Upgrading components and bike fit - are they worth it for a base model?

[Boyfrom64]

I have been riding my current stead - the base model in the Specialized Secteur range for just about 12 months now and like most of us I am now considering firstly whether or not to upgrade some components on the bike, and secondly whether I should go and get a bike fit.

However, the two questions I keep asking myself are, because I have the base model in the range, should I just buy a better model with better components and should I wait to get a bike fit until I get a better bike.

A point to note, I am happy with my current bike and I do not get any aches or pains when riding it however, like most of us, I would like to increase my average speed and wonder if having a bike fit will help me to achieve this.

 

[WychwoodTrev]

If you like the bike a good upgrade is wheels, with enough wear the groupset will need replacement so you can upgrade. Bike fits are good good especially the ones who have digital cleat set up. I have recently had mine done at performance cycles Cirencester and paid £140 but I am a full club member so got 20 % discount. mind you could become a member too if you wanted. Ps they have some real nice wheels at some good prices

 

[jay clock]

Re parts, leave it alone. You might save a few grammes, but my advice would be to spend money on a second bike for best with better kit. Re the bike fit, I had a Retul one and it was great, but if you have no problems, I would save the money and put towards the "best" bike.

At a glance, the base secteur has 2300 kit. to upgrade to Tiagra will cost about £300. Not really worth upgrading to Sora as you are not making much of a jump. Bike fit about £120. So you would be spending £400+ on a bike that is currently available for £550.

 

[Crackle]

Depends whether you plan to replace the whole bike eventually or build your next one. Good components can always be swapped to the next bike if you plan it all carefully and quite often a frame is common across a range and so worth upgrading components on. I don't know of that's the case with yours. At some point it makes no sense but things like better wheelsets and tyres can always go on the next bike.

Is it a rational way to get a better bike, probably not but it's good fun thinking about it, tinkering with it, taking joy from a sweeter response or gear change and looking at the bike and appreciating the bits you've changed. We all do it.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Bikefit is a sound investment ime.

Upgrades and my .5p

Many bikes use one frame across the range for a model. If this is the case, and you'd need to check as it isn't always, and you love your current bike, if you replace stuff when it wears out, rather than when money burns a hole or upgraditis strikes, you end up with a bike you love which functions better than it did originally. The only probably exception to the "wears out" rule is wheels. Get a faster pair and flog the old ones. (Your LBS may do a PX deal - one of mine does)

If you don't love your current bike, or it was only ever a stop-gap step-along-the-way machine, you're better off saving the money to put to a better machine.

So the question is..... "Do you love your bike?"

 

[Ian H]

You can of course upgrade all the components, bit by bit, including the frame.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You can of course upgrade all the components, bit by bit, including the frame.

A bit like William the Conqueror's Axe; three new handles and two new heads. Or my mate's MGV8 which does not have a single original part left on/in it.

 

[HLaB]

Boyfrom64, a bike fit may (or may not) put you in a more aggressive/efficient position but if you are comfortable on your Secteur I wouldn't make costly changes that may or may not work. The better option IMO is to look at vfm upgrades like the wheels that will deliver (as long as you work of course ).

 

[Damo70]

I upgraded my base model Secteur 2010 with a 105 groupset and Mavic Aksium wheels this weekend. I wasn't sure whether I was going notice a significant difference but it's like having a new, much better, bike. The shifters are much nicer with 105, and I'd guess with Tiagra too as they also do away with the thumb shifters, and the gear shifting is much smoother. The wheels seem to have made it noticeably faster but it's only my second day riding it so I can't really say that with any certainty.

 

[PpPete]

I upgraded my base model Secteur 2010 with a 105 groupset and Mavic Aksium wheels this weekend. I wasn't sure whether I was going notice a significant difference but it's like having a new, much better, bike. The shifters are much nicer with 105, and I'd guess with Tiagra too as they also do away with the thumb shifters, and the gear shifting is much smoother. The wheels seem to have made it noticeably faster but it's only my second day riding it so I can't really say that with any certainty.

Not saying it hasnt improved your bike quite considerably ( I do know how pants the base model Secteur wheels are ) .... but how did the sums work out for you? That looks to me, very roughly, like a £600 upgrade to a £500 bike - to achieve a bike that you could buy new for under a £1000.

I can sort of see the point of buying seriously nice wheels - says Kyriums that you'll keep for "sunday best" and then transfer on to a new bike, but replacing the whole drive train with 105 doesnt make a lot of sense to me unless the original was completely shot, but even then breaking it up and selling f&f and all the good components on ebay to fund a new bike might have been more viable in £ terms ?

 

[MacB]

Pete makes a good point, parts prices are high compared to buying complete bikes and Gregs point about the frame is a good one as well. But upgrading new stuff can make sense especially around wheels. For example:-

you are happy with Ultegra level running gear but you want wheels that only appear on high end Dura Ace, though the frames are the same. You may be better buying a complete Ultegra bike plus the wheels you want(especially if you can find a deal on them) and selling the Ultegra level wheels as new.

It's not just the upfront costs though, you need to factor in wear rates and replacement consumables.

 

[cyberknight]

Another vote for wheels .

 

[Boyfrom64]

Thanks to all for your replies.

My take on all that's been said is that if I do make any changes to my bike, simply change the wheels which I can then keep put on any new bike I purchase.

As for the bike fit, from what I have read, I may go ahead with this because the settings can be used as a good base for the next bike. Just for information the guy who I am likely to use for the bike fit is Adrian Timmis of Cadence Sport http://www.cadencesport.co.uk/

 

[Damo70]

Not saying it hasnt improved your bike quite considerably ( I do know how pants the base model Secteur wheels are ) .... but how did the sums work out for you? That looks to me, very roughly, like a £600 upgrade to a £500 bike - to achieve a bike that you could buy new for under a £1000.

I can sort of see the point of buying seriously nice wheels - says Kyriums that you'll keep for "sunday best" and then transfer on to a new bike, but replacing the whole drive train with 105 doesnt make a lot of sense to me unless the original was completely shot, but even then breaking it up and selling f&f and all the good components on ebay to fund a new bike might have been more viable in £ terms ?

Hi PpPete. It cost me £400 for the groupset and wheels as the groupset was an old model. I was happy with the frame and the bike only cost me £300 in the first place so it didn't seem wildly extravagant. I'd never been happy with the front shifting on the 2300 and the shifters were making rattling noises but it may have been overkill to replace the whole thing but I'm much happier with it now. I get your point about Sunday best wheels but I do 80-90% of my riding commuting so I wouldn't want to spend that sort of money for something that I don't get a lot of use out of.