Gradually Upgrading Components

[Citius]

Irony was my point.

Upgrading a bike gives a sense of satisfaction, makes the bike unique to the owner, often gets around corners cut by the manufacturer in terms of equipment spec, can improve ride quality, ease of maintenance, psychological advantages in terms of novelty factor, panders to a personal ambition to own an "improved product". It can also save a considerable amount of money by buying, for example, a used bike for little money, and adding new, upgraded components, achieving a bike specc'd a few models up, for less money than the target bike.

Folk who understand this will nod sagely and carry on. Others will carp on and on about how upgrading is a waste of time, embittered and reproachful, and tell the OP to buy a new B'Twin.

Actually, I don't think you would know irony if it ran you over while riding an upgraded bike. Presumably you upgrade your cars in the same fashion?

 

[Cubist]

Actually, I don't think you would know irony if it ran you over while riding an upgraded bike. Presumably you upgrade your cars in the same fashion?

Oh great. A complete misunderstanding of the whole point.

 

[Citius]

Oh great. A complete misunderstanding of the whole point.

Perhaps if you tried a bit harder to make sense..?

 

[The Mighty News]

Good grief! A guy asks a couple of questions about what to change on his bike to suit him, and we descend into a bitter slanging match about the definition of upgrade, unable to do so without insults and scorn. Who gives a shoot what words the OP has used? No wonder this place is going to the dogs.

@The Mighty News ... you change what you want old luv. If you need different bars to make the bike fit you better and be more comfortable, then feel free. Do you need wider, lighter, shallower drop, shorter reach?

They seemed quite upright on my wrists if im honest but I need to give it a few more spins to be sure in fairness.

 

[Profpointy]

I would like to gradually upgrade the components on my Specialized Allez, im thinking of starting with pedals but after that what is the next logical route or is there one?

I think in my position the cheapest first would be the starting point but after pedals where next?

I have tended (usually) to replace things with better ones when they wear out and things that are for some reason unsatisfactory. eg took a couple of different types of pedals before being happy (now crank brothers - you were looking at pedals - which i like better than Shimano or time albeit poorer value for money and not long lasting between servicing) and I changes handlebars to alter position. Wheels say, I'll not change till they're knackered -- but then get some more posh ones probably. Could get tempted by an upgrade if i got some blingtastic component cheap, but by and large - upgrade when broken's my rule

 

[Mike!]

My err "upgrade" path on my roadie went as follows;

Pedals, saddle & bar tape (they where white, I wanted black), another saddle (cos it hurt), wheels & tires (lighter), brakes (better stopping and to match my groupset), stem (shorter), another stem (shorter still) & a seatpost (to match my stem for better looks).

Planned are brake blocks (for even better braking), crankset (to match my ultegra groupset) and a set of shallower drop bars.

Some of this I could have waited until things broke / wore out and some of it may have been pointless other than for aesthetics (seatpost and the chainset for two) and the bars maybe a pointless exercise (at the moment I hardly use the drops so maybe shallower drop will mean I do?) but it's my bike and it's now unique to me so I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks / says

 

[Cubist]

Perhaps if you tried a bit harder to make sense..?

Upgrading a bike gives a sense of satisfaction, makes the bike unique to the owner, often gets around corners cut by the manufacturer in terms of equipment spec, can improve ride quality, ease of maintenance, psychological advantages in terms of novelty factor, panders to a personal ambition to own an "improved product". It can also save a considerable amount of money by buying, for example, a used bike for little money, and adding new, upgraded components, achieving a bike specc'd a few models up, for less money than the target bike.

What was difficult about that?

 

[Citius]

What was difficult about that?

Sorry, I don't actually know what your problem is. Maybe you could clarify - what point are you trying to make?

 

[Cubist]

Whatever point it was you asked me to clarify. You know, the one you said I hadn't helped you to understand.

 

[Citius]

So that's two of us that have no clue what you are talking about. At least we can agree on something.

 

[Cubist]

They seemed quite upright on my wrists if im honest but I need to give it a few more spins to be sure in fairness.

Start with the basics. Bars can be repositioned by rotating in the stem clamp, or by changing their position/height on the steerer, or a combination of the two. It's incredibly subjective, because it depends greatly on your size, core strength, shoulder width, lower back flexibility. It also of course depends on how you like to ride.... upright and cruising, arse up head down, something in between. The flat surface of the bars is not likely to alter, but you can affect the reach to the drops, the reach to the hoods, by altering the angle the bars are clamped at. Get some miles in and work out what it is about the current bars you don't like, then see what solutions are available to what you are trying to achieve. It may be you don't need new bars, just a more beneficial setup.

 

[Cubist]

So that's two of us that have no clue what you are talking about. At least we can agree on something.

 

[The Mighty News]

Start with the basics. Bars can be repositioned by rotating in the stem clamp, or by changing their position/height on the steerer, or a combination of the two. It's incredibly subjective, because it depends greatly on your size, core strength, shoulder width, lower back flexibility. It also of course depends on how you like to ride.... upright and cruising, arse up head down, something in between. The flat surface of the bars is not likely to alter, but you can affect the reach to the drops, the reach to the hoods, by altering the angle the bars are clamped at. Get some miles in and work out what it is about the current bars you don't like, then see what solutions are available to what you are trying to achieve. It may be you don't need new bars, just a more beneficial setup.

True enough, ive olny clocked circa 20 miles on it to date so a long way to go before I start customising it a bit, I actually think I'll treat myself to some better tyres first :-)

 

[Cubist]

I actually think I'll treat myself to some better tyres first :-)

I see what you did there!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Blimey what a palava over a few upgrades. In my case I brought a Genesis Flyer a few months ago, I converted it to fixed as planned, I changed the tyres to my favorite Bontrager Racelites, the upgrade I did was to the wheels, I didn't rate the standard wheels and got some nice Planet X ones, its noticeably nicer on those, the other thing I changed was the saddle, I did several long rides and wasn't very comfortable on the stock saddle so Fitted an old Charge Spoon I had. On my recent purchase of an Eastway I again changed the tyres to Racelites, I also changed the chain rings to ones that gave me gears I'm more comfortable with and now I'm just going to ride it, if I feel it needs upgrading I'll look at wheels but that will be it, though I might change the saddle once I've put some miles on it if it turns out not to be comfortable, the stock saddle was comfortable on the 54 miles I did on Sunday. It's up to you what you change though I think better wheels are going to be what makes the most difference, apart from saddle and stem, which will help your comfort, changing other things wont make a huge difference.