What was yours?

[Brickleberry]

Merida big nine Tfs 900 2012. Got it second hand for 7800 bucks. Awesome bike, would buy it again.

[2721sim]

My first ever non-road experience was also atop a Mongoose Switchback, R4k in 2013 ... Great fun ... the idea was to keep the road riding to myself and play with the family on the MTB ... The Mongoose initially handled almost anything I was capable of throwing at it ... lasted about 4 months ... didn't destroy it ... decided that this whole new world of off road riding and not having to worry about pebble in the road opened a world of possibility ... so I outgrew the capabilities and subsequently bought a full suss Specialized ... 

[Dupi]

Some very interesting and informative replies, please keep them coming....  

[RocknRolla]

Childhood:

 

Wheeler BMX, chrome with yellow bits (tyres were yellow rubber)

Delivered newspapers with the BMX, saved up and bought a "racer" from Hyperama...

Think my dad donated the bike to the gardener when I was in highschool.

 

Adult:

Bought a R700 Bike from Westdene cycles. I also bought a rack with a child seat on the back. Both Rigid.

(Bough one for the wife as well, bike - not seat)

 

This bike served me well for a long while, took my eldest around the neighbourhood for hours on end during weekend while my wife was studying, we rode far....like 20kms far...he would eventually fall asleep on the back.

 

Took my wife for one ride, she was swearing at me, enquiring why we cant just ride on the road...(it was mtbing after all)

 

Then I destroyed it one fateful morning trying to jump over a sudden ditch while they were developing eagle canyon golf estate.

 

Second bike was a R7000 scott scale 60 from Cajees, terribly undersized. Rode that bike for long (transfered the baby seat to the new bike) eventually converted to SS mutch later

 

Then I became a "serious rider" got a Ghost RT Actium 26inch for R18k (inclusive of tubeless) from West Rand ($) cycles. Really nice bike, although the rear shock bolt does not like the downhill speed I did with that bike..

 

Now on a 29er on-one inbred, built it for just shy of R10k and weighs a smidgen over 10kg Back to a rigid- so I guess it all went full circle?

 

 

[Dupi]

After filtering through many possibilities these four bikes seem to fit my budget and needs:

• Merida Big Nine 40
• Momsen AL129
• Silverback Sola 4
• Titan Trail

Any thoughts on these bikes?

[Beefy]

I started Mountain biking in 2010 and got a Silverback Alpine. In hindsight a very good entry level choice at the time. Cost me 4k and taught me the value of higher spec'd bikes and components while being a good enough bike to ensure the MTB bug bit and bit hard.

[porqui]

 

''

[Stretch]

jurre - some full rigid giant back in the early 90's that cost like 500 bucks

 

 

more recently my first Full Suspension was a mongoose team with rock shox fork, fox float r and slx components that i paid about R5000 for in 2007ish

[RockCoach]

First MTB was a '93 Haro Extreme - bought from my buds Eldron and Greatwhite at Eastgate Cycles. Paid just over R1k

 

Was a beast: rigid, steel, v brakes, acera group mostly, weighed about 17kgs. The bars were curved into bullhorn type bar ends (but were really wide for the era at about 700mm ). Usually wore slicks and it hardly ever touched dirt . She even earned me a top 10 place at the 40km Herald road race. Not bad as I was madly spinning out the 48x12 at over 60km/h in the flat tailwind sprint down Marine Drive.

 

If I could do it all again, I would have stuck with the "underground" MTB movement and still continue with the road racing. Realistically, back then as a student I could only afford to run one bicycle.

[seanrcb]

First bike was Diamondback Topanga early 90's all chromoly solid fork saw my gat first ride out hit bump at deer park riding kit was cut off jeans hitec boots and flat pedals damm it was fun back then.

[Ryno.]

After filtering through many possibilities these four bikes seem to fit my budget and needs:

• Merida Big Nine 40
• Momsen AL129
• Silverback Sola 4
• Titan Trail

Any thoughts on these bikes?

Try getting a Momsen AL 329 second hand from the classifieds and I am sure you will be well in your budget. Otherwise just pop onto the classifieds and check what bikes come in under 10k and google them to get reviews online. you should definitely buy second hand.

[Stretch]

First MTB was a '93 Haro Extreme - bought from my buds Eldron and Greatwhite at Eastgate Cycles. Paid just over R1k

 

 

 

I had a haro v3 - great bike...still have it actually - its on my IDT

[Sani]

My first off road experience was on a Raleigh Scorpion BMX , My late Gran bought it for Me as a Birthday Present in 1981 . Won numerous Wheelie Competitions with this bike , and race with it on the BMX track in Alrode . Wonder if that track still exists . This pic is not the actual Bike but exactly the same as I had .

[Breezer]

A Steel Giant Boulder. I bought it on a auction for R500. I was the only bidder! It was a size to small, but I did not know that until I bought a new bike. I had lots of happy miles on that bike. My fist ride was 10km and I was so proud of that small distance.

[Piernas Flacas]

Back in 1992 this was my first MTB, a Nishiki Pueblo 18-speed.

[Bobbo_SA]

My first off road experience was on a Raleigh Scorpion BMX , My late Gran bought it for Me as a Birthday Present in 1981 . Won numerous Wheelie Competitions with this bike , and race with it on the BMX track in Alrode . Wonder if that track still exists . This pic is not the actual Bike but exactly the same as I had .scorpion_e_blowup.jpg

 

Track is still there and in use, not sure how regular the guys race there but its looked quite busy the odd Sunday when we have been past.