newbie to upgrade bike or just parts on a specialized frame?

leeds_yorkie

Loving my first year of mountain biking (fairly fit thirty nine year old) with my entry level specialized hardrock disk. I`ve been led to believe that the frame is v.good for a budget bike, but reckon a lot of the parts, from what i have learnt in the past year, are sadly rather poor(suspension, gear shifters, brakes etc).
I can`t help feeling that I would be having even MORE fun :shock: with either a better bike or with better components. Within my budget ,the question is should I upgrade to one of the recommended £600 bikes or do I start changing the parts and if so which ones?
I`ve already made minor changes with new tyres, hand grips and pedals. Thanks in advance for any advice chaps (or gals).

By the way has anyone like me just recently been to the world cup at Dalby Forest and feels very, very amateur now after seeing the elite in action? No? Okay just me then

supersonic

A new 600 quid bike will not score you a better frame, so I think upgrading is a good option.

Does it have disc brakes?

I would add a fork like the Reba Race (£250), lighter wheels, and discs possibly.

leeds_yorkie

Supersonically quick response . Yes it is disc brake.

clamps81

Hydraulic or mechanical disk? I have a hardrock as well and changing the brakes to hydraulic and the fork to a rockshox recon (on-one for 120 quid) has made it a different bike. The shifting is still not great, but the fork and brakes have made an absolutely massive difference. Cost was about ~£200 all told.

leeds_yorkie

It is mechanical disks. Is it fairly straight forward to upgrade to hydraulic? What type of trails do u take your hardrock on Clamps?

clamps81

Oh yeah, it's a doddle, I did it in a car park after work with a multitool. The rotors and mounts are standard so it's just a case of removing the old ones (actually a bit fiddly) and attaching the new ones. Assuming that the new set are pre bled then you're good to go (hose length permitting) but otherwise you might need to bleed them. This isn't hugely difficult and is a brand specific thing, but you do need a bit more in the way of tools and stands (or a mate) to do it.

Had the forks done by local bike shop.

I've ridden on natural trails up in Brecon and at the trail centres at Cwmcarn and Afan and the new fork has made a world of difference - it just makes the bike feel a lot more composed and gives you the confidence to ride a bit harder and quicker than you otherwise would.

leeds_yorkie

Thanks for the response.

Its also the gear changing that feels a bit "clunky". A bit sluggish. Although I have had nothing to compare it with, I can`t help feeling I could be a bit quicker......

Great advice though. I`m 60-40 in favor of upgrading the parts at the moment. Further advice and opinions would be much appreciated. Feeling indecisive :roll:

Razor1548

I am very basic with bike mechanics, but I think buying new parts will do you best. I still have a Hardrock from many years ago, and in some ways I still like the frame better than on more expensive bikes I have had since.

Mine still has some pretty awful Suntour forks, so I should really get it together to put some new parts on mine soon!

leeds_yorkie

Thanks Razor I`m 65-35 now on upgrading the parts..............

supersonic

Upgrade groupset to this:

http://www.actionsports.de/gb/Component ... 28904.html

Add a Reba Race from Merlin.

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop ... X-SALE.htm

A set of these:

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop ... ir_856.htm

And a pair of these:

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/118459.html

Merlin do 10% off when you join.

For just over £600 you will have a bike far better than any £600 bike you can buy new.

Anonymous

leeds_yorkie wrote:

I can`t help feeling that I would be having even MORE fun :shock: with either a better bike or with better components.

Nonsense.
Just replace whatever wears out with better parts, if you want to upgrade.

clamps81

I'd disagree with that just because the fork and brakes on that bike are so bad. Upgrading them on mine gave me so much more confidence and let me get on with actually riding instead of worrying,

I am contemplating the groupset upgrade as well, but the bike the is perfectly riideable with what's on there are present, so in that case I probably will wait until something there breaks.

LAUNCH69

I'm with the component upgraders:
Upgrade your forks. wheels etc.
when you come to the limit of your frame (depends on your riding, type of riding and friends riding style),
upgrade fame in desired direction . . . .

weescott

When starting out, upgrading parts is the way to go because you appereciate the difference in the quality of components the more you ride.

Anonymous

weescott wrote:

When starting out, upgrading parts is the way to go because you appereciate the difference in the quality of components the more you ride.

I think the part of my brain that deals with logic just exploded :x
Has that become this forum's answer to every ailment?
SPEND SPEND SPEND MORE!
What the hell is wrong with you people?

rockmonkeysc

I have upgraded my Hardrock, it rides much better now. Brakes are fine really but I will soon replace mine with Avid BB7's. Shimano Deore cranks make a surprising difference to the way the bike pedals, you can feel the extra stiffness when you really stomp on the pedals. A good set of forks transform the handling, i fitted Rockshox Toras which are cheap but effective. Original tyres are sh1t but tyre choice is a personal thing. I have changed the bars, stem & seatpost for much lighter parts which fit me better.
My latest upgrade which some may consider a downgrade is a single speed conversion which has lost a considerable amount of weight and made the bike a lot more interesting to ride.
Hardrock frame is really nice & well worth upgrading

mac_man

yeehaamcgee wrote:

weescott wrote:

When starting out, upgrading parts is the way to go because you appereciate the difference in the quality of components the more you ride.

I think the part of my brain that deals with logic just exploded :x
Has that become this forum's answer to every ailment?
SPEND SPEND SPEND MORE!
What the hell is wrong with you people?

?

Some items I would agree... if it ain't broke don't fix it. I would only replace drivetrain components when they break,

Forks on the other hand... If they are entry level Suntour or Rockshox then a set of Rebas will make a WORLD of difference. I should know.... i've done it. :-)

And wheels... I replaced a set of wheels cos they were damn heavy on another bike. made a difference... but not as much as the fork

blablablacksheep

I do wonder though for £600 quid is it worth upgrading the hardrock

might be better to just save the money and wait till you can buy a better bike ie £1000 or more for a FS bike.

I have a rockhopper and wondering about upgrading it but its a hardcall given that the frames for both mine and yours arent really top end so its hardcall.

if the bike really bad maybe just upgrade the traction points ie wheels, fork ect

Ofc problem being like mine you have V brake so that means getting new brakes too, so its a tough call, personally i would save the money.

rockmonkeysc

It sounds like a nice idea to save for a FS bike to replace the hardrock but you need £1500+ to get a FS bike that actually rides better than a Hardrock. I would prefer a sorted hardtail to a cheap full sus bike with poor suspension.

jimexbox

Its a very nice frame, if you intend to stick with a HT its worth upgrading the forks straight away, then as and when stuff breaks or wears out. I ride a HT out of choice, odd as it may seem some folk prefer them. Its horses for courses as they say.

cooldad

yeehaamcgee wrote:

weescott wrote:

When starting out, upgrading parts is the way to go because you appereciate the difference in the quality of components the more you ride.

I think the part of my brain that deals with logic just exploded :x
Has that become this forum's answer to every ailment?
SPEND SPEND SPEND MORE!
What the hell is wrong with you people?

But without the best possible kit, how can you truly make the best of your god given talents?
Meagre as those might be.

Anonymous

cooldad wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

weescott wrote:

When starting out, upgrading parts is the way to go because you appereciate the difference in the quality of components the more you ride.

I think the part of my brain that deals with logic just exploded :x
Has that become this forum's answer to every ailment?
SPEND SPEND SPEND MORE!
What the hell is wrong with you people?

But without the best possible kit, how can you truly make the best of your god given talents?
Meagre as those might be.

Talent and wallet aren't related.

cooldad

yeehaamcgee wrote:

cooldad wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

weescott wrote:

When starting out, upgrading parts is the way to go because you appereciate the difference in the quality of components the more you ride.

I think the part of my brain that deals with logic just exploded :x
Has that become this forum's answer to every ailment?
SPEND SPEND SPEND MORE!
What the hell is wrong with you people?

But without the best possible kit, how can one truly make the best of ones' god given talents?
Meagre as those might be.

Talent and wallet aren't related.

Obviously a number of people on here would disagree.
And the 'you' should have been 'one'. It was not a directional 'you'.

Suitably edited.

Anonymous

Ok then. One's talents, and one's wallet are not related.

cooldad

One would be correct.
But many little ones have not yet grasped that and would see it as sacrilege to the god of instant gratification.

Anonymous

Maybe the little ones should heed the words learned over many tens of moons by the elders then.

cooldad

In my case that would be many hundreds of moons, young Grasshopper.

Anonymous

Actually, it is in my case too.
How about Potato moons?

cooldad

Saturn's potato-shaped moon Prometheus

Anonymous

no, as in "I can count to potato", potato.