Looking to upgrade some components...

digitaldave

Hi all! First post here .

About 10 years ago, I bought a 1998 Trek 820 Mountain Track, but sadly it's had very little use over the years. I bought it mainly as a commuter bike, not really for off road use - it's nothing special, weighs more than the Moon, but it works for what I need it for . Anyway, I dusted it off the other day, and got a friend to check it over to make sure the gears and brakes were set up correctly. But I've been thinking about possibly changing a few components here and there - nothing too drastic, as it's only a basic bike, and it would be cheaper and easier to buy a new bike if I wanted to do lots of upgrades. So, the things I've thought of so far:

1) Replace the saddle - the one supplied isn't that comfortable - I'm 6', 16st, with a generously sized butt . Are there any reasonable cheap ones that I should look at? Also, would it be a good idea to replace the seat post at the same time?

2) Handle bars - the stock ones are fairly flat, and look like they are made from chunky steel. Would it be worth replacing them with some new ones? What are the advantages of riser bars? And what materials should I be looking at? Finally, is it worth replacing the stem? The current one is an all in one set up, with the horizontal part fixed to the vertical part.

3) Brake pads - I'm still running the stock ones, and they work, but would it be worth putting some after market ones on to help improve braking performance, especially in the rain?

4) Tyres - I don't know what the tyres are at the moment, but I think they are some sort of dual purpose ones - knobbly grips on the outside of the tyre for off road, and a flat smooth strip along the centre for road use (I assume). If I ride almost exclusively on the road, should I get some dedicated road tyres instead?

5) Pedals - it's only got the original nasty plastic ones. I've heard that V8s are a good option, would they be ok? Any others I should look at?

I'm not trying to achieve a complete overhaul of the bike, but I would like to make a few upgrades that aren't going to be too expensive, and that will improve the bike a little. So, if anyone has any recommendations for specific products, or any other tips, please let me know!

Thanks,

Dave.

EDIT - I put this in the commuting section because that's mainly what the bike is used for. If it's in the wrong section, sorry :oops:.

EDIT 2 - added pedals.

biondino

I know this isn't the point of this thread, but with a little bit more cash you could buy a dedicated new bike that fits all the criteria you're after rather than trying to make a silk purse out of what, to be honest, does sound like a bit of a sow's ear. And new bikes are fun

digitaldave

Thanks for the reply .

I agree, buying a new bike would be a better option. Unfortunately, I don't have very much spare money at the moment, so I'm looking for a couple of cheap upgrades .

Dave.

selfpropelledpaolo

http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=946

Head to cycle show for a few ideas, particularly on the tyre front, Continental have got a few of the kind of tyres you're talking about and they've got their own stand for the first time. (the link above has a promotional code for getting a cheap ticket by the way)

Apart from that, your post seems to indicate you're not comfortable on the bike, yes a new saddle and bars could make a difference, by only if they're set up correctly. Riser bars do exactly what the title suggests, they give you a higher position, great if that's what you need!

Do you have a good local bike shop? They should be able to give some advice on set up and position, and if you're buying a new set of tyres, bars and saddle from them they shouldn't begrudge giving you some free advice.

arankapila

in terms of what you wanted to upgrade...

Leave the seatpost and stem how they are. If the seatpost works it is pointless to upgrade it on that sort of bikeas it will make no difference to the ride quality. Same with the stem.

The old style quill stem that you have means that you have to replace the whole unit and if the posistion is comfortable at the moment you should leave it.

Around £20 should buy you a decent saddle in most bike shops, ask if you can try them out on bikes that they have for sale as they are very personal things. For your needs though a bontrager saddle from their commuting range might be a good idea as they are broader than standard off road saddles.

If your commute is quite urban then I would reccomend a set of Schwalbe Marathon plus tires. They are designed for the road but not totally slick. I've been running a pair in London for a year without a puncture! Something from the bontrager range would lighter and quicker, if not as durable.

Hope that helps!

digitaldave

Thanks for the advice everyone .

I think I'll head down to my local bike shop to check out saddles. I think I'll ask one of my friends to come along too, as I think he gets some discount for being a member of a local cycling club .