Wanting to get back into biking. Where and what to buy?

[GhoulishComet]

Hello all I could recommended here by carbonite hence the new profile

I haven't been biking since highschool since I tore my meniscus and Acl and my younger cousin inherited my titan as I had outgrown it and am interested to get back into it but for now to start I will probably be using it to commute to uni from residences and join the bike club on some groups trails. I am still very much a beginner so I don't know much of anything. I plan to go more mainstream trail ridings 

I am around 1.77cm and weigh 79KG. My budget is prefereably 6-8.5K but my cap for now is 10K. I am looking to buy end of Feb and I am in Pretoria centurion side. If you have some advice on other important stuff like a helmet, shoes, knee and elbow pads or etc. would be appreciated but isn't a priority.

I don't mind new or used. What i am looking at are these Titans

https://www.pjcsport.co.za/bicycles/titan-racing-rogue-alpine

https://www.pjcsport.co.za/bicycles/titan-racing-rogue-peak

on the used side what has my current attention is this silverback

Silverback Spectra 29 (L) | Hardtail Mountain Bikes | Bike Hub

[Zebra]

...there is great value in the USED-side of things - my 5c, you generally get more bang for your buck, unless a new bike is being sold at a meaningfully-reduced price (last years model range, or Black Friday, etc).

So I like your idea of looking 2nd hand.

Cheers

Chris

Edited January 20 by Zebra
spelling

[Anthony MTB]

I wouldn't take the sd hand silverback because its 8 years old and a 3x drivetrain. The rogue peak is the better of the other 2 but I would recommend looking around on bike hub a bit more. you get some good deals. Look to get as new a bike as possible with at least a 2x drivetrain. Also be careful with the cheaper brands and rather go for something like giant or Scott. you should get a pretty decent bike for about 8-9k if you look around. I can also recommend a Momsen. they make brilliant entry level hardtails that are affordable too. You,d have a hard time doing better

 

[PedalGoat]

On 1/19/2025 at 8:50 PM, GhoulishComet said:

Hello all I could recommended here by carbonite hence the new profile

I haven't been biking since highschool since I tore my meniscus and Acl and my younger cousin inherited my titan as I had outgrown it and am interested to get back into it but for now to start I will probably be using it to commute to uni from residences and join the bike club on some groups trails. I am still very much a beginner so I don't know much of anything. I plan to go more mainstream trail ridings 

I am around 1.77cm and weigh 79KG. My budget is prefereably 6-8.5K but my cap for now is 10K. I am looking to buy end of Feb and I am in Pretoria centurion side. If you have some advice on other important stuff like a helmet, shoes, knee and elbow pads or etc. would be appreciated but isn't a priority.

I don't mind new or used. What i am looking at are these Titans

https://www.pjcsport.co.za/bicycles/titan-racing-rogue-alpine

https://www.pjcsport.co.za/bicycles/titan-racing-rogue-peak

on the used side what has my current attention is this silverback

Silverback Spectra 29 (L) | Hardtail Mountain Bikes ke Hub

I have always bought second hand without any issues. At that price point you can pick up some decent hardtails. Look out for a 1x drivetrain which you don't have to worry about upgrading in the future. When viewing a bike make sure you confirm that you have the right size. You should be a L for most. Also check if the chain is stretched by using a chain checker. Usually if stretched then it can cause wear to other components which can be costly to repair.don't rush the purchase. Good luck. 

[Eugene]

12 hours ago, Anthony MTB said:

I wouldn't take the sd hand silverback because its 8 years old and a 3x drivetrain. The rogue peak is the better of the other 2 but I would recommend looking around on bike hub a bit more. you get some good deals. Look to get as new a bike as possible with at least a 2x drivetrain. Also be careful with the cheaper brands and rather go for something like giant or Scott. you should get a pretty decent bike for about 8-9k if you look around. I can also recommend a Momsen. they make brilliant entry level hardtails that are affordable too. You,d have a hard time doing better

 

If you had said this a few years ago, I would have agreed, but, according to our local Momsen dealer, Momsen basically does not exist anymore. Victor Momsen has left the country and the brand has gone. 

I know a guy who is struggling to find a simple, but important part of his Momsen, a hanger. Not even Two Wheel Trading (the company that was related to Momsen) could help him. 

 

[Anthony MTB]

1 hour ago, Eugene said:

If you had said this a few years ago, I would have agreed, but, according to our local Momsen dealer, Momsen basically does not exist anymore. Victor Momsen has left the country and the brand has gone. 

I know a guy who is struggling to find a simple, but important part of his Momsen, a hanger. Not even Two Wheel Trading (the company that was related to Momsen) could help him. 

 

Funny that because my LBS also said that they don't stock Momsen anymore. I thought it was just here though. But I'd still say if you find a good Momsen, buy it. I've had 2 Momsens in a row and have never had to replace any components on the bike. They're extremely reliable.