BSO upgrades

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Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
Hi all,

Im using my BSO for short trail rides in my local woods at the moment - 30-60min blasts, nothing tricky.

I'm thinking about slowly upgrading it so I have a decent bike in a year or two, rather than buying a new one which I can't really justify, so...

1. Are component upgrades less expensive than buying a whole bike?

I'm looking at first bringing in new cranks and the pedals won't screw in anymore.

The twist handles take the skin off my thumbs, so I'd like to change those.

The brakes are fecked but I'm not going fast enough to care, but the wheels are likely to crap out next.

2. Am I going to be able to upgrade a BSO (Trax tfs.1), or are they proprietary builds?

3 are cranks, twist handles and wheels already >£400?
 
Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
Location
Suburban Poshshire
The money you spend on upgrades I'd stick in a jar until you've saved enough for a new bike. Aside from what's required to keep it mobile it's not worth spending any moolah on.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
Sure, but if I upgrade this way will I end up with a better bike than if I bought a new one?

Eg
Mavic crossone wheel set £170
Shimano Zee single speed chainset £70
(Ditch the shifters)

Eventually replace all the parts over two/three years if I want to. It's not that I can't afford a new bike, it's that I can't justify it.
 
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Enjoy doing what you're doing on it, but don't spend another penny on it. To be blunt, it's just not worth upgrading. With a pressed steel frame, forks and the finishing kit you've described, there is little you can do to make it any more than a basic MTB. It weighs 17 kg which is, frankly, monstrous.

Scour the classifieds on here, Singeltrackworld and pink bike. That 400 quid you quote will buy you a great hard tail, much better suited to what you are doing.
 
Justinslow

Justinslow

Lovely jubbly
Location
Suffolk
Tin Pot said:
Sure, but if I upgrade this way will I end up with a better bike than if I bought a new one?

Eg
Mavic crossone wheel set £170
Shimano Zee single speed chainset £70
(Ditch the shifters)

Eventually replace all the parts over two/three years if I want to. It's not that I can't afford a new bike, it's that I can't justify it.
Click to expand...
I refurbed my MTB back in the winter and spent something like £150 (it's in the mtb section) and if I'm honest it's better but it's still the same old bike! Probably would have been better buying a new bike, but it was fun doing the refurb myself!
 
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Tin Pot said:
Sure, but if I upgrade this way will I end up with a better bike than if I bought a new one?

Eg
Mavic crossone wheel set £170
Shimano Zee single speed chainset £70
(Ditch the shifters)

Eventually replace all the parts over two/three years if I want to. It's not that I can't afford a new bike, it's that I can't justify it.
Click to expand...

The frame is the limiting factor in your equation, and there are better wheels for your money.
 
DCLane

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
Location
Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
My 'basic' MTB is a 1990 GT Timberline; it cost me £35 from eBay and was hardly used.

I've spent the following on it:

- New chain £4
- New shifters (3x7) - £15 from eBay - yet to be fitted as GT85 got the old ones working again
- New bar grips £8
- New Schwalbe Hurricane tyres £20 as it had 25 year-old originals on
- Mudguards £16
- I changed the saddle to a San Marco Phobos one I already had

That's all I plan on spending for some time. It rides well but it'll never be anything more than a basic MTB. I simply needed something I could use anywhere that wouldn't draw attention.

I'd suggest not to bother with anything expensive. The frame itself just isn't worth spending on.
 
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Andy_R

Andy_R

Hard of hearing..I said Herd of Herring..oh FFS..
Location
County Durham
there is an old saying - you can't polish a turd, but you can roll it in gltter. All you'll be doing is rolling it in glitter. Save your penies and ebay like mad for a second hand well loved specimen. A lot of MTB'ers end up putting their kit on ebay as they upgrade. You'll end up with a far superior bike for a fraction of the price. In fact, you may hit lucky and get a bike from an "all the gear but no idea" wannabe who tried mountain biking but didn't like it
 
Rickshaw Phil

Rickshaw Phil

Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Moderator
Location
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Even though I have form for taking a basic cheap bike and modifying it, I will say; don't do it.:headshake:

A simple rigid steel frame can make a fun project bike. A cheap full suspension bike on the other hand isn't worth modifying as the suspension limits what you can do (you won't find quality forks that will fit it for example) so it will always be compromised no matter how good the other parts you fit are.

By all means replace worn out bits if you wish (£15 will get a reasonable quality basic crankset) but personally I agree with the above comments about saving your money for something better.:okay:
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
So I agree that you can't polish a turd, but maybe a glittery turd is something I can ride...my questions remain!

Tin Pot said:
1. Are component upgrades less expensive than buying a whole bike?

2. Am I going to be able to upgrade a BSO (Trax tfs.1), or are they proprietary builds?

3 are cranks, twist handles and wheels already >£400?
Click to expand...
 
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