Coldphir3 Posted October 28 Share I’m in the market for a mountain bike and am a complete newbie. I’ve done some research and have come up with a few ideas of what bikes I’d like. So far, I’ve looked into the Trek Fuel EX 7 Gen 6 and the Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy. I’m open to other recommendations if there’s something better suited to my needs. Here’s some context: Weight: 140kg, Height: 172cm. Primary uses: Trail riding, commuting on pavement, off-road adventures. Requirements: A bike that will hold up well for my weight. Preference: Leaning toward full suspension for extra comfort on trails, though I'm not sure if this would work well for my weight. I’m open to a very sturdy hardtail if that would be a better option for durability. Budget: Sub R40,000. I have also looked at Titan racing brand but I couldn't find anything as far as reviews are concerned. Given my weight and intended use, would the Trek Fuel EX 7 Gen 6 or Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy be a solid choice, or are there other models or brands I should consider in this price range? Thanks in advance for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel J Méssem Posted October 28 Share I'm not too far off on weight and am pretty hard on my bike. There are a few things I've found to really matter over the last decade or so of riding Fork: 32mm quick release forks are too flexy, minimum 35mm thru axle (check out the stanction width) something like a rockshox pike/lyric/Zeb is strong Frame: I found light cross country bikes too flexy for me, there might be stiffer ones, but in general Wheels, specifically the rims, light cross country rims folded, something nice and strong, especially with larger wheels (Stan's flow are my go to) Shock: being able to turn up the damping is important, the base tune is for the average rider I'm on a giant reign 27.5 now, nice and strong, if I try out a friend trail bike I can feel the flex straight away Bike Dewing, Coldphir3, Robbie Stewart and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted October 28 Share At your weight - respectfully - and as a complete newbie/novice, i think you could CONSIDER a pedal-assist eBike… 1 . would be easier to STICK with getting some mild pedal-assist, especially say in 1st 12 months… 2. You can minimise assist as fitness improves, or as weight reduces - IF that is a goal of yours… 3. less chance of ‘chucking in the towel’ with combo of pedal assist AND your own power… 4. easier on the joints, especially starting out… 5. you CAN get a modest eBike for this price; i own one, etc. just some lateral thinking for you. good luck Chris Yusran and Coldphir3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Stewart Posted October 28 Share Daniel summed it up pretty well. I'm also a big lad, although I have lost a good few kilos this year upping my riding a bunch. I ride a Specialised Camber Comp Alu on tar duty in the week for mileage and then a Stumpjumper EVO for trail duty. For both I upgraded the wheels ( nothing fancy, Rapide TR36 on the Camber and Lyne on the Stumpy). This made a world of difference in both bikes. Suspension and braking are the other main points to consider being a large chap. Your suspension must be able to take what you ask of it, within reason of course. More regular servicing is a must to ensure longevity. Brakes. 2 pot calipers won't do. Upgrade to 4 pot soon as you can. You want to be able to stop when you expect the bike to stop. 4 pot brakes will give you the confidence. Of course, being bigger doesn't mean you're at a deficit, it just means we have to think more carefully about what we end up buying to prevent having to replace it all soon after. Coldphir3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel J Méssem Posted October 29 Share You also mentioned being a complete noob, so some of the comments might not make sense (when I was a noob I had no idea what a fork stanction was, or brake pots) so feel free to post/pm options and questions While getting a strong bike is important, getting out and riding is more important Zebra and Coldphir3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel J Méssem Posted October 29 Share 8 hours ago, Zebra said: At your weight - respectfully - and as a complete newbie/novice, i think you could CONSIDER a pedal-assist eBike… 1 . would be easier to STICK with getting some mild pedal-assist, especially say in 1st 12 months… 2. You can minimise assist as fitness improves, or as weight reduces - IF that is a goal of yours… 3. less chance of ‘chucking in the towel’ with combo of pedal assist AND your own power… 4. easier on the joints, especially starting out… 5. you CAN get a modest eBike for this price; i own one, etc. just some lateral thinking for you. good luck Chris eBikes also tend to be beefier, bigger brakes, stronger frames and forks, stronger wheels. Depends on the bike of course, but this could be a very good bet. Extra power on the climbs would be a game changer! Big brake rotors make the world of difference, I went from stock 160mm to 203mm ice tech with finned pads for the cooling. Edited October 29 by Daniel J Méssem Coldphir3 and Zebra 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisF Posted October 29 Share @Titan Racing Bikes can best advise you on their options for your needs. Coldphir3 and Zebra 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Sywurm Posted October 29 Share 12 hours ago, Coldphir3 said: I’m in the market for a mountain bike and am a complete newbie. I’ve done some research and have come up with a few ideas of what bikes I’d like. So far, I’ve looked into the Trek Fuel EX 7 Gen 6 and the Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy. I’m open to other recommendations if there’s something better suited to my needs. Here’s some context: Weight: 140kg, Height: 172cm. Primary uses: Trail riding, commuting on pavement, off-road adventures. Requirements: A bike that will hold up well for my weight. Preference: Leaning toward full suspension for extra comfort on trails, though I'm not sure if this would work well for my weight. I’m open to a very sturdy hardtail if that would be a better option for durability. Budget: Sub R40,000. I have also looked at Titan racing brand but I couldn't find anything as far as reviews are concerned. Given my weight and intended use, would the Trek Fuel EX 7 Gen 6 or Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy be a solid choice, or are there other models or brands I should consider in this price range? Thanks in advance for your input! This maybe? https://www.rapide.co.za/product/rapide-tigre-29-ht/#1577609887465-a9ac95d9-0647 If interested, just contact @Kiwi. MORNE and Coldphir3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwan Kemp Posted October 29 Share 12 hours ago, Coldphir3 said: I’m in the market for a mountain bike and am a complete newbie. I’ve done some research and have come up with a few ideas of what bikes I’d like. So far, I’ve looked into the Trek Fuel EX 7 Gen 6 and the Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy. I’m open to other recommendations if there’s something better suited to my needs. Here’s some context: Weight: 140kg, Height: 172cm. Primary uses: Trail riding, commuting on pavement, off-road adventures. Requirements: A bike that will hold up well for my weight. Preference: Leaning toward full suspension for extra comfort on trails, though I'm not sure if this would work well for my weight. I’m open to a very sturdy hardtail if that would be a better option for durability. Budget: Sub R40,000. I have also looked at Titan racing brand but I couldn't find anything as far as reviews are concerned. Given my weight and intended use, would the Trek Fuel EX 7 Gen 6 or Specialized Stumpjumper Alloy be a solid choice, or are there other models or brands I should consider in this price range? Thanks in advance for your input! Look at the @Titan Racing Bikes Cerberus range. Yes, it is a hardtail but a trail hardtail will most likely fit your needs and negate worries about gear lasting in the long run. Also, the beefier fork will cope better. https://titanracingbikes.com/bikes?jsf=jet-engine&tax=range:157 At your weight, one of the biggest components to look out for will be wheels, specifically rims. You will want a wheelset that makes use of HD rims. Coldphir3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Posted October 29 Share 5 minutes ago, Iwan Kemp said: Look at the @Titan Racing Bikes Cerberus range. Yes, it is a hardtail but a trail hardtail will most likely fit your needs and negate worries about gear lasting in the long run. Also, the beefier fork will cope better. https://titanracingbikes.com/bikes?jsf=jet-engine&tax=range:157 At your weight, one of the biggest components to look out for will be wheels, specifically rims. You will want a wheelset that makes use of HD rims. And 32 spokes Zebra and Coldphir3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwan Kemp Posted October 29 Share 10 hours ago, Zebra said: At your weight - respectfully - and as a complete newbie/novice, i think you could CONSIDER a pedal-assist eBike… 1 . would be easier to STICK with getting some mild pedal-assist, especially say in 1st 12 months… 2. You can minimise assist as fitness improves, or as weight reduces - IF that is a goal of yours… 3. less chance of ‘chucking in the towel’ with combo of pedal assist AND your own power… 4. easier on the joints, especially starting out… 5. you CAN get a modest eBike for this price; i own one, etc. just some lateral thinking for you. good luck Chris Good thinking. A @Titan Racing Bikes Nitric hardtail e-bike will fall in your budget and tick most of those boxes. https://titanracingbikes.com/bikes?jsf=jet-engine&tax=range:105 Zebra and Coldphir3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusran Posted October 29 Share 1 hour ago, Super Sywurm said: This maybe? https://www.rapide.co.za/product/rapide-tigre-29-ht/#1577609887465-a9ac95d9-0647 If interested, just contact @Kiwi. I went this route, no regrets. A lighter bike will definitely feel better, but I prefer knowing and feeling that I'm sitting on something that won't fold underneath me. From my own experience: 1. Wide tyres are a win. Minimum width 2.5" and preffered is 2.8" - 3.0" (if you can find any) 2. Get the best and beefiest forks you can afford. I watch my forks flex on a tar road and that squiggly feeling gets old quickly. 3. Make sure you're comfortable. Get the right saddle, make sure you can maintain your riding position all day long without too much pressure on your hands and shoulders dying. Bars with more rise and sweep back are great! The standard 'modern' bar is wide and aggressive- also gets old quickly. 4. Make sure you have enough gears. Nothing worse than not being able to get up a hill. If you're going 1x - consider a 28T chainring or smaller. 2x works great. Don't worry about top speed- gravity will do that for you. 5. A dropper post is a must. 6. Dual suspension is a win. I agree with the E-Bike route if you're starting out now. A little bit of assistance will make things abit easier and that in effect will allow you to be more consistent and lower the chances of you dropping the hobby/activity. I wish I could start over... but I've spent the past few years blowing all of my savings and free cash on the bikes I have now- but if I knew then what I know now, I would have taken a different approach to cycling as a whole. But hey, that's the journey of life. Nowadays, I ride so that I can spend time outside and spend time doing activities with my wife. I don't train to a schedule anymore, and the training effect of riding whenever I ride is just a nice side-effect. Onto bikes... That Trek Fuel EX 7 Gen6 looks great. The Stumpjumper looks great too. I'd trade my Rapide out for either of them in a heartbeat if I was riding more often, and wasn't planning on touring with the bike etc. But, my Rapide will be getting some racks and bags fitted to it for more adventures - and I'm too broke to spend much on hobbies anymore. Adulting sucks. Goodluck with the new venture! Hope you find the bike that suits you best. Cheers. Coldphir3 and NickGM 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted October 29 Share 1 hour ago, Yusran said: I agree with the E-Bike route if you're starting out now. A little bit of assistance will make things a bit easier and that in effect will allow you to be more consistent and lower the chances of you dropping the hobby/activity. I wish I could start over... but I've spent the past few years blowing all of my savings and free cash on the bikes I have now- but if I knew then what I know now, I would have taken a different approach to cycling as a whole. But hey, that's the journey of life. Eloquently put, and I agree 100% your comment in Italics - my feeling exactly. Chris Yusran and Coldphir3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthem24 Posted October 29 Share Trek Fuel Ex is for more aggressive downhill riding -- the Trek Top Fuel would be better and is a very burly bike since the 2022 models, although both have maximum weights of 136 kg (the same as the Specialized). It's unlikely that you'll be wanting to do serious climbing or technical stuff until you get fitter and lighter, so full suspension isn't necessary and an e-bike would certainly make the starting out more pleasant. Zebra and Coldphir3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthem24 Posted October 29 Share Trek Powerfly e-bike going for R39 900 now. Coldphir3 and Zebra 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisF Posted October 29 Share 4 minutes ago, Anthem24 said: Trek Powerfly e-bike going for R39 900 now. That is one serious special !!! Zebra and Coldphir3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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