R7500 budget - new MTB or second hand?

[Shebeen]

Have to agree, yes secondhand is better value for money but if you are new to the sport and already lost & intimidated between all the decisions how do you distinguish between a stinker and a great deal? Much easier to buy your next bike secondhand if you have been riding a while and know what you want & need.

 

And I cringe everytime someone suggest to a newbie to buy a 26er, yeah they still have their fanboys but really the sport has moved on since 2012, that is why you can pick them up for so cheap. Vast majority of riders are on now larger wheelsizes.

I disagree. When the budget is R7500 then the best bike is a 2nd hand 26er. It's exactly this attitude of yours that makes them so cheap, and you get so much bike for the money.

[Skubarra]

I disagree. When the budget is R7500 then the best bike is a 2nd hand 26er. It's exactly this attitude of yours that makes them so cheap, and you get so much bike for the money.

 

I opted for the "better specced older 26er for the same price" over the 29er way back in the day based on hub-advice and it is still one of my bigger cycling regrets - so feel free to disagree but this attitude of mine comes from actual experience.

[varkie2]

2nd hand no doubt.

[s14phoenix]

Get a good used bike that is cheap and slightly better spec that makes you want to continue cycling and as soon as you feel you would benefit from a better bike then upgrade. That way your initial purchase would see you sorted for longer and least likely to make you stop cycling.

 

YOU are the biggest factor in how fast you go NOT the bike.

 

There are quite a few bikes of very many different wheel sizes in the classifieds including 29er etc etc.

 

There is nothing wrong with 26ers 650Bs or 29ers - but walking into a bike shop and having to raise your budget because you can't buy the cheapest bike in the shop also does not necessarily bode well for what you are buying anyway.

 

Ask a friend or someone who is quite jacked with bikes to look at the classifieds with you and narrow down the selection and weigh it out against what is available new.

Edited April 20, 2018 by s14phoenix

[amecily]

So I probably should have mentioned in the original post, but my husband and I are ridiculously tiny humans haha. I'm 1.53m and he's not much taller. We did do the measurements at Cycle Lab and 27.5 is the max we can go, with a small frame.

 

In terms of that Merida TFS 600 xc I posted earlier, we can get that for R3500. Is this a good bike for my husband?

 

If I search the Classifieds for 27.5, in Gauteng, with small frame, I get 2 results. Fuji Addy Bike With Hydraulic Breaks and Merida Juliet 7.300 27.5 Ladies MTB. Are either of these good options for me?

 

Thanks!

[RobertWhitehead]

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp#results - here's a nice website to assist with getting the right size bike. 

 

PWC is fairly technical for new riders (from what I hear - I've never been) - I would rather go to Northern Farms 

 

Welcome to the madness! The bike doesn't look too bad from the picture, why don't you do the measurements (from the link) borrow the friends bike and head out to Northern Farms and try it out before you buy? 

[Allrounder]

I bought my wife a 10kg 10x 26er about 2 weeks ago for less  than your budget. and when i change the suspension it will weigh even less

[Allrounder]

Don't listen to the nay sayers. Are you going to race or try and get a podium, or are you and hubby going out and enjoy the ride?

 

There is a difference in speed, but really not that bad if you just ride along. 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Allrounder

[Dirkitech]

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp#results - here's a nice website to assist with getting the right size bike. 

 

PWC is fairly technical for new riders (from what I hear - I've never been) - I would rather go to Northern Farms 

 

Welcome to the madness! The bike doesn't look too bad from the picture, why don't you do the measurements (from the link) borrow the friends bike and head out to Northern Farms and try it out before you buy? 

nice necro - I think op has had their issue resolved for about a year now ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[eddy]

So I probably should have mentioned in the original post, but my husband and I are ridiculously tiny humans haha. I'm 1.53m and he's not much taller. We did do the measurements at Cycle Lab and 27.5 is the max we can go, with a small frame.

 

 

Thanks!

I trust that the salesman at Cycle Lab explained the difference between frame size and wheel size.

 

The former is crucial to get right and the latter has very little relevance when looking at bike fit.

 

There are Small 29ers and the Epic has been won on XL 26ers. Having said that, Canyon spec their tiny (XS) bikes with 27.5 wheels to improve geometry but at your price range that is moot.

 

The important thing is getting the right size frame.