Remington Posted July 17 Share My wife is currently riding a small 2022 Trek top fuel 5. We are looking to upgrade. She has been riding her bike for two years now. She feels she is ready for an upgrade to a better bike. Our budget is around 60K to 65K. We were hoping to get one of the older trek bikes that were on sale, but a small frame is quite difficult to find. Which bike has the better specs in relation to price and warranty and components. We are not interested in any other brands other than these two. The other question is it worth the cost to spend more and get a carbon frame. Her bike is quite heavy, so she wants a lighter frame. We are all-rounder riders in terms of riding with a mix of technical off road and long-distance riding. I know each rider will have a different opinion on what is the best bike Any recommendations or advice would be very helpful in us making a final selection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me rida my bicycle Posted July 17 Share Carbon frame doesn't necessarily mean a lighter bike. Giant's higher spec aluminium bikes used to come with carbon wheels. For example a carbon scott spark 930 weighed considerably more than the alu giant anthem 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORNE Posted July 18 Share 7 hours ago, Me rida my bicycle said: Carbon frame doesn't necessarily mean a lighter bike. Giant's higher spec aluminium bikes used to come with carbon wheels. For example a carbon scott spark 930 weighed considerably more than the alu giant anthem 1. This. My STEEL cotic rocketmax was a kg lighter than my carbon forbidden dreadnaught😅 mostly same components too. Edit: OP, if it were me..id probably be shopping Trek. Purely because personally feel they make better looking bikes. I also think at that price point the specs on both brands, like for like, would be close enough not to matter. NX/GX/SLX…ish. Id compare brakes and suspension options more than anything. The wheels will be round and the frames will have colours… You’d also be silly to scoff at some at the deals to be had at places like specialized at the moment with stumpjumpers or the new Chisel duel suspension. Lots of bike to be had in your price range that used to cost 50% more. Edited July 18 by MORNE Me rida my bicycle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter-morgan Posted July 18 Share My 2 cents, I have a Trek top Fuel - Go for the Trek Super caliber, that is very light but at your budget you should be able to get one second hand, especially for the long rides that is not very technical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Training wheels Posted July 18 Share Trek Top Fuel 9.8. There is a new gen out and you should pick up a good used bike in you price range. I had a Top Fuel 9.8 before my Super Caliber, and the Top Fuel is definitely a much more comfortable ride. varkie2, Dexter-morgan and thebob 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisF Posted July 18 Share These options are technically more than sufficient. You have already done the admin side by narrowing the budget and brands down. Time to go window shopping. Let her sit on the bikes, and get a "feel" for the different options. One will just put that smile on her face !! Thats the one that gets you out the door and riding .... Training wheels 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebob Posted July 18 Share 41 minutes ago, Training wheels said: Trek Top Fuel 9.8. There is a new gen out and you should pick up a good used bike in you price range. I had a Top Fuel 9.8 before my Super Caliber, and the Top Fuel is definitely a much more comfortable ride. I agree 100%. A Top Fuel is the way to go whether it is alloy or carbon. I have had one since 2021 and have over 6000km on it. I have done marathon races, bike park, easy trails and even enduros on that bike. It is simply a great allrounder, which seems to tick the boxes you are looking for. As for brand support, Trek has helped me with a seized BB and a smashed carbon wheel under warranty, so questions asked. All I needed was my invoice to prove I was the original owner. I also managed to break a suspension mounting bolt a few days before a race and their Head Office sorted me out with a new one free of charge. There is stock available, examples of the one model I would suggest. Speak nicely and maybe they will discount to get it within your budget, especially as the 4th gen model is arriving next month. 2023 Trek Top Fuel 9.7 – biket.co.za 2023 Trek Top Fuel 9.7 - Hex Blue – biket.co.za I would also suggest that the Giant Trance 29 would be a great option, but no dealer seems to have them, and Giant's local distributor seems to be pricing the Trance 29 at premium levels for a mid-spec bike (I am a Giant fanboy, so this does hurt me). The previous gen Specialized Epic Evo would also be a great option. I know a couple of people who have them and love them, though I cannot comment on the ownership experience in terms of backup etc Feel free to drop me a PM if you want any further info about the Trek Edited July 18 by thebob Training wheels 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretched@Birth Posted July 18 Share If you can, let her ride both. I had a Trek Fuel EX 9.8 and Currently have a Giant Trance Advanced Pro 1. Similarly specced bikes, but very different ride characteristics. I like to stand up when climbing, the Trek would break traction as soon as I stood up to pedal over something. I had to change my riding style and learn to keep my butt on the saddle. The Giant I can stand up, mash the pedals and I get forward propulsion. ChrisF 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeisLife Posted July 18 Share https://www.obike.co.za/product-page/cannondale-scalpel-carbon-se-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Hurlow Posted July 18 Share Two good options right here on Bike Hub... Trek Top Fuel 9.8 (small) | Dual Suspension Mountain Bikes | Bike Hub TREK SUPERCALIBER 9.8 (S) *Carbon+Wheels-SiD-XO1* | Dual Suspension Mountain Bikes | Bike Hub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baracuda Posted July 18 Share The Treks do get great reviews but they seem to be heavy for what they are - e.g. compare the weight of a top fuel to an anthem or epic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ians H2Sport Posted July 18 Share 4 hours ago, Dexter-morgan said: My 2 cents, I have a Trek top Fuel - Go for the Trek Super caliber, that is very light but at your budget you should be able to get one second hand, especially for the long rides that is not very technical. What he said.... But get the Gen2. The Supercaliber is a brilliant bike. The other big consideration is the back up service and warranty. My experience so far is Trek is great in this area, just make sure your LBS is up to looking after you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthem24 Posted July 18 Share Trek TopFuel is a burly downcountry bike. The carbon Gen 3 models will be lighter if you can find secondhand, the new (2024) Gen 4 models have lighter frames but the Top Fuel 8 will be more than your budget. Don't forget Giant's ladies brand Liv -- the Intrigue or Pique might be good options. https://www.liv-bicycles.co.za/collections/full-suspension?product_category=Mountain_Bikes&product_suspension=Full_Suspension Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amac Posted July 18 Share The Anthem and Top Fuel only have space for one bottle cage. The Supercaliber accommodates 2. This is an important consideration for some. Me rida my bicycle and ChrisF 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobynE Posted July 18 Share Are you 💯 sure she is a S frame? I find this can vary quite a bit between manufacturers and bike geometry. ChrisF and Zebra 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossTopher Posted July 19 Share How does this stack up? https://canyoncafe.co.za/products/canyon-lux-trail-cf-6-small-marketing-bike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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