EdenT80 Posted June 16, 2015 Posted June 16, 2015 Hi guys. I am keen to start cycling, spoken to a few people and sounds like something I would enjoy. I want to do mountain biking, whether it may be enduro or cross country, not sure on the difference, but it must be off road. I would like a few tips from people in the know about what I should look for in a bike and that sort of thing. Also if I should buy second hand or new,you obviously going to be getting a more advanced bike compared to a new bike for the price. I look forward to hearing from you guys.
popcorn_skollie Posted June 16, 2015 Posted June 16, 2015 Hi guys. I am keen to start cycling, spoken to a few people and sounds like something I would enjoy. I want to do mountain biking, whether it may be enduro or cross country, not sure on the difference, but it must be off road. I would like a few tips from people in the know about what I should look for in a bike and that sort of thing. Also if I should buy second hand or new,you obviously going to be getting a more advanced bike compared to a new bike for the price. I look forward to hearing from you guys.Do you have an endless supply of money?
marko35s Posted June 16, 2015 Posted June 16, 2015 If you have friends that cycle ask them a lot of questions about the types of riding they enjoy, and then buy a bike that most suits the type that appeals to you. Don't forget to keep some cash for clothing, gloves, helmet etc. Once you narrow down the search a little you can ask more specific questions here and get answers more likely to help you.
Eugene Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 Most will disagree with me. I say if it's your first bike, buy new from a reputable bike shop. You have the peace of mind of a warranty, it will be set up correctly for your body shape and there is nothing nicer than walking out with a shiny new bike. Good bikes to start out with are Titan, Momsen, Axis, Merida and a few others I forget.
igg Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 How high is your tolerance for pain? As someone new to MTB, there's one thing I've discovered: you crash (in my case, a lot). The types of crashes will likely change depending on your chosen discipline (XC, trail, enduro, etc.). So, torn clothing, broken bike parts, lots of cuts/scrapes/bruises, and in a bad crash... hospital bills. What's your budget? Great used deals in the classifieds.
shaper Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 Firstly welcome to the hub You need to have some realistic budget for the bike and then for additional items such as helmet, gloves, clothes etc. Based on your bike budget, will depend on what to look for in a bike and the more you spend the lighter the bike will be and better components (gears, shock, crank etc) it will have. So depending on what you think your budget will be?.... then you will get more accurate advice
EdenT80 Posted June 17, 2015 Author Posted June 17, 2015 Hi guys. I used to race national quads and have been racing cars now for almost 2 years. The cycling will hopefully not only be fun but also improve my fitness. Budget is ofcourse as little as possible but if the right bike comes along that is a bargain I well spend R15k, but more keen on looking around at the 10k mark.
Pure Savage Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 You can get a good bike to start on the hub classifieds. Probably a hardtail with SLX/XT components with tubeless conversion done for easily less than 10K. Don't worry about wheel size or number of gears. (This will not decide if you enjoy the sport or not) Get onto the bike, make sure its comfy and do some rides. After 3 months think is this something I enjoy, then either A) sell the bike for around what you bought it for and move on to kayaking.B) Sell the bike for a bike more suited to what you have found you enjoy doing the most with the bike, downhill, endure, gravel roads.
Paul Ruinaard Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 Hi guys. I used to race national quads and have been racing cars now for almost 2 years. The cycling will hopefully not only be fun but also improve my fitness. Budget is ofcourse as little as possible but if the right bike comes along that is a bargain I well spend R15k, but more keen on looking around at the 10k mark.Hah that is why I started - I was racing karts and wanted to lose weight and get fit for the nationals. The rest is history. Be prepared for cycling to subsume your life like no other hobby especially if you are fit and enjoy racing. This bug bites very hard and the wallet needs to be deep. If you know your left hand from your right then go second hand and get a hard tail with some decent components - you will get a nice bike for that and there are plenty in the classifieds here on the hub. Always remember what they say - only a rich man can afford to buy twice - so get the best you can for the price as it will save you endless upgrades. A Shimano SLX/XT group with a nice fork (Rockshox or Fox) and the rest is pretty simple. You will change bars and seats anyway. Momsen's are good and there are also some nice no name brand Chinese carbon bikes as well. Bike shops are good if you are a total amateur but if you are like the average motorsport competitor you know what is good and what is BS when you see it. Bicycles halve in value from new.
EdenT80 Posted June 17, 2015 Author Posted June 17, 2015 I'm actually in the recovery process of a broken ankle. I was at my doctor today and he said I should get a bike so long and a indoor trainor to help the muscles in the legs etc. How stable are those indoor trainors? @ Iq of 2: I work with my hand's for a living so won't be a problem if a second hand bike needed work. Also I agree with your point of not buying twice. I want to buy a bike that will last me a while, something that is decent enough to do some social racing but also comfy,I don have the best back. So I think a dual suspension might be the best bet.
Mntboy Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 I'm actually in the recovery process of a broken ankle. I was at my doctor today and he said I should get a bike so long and a indoor trainor to help the muscles in the legs etc. How stable are those indoor trainors? @ Iq of 2: I work with my hand's for a living so won't be a problem if a second hand bike needed work. Also I agree with your point of not buying twice. I want to buy a bike that will last me a while, something that is decent enough to do some social racing but also comfy,I don have the best back. So I think a dual suspension might be the best bet.Budget 15k + want duallie = buy second hand. Good brands are Giant, Specialized, Merida and Silverback to name a few. Check the Hub's classifieds section, there should be some good deals to be had. As Marko35s said put some of the budget aside to purchase helmet, clothes and gloves.
EdenT80 Posted June 22, 2015 Author Posted June 22, 2015 Hi guys Found a 2009 stumpjumper I am keen on. I think it should be ok to start off with then give it to the misses when I want something newer. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks alot.
rouxtjie Posted June 23, 2015 Posted June 23, 2015 Hi guys Found a 2009 stumpjumper I am keen on. I think it should be ok to start off with then give it to the misses when I want something newer. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks alot.perfect...hardtail is the best option...less maintenance / tech issues / setup. You get on and ride. Enjoy pel, many happy miles. Post some pictures for us to see
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