Sanity Check me!

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

razabbs

Senior Member
Location
Lincolnshire
So, this morning I was looking at a couple wheelsets that might be an upgrade to the bike; I was doing research into the benefits of Disk brakes and calipers blah blah, decided it would be best to stick with rim brakes so I could have one great set of wheels and switch between my current bike which will become my 'Winter' bike when I buy a newer bike for Summer.

Anywho, since then I've been window shopping (I love the Van Rysel 920 CF From Decathlon in Black) but I've had an idea which is my current though. That is my current Triban 5 frame, while old is perfectly fine for now, but eventually I do want to upgrade to a much lighter alloy, or maybe even a carbon frame. I've set my sights on a 105 gear train/brakes, or at a stretch, Ultegra.

Rather than look to drop a couple thousand pounds on a bike, what I 'm thinking of doing is upgrading the parts of my current bike that I can upgrade, ie, gear train and brakes, maybe wheelset, and then once I really feel like the frame is holding me back, remove all the parts, and fit them on to a nice, cool, alloy, or carbon frame.

So, Chain Reaction Cycles (And Wiggle) currently have a full Ultegra Groupset for sale, reduced to £630. Link here. I did some maths on what a groupset would cost for 105 and it would be close to £500, so for an extra £100 I may as well look to Ultegra; firstly for simple improvements, but also future proofing (but not spending Di2 Money)

The question at hand! and where I need your advice. My Triban 5 runs a triple (Shimano Sora) Chain set on the front 50/39/30 Teeth, and on the rear a 90 speed 12-25 cassette. I currently have a 170mm crank length; sizes left are : 170mm, 52/36 - 11-28, or 172.5mm 50/34 - 11-28 or 175mm 11-28, in either 50/34 or 52/36

Can my bike take the Ultegra groupset?
Is it ridiculous to put a £630 groupset on a bike I bought 4 years ago for £160?
Am I being a total clown?

Here's a link to Triban 5 specs. Mine is entirely stock except for a change of tyres :biggrin:

Don't get me wrong; I'm well aware the frame is massively outdated now, but while I planned to upgrade at the end of the year, I have an itch now and this would allow me to start upgrading while also spreading the cost, and allowing me to have further involvement in building my own bike, rather than buy one pre-built.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Personally, put the money towards an additional bike. It's hardly old. Plus you can't just have 1 bike. Take a look at some Planet X deals.
 

All uphill

Still rolling along
Location
Somerset
I completely get your wish to build your own bike. It's a great thing to do. I also understand the need to spread the cost.

There are so many alternatives, my starting point would be to keep your existing bike in use and think about buying something else to work on. You might buy an older quality bike and refurb it, or, if you can find one buy a wrecked bike and use the components on a new or newer frame. Beware of starting with a frame and then buying new components - it can be a very expensive exercise.

For me it would have to be a good steel frame and fork, and build it up with the components off a little used 2nd hand quality bike. You should be able to do that for the cost of the group set!
 
OP
OP
razabbs

razabbs

Senior Member
Location
Lincolnshire
Personally, put the money towards an additional bike. It's hardly old. Plus you can't just have 1 bike. Take a look at some Planet X deals.

Is this not essentially what I'm doing, just.. buying a groupset before buying a new frame :tongue:

I completely get your wish to build your own bike. It's a great thing to do. I also understand the need to spread the cost.

There are so many alternatives, my starting point would be to keep your existing bike in use and think about buying something else to work on. You might buy an older quality bike and refurb it, or, if you can find one buy a wrecked bike and use the components on a new or newer frame. Beware of starting with a frame and then buying new components - it can be a very expensive exercise.

For me it would have to be a good steel frame and fork, and build it up with the components off a little used 2nd hand quality bike. You should be able to do that for the cost of the group set!

I'd keep the current bike in use, except for the few days it takes me to fit all the new stuff :smile: Plus the reason I've looked straight at Ultegra is so that I shouldn't need to upgrade the groupset again any time soon :biggrin:
 
Last edited:
That's basically what we'd do in the old days. Upgrade and take the bits over to the next bike.

I'm not sure if I would do that now.

You only notice the groupset if it's not working right. If it's ok you won't be any faster going from Sora to Dura ace for example.

I'd keep the cash and either buy a brand new bike in a sale or look out for a second hand rim bike sold by someone going to discs.

It's hard to put a bike together yourself for the prices that people like Planet X sell whole bikes at.
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
I'd wait for the sales and look for a good quality bike, or even a quality frame for maybe a little bit more. The bike you have could be a workhorse, replacing parts as they wear out. The frame is the heart of a good bike and I don't see a point in putting good quality parts on a basic, heavy frame.

My good bike started life as the bottom of the Focus Cayo range, but I bought it in a sale because the same frame was used through the range right up to the climbing frame used by Focus team riders. The wheels were basic and heavy and the components were a mixture of 105 and lower level parts. Ten years on and all the components, other than the 105 shifters have been replaced. No doubt the frame has been superceded, but I doubt at my level that I'd notice the difference if I was to get the latest frame.
 

Johnno260

Veteran
Location
East Sussex
I put R7000 105 on my Merida, then decided sod it and put a set of wheels from a local builder on it, it to me is like a new bike.

My reasoning is at some pointI will look to get a Scultura frame and I have decent parts to transfer over.

Maybe I’m insane, but the bike put a big old smile on my face still.
 

Gazjacko

Well-Known Member
I’ve upgraded onto my old frame, Old but really good eBay finds. Cyclists are often lured in by shiny new stuff so get rid of older kit on eBay. My frame rode nicely but with a ‘no pressure’ eBay cheeky low bid I’ve managed to get it to 10s Dura Ace rear mech, newer shifters, Dura ace brakes, Absolute Black chainring on 105 cranks, carbon stem, seatpost and bars running Sram S60 carbon rims ( thanks whoever invented road bike discs).
1595809869601.jpeg
 
Last edited:

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
While these things are not always rational, your proposed approach seems like a costly, time-and-labour-hungry route to getting what you want.

Personally I'd keep your existing bike standard and use / enjoy it for what it is, then start afresh with an alternative complete bike that's of a more desirable spec.. keeping the old one as a shopper / pub / winter bike. I reckon in 6-12 months time there will be a glut of decent used bikes on the second hand market; which will offer a much more straightforward and cost-effective route to getting what you want than trying to build one yourself from new parts.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
One more technical point - you may find that your current wheel cannot take the 11 speed cassette you are looking at getting. So as well as the groupset, you would need a new freehub or more likely wheel.

I echo comment above that say save the money for a new bike in the future and convert the Triban to a winter bike.
 
OP
OP
razabbs

razabbs

Senior Member
Location
Lincolnshire
I’ve upgraded onto my old frame, Old but really good eBay finds. Cyclists are often lured in by shiny new stuff so get rid of older kit on eBay. My frame rode nicely but with a ‘no pressure’ eBay cheeky low bid I’ve managed to get it to 10s Dura Ace rear mech, newer shifters, Dura ace brakes, Absolute Black chainring on 105 cranks, carbon stem, seatpost and bars running Sram S60 carbon rims ( thanks whoever invented road bike discs).
View attachment 538260
Oh my word this looks amazing! And to have Dura-Ace on there too. If you don't mind me asking how much do you think you've spent on parts in comparison to how much they'd have cost brand new?

And it seems like my idea may not be the best one. I'll let it lie and see how I feel in a few weeks/months. As people have mentioned (and I believe too) I'm hoping there'll be loads of used bikes around once the weather starts to turn :smile:
 

Gazjacko

Well-Known Member
Oh my word this looks amazing! And to have Dura-Ace on there too. If you don't mind me asking how much do you think you've spent on parts in comparison to how much they'd have cost brand new?

And it seems like my idea may not be the best one. I'll let it lie and see how I feel in a few weeks/months. As people have mentioned (and I believe too) I'm hoping there'll be loads of used bikes around once the weather starts to turn :smile:
Thanks
Off the top of my head,
Wheels £200
Bars £30
Seatpost £10
Rear mech £25
As a rule my max would be third retail. But the trick is that they’ll be another along in a while. So for example, I eBay / FB Marketplace search ‘Fizik saddle - used’, filter out any duds and leave the rest on my watch list. As the come to finish I look and mostly they’ll have gone too high, but occasionally one will remain cheap enough to throw in a last minute (5sec to end of auction) cheeky bid. Sometimes come up trumps, but if outbid, they’ll be another along in a while.
 
Top Bottom