What bike to get

[slickjay007]

Similarly you can get an EX 5 for under R30K. The R55K comparison was made against my Stumpy with replacement value of R90K (just to provide context, as it seems that context is lost to some who read my post).

 

PS: on a R40K budget, the Anthem 2 probably gets my vote.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

i second the Anthem 2 choice

[Jewbacca]

For those of you saying the 650b wheels/geo of a bike don't mix with Marathons and stage races etc, I would like to point you to Grant Usher and where he placed in the Solo catagory of Joburg2C on a Pyga Pasco 140mm.... 

 

SO.... A Trance will work perfectly. A Trance or a Spez Camber if you are despereate for a 29er... Rickus Jooste came 3rd at Karoo2coast on a Camber, so it's a capable bike with the right engine and kicks ass on the trails.

 

Just my 2c...

[Robbie Stewart]

trance, spez camber, trek fuel ex

 

take your pick they all good

 

                 ^^^This

 

 

I have one. Properly bullet proof.

[Spearo71]

Thanks again to you all for the advice, lots of food for thought. I am by no means anti the 650b bikes, I just think the 29 might be better. I have been offered a 29er to test ride later this week, so that will give me a good indication of how it performs.

Cheers,

[Spearo71]

Oh, ya, I am 6'1", so looking for a large frame.

[Stevief]

Oh, ya, I am 6'1", so looking for a large frame.

get a 29er if you that tall.  Spez camber/stumpy or Trek ex.

[NickGM]

Thanks again to you all for the advice, lots of food for thought. I am by no means anti the 650b bikes, I just think the 29 might be better. I have been offered a 29er to test ride later this week, so that will give me a good indication of how it performs.

Cheers,

The "wheel size debate" has consumed millions of pointless man-hours ever since the 29er came out, and while I run the risk of starting a new one right now, I'd agree that a 29er would be a better (or at least more versatile) option for you. 29ers are now frequently featuring on world cup DH podiums, they are common place in enduro, and are pretty much the standard for marathon and XC. The same can't be said for 650B. 650B has it's place, but does not cover as broad a spectrum as a 29er. So while you shouldn't exclude a 650B in principle, my opinion is that a 29er offers more versatility. 

 

As far as actually buying a bike goes, I don't think there's a huge difference in the quality of the most of the top brands. One can't say things like "Brand A is better than Brand B" in my opinion. What is more important is:

 

(a) how much do you get for your money - Bike 1 has all the same components as Bike 2, but it costs R10K more. Why? Are you just paying for a name? 

(b) After sales service - is there a good warranty? Will you have to ship your bike miles away to get it sorted out or will it be handled locally?

© Known issues - some bikes have been systematically badly designed or badly made. I speak under correction but the giant anthem from 2012 would always crack in the same place. A similar issue exists on the Pyga One10 where a certain batch were made poorly (again, correct me if I'm wrong hubbers). So if you're looking in the 2nd hand market and something catches your eye, maybe ask the good people on BikeHub if they've heard of any known issues associated with a bike. 

(d) Which bike do you find the most sexy? look around, try a bunch of different bikes. You might find one that you just like, and are happy to pay more for it for no other reason than you just like it. You will ride it more and therefore enjoy it more than some other bike that may have been better on paper.   

 

So there you go, some very generic advice that probably leaves you no closer to an answer. 

[Spearo71]

Thanks Nick and others. Had a ride on a demo 29er yesterday and I think that's the way to go for me. Just need to find the right one now...