Jonno123 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Hi, I have been looking for the right mountain bike for a while now and i'm still not so sure which bike to get. I'm a beginner and this would be my first mountain bike with my highest price being R8000. I plan to cycle three times a week, two of the days being on the road and the other up in the mountain. The two bikes which have appealed to me are the Silverback Sola 4 and the GT Karakoram Sport. I would appreciate feedback suggesting which is the better bike and/or if you have any better suggestions. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulli Posted April 2, 2014 Share Karokoram is a Solid Bike! GT is definitely the better brand in my opinion, depends really on who gives you the best price and spec at 8k. I had the Katokoram for a training bike once upon a time, lasted really well! Looks pretty good as well. Merida also make some quality for money bikes! Jonno123 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CycleMomSpeedster Posted April 2, 2014 Share Save up ! And buy a Silverback storm 29er !! Best spec bike for your money .. You wont need 2upgrade later.. The titan 29er range is also very nice priced.. Good luck!! Oufy MTB (Roadie), Marius, MaXiMuM and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maniax Posted April 2, 2014 Share Silverback. Better components and quality at the same price range as GT imo Marius and Jonno123 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAAHIRWP Posted April 2, 2014 Share my buddy wants to sell his medium 29er 2013 GT karakoram... i think its the Karakoram 1, i know its the top spec in its range... he bought it new outv shop. Just some FYI if you are looking into the second hand market Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanpre44 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Just bought my wife a Sola 4 (paid under R7000), very nice bike. Reason for buying the Silverback was:1. Air fork (can be tuned to work with my wifes weight, and its lighter than the coils)2. Shimano Hydraulic brakes (prefer them over other brands)3. And my wife loves the color scheme! 10 speed drivetrain would have been amazing (and also added couple of thousand to the price), but the Shimano 8 speed is very dependable (been running the same drivetrian on my bike for almost 2 years). Only issue with the 8 speed is the step between the 2 largest gears at the back is quite big, on 10 speed there is lots more inbetween. Things that may be better on the GT:1. Hubs (may have sealed bearings, cant see on their site, know the hubs on the Zaskars are sealed bearings)2. 9 speed drive train (lots of non-shimano parts though) My 2 cents is to always get the best fork for the price, and an air fork in this price range is hard to pass by. dee_biker and Jonno123 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Active Monkey Posted April 3, 2014 Share My 1st bike was a silverback( well excl the game specials) and it was a solid bike. really enjoyed it. Rate it up there with Giant and Scott.Never ridden a GT so cant say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zariuss Posted April 3, 2014 Share Spec wise what you get on a Silverback for what you pay I do not think that any brand can beat them price wise.I would defn go for the Silverback as you get a Air Shock.That for me puts it way above the GT Jonno123, CycleMomSpeedster and Pieter-za 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Catapult Posted April 3, 2014 Share Take out 2k more, and get the Momsen AL229. Air fork, and your choice of full SRAM X5 or Shimano Deore. The frame is pretty much bomb proof. Titans a nice buy, but they lost the plot with their 2014 prices. Johny Bravo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximis Posted April 3, 2014 Share +1 on the momsen. The merida big nine tfs 300 is also a great bike, quality frame and well specced. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g4mb1t Posted April 3, 2014 Share 8 months ago I bought myself the Sola 4. Solid, well priced. Really enjoying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter-za Posted April 3, 2014 Share Son has the Vida 4 29er, which is in essence the Sola 4. Good kit for a fair price, VERY happy with it! (And not tooo heavy either.) Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squier Posted April 3, 2014 Share It's difficult to compare without seeing the specs of the bike... and I'm way to lazy to google it now. That being said, my very first bike was a GT Avalanche and I rode it into the ground (and I was fat then!) and it held up well, right up until the end when it didn't. I then upgraded to a Silverback which was (and still is) also a great bike, The value I got from the Silverback was just more than any other bike manufacturer. You have to compare the specs and see where you get the best bang for your buck. TAAHIRWP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted April 3, 2014 Share Being biased as i have 2 I would opt for the Silverback, the only issue i have with both bikes are the Alex rims which in my experience are not great. TAAHIRWP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbarn Killer Posted April 3, 2014 Share Silverback also have a brilliant after sales service. CycleMomSpeedster 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fauret Posted April 3, 2014 Share Buy my bike from me. it is perfect for what you want. 30speed deore, rockshox air fork with remotelockout and tubeless. good as new.https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/84970-scott-aspect-920-m-very-good-condition/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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