Upgrading Hybrid Bike?

chill93101

Hi all,
I want to get a little more speed out of my bike, thinking new tyres?

Here are the specs for my Felt QX100:

Frame: Felt Cross Design 6061 Double Butted Aluminum. Disc-brake Compatible and Integrated Hebie Kickstand Mount. Basta Lock Compatible
Forks: SR/Suntour SF-NCX D LO with STKM steerer tube. Coil spring with pre-load adjust and 63mm travel
Gears: Shimano Deore LX front and SRAM X-9 rear derailleurs
Shifters: SRAM X-9 Trigger Shifter 27 Speed with adjustable clamp
Chainset: Shimano FC-M521-K Hollowtech Non-Series Forged Aluminum crankset and 48/36/26 tooth chainrings
Brakes: Avid Single Digit 5R Linear-Pull V-Type brakes
Wheels: WTB DUAL DUTY XC lightweight doublewall rims built on Shimano Deore HB-M530 front and Shimano HB-RM65 hubs with Quick Release
Tyres: Continental Twister 700x37tyres. Wire bead
Handlebars: Felt 6061 Alloy butted Flatbar
Stem: Felt One-Piece 3D Cold-Forged Threadless Aluminum
Saddle: Felt Facade Comfort saddle
Seatpost: Felt Two-Bolt Alloy Micro-Adjust
Pedals/Extras: VP-199 MTB Design Alloy Cage and body

What I am considering doing is turning it into more of a 'cyclocross' type bike, with drop bars, standard road shifters, rigid suspension, and probably new wheels/tyres.

How much difference would these changes make, specifically the wheels/tyres? Are there any other upgrades I could make to make it get a lil' more 'vroom' (other than training!!)

This upgrade is because i have failed to convinced my parents (im only 15!) to let me buy a full-on road bike

-Rob W

maddog 2

the drop bar route isn't cheap. In the meantime

- narrower, slicker tyres. Consider 25mm with kevlar beads such Michelin Krylion or equivalent. With lighter, narrower tubes (Conti race etc. - see Ribble for some good prices)

- a longer/lower stem, or flip your current version. This will give you a more aero position. See ebay for some good cheap deals

- narrower bars. Trim with hacksaw for the same benefits as above. Fit bars ends to give you more positions and more stretch.

- a rigid fork - lighter, lower and more racey. Again see ebay for some good deals on cyclocross forks, maybe carbon too.

For a £100 or so you can make it much faster than it currently is.

chill93101

Thanks a lot for the advide 'maddog 2', yet for narrower tyres, will I need new wheels to go with them?

-Rob W

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I could be wrong, probably am, but could you not get some "midge bars" from Planet-X to give you a wide set of drops? They are 25.4mm clamp size.

careful

I wouldn't bother. I upgraded one a couple of years ago - ended up spending more than the cost of a decent budget road bike.

chill93101

What size tyres can I fit onto my wheels? or do they have to be 37?

maddog 2

without seeing/knowing the rims it's difficult to say what they can take but if they currently have 37s then you should be okay going down to 28mm tyres, such as these:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productde ... ONTTYRF400

or

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productde ... ONTTYRR510

or

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productde ... ONTTYRR250


a 28mm tyre at around 100psi is fairly quick, and robust too.

If you want a faster tyre then you may need new wheels - if/when you change the current tyres, just measure the width of the rim. That will tell you how narrow you can go with the current rims.

rally200

Defnitely change the tyres before anything else - it'll give the most diffence of any item, and will not cost an awful lot.

Those "twisters" have a pretty chunky "semi-slick" tread pattern - be wary of the sudden loss of grip you can experience if you lean hard into a corner on a smooth road surface.