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Has anyone tried an el cheapo e-bike commuter for shorter (<15km) commutes? I can potentially bike commute using backroads, but don't want to pay a motorcycle's price for a "help-my-trap". These ones seem very cheap: https://www.takealot.com/citi-traveler-e-bike/PLID72153273 And then these also exist https://www.decathlon.co.za/city-bike-riding/300606-23123-elops-920-e-high-frame-electric-city-bike.html I like the idea because it can potentially get me to and from work in the same time as full traffic car commute, it feels more environmentally friendly than the 8km/L of my vintage SUV, and the watts will reduce the sweat, hopefully negating the need for a shower. I'd use my bicycle but then I have to arrange changehouse logistics and ebike feels like less admin.

Hi Hubbers, I am new to MTB and the bug bit me hard... I have been spending the last couple of months on a 2016 Silverback Sola 4 hardtail and have been riding a lot. I have been riding before work, after work, taking leave from work just to ride the bike at trails which is further out... when I am not riding I am either watching Youtube (GMBN, BKXC, Berm Peak etc.) or reading all things and everything MTB. The time has come to dip into my funny money and buy a MTB... I have a budget of R35k (max) and am really looking for a new dual suspension bike which I can grow with and develop my skills. I have seen a lot of threads of a similar nature where the posters noted some of the bikes they were looking at. I thought it be cool to leave this open ended and see what bikes get recommended within the budget and for the area and type of riding I want to do. I am based in Pretoria close to Wolwespruit and Red Barn - these are the trails I have been riding before and after work and will also be the trails that I continue to ride the most. I have also taken the bike out to Rosemary Hill, Buffeldrift, PWC Bike Park and did a single track mission through Johanneburg (think it was in the Craighall area). Not a xc racer, in it for the fun but would proabably as I get fitter want to try different things... maybe a 3 day race or something of that nature but at the moment just loving the trails and the features. That was a bit long winded but just wanted to share some of my stoke... I really appreciate any guidance.

Been looking around for quite a while now... I'm looking for a 120mm dual suspension bike that won't break the bank at 30k-ish and doesn't feel sluggish on the climbs -- weighing nothing more than 13,5kg... The best bike I could find was the Scott spark 940 2018 ... 120mm front and back , 13,3kg and coming in at around 35k , which is why I'm creating this post because 35k is just a bit high at the moment as I'm stiil trying to sell 10,5kg full carbon hartail for around that price range . Please go and check it out if you're interested Link: https://www.bikehub.co.za/index.php?app=hubmarket&module=core&do=view_item&item_id=350964&new=1 Any suggestions on a better bike than the scott that fits my specifications..?

Let me start by saying that personally. I would never make peace with the cost that comes with riding a bicycle. Whether you’re buying a bike, parts, protection or apparel. Everything just seems absurdly overpriced. I’ve resorted to scouring the classifieds regularly. Keeping an eye out for retailer sales and doing basic bicycle maintenance myself to save a few bucks. It’s worth mentioning though. That my sights are focussed squarely on value rather than price. Best bang for my buck as opposed to the cheapest working solution. Because as most of us here know. Goed koop. Is duur koop. But this thread isn’t aimed at most of us. It’s for those who are keen on getting their first bike. People who are interested in cycling. But struggle to wrap their head around forking out that much cash on a bicycle. Off the bat. This isn’t about trying to establish what it is the next person can afford. But rather trying to tackle the headspace potential buyers are in when buying that first bike. Here’s a short story. Let’s see who here can relate. Some of your friends are into mountain biking. You know nothing about it. It looks fun. It sounds like fun. You could lose a few pounds. So you reckon you’ll give it a go. You decide right away that you won’t spend more than ‘x amount’ on your first bike. I mean. Anything more than that is just ridiculous. I mean. These guys that spend so much more are probably more of an enthusiast than I’ll ever be right? Or maybe they just rolling in it. So you get your first sled. A budget banger and you’re quite chuffed that you got something for such a good price. You have your first ride. Then your second, then your third and before you know it. The bug has bitten. You’re addicted. You’ve also acquired a bit of a palate since riding. If only the fork was a little plusher. Or you had a little more grip in corners. You start looking at upgrade options… and suddenly your initial budget has expanded somewhat. You start to realize that perhaps there’s something to paying a little more for something better. So you get the fork. Upped the travel from the old 100mm Suntour xct to a 120mm Rockshox Reba. Nice. It was more than what you wanted to pay but your buddies said it was a good deal and it would be worth the upgrade. Then you did your tubeless. Jeez that was a small fortune wasn’t it. Get a grippier front tyre they said. Also worth it. Then the initial stoke of new parts has you happy as a hornet buzzing down the trails. But you’re still progressing. Skills are starting to develop. You’re a little fitter. A little sharper. A little faster. And you’re getting better at this. You’re loving this mtb ****. Before you know it. As reluctant as you are to admit it. The frame is letting you down. It can’t keep up anymore. It’s not as slack as you wished it were. In the end you either stubbornly upgrade a frame that simply isn’t worth the trouble. Or you sell your starter bike for chips and set your eyes on something better. Something more suited to you. Something which is going to cost much more than the budget you initially intended. Remember how vehement you were before all this? There was no way you were gonna spend more that whatever? Now ‘whatever’ is suddenly double that. If only you knew then what you know now. It won’t ring true for everyone. The bug doesn’t always bite. But let me offer a little overly generalized advice to try and tackle that head space you’re in. How hard it is for you to come to terms with the cost of this cycling business. The Makro special Just don’t. I know what you’re thinking. It’s just for casual riding once or twice a month. Just so you have something. It’s cheap. Its 650b or 29er sized wheels. Comes with a warranty. You don’t intend hitting the trails regularly. It should be good enough for occasional recreational use right? And if this cycling business isn’t for you, at least you haven’t spent that much money to begin with. NO. DON’T. JUST DON’T. As many before me have pointed out. Those bikes are pretty much almost always simply rubbish. Perhaps buying a better bike to begin with. Something which could offer a better quality ride. Would have been the tipping point to getting you addicted. A *** bike will put you off this cycling business very quickly. More importantly though. Since we’re on the topic of the beginner budget brain. If the bug doesn’t bite and you decide to sell the bike anyways. Believe it or not. A 2011 Giant XTC will be easier to sell than a 2017 Totem Saturn. If this riding business isn’t for you. Then you lose less of your initial investment if you have a better bike that's easier to sell. Nobody wants a Makro special. Least of all a used one. Moving on. Accessories You need a helmet. There’s no ifs or buts about this. I rode bmx as a laaitie and most of high school. Got my first mtb in 1998 and I never wore a helmet then so why do I need one now? NO. You need one. They’re expensive and you need to factor that into your budget. You could always buy used but don’t get a makro helmet for pete’s sake. Because after your next haircut it won’t fit anymore. The rest you can think about when your’re actually starting to realize that you might like this riding business after all. Gloves? Hydration? Pedals? You can think about that later. 26 inch wheels No matter what the guy behind the counter at your local bike shop will have you believe. 26 inch wheeled bikes are not inherently inferior to other wheel sizes. There are still some 26 inch bikes that I would personally pay north of 20k for. But that’s besides the point. There is no better wheel size. It’s true that 26 inch wheels have been somewhat phased out. 650b is admittedly the new standard. But I would buy another 26er in a heartbeat if it were the right bike at the right price. I have no concerns regarding future proofing. It’s a little harder to find tyres, hoops, forks, etc. But they’re still pretty much out there. Stans. One of the industry leaders in bicycle wheels released some brand spanking new 26er hoops for 2017. Maxxis have resurrected old 26er classic tyres with new tech. And if push comes to shove a 650b fork on a 26er frame is not the end of the world. 26er stuff are often found in bikeshop bargain bins. The classifieds are still peppered with used 26er parts. Many of them in good nick and at good prices. So you might have to be a little more resourceful but the truth is you really don’t have to worry about it. XT schmeXT Let me let you in on a little trade secret. A bicycles rear derailleur. Is in no way a fair indication of the overall quality of the bike its fitted to. Beginner brains love googling. They’ve learned a little something about drive train part hierarchy. So they see an XT rear derailleur and assume that the bike means business. Sigh. Trust me. Many bike companies are guilty of this. Bikes with shitty wheels and shitty suspension are often fitted with mid to high end drive train components. They’re aimed to sell. Aimed at you. You smart little googler you. Especially entry level bikes. And if we’re talking about mountain biking. You will experience a far better quality ride if you have a bike with good wheels and good suspension (but a shitty drive train) than the other way around. You could always upgrade your drive train. Bit by bit. Its cheaper and easier. Upgrading wheels and suspension though…not so much. There are a few other things I want to touch on but I’m tired of all this typing now. I guess we could always add more tips for the beginner budget brain in the rest of the thread. Stay tuned for my second installment which includes topics like. ‘Carbon is not gold’ and ‘Why do you want a bike anyways?’ Mmh. Maybe I should have started with that.

After having done 10,000km on Chaoyang and before that Maxxis I decided to try out a new cheapie brand from China and settled on the Innova-Pro Transformers. Now normally when you want something fancy you get it from a Boutique. Think of fine clothing, confectionery, furniture and so on. If it is fancy stuff it will most likely be "boutique" stuff. So based on that these must be really fancy because it is the first "boutique tyre" I have ever had in my life Sew fahunseh ! Fitting them on my Giant P-XC2 rims was easy enough, I added 100ml Rhino sealant in each wheel and pumped it 2.5 bar and it seems to hold that without any leaks. They do seem rather skinny compared to my old 29x2.2 Chaoyangs. Tomorrow I will test them out on Piket-bo-berg, a route I am not familiar with on tyres I am not familiar with. Let's see how it goes.

Hi Guys! My wife and an old friend have recently hornswoggled me into getting on a bike for the first time in 15 years by entering me in the Jacaranda Off the Beaten Track race. To see if I could still sit a saddle we borrowed an old 21 speed Nishiki and went for the 17km MTB trail at Red Barn in Centurion. At 15.7km I promptly came off and tore a nice gash in my forearm. Some twisted handle bars and a short ER trip later I was in such a good mood you'd swear I'd won something. The race came and went and long story short (well, not that short) I'm looking to buy a Mountain Bike. Money is tight (true story), but I've managed to find a few that could meet my needs nicely, and was wondering if any of you might have any opinions regarding them: https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-sports-bicycles-fitness/edenvale/silverback-stride-10-mens-mountain-bike/1001961785400910248487209 https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/241287-fuji-nevada-14-large-price-drop/ https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/243528-titan-sport-29er-2015/ https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/244430-titan-expert-29r-for-sale/ I'm currently leaning towards the Titan Expert because of the reviews and forum advice I've seen. The Fuji also seems quite decent, but I'm not familiar with the make of some of the components. I'm about 1.8m tall and weigh around 90kg, so a Large frame should suit me well (I think). If you have any views on any of the above bikes I'd really appreciate your input.

Hi Guys Please help if possible. Iv'e been looking for a reasonably priced NEW soft tail around the R25k mark, the bikes i've found so far are: Silverback SIDO 3 (R23k) Merida 96 600 (R25k) Specialized camber 29 (R26k) Looking mostly at XC cycling, sani2c etc. Does anyone have any other ideas or recommendations on the above 3 bikes? Thanks!

Hi everyone and thanks for making this site so helpful. I'm looking to spend around 10-12k on a hardtail. I have my eye on a new GT Zaskar Sport 2017. Can anyone share their thoughts on this model or its components? It does seem like a great value for money bike (considering it's new). What do you think? I'm a novice who will mainly use it on the tracks around table mountain and for commuting occasionally. I'm not planning on racing or doing anything majorly technical. But I do want something that offers a solid base to build on or to resell in time. Some people have warned me to stay away from GT and that they have a poor resale value. And I've had others say the exact same thing about Silverback (and the opposite about GT). It's hard to find an objective opinion. Most people seem to have higher budgets and are quick to shoot down brands or ranges pitched at a lower price point. I guess I just want to feel confident I'm not being a total idiot in going this direction. But by all means, tell me if+why I am.. The 2nd hand option really does seem more reasonable but I wouldn't know where to start and how to evaluate a bike competently. For example, there is a Silverback Sola 2 (i think 2014) going for 8.9k. Is it worth the risk or would you rather go for a new bike? Thanks for your help, Mintman

Hi Guys I'm looking at starting out in the MTB sport. However, I do not want to spend too much on my first bike, as I am not sure if I'm going to like it or take it too seriously with events. My budger for a bike is AT MOST R6k. I don't really want to buy a second-hand cycle. I Googled a bit, and found several bikes within my budget: AXIS A60AXIS A40SILVERBACK STRIDE 10SILVERBACK SPECTRA SPORTTITAN 650B SPORTTITAN CRUZTREK 4700 DISCMOMSEN AL029RAPID PEAK 650B ALLOYRAPID PEAK PRO I'm sure there are other bikes in that range... I went to a local cycle shop, but they kept trying to sell me R10k+ cycles, and I don't like being forced into buying something outside my budget. Also, my wife wants to join me on social rides, but not events, so I am looking at a bike for her as well, but something basic that would not fall apart after 10km. Please could you advise which brands there are and what would be the best buy within my budged. I am 1.85m, and my wife 1.68, I know that will determine the size of the cycles.

Lets say there was no price difference between these two bikes. Which is better?