Cut losses on Kraken and step up now?

Northwind

A wee while ago I got a nearly-new Carrera Kraken in lovely nick for £250 with some nice extras, mudguards, lights etc. Bit of a steal considering it was basically as new. IIt's a decent bike, especially at this price, and I'm not disappointed in it, it's been the key I needed to get back into cycling. The plan was always to get something cheap for the winter and see if I'm still enjoying it come the spring, then step up if I do. It's maybe just a shade too big for me, but nothing drastic.

But now, we're in mad discount season :roll: and I'm sorely tempted just to cut my losses on the Kraken while it's still current and easily sellable, and before I put too much more wear on it. The bike's in really pretty decent condition- some marks on the chainstay, scrapes on the master cylinders and lever tips from one ill-advised flip (the front brake lever is slightly bent too), and I'd have to stick a new saddle on it- not a problem. Mechanically it's perfect, cosmetically it's very good.

I'm really not sure what to do here. But I'm very aware that this seems to be a great time to buy a new bike in my budget- £500 and downwards. And I reckon I'll want to upgrade next summer anyway, so maybe it makes sense to bite the bullet and upgrade now before the good prices evaporate. I know it's not the best time to sell a bike but then I don't think I'll lose out much on the kraken anyway, as it's still on sale for £350 and in better condition than most used bikes.

What do you reckon? Should I? Should I not? Is this just random GAS?

supersonic

As on the other thread, only that Hopper is going to be any better really. Or a Fury. To make the upgrade noticable though I think you will need to up your budget a tad to say the Boardman bikes.

The Hopper is ripe for upgrading though.

supersonic

Other option is of course upgrading... Not something I'd normally suggest, but your bike does have a decent frame, hydros and 27 speed. I imagine you expect to get about £175 for the Kraken, so have a budget of £325 or so. This would by a new RS Reba, XT hubs on 717 rims and new tyres, dropping a fair bit of weight and upping performance.

The Hopper probably a better long term bet.

Northwind

It's the upgrading potential that tempts me, I'm a terrible tweaker and it seems a waste to throw good parts at the carrera- in fact one of the reasons I chose it was to reduce the risk of going mad and buying loads of expensive parts

The rockhopper is what tempts me most, or at least what got me to shopping around. Or a couple of Konas in the sales, but I always wanted a hopper when I was younger. I've even managed to delude myself into thinking that the red isn't ugly...

<edit- I added another question here but you already answered it!>

Ach, I'm a wee bit adrift here, really not sure what to do. I could get to really like this Kraken but I know my head, I'm really bad for that, I ride a £2000 motorbike with about £3000 worth of modifications :shock: and I could end up doing the same thing again. But then that's the nice thing about mtbs, if you get to the point where you've upgraded all but the frame, you can just upgrade the frame!

Thanks very much for the help btw, you've answered a lot of my other questions before but this is the biggie just now, I could be in danger of doing something daft here!

supersonic

To be honest, I am not sure what I'd do personally! It is a fine line! The Kraken with upgrades would be a little lighter than the Hopper with discs... the fork and wheels better... but my heart would say the Spesh. It has the heart for a start, and a well balanced package to get you going. In a year, it would still be worth upgrading. If it fits of course.

Kraken is good, but only so far you can take it. I'm at the same point with my Zaskar now, its old, and as good as it is, frames are lighter!

Northwind

Of course, I could also get the frame powdercoated and add some Specialised stickers to the Carrera, that'd narrow the gap

supersonic

Lol, very true!

Sometimes there isn't a right answer, especially when upgrading as so many variables: cash flow being just one.

I have liked the Hopper for the last few years. Does everything so right (and yet they get the Hardrock so wrong!). Bike of the year for me for 2008.

Northwind

Well, in any case it's quite nice to know there's no one clear best answer here. I'm going to get a testride on the hopper on saturday unless it sells out in the meantime (or snows...), that should help. A mate of mine just offered to bolt up his Reba to mine just to see how it'd work out, so if we can find the time we'll give it a crack, it's nice to be able to try before you buy...

supersonic

Yep, totally agree, I think you are going the right way about this. Well, the way I would lol.

jojo90

I broke the forks on my Kraken and ended up buying a carbon hardtail (Scott Scale 30) with extra blingy bits

Kraken is still in the garage and I'm considering singlespeeding it. If my budget was around the £500 mark I would:
1) updgrade the wheels to XT hubs on XC717 rims
2) swap out the tyres, and perhaps go tubeless. The stock maxxis are rubbish and VERY heavy
3) buy a decent second hand fork
4) replace the bars with something lighter, perhaps some second hand carbon ones
5) replace the disc brakes

imo the drivetrain is decent except for the bottom bracket, had to swap mine out after a few hundred miles.

So, um, change everything but the frame... perhaps starting to see the virtues of selling the Kraken and buying a new bike

That said I raced my Kraken round the peaks with only upgraded tyres, rear hub (broke the stock one), and clipless pedals. Did rather well against the £2k bikes as well Perhaps it was the wide DH handlebars and the lack of stopping power...

Relaxitscool

Hi all my first post on here so hello all!!

Northwind, I've also got a Kraken and have already started up grading. My wife thinks i'm a bit sad of course because I've been making notes of whats been coming off and going on etc.

If the frame and basic groupset hadn't been as good I don't think I would have done it, but as it is this is what I've done.

As a result of a coming together with a lamp post on the way to work I needed new wheels. £125 spent for a set of Mavic Crossdisc. These reduced weight by 200g front and 300g rear. The first time I rode the bike with the new rims I was amazed.

The same post resulted in a new seat post, the original being slightly bent (any excuse) - thats another £10 for a Truvativ item, another 50g less. Of course you can't have a new post without a new seat, so on went a WTB laser, reduced from £60 to £30, another 150g off.

Shimano SPD's without a doubt the BEST upgrade, they completely transform the way your ride, as a bonus thats another 200g off. And finally, whilst in Halfrauds yesterday for a new bulb a spotted a Carbon Fibre Riser Handlebar priced at £25 - at the till it rung up £50 but they had to honour the £25 ticket price, bargin and another 200g off in weight.

Now the bike is down to 28lbs. Because I got it on the cycle to work scheme I only pay £250 so I'm still within the price of the bike at retail price. I'm now on the look out for a new crank set which will save another 300g and probably some lighter better forks. But they will have to wait till the originals die.

Regards

Rob

jojo90

Forks should be the first upgrade to this bike..

dsmiff

Lose the tyres and swap for lighter one's, originals weighed 1.1kg each!!!!! (currently on mud x's)

My son is still riding his, have upgraded brakes (bikehut hydraulic), new fork (reba SL), tyres obviously, XT rear mech, deore shifters and XTR cables.

I would say the fork and tyres made a huge difference, changed his fork (just over 1 kg lighter) and it’s took about 10 mins off a full lap of all of Llandegla for him.

May replace the cranks and cassette next - he can wait for wheels; I can't keep up with him now anyway so why should I make it any easier!!!!

Northwind

I think it heard me talking about it behind its back and got upset, the freehub just broke Not a big deal but annoying.

dsmiff wrote:

Lose the tyres and swap for lighter one's, originals weighed 1.1kg each!!!!! (currently on mud x's)!

I was quite shocked by that, I replaced them quite quick anyway because they're so slow on tarmac, it was only afterwards that I discovered how heavy they are. Obviously it's cost cutting but it really does hurt the bike, if you did a test ride you'd come away thinking "slow and heavy".

Oh, some people mentioned the brakes, the 08 comes with the tektro comp hydraulics which are more than good enough for the likes of me.

Thanks for the input folks... I'll see how it goes with the testride. Might not be able to try out the fork if I can't get hte freehub sorted by saturday though.

Relaxitscool

dsmiff wrote:

Lose the tyres and swap for lighter one's, originals weighed 1.1kg each!!!!! (currently on mud x's)

My son is still riding his, have upgraded brakes (bikehut hydraulic), new fork (reba SL), tyres obviously, XT rear mech, deore shifters and XTR cables.

I would say the fork and tyres made a huge difference, changed his fork (just over 1 kg lighter) and it’s took about 10 mins off a full lap of all of Llandegla for him.

May replace the cranks and cassette next - he can wait for wheels; I can't keep up with him now anyway so why should I make it any easier!!!!

The tyres that came on the bike are Tioga Extreme XC. According to the manufacturer they weigh 570grams each, I guess they changed them along with the brakes. Forks will def be on the cards but funds dictate they'll have to wait. Again, according to the manufacturer they weigh 4.7lbs, which isn't that much really, so my aim will be to have better forks, lighter would be a bonus but not a necessity.

Regards

Rob

Northwind

Mine was on the same Tioga Factory XC, one weighed in at 1060 grams and the other a shade less.

Relaxitscool

That really surprises me. Well after 600 miles mine almost worn out, what more excuse could I need!!!

Rob