New to MTB…Need help

[DupreNell92]

Hello Bike Hub Community,

Very common question, but I need some help buying my first Mountain Bike. I was big into road cycling but moved to CPT but work and spend most time in FHK. I want to get into mountain biking and have a limited R18K (upper limit) budget. 

Do I sell/trade in my Raleigh LTD (Blue & Yellow) Carbon to fund this?

How do I make a choice between the limited options at my price range? Obviously good components are vital. Focus on group set, suspension ? Where will I find the best bang for my buck (no particular order)?

• MOMSEN AL 329 (2021)

• 2022 Silverback Stride SX 

• TITAN Rogue Dash (2022)

• MERIDA Big Trail 200 (2022)

• MERIDA Big Nine 400 (2022)

• 2022 Marvel Prime

• Trek Marlin 7/8

 

Advice and guidance is much appreciated 👌🏻

 

[Eugene]

I can't give much advice on the MTBs on your list, but I wouldn't sell your Raleigh. You will get very little for it and if you ever decide to hit the road again, an equivalent new bike will cost more than a small car. 

[Brawler]

Lets narrow it down a bit. Where is FHK?

What kind of mountain biking do you want to do?

Long distance on jeep tracks? 

Trail riding ( up and down, suffer a bit up hill and enjoy some obstacles on the way down)

Downhill?

Jumping?

What are your local trails like?

[ChrisF]

My 2c ...

 

1. Keep your current bike.  Winter the trails become a mud.fest .... seriously expensive on MTB maintenance.  Good to have the option to road ride then.

 

2. Size ... make sure you get the correct size.

 

3. Buy the one that puts a smile on your face ....

 

4. Most components will be replaced over time ... rather get the better frame/brand.

 

 

Welcome, and ENJOY

[Theunissa]

9 hours ago, DupreNell92 said:

Hello Bike Hub Community,

Very common question, but I need some help buying my first Mountain Bike. I was big into road cycling but moved to CPT but work and spend most time in FHK. I want to get into mountain biking and have a limited R18K (upper limit) budget. 

Do I sell/trade in my Raleigh LTD (Blue & Yellow) Carbon to fund this?

How do I make a choice between the limited options at my price range? Obviously good components are vital. Focus on group set, suspension ? Where will I find the best bang for my buck (no particular order)?

• MOMSEN AL 329 (2021)

• 2022 Silverback Stride SX 

• TITAN Rogue Dash (2022)

• MERIDA Big Trail 200 (2022)

• MERIDA Big Nine 400 (2022)

• 2022 Marvel Prime

• Trek Marlin 7/8

 

Advice and guidance is much appreciated 👌🏻

 

Silverback. I'm biased. But the stride is not bad. I have a 2016 Silverback Sola 4. I still ride it. Some components replaced mostly moving parts. But I enjoy. It. Ie en got a set of wheels with slicks for the odd road riding. Its better than road bike. Slower but more stable. And you can go offroad. I love going of gravel roads. If you like road( me hates the black stuff?) gravel bikes are also an option.

[DupreNell92]

14 hours ago, Brawler said:

Lets narrow it down a bit. Where is FHK?

What kind of mountain biking do you want to do?

Long distance on jeep tracks? 

Trail riding ( up and down, suffer a bit up hill and enjoy some obstacles on the way down)

Downhill?

Jumping?

What are your local trails like?

@Brawler thank you for helping. FHK is Franschhoek. More likely to do long distance on tracks and trail riding in the week for short hard rides.

 

[Brawler]

2 hours ago, DupreNell92 said:

@Brawler thank you for helping. FHK is Franschhoek. More likely to do long distance on tracks and trail riding in the week for short hard rides.

 

Distance and short hard rides require different bikes if you are serious but a nice aggressive hard tail will be my pick if I could only have one. This is one restaurant meal over your budget but it will be lots of fun and can be upgraded over time: https://bike-addict.co.za/products/merida-big-trail-400-2022?_pos=1&_sid=3db59041d&_ss=r

Franschoek is close to amazing trails. They will make use of a bike with this kind of geometry. 

[dasilvarsa]

Nowdays you get Dual suspension Bikes here in the Hub for Reasonable Prices.

If I had to do it again I would skip Hardtails altogether. When  I got my first Dually I could not Believe the difference.

Just a Thought.

[WT]

Definitely agree with @Brawler on the choice of an aggressive hardtail. Unless you plan on becoming an XC racing snake, you will find the geometry to be a bit more comfortable on an aggressive hardtail (big trail) compared to an XC hardtail (like the big nine).

Also nice to know that your bike is capable to hit some bigger features if you wanted to.

I rode a Mercer hardcore hardtail for around a year and a half and it rocked! Plus you get some bragging rights over the rest of the guys on full sus bikes😝.

Whatever you choose my best advice to you would just be to pick a frame that has boost 148mm rear spacing with a 12mm through axle as well as 110mm boost fork spacing (15mm through axles).

[Theunissa]

8 hours ago, WT said:

Definitely agree with @Brawler on the choice of an aggressive hardtail. Unless you plan on becoming an XC racing snake, you will find the geometry to be a bit more comfortable on an aggressive hardtail (big trail) compared to an XC hardtail (like the big nine).

Also nice to know that your bike is capable to hit some bigger features if you wanted to.

I rode a Mercer hardcore hardtail for around a year and a half and it rocked! Plus you get some bragging rights over the rest of the guys on full sus bikes😝.

Whatever you choose my best advice to you would just be to pick a frame that has boost 148mm rear spacing with a 12mm through axle as well as 110mm boost fork spacing (15mm through axles).

Why boost? 

[robbybzgo]

17 minutes ago, Theunissa said:

Why boost? 

What guy turns down a boost... 🤣

Just joking...it's a newer wheel/hub size so more options to upgrade in the future...

 

[Sandro]

Whatever you buy, keep your road bike too. Not worth selling and one day you will itch to ride it again. Been there and its an expensive mistake to make.

[WT]

10 hours ago, Theunissa said:

Why boost? 

So you can boost all the jumps of course😝

In all seriousness though, as @robbybzgo put it, it is the newest standard for hub sizes and axles. That means that you will be able to find upgrades and parts for this standard easier and for a longer time from now than the older standards.

Take it from someone who has paid the expensive school fees from not doing that from the start🙈

[Phillippe Coetzee]

Hi 
I would look into second hand hardtails, rather than buying new. You can get a very well specked hardtail for your budget + its most probably going to be carbon, you are welcome to drop your height then Ill have a look and share which ones I think is okay. In my opinion new bikes are just to much for the actual parts you get. 
Happy to help out aswell. Feel free to ask or drop me a pm