Getting into cycling / mountain biking

What do you want to do on the bicycle? Road race? Jeep tracks? Trails? Downhill?

Bikehub is great for 2nd hand.

Try buy a bike that has a decent spec up front as upgrading is hugely expensive and most of the time is not worth it. For example you buy a R10k bike 2nd hand and realize the fork is garbage, don't buy a new fork (10k plus), rather sell the bike again for close to what you paid and buy another 2nd hand bike with the R20k. If you are patient you will get a good deal and its a buyers market at the moment.

Disagree with the "must be carbon" comments - largely penis measuring unless you are a pro road racer or something. Aluminium is great. Steel bikes can also be very comfortable with a bit of a weight penalty.

Also do not rule out a hard tail. Unless you are doing downhill or huge distances they are more efficient to pedal and way cheaper to maintain. My previous bike (dual suspension) costs R3600 per year for a service. With my hard tail its half that and I only notice the harshness on super technical stuff like actual downhill tracks. For road, jeep tracks and most flow trails a HT is perfect actually and much cheaper.

Wheel size can depend on body size but for normal size adults doing basic riding just go 29er for one reason: Part availability. I can't source nice tyres for my 26" jump bike and struggled to find 27.5" tyres for my dual suspension.
 
WAslayer said:
Only thing missing is a dropper post..
Click to expand...
People say it is the be all and end all - I beg to differ. There is a very tricky down hill up above Coetzenburg that I used to daily on my commute home. Over the years I actually adapted to using my saddle clenched between my thighs from more control.

Alas - that is totally not how it is done and not conventional at all. The convention is to drop your seatpost. Which I never do.

The one thing I did learn over the years or riding my bike almost every day is KISS. As simple as possible.
 
Rouxenator said:
People say it is the be all and end all - I beg to differ. There is a very tricky down hill up above Coetzenburg that I used to daily on my commute home. Over the years I actually adapted to using my saddle clenched between my thighs from more control.

Alas - that is totally not how it is done and not conventional at all. The convention is to drop your seatpost. Which I never do.

The one thing I did learn over the years or riding my bike almost every day is KISS. As simple as possible.
Click to expand...
Yeah much the same, still finding my feet and balance so it's one less thing to worry about while I build stamina and technique.

They're not cheap items either so can wait until I'm feeling flush again.
 
Going to piggy-back on this thread with some questions on brand.
I’m looking for a hard tail 29er. My local dealer only sells Trek. Have never owned or looked at Trek but it seems like a well established brand, right?
 
Paul Kemp said:
Going to piggy-back on this thread with some questions on brand.
I’m looking for a hard tail 29er. My local dealer only sells Trek. Have never owned or looked at Trek but it seems like a well established brand, right?
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with it. Just check whats what with frame replacements/warranties. Thats where the fun usually starts...

And make sure you are not going to have a hard time with something as simple as a replacement derailer hanger.

Its usually more about the parts then the frame unless its a fancy dualie.
 
Paul Kemp said:
Going to piggy-back on this thread with some questions on brand.
I’m looking for a hard tail 29er. My local dealer only sells Trek. Have never owned or looked at Trek but it seems like a well established brand, right?
Click to expand...
Trek is a top tier brand. Never had one, but it is by no means a Makro/Game bike. You can buy it and ride without worry.
 
Thanks gents, lifetime warranty to original owner on the frame so should be good.
Now to choose one. In reality I’m sure anything will do but they throw so many specs at you it’s giving me option overload.
 
Paul Kemp said:
Thanks gents, lifetime warranty to original owner on the frame so should be good.
Now to choose one. In reality I’m sure anything will do but they throw so many specs at you it’s giving me option overload.
Click to expand...
Stick with deore on the Shimano side and you are fine..
 
Paul Kemp said:
Thanks gents, lifetime warranty to original owner on the frame so should be good.
Now to choose one. In reality I’m sure anything will do but they throw so many specs at you it’s giving me option overload.
Click to expand...
Which ones are you looking at? And think about how often you will ride and where... And if you think you are going to enjoy it and get into it..and service and spares costs.

Kit is also expensive for a helmet.. Decent shorts and tops and shoes..sunnies and gloves...it can become a money pit especially if you find yourself swayed by becoming a brand bunny.

Anatomic make some decent cheap gear if you dont want to pony up for high end kit..
 
Jam Sandwich said:
Which ones are you looking at? And think about how often you will ride and where... And if you think you are going to enjoy it and get into it..and service and spares costs.

Kit is also expensive for a helmet.. Decent shorts and tops and shoes..sunnies and gloves...it can become a money pit especially if you find yourself swayed by becoming a brand bunny.

Anatomic make some decent cheap gear if you dont want to pony up for high end kit..
Click to expand...
Roscoe 7. I’m a lifetime bicycle rider but don’t think of myself as a cyclist. :) Have stacks of kit but I’m not clued up on the ins and outs of modern bikes. Spend most of my time on a 30ish year old Peugeot Rapport to give you an idea of how sophisticated my choices are. Got pedals, will ride. Chances are I’ll have this bike forever and won’t even remember what groupset it has.
 
Paul Kemp said:
Roscoe 7. I’m a lifetime bicycle rider but don’t think of myself as a cyclist. :) Have stacks of kit but I’m not clued up on the ins and outs of modern bikes. Spend most of my time on a 30ish year old Peugeot Rapport to give you an idea of how sophisticated my choices are. Got pedals, will ride. Chances are I’ll have this bike forever and won’t even remember what groupset it has.
Click to expand...
A quick look shows it has 2.6in tyres? You planning on trailing or dirt roading?
 
Jam Sandwich said:
A quick look shows it has 2.6in tyres? You planning on trailing or dirt roading?
Click to expand...
Correct. A bit of everything really but mostly forest and woodland trails. Tyres I’ll change based on season, conditions and distance but it’ll be rare to want to do longer distances. Ride with the missus and she starts to get that “this sucks” face when it gets tough or goes on too long.
 
After all that, an online dealer finally answered some questions I had and I’ve ordered a Kona Honzo DL. 2022 model so got a healthy discount and it was what I was after to begin with.
 
Paul Kemp said:
After all that, an online dealer finally answered some questions I had and I’ve ordered a Kona Honzo DL. 2022 model so got a healthy discount and it was what I was after to begin with.
Click to expand...
Is this a public dealer..?
 
Good choice in bike as well as type of bike. Trail hardtails are really do it all bikes. You can hit moerse jumps or ride 50KM on the things and they are cheap to maintain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X