£500 upgrade options - How would you spend it

BoBaBry

As the title says, how would you spend £500, if like me, you own an 06 GT avalanche 1.0.

I really wanted to go full suss this year, had my eye on a Trek Fuel Ex8, but the £3k new central heating bill has put a stop to that.

I have managed to put aside £500, as that won't buy me a better bike, upgrade is the only option, could save it for next year, but that would be too clever, and I don't do clever, or forward thinking.

Have to get rid of the suspension, so I reckon the Reba Race, which my LBS has for £270.

Hayes sole whilst they did the job to start with have to go, again my LBS can do the Juicy 5 for £90 each, although they also have a complete set of Hayes 9 for £135.

That would leave £100, but on what? Or are there better/cheaper options on the above two?

Opinions warmly welcomed.

Bryan

The Spiderman

Put the £100 towards some new wheels from Merlin.They are doing XT hubs with DT 4.2 rims for £125 a pair.

toasty

Yeah the default wheels are pretty hefty on the Avalanche 1.0, I had one myself and swapped them out I'd assume the tyres were heavy too, mine certainly were.

If you bought it all from Merlin for example you could have some:

Reba SL 2008s
Hayes 9 XC
XT Hubs + XC717 + DT Comp spokes (front and rear)

and still have £75 left which would more than cover an awesome pair of tyres Could get something that works well with Stans/Joes and even go tubeless for another weight saving.

Sorry, I should really promote local bike shops more.

Discopooh

Wheels are the way to go, they make the world of differance for the money you'd be spending

L60N

It seems a shame to me that you are willing to put £500 into your old bike when you had your heart set on a susser?

Have you had a look on Wiggle? They have some stonking deals on some full suss Konas, im not sure what size you are but you could get lucky, I saw a Kona Kikapu for around £600, a little over budget but it seems you may be better off going in that direction.

HTH

Leon

supersonic

I'd sell the Avalanche, and put the money from it and the 500 towards a bike form merlin. Will end up with a much better bike in the long run.

BoBaBry

L60N wrote:

It seems a shame to me that you are willing to put £500 into your old bike when you had your heart set on a susser?

Have you had a look on Wiggle? They have some stonking deals on some full suss Konas, im not sure what size you are but you could get lucky, I saw a Kona Kikapu for around £600, a little over budget but it seems you may be better off going in that direction.

HTH

Leon

It is a shame, I did think briefly about scrapping the new central heating, buy a couple of thick coats, some heavy wollen socks, and some hot water bottles for the family, that way I could still buy the EX8, but I am just a softy at heart, could not go through with it

I have considered a watered down full suss, sell my GT, putting the profits together with the £500 savings might give me £750 tops, but at that price it is just going to be a bog standard full suss. The Kikapu for instance there at wiggle, it comes with Hayes mechanical disc brakes, Dart 2 front suspension, even though I have only been back biking for a couple of years after a long lay off, I would still feel pretty let down with that spec.

Horses for courses I suppose though, as spec wise my GT at the moment is not much better, but it is reasonably light, plus some thoughful upgrades would shed a fair few pounds. I bought the GT just to get myself back into it, plus it was light for the money, I like my hills, call me stupid, but I just love the climbs!

Merlin seems to have some very good prices on upgrades, but I am no bike mechanic, so I would have to trely on my lbs to fit, I am hoping to knock them down extra for cash, but then wave that discount for free fitting.

Decisions Decisions