Noobie looking to buy bike

[Tasie777]

Hi all,

I'm looking to get myself into a bit of cycling and having read a few articles on this forum, looked at some videos, combined with a personal preference for mountain bikes. From what I've read, a hard-tail is a good place to start with a decent frame (potential) and I can look to upgrade components as I go.

Size: I am just over 1.7m+, 80kgs+ and looking like a medium size 29er bike for me. I still have to do the sit-bone measurement thing.

Purpose: some leisurely road cycles and maybe the odd gravel trail around Newlands forest (Cape Town) perhaps, but nothing heavy just yet - if it bites hard, I'll look to go full suspension in the future, but not now until I figure out where my preferences eventually lie.

Budget: I see second hand might be a good place to start, and I'm budgeting about 10K for now, but can be pushed a little (and/or maybe negotiate some of the prices down based on bike + component condition).

Since I do not have the knowledge and experience most forum members have, can you please offer an opinion on some of the bikes seen under Buy & Sell, that have good potential for me as a start point? Some things I picked up from reading to look at:  cassette + rust, damage to front shocks, disc brakes, wheels spinning without bearing noise, cracks/damage on the frame, handle bar mount type/rusted pinch bolts etc. Nice to have: dropper post great, tubeless conversion already done.

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/746257/29er-m-silverback-sola-deore-xtair-shock

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/759082/merida-bignine-xt-edition-dropper-post

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/775266/marlin-trek-gen-7-2023

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/773700/titan-trail-plus (not a 29er should I even consider?)

Thanks

[Bike Dewing]

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/775266/marlin-trek-gen-7-2023

 

Gets my vote.!

[117]

1 hour ago, Bike Dewing said:

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/775266/marlin-trek-gen-7-2023

 

Gets my vote.!

Really? 

Merida with the XT gear. Drop the front derailleur to make it a 1x11 and you'll ride that bike for years to come

 

[Bike Dewing]

5 minutes ago, 117 said:

Really? 

Merida with the XT gear. Drop the front derailleur to make it a 1x11 and you'll ride that bike for years to come

 

The merida almost had me, you gots to have a dropper post.!! However..! The condition of that groupset is toilet.. chains rusting.. no ways could i buy that in good conscience..

ive riden deore ten speed and its great.. that cosmetic damage on the fork is quite bad but otherwise its a nice looking bike.. but its cosmetic.. some nail varnish and it wont even be noticeable🤣.. 

[Tasie777]

thanks for the input everyone. If I decided to go new and pump the budget up a bit instead, thoughts about the following?

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/1018164-bike-mtb-ht-alu-slvback-stride-deluxe-my23

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/1014413-bike-mtb-ht-alu-scott-aspect-950-my22

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/1017283-bike-mtb-ht-alu-titan-titan-rogue-se2-my23

https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/hardtails/products/titan-rogue-cruz-2024?_pos=26&_fid=83788ccc6&_ss=c

https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/hardtails/products/scott-aspect-930-2023?_pos=39&_fid=83788ccc6&_ss=c

[Bike Dewing]

58 minutes ago, Tasie777 said:

thanks for the input everyone. If I decided to go new and pump the budget up a bit instead, thoughts about the following?

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/1018164-bike-mtb-ht-alu-slvback-stride-deluxe-my23

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/1014413-bike-mtb-ht-alu-scott-aspect-950-my22

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/1017283-bike-mtb-ht-alu-titan-titan-rogue-se2-my23

https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/hardtails/products/titan-rogue-cruz-2024?_pos=26&_fid=83788ccc6&_ss=c

https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/hardtails/products/scott-aspect-930-2023?_pos=39&_fid=83788ccc6&_ss=c

https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/hardtails/products/scott-aspect-930-2023?_pos=39&_fid=83788ccc6&_ss=c

 

Gets my vote