Upgrade tyres or wheels first?

Finlab6
Finlab6 Posts: 127
edited March 2011 in Road buying advice
Have a spesh allez sport which has spesh tyres and alex rims

Have decided on planet x model bs + conti gp4000s.
My bike fund gets £28 added each month and is currentlay at £70. Should I wait until I can afford the wheels & put the spesh tyres on for a couple of months or should I get the tyres now and have them on the alex rims for 4 months.

Pretty new to this. Doing 20-30miles each weekend. Trying to increase my speed which is happening slowly. Recently joined a club and will join them on training runs. Not fussed about beating others in races TT etc but would like to improve my own performance
MTB GT Avalanche 1.0
Road - Specialized Allez Sport


exercise.png

Comments

  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    wheels
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    wheels
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  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    Wait and buy both at the same time, you will notice a bigger improvement.
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  • Finlab6
    Finlab6 Posts: 127
    that would be 4 months not sure I can go that long without buying anything. will get wheels. Thanks
    MTB GT Avalanche 1.0
    Road - Specialized Allez Sport


    exercise.png
  • lovestheclimb
    lovestheclimb Posts: 483
    wheels
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Tyres, the spesh ones are terrible.
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    it wont make much difference to speed anyway. one of my bikes has double braced alex rims and still bowls along pretty much the same as the lighter bike. i bet there isnt 1 or 2 mph difference.
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    rake wrote:
    it wont make much difference to speed anyway. one of my bikes has double braced alex rims and still bowls along pretty much the same as the lighter bike. i bet there isnt 1 or 2 mph difference.

    Yup, the difference between my "best" wheels, and my standard rims on my allez is feck all in real terms.

    Placebo effect accounts for most of it IMO
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    If the bike feels slow, check the bearing preload and make sure the freehub retaining nut is done up tight.

    Aside from that, I'd wait until something falls to pieces. You won't see any measureable improvement beyond the psychosomatic effect of having something shiny and new on the bike.
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  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    Tyres.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    danowat wrote:
    Tyres, the spesh ones are terrible.

    so are the wheels 8)
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • Philby
    Philby Posts: 328
    Keep saving your money until either the tyres or wheels need replacing, but if you had to make a choice now I would go for tyres.
  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    there you go - its conclusive!

    Either tyres, wheels or nothing at all ;)

    Personally I'd do tyres first if you have an issue with them eg grip in wet, puncture performance etc etc. I'm with the 'no real difference' club though personally after changing wheels and tyres on all my bikes back and forth!
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
  • Finlab6
    Finlab6 Posts: 127
    Bigpikle wrote:
    there you go - its conclusive!

    Either tyres, wheels or nothing at all ;)

    You're right. I can see why we have a coalition govn now. Now undecided again
    MTB GT Avalanche 1.0
    Road - Specialized Allez Sport


    exercise.png
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Tyres now, wheels later, you will notice more improvement from going to something like GP4000S than sticking a different set of wheels on IMO.
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    Tyres I would say.......I have the £££ to change my wheels, but am reluctant to do so as they have only done 1200 miles......i have fitted Gp4000s and now pro3.....on both occasions it has made enough difference including placebo to have been worth the while....more cost effective than wheel upgrade, though I will of course do that at some point!
  • Butterd2
    Butterd2 Posts: 937
    Tyres now, then wheels later. Tyres are not just about rolling faster but also safety, better cornering grip, better under emergency braking etc and about avoiding the pf. Good choice on the GP4000's.
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  • DubaiNeil
    DubaiNeil Posts: 246
    Tyres - but I would go with Pro Race 3's...

    When I changed my tyres & wheels simultaneously (Shimano R500 to Shimano RS80, and Conti Ultra Race to Michelin Pro Race 3's) it seemed that there was more improvement from the tyre than the wheels.

    I changed the tyres back to Conti on the RS80's (as I was that bored!) and "lost" most of the perceived benefit - so switched straight back to the Pro Race's

    I have since used GP4000S (but in a 25 rather than the 23 of the PR3's) for a multi-day UK ride, and was very happy to switch back to the PR3's...

    YMMV :roll:

    Neil
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    GP4000s are simply the nuts. Buy these and then save for 3 years for wheels that will give you a similar change in performance.
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  • Wamas
    Wamas Posts: 256
    Neither.

    If your roads are anything like they are near me, your new tyres will get ripped to shreads with the grit etc on the road, and the freehub of a new wheel will just get gunked up with salt.

    It is still winter tyres and wheels for me at the moment, and will be till April the way things are going.

    Have a look at the bikes the other guys in your club are using, most will be on their winter bikes with mudguards.

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