitness and health benefits they bring. Such as pedaling skill, gear shifting skill, road etiquette, road safety, safety skill, washing skill, gear tunning skill, tire repair skill, martial art … the list goes on…

Focus and thou shell loose that oversized love handle in no time.

Don't blame the bicycle… It's the cyclist who need to loose weight,

Cycling is the new golf, please don't turn it into another golf.

This post has been edited by KenC: Jun 9 2017, 06:19 PM

The first intention of the bicycle was for transportation then came the modern bicycle or what they called safety bicycle. Like many forms of transportation, it became a sport. So does the the automobile, the motorcycle and even trucks nowadays. It has become a kind of sport. Like it or not, we can't do anything about it, it will or it has already become similar to golf. As technology improves on the speed , so does the cost and also the suitability or advantages that it can offer over the competitor, none of this we can avoid, just maybe the resistance of our own temptation, I guess. That's why I always stress, buy what you can afford. If you can't then salivate lorr what to do?

There's nothing wrong if another rider rides a better bike than I do because as far as I go, I have to be contented with what I have now because that's what I can afford for now. That's important. There are also many other who rides lower level than mine but I can't blame them nor do I comment anything. Everyone rides what they can afford. But it is not wrong chasing after gruppos if that is really what we desire. I really like an expensive bike but if I can't afford it , it's is not wrong that I dream of it and start chasing after it. After all, it is our desire and eventually by saving I can afford it. Have you ever heard of any rider that been harassed by Ah Long because he forced himself to buy an expensive bike or any rider who has neglected his family because he bought an expensive bike. I advise on this forum because that's what I am opined to belief, it may not be the same for others. There are always pros and cons for everything, we just have to balance them. Ultimate decision is always belongs to others not me. In fact, for those who have been in contact with me.......and recalling back, usually they don't follow on what I advise either. Right? Ultimately, it is their own eyes and feelings after hearing the pro and cons from me.

Bicycles are not an addiction but a hobby and as hobby goes, some craves for attention. I respect them as they are, in fact I envy them sometimes because they can afford it. I see some riding 20K bikes but he drives an old Wira. I totally respect that, seriously. I mean, he can forsake the most common status symbol most Malaysian wants, a great car ! And he treats a car as a car but he dreams on beautiful bicycles. So, how wrong it that? Everyone sets their own priorities. If everyone is riding because of health issues, gym bicycles offers the same as well. I mean why bother with gears at all, in fact. Truth is, everyone rides for their own reasons. Heck! I even know one who rides to escape from his wife at home. Serious, no lying here.

My usual riding buddies are in cycling mainly for social networking and health is more of a secondary issue for them to cycle. Probably a bonus to their passion. Yes, there are some advised by doctors and referred to us for cycling together and later , they too join the fray. In the end they are happier too. Ever notice that when we drive from KL to Penang , we just stop for a meal and then our destination? When we cycle through, we realized that there are so many spots and attractions that we missed. So many main attractions that we never seen all along the same route. Like they say, life is not about the destination but it is more about the journey. This was my greatest inspiration and wish that I see every corner of Malaysia. I mean, have any forummers here heard of Jalong, Trong, Kuala Sangga, Sungai Buloh near Jeram, Kampong Pagi, Kampong Selamat etc etc. These places has the most beautiful sceneries I have seen in Malaysia.

I can understand why you ride. But not everyone does something for the same reason. If buying expensive bike is wrong because a bicycle is a bicycle regardless if it is 1K or 20K, then this theory is really against my friend I have. He owns 3 super bikes but he don't ride them because he don't know how to It is his passion and he can afford it, he just like owning and looking at them.

So, my friend, it is not wrong to desire and like an expensive bicycle because it is passion. So what if they call it 'show off!' Call it what you like, nobody cares because ultimately, it doesn't actually affect anyone, maybe except the one who complains, right? I am envious too of many others who can afford Santa Cruzes and Instense but then I can dream of it. It stimulates my passion for riding. So, what better way is there than improve on our riding skills and maybe, in future I actually can afford one and take full advantage of the bike.

This post has been edited by etigge: Jun 9 2017, 07:11 PM

What went wrong is all these hoo haa hindered many face conscious newbies from buying their 1st bike. or left the sport completely.

let's look at most obvious scenario. A 200kg @ 165cm guy, which is more urgent, surely not a silent chain or speed… wait a minute, speed could kill this unfit overweight individual!
Already having inferior self esteem, wanna rub salt in with expensive bike?
I am not passionate about cycling. it's my exercise tool. All I want is have regular exercise on my bike. It's all about my fitness and health. Not bothered with competition or adventure. But collecting calories quota to indulge myself with more food.

This post has been edited by KenC: Jun 9 2017, 08:43 PM

I lost 11 kgs with cycling, using the stationary bikes, and calories counting too..but then, things got bored, and since i achieved my ideal bmi, i stopped cycling that gym bike that i bought.

Until a year later, i bought the cap ayam folding bike. End up upgrading the bike. The upgrading cost twice as much as the cost paid for the stock bike. Then i bought the dahon speed..the only upgrade that i make to that bike is by changing the crankset to double chainring.

And some time later, i bought myself an mtb. Custom made to my spec.

Why did i do this? Because cycling is really FUN! I may achieved the same result with the stationary bike for health purpose, but is nowhere near as fun as riding the bike on the street, be it either offroad or tarmac.

Now im dreaming of owning an rb..why? For each disciplined, cater it's own rights of FUN. Heehee..

When it's fun, im just itching to ride more and more.

This post has been edited by fatani: Jun 10 2017, 03:30 AM

I can't cycle in a gym and I hate gym…
I bought used bicycle for rm300 and I had poured just over 1k on it… literally changed everything with cheap yet durable parts. Fitted a BMX handlebar to elevate my hand position by around 6~7inches, I hate washing my chain drive hence I brew my own paraffin wax lube, I ditch the ori 1x 7 speed Rd and shifter for 2x8 Shimano EF-51 cheapo brifters and swap in a hollowtech, a pair of cheapo kenda tires… never intend to sell the bike… Enjoyed the ride so much I pun 100~200km weekly. now stopped counting how many thousand km I did and my BMI is still not to anywhere near good, tummy still protruding, but I do look darker and my stamina has never been better… resting heart rate at sub 60bpm, Max heart rate 186bpm from 160bpm all just in a span of 10months… still can't complete an audax brevet, longest distance was 230km in 20hrs… not great but you should see me a year ago…
12kg is the score… and I can ride a century without any preparations (but slowly)…
I am proud of my 15kg cheapskate BMX.
spending money just isn't my hobby…

Everyone has their reasons to ride but many are not those who are advised by doctors to do it. Slimming down and dieting has a lot to do with discipline and will power rather than the form of exercise they do. You can be riding a few hundred kilometers a week but you won't weigh less unless you change your diet plans. Since my hiking days I have been told this. After the knee , I just switch totally to cycling. In fact cycling was a passion since childhood days, during the days even Shimano was not in the scene yet. Those days, Campagnolo and Suntour and another called Simplex were the brands. Off course those have to step aside when we were struggling to make a life.

When I started hiking, I was like 100 kgs, then when hiking almost regularly every week to a new mountain, it went down to only 96 kgs. After knee pain, it went back up to 102 kgs. Then came cycling, also became regular rider for a few years but the weight never came down and now it is even worse, I am 104 kgs in fact. Problem is food is also another great passion of mine Well, at least I can maintain rather than ballooning even with the sinful eating.

I am lucky that my wife also likes cycling, in fact, more than I do. I like the technical aspects of the bicycle. The workings, the metallurgy, the technologies, the latest launchings etc. while my wife just like to ride. So, it helps too in our relationship if we share the same passion. We are married for 31 years already and we still does some form of activity every week together and since the kids are already on their own, I can spare a few bucks for something I love. Even though I like spending money (I wish I had more ) , it also has to be for something worthwhile, don't you think so. Spending 10K or 20K is not a big waste if you really love it and even if you have to sacrifice something for it, it is still worthwhile. Many people still can't swallow the concept of a bicycle costing more than a motorcycle But they can accept that a smart phone also cost the same, or a pair of Armani suits or a car detailing service at RM9000

Put it this way, I rather my wife spends 20K on a Juliana Furtado (her dream bike for now) rather than she spends the amount for a handbag, don't you think so? Or pester you to buy a BMW because the neighbour bought one. For this , I appreciate my wife. Like I said, we have our priorities. After all I always tell others, if the money is in the bank, the money is still not yours.

Another good example is how we live our life. I am the considered the black sheep of my family because I don't save and my family actually spurned me when I bought a RM450 LeRun bike for my wife when we were down. Imagine that I don't really cared because I feel principally I am not wrong. Now after another 15 years, my other siblings, a sister , one year elder is on a wheelchair and a younger brother went for surgery 3 times already. So, who is living right and who is living wrong. Humans , even relatives by nature, always have excuses to scorn you because they are not into it and don't understand you. Now when they see my FB with my weekly postings, they can only be envious and told me that they wish they had followed my way.

There are many kinds that makes the world, we can only respect each other. I can't be thinking like you because I am not in your shoes and neither can you be thinking like me because you never live life like me.

This post has been edited by etigge: Jun 10 2017, 05:30 PM