Upgrade or replace?

[stevie_b]

I hesitate to post this up here because everyone's situation is different, but I've got a dilemma. I can make decisions but I'd like to hear your opinions on this before I spend hundreds of pounds.

I use a late 1990s Gitane aluminium-framed MTB with rigid fork (steel or CroMo, not sure which) for commuting. It's getting tired and I don't know whether I should spend the money to refresh the parts or just buy a newer 2nd hand bike instead. It's got a fairly good groupset (Deore LX 24 speed): LX deraileurs (both), LX parallax hubs (both), LX cranks and chainset, LX cantilever brakes. Gripshift shifters which I'm luke-warm about.

It's on the original rims but they've pretty much had it. It'll need new rims soon, and a new drivetrain in the not-too-distant future. So, should I buy nearly-new wheels (£30? Is that feasible?), and then replace the drivetrain with a bundled mid-range groupset from somewhere like the Woolly Hat Shop (£130-ish for Acera) when the time comes? Good quality 8-speed groupsets seem hard to come by so I'd probably need to go 9-speed.

The Gitane frame and fork, as far as I know, are straight and true.

Ideally I'd fit V-brakes because I've heard they're easier to set up than cantis, but if I need to stick to cantis that's a compromise I'm OK with.

Or I can buy a 2nd hand bike (probably a hybrid), but I would still be getting something that's had a few years' wear and tear.

My budget is around £200 with some flexibility.

Any thoughts/advice?

 

[Moodyman]

LX is three tiers above Acera - Deore and Alivio in between - so I would clean and service your existing set up. The cost of upgrading an old bike can be worth more hassle and expense than it's worth - gotta get compatible parts.

Shimano stuff, if clean and well set up, works pretty sweetly.

 

[stevie_b]

I had the bike serviced at my LBS recently, and was told it may need the whole drivetrain upgrading at some point, as some of the teeth may be misshapen. Hence I don't want to keep the current bike for the drivetrain, because it may be in its twilight years. Not bad for 17-ish years' service though!

 

[T4tomo]

"whole drive train"???

Shifters and derailleurs should be fine, you can pick up an 8 speed cassette and chain for relative peanuts. Bottom bracket and chainrings are normally pretty durable, but again not that expensive in the event they need doing.

I have a 25 year old gary fisher mountain bike that I did up last year - agan nice groupset XTR (IIRC). new cassette and chain and a new pedals was all it needed to get it back on the road. It shifts far better than my far newer carerra MTB.

 

[stevie_b]

All useful posts, thanks. I think I'll keep my old MTB and replace the rims and eventually the cassette/chain/crankset.