Hello, Been watching quietly from the corner of the forum for a few weeks, but now it's time to get out there. I want to get into mountain biking. Earlier this year I hit Oak Valley with my sister. I was on my cheapie Makro MTB, and when going over one of those A-frame bridge things, my handlebars came loose (just as I got to the top), and I went flying over them. We didn't have an allen-key to tighten the bars again, so I had to walk the last few km, which really sucked because it seemed like an awesome section. Anyway, now I'm looking for a more solid ride. Requirements: - 26er - Hardtail - Hydraulic disc brakes - Medium frame (I think... 1.75m tall, and weight +-60kg) Budget (don't laugh) - +-R5000 Uses: - Oak Valley - Jonkershoek - Bit of tar stuff - Nothing hectic. Will try ride once a week to begin with I've been looking at the shops around Somerset West... Titan Sport - R5200, Silverback Stride 10 - R5200, Giant Revel 0 - R6200 (heard the shock is a pain). Silverback Stride 10 seems like a decent entry-level bike. But I've been reading all these "Which bike" threads, and I've started looking at the secondhand stuff too. Which makes sense- spend less, maybe get a bit more, and if I find that I don't actually enjoy the cycling, I won't have spent over R5000 on a shiney new bike that's just going to sit in the garage. Now, I know very little about bicycles, so I Google all of the components and read reviews. I'm not too concerned about having awesome components, because I found my cheapie Dunlop alright (apart from the handlebar issue), but that being said, if I'm going to spend R5000, I want it to be on reliable stuff. So, if you gents (and gals) see any specials, or have a mate who's selling a bike and it's in my price range and would suit my needs, please help me out and point me in the right direction. For example, while browsing the Classifieds section here, I came across a GT Avalanche for R4000. According to Google, the components seem to be the high-end of the more entry-level stuff. https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/54493-gt-avalanche-medium/ Opinions? *EDIT: Should I wait until the 2014 bikes come out, and see if I can find some good clearance specials/bikers who are upgrading their rides. Many thanks!
