Upgrading without replacing

[Keen but clumsy]

Hi,

I currently cycle a Giant OCR. I bought it in summer 2005 second hand for £200. It is entry level with Sora gearing. I think it's a steel frame but to be honest I don't know.

I recently hired an Eddy Merckx carbon bike with 105 kit to cycle the Mt Ventoux. I realised how much better it was the mine, I had a lovely ride up (relatively speaking!). I have looked up and seen that it costs £1800 new. I don't have that kind of money - so here is the question:

What is the best I should do to improve the performance of my Giant without breaking the bank. Options I can think of:

A) Accept that I need to save the pennies and buy a new bike (maybe somewhere in the £1200 price range)
B) Upgrade the gearing, chain etc. to something superior
C) Upgrade the wheels and hubs (I would guess that they are very much entry level)
D) Combo of B and C
E) other yet un-considered upgrades

I have no idea on the costs of the above or really on how to go about it so some input would be great.

I am a very keen runner and based on my Mt Ventoux experience considering entering some duathlons - I would like the bike to be at least vaguely competitive.

Thanks in advance,
K but C

 

[swee'pea99]

What was it that was so much lovelier? Was it things working better (smoother gear changes, more responsive brakes) or the feel of the frame, or what?

If broadly the former - functional precision/smoothness - you might be able to achieve a fair bit with a bit of basic servicing/lubrication. If the latter, you probably have to face up to the fact that a carbon frame north of a grand is always going to outperform an aluminium frame (which I believe it what the Giant OCR is) that originally cost half that or less.

If you do upgrade, money's probably best spent on wheels/tyres before anything else (assuming all your components are working) - but you probably won't match the Merckx without going the whole hog ie, new bike.

 

[zimzum42]

Get new, lightweight wheels...

 

[Keen but clumsy]

Cheers guys,

I'm not sure what felt better exactly. It felt smoother and rolled far more easily so I assume wheels more than gears. I realise that I won't get to the same standard as a decent level carbon bike but I might investigate improving the wheels.

Other option is to keep my eyes open for a second hand option I suppose.

Thanks again.

 

[tyred]

Tyres are probably the single biggest improvement you could make to any bike and won't break the bank. Just beware that lighter high performance tyres will be more prone to punctures. 

But first, check that your wheel bearings spin freely and that your current tyres are at the correct pressure.

 

[swee'pea99]

Do you have a track pump? If not, it's a £20 upgrade that could easily out-improve £200 spent elsewhere. If you don't have one, you're probably running not-that-great tyres at well below their optimum pressure. (You can test this for free: have a good squeeze of the tyres on the next ten serious-looking bikes you see. You'll probably find they mostly feel something like teak, whereas yours are 'a bit spongey' by comparison. Doesn't seem like a big deal? Get a track pump and take your tyres up to 100 psi at the front and 120 at the back (assuming they can take it - look on the tyre walls for the maximum rating)  and you'll find out just what a big deal it is. Next, better tyres. Next, better wheels. 

 

[Keen but clumsy]

Thanks again,

I have a track pump. Tyres are kept at a nice 110psi - I pump them weekly and currently using the bike 3/4 times a week for commute whilst waiting for a C2W bike to arrive.

I guess I could get a set of race tyres just for special occassions. If not I'll go for the new wheels. Nothing too flash mind. I'll pop into the local bike shop for some advice me thinks.

Ta

 

[Rip Van]

Thanks again,

I have a track pump. Tyres are kept at a nice 110psi - I pump them weekly and currently using the bike 3/4 times a week for commute whilst waiting for a C2W bike to arrive.

I guess I could get a set of race tyres just for special occassions. If not I'll go for the new wheels. Nothing too flash mind. I'll pop into the local bike shop for some advice me thinks.

Ta

Vittoria Rubino's have Max 145psi on the wall!

 

[Fattman]

If not I'll go for the new wheels. Nothing too flash mind. I'll pop into the local bike shop for some advice me thinks.

The first 'major' upgrade I did on my (aluminium-framed) bike was a new set of lightweight whizzy wheels... it made such a difference to the pleasure of riding and it *seemed* to make me go faster.

I know people who have had their local bike shop make them up some wheels (nice, as you can choose the hubs, spokes, rims & the spoke pattern) which can be very cost-effective - and they swear that their riding pleasure has been hugely improved.

 

[MichaelM]

Get new, lightweight wheels...

But they cost more than the Merckx !


http://www.lightweig...x.php?id=25&L=1

 

[HLaB]

Cheers guys,

I'm not sure what felt better exactly. It felt smoother and rolled far more easily so I assume wheels more than gears. I realise that I won't get to the same standard as a decent level carbon bike but I might investigate improving the wheels.

Other option is to keep my eyes open for a second hand option I suppose.

Thanks again.

When I've hired bikes they haven't always been lighter than what I've got but they've felt better in the mountains because of lower gearing. However that gearing would be too low for here.

As other have said the first place to start is new tyres and then wheels, good luck