Best Dual Suspension Bike for Female Nearly Newbie

[Greggo]

Hi Hubbers.

 

My Girlfriend has asked me to help her buy her sister a bike for her birthday.

She is keen on Mountain Biking, mostly XC, and has been grinding out 10-20Km rides on a rough as F£*k Raleigh.

 

She wants to take it to the next level and become a proper weekend warrior.

She is 1.68m with a bigger build, and she has the potential to do a 30-50Km in a sitting.

I think she's between a 27.5 and 29, so could go either way.

 

I believe a Dual suspension, with SLX level components would be a good bet for her, and something she can live with for the next 2 years and grow into.

Its essentially her first proper bike so a budget of R15-R25k ...hopefully.

 

 

I was thinking perhaps a Giant Lust, (Not Sure on Price)

 

Any other suggestions?  Momsen, Titan, Scott..

 

Advice please.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Greggo

[PeterF]

The Giant Lust is quite nice but a bit heavy, try to find a good 2nd hand 27.5 Anthem.

[Jason Bordelon]

The "best bike" is going to be different for every person. I am a woman (this might show up as my husbands profile - sorry) and I raced high level competitively on road, always on a men's bike. My first mountain bike was a men's bike. My second mountain bike was a womens specific design and it was SO much easier to manage and ride.

There is no blanket answer to your question, but I would say that a really nice 29er hardtail (like the Spesh Fate, Giant Obsess or Scott Contessa) is going to be a HUGE upgrade and will easily last her 2 years. For the same price range to get a decent FSR, you'll have to go used if you want SRAM x7 or deore XT and above.

The hardtail vs FSR debate continues but a light hardtail with good components - even 1x11 - is going to have this girl flying up hills.

Beware of buying a used men's bike, mountain bikes get put through the ringer and unless shocks and brakes are serviced and looked after, the FSR sometimes just adds weight. You'll be hard pressed to find a nice, used, carbon FSR for r25k or under. Try to find a demo day and put her on a WSD hardtail - she will love it. I do!