First set of upgrades to Trek 1.1 - Brakes, pedals, etc

lifeform

I know this has been done to death - probably on a daily basis - but I'd appreciate some suggestions on the first set of upgrades I want to do to my new Trek 1.1 as I'm going round in circles here.

Had the thing three weeks, after years of casual MTB riding, and decided to charge round on it for a while to decide what I don't like about. Seriously getting into the whole road thing now.

Whilst my budget is open, I don't want to go mad on the thing - I can see myself getting a higher end machine towards the end of the year, and relegating the Trek to winter training duties with mudguards and wet tyres.

So - Brake blocks. They're hopeless by any measure - grabby, unpredictable, and make an unpleasant noise. Suggestions for makes? Don't need to be leaving 200yd lines everywhere, but would like to actually slow down in a more controlled manner. The OEM also seem to suddenly get up to temperature and dramatically alter braking power when you're not expecting it.

Pedals. Honestly, I don't know where to begin here. Will be getting some shoes, so would like to know what's a good combo?

Levers - it's got Shimano 2300, which are bugging me as it's arse about face; to change up I need to be on the hoods, whilst changing down needs to be down on the drops. They also have a feel of cheap flimsy quality not normally seen outside of a Buckaroo box. Less pressing, but I take it that any Shimano 8spd system will fit, any pointers/advice?

Anything else to consider?

I'm replacing the saddle for a Selle Italia C2 Gel Flow in a few weeks, at the OEM Bontrager appears to have modelled on a medieval torture device.

Thanks in advance

Dunk

Philby

Brake blocks - Swiss Stop or Kool Stop

Pedals - Look Keos and Shimano SPD-SL are the default road bike pedals

Levers - likely to not be a cost-effective change as you would need to trade up to Tiagra which would involve a reasonable amount of expenditure.

Other suggestions are tyres which will make an immediate improvement - try some Continental GP4000S. You could also change the wheels but again likely to talking £150 - £200 to see a significant difference.

As you suggest you might be better saving your money and buying a better bike for next summer and leaving the Trek for winter duties.

lifeform

Thanks for the pointers Philby, really appreciated.

Quick clarification - The Conti GP4000S blurb says they're clinchers... I take it I can still use them with tubes?

Wheels I'm happy to buy as that would give me some options regards tyre choice, and I can swap them between the Trek and whatever I get next. Helped by the fact that my mate's next door neighbour builds racing rims for a living - both MTB and Road - he's got the bit between his teeth over the OEM Bontragers

Bobbinogs

Blimey, 3 weeks in and it's upgrade time

I echo the comments about the tyres (yes you can use the GP4000s since clinchers use tubes, tubs don't). They are lovely.

I also rate the Koolstop brakes (the dual compond ones are v. good but a bit harder to track down but i-ride do them but at the usual i-ride cost).

I would ensure you have some decent shoes and shorts (plenty of stuff on the road buying section there, same goes for wheels and pedals).

Ultimately, the best upgrade?? Ride the blinking thing

lifeform

Warning - justification follows. May contain man-maths*

I thought I'd done rather well leaving it three weeks / 200 miles before ripping it to bits!

The lycra and shoes are a given, the brakes came about after they unseated last night coming up to a junction in the wet. Braking force went from hopeless to plenty in an instant just as I'd stood up and forward to look past parked cars and moved right hand up to the hoods. A dismount-swearing combo followed. (If I'd been clipped in I'd have landed on my teeth)

Wheels - well, if next-door-Dave can nail me together some trick wheels for sensible money, then why not? Man-Maths makes it cost-neutral.

*Man Maths - a method used in the process of buying boys toys; where a man may subtract any amount from the final sum for 'saving future hassle/time/expenditure/inflation/taxation (delete as required)' to achieve the final expediture figure he wants. Ideally this final figure will be Zero.

Thelittlesthobo

Sounds to me like you have bought the wrong bike. Why didnt you go for the 1.5 or even higher? It would have worked out a lot cheaper and i cant even say in the long run.......

I have the 1.5 and yes there are elements that need to be upgraded but i would be surprised in 200 miles if you even know enough about the bike to be able to determine what does and doesnt work for you.

I see this on MTB's all the time. People upgrade because they think it will improve them as riders. What happens is they never actually get to know a bike and what it is capable of. My advice would be to ride it untill it needs new tires. By then you will know what needs upgrading

ptr_

lifeform wrote:

*Man Maths - a method used in the process of buying boys toys; where a man may subtract any amount from the final sum for 'saving future hassle/time/expenditure/inflation/taxation (delete as required)' to achieve the final expediture figure he wants. Ideally this final figure will be Zero.

Thank you for finally putting a name to the method I've been using for years to purchase unnecessa... urr, vital upgrades.

Thelittlesthobo

the brakes came about after they unseated last night coming up to a junction

What does this mean? I am pretty sure they are the same brakes as mine and although not disc brakes, they are plenty powerfull enough. As i said maybe you need to get used to the bike

Nerrep

lifeform wrote:

Braking force went from hopeless to plenty in an instant just as I'd stood up and forward to look past parked cars and moved right hand up to the hoods. A dismount-swearing combo followed. (If I'd been clipped in I'd have landed on my teeth)

This is a technique issue, and would have happened with any pad. As you brake in the wet, the blocks scrape the water off the rim for the first couple of rotations of the wheel, then bite when they get to dry metal. Start braking earlier!

lifeform

Thelittlesthobo wrote:

Sounds to me like you have bought the wrong bike. Why didnt you go for the 1.5 or even higher? It would have worked out a lot cheaper and i cant even say in the long run.......

I have the 1.5 and yes there are elements that need to be upgraded but i would be surprised in 200 miles if you even know enough about the bike to be able to determine what does and doesnt work for you.

I see this on MTB's all the time. People upgrade because they think it will improve them as riders. What happens is they never actually get to know a bike and what it is capable of. My advice would be to ride it untill it needs new tires. By then you will know what needs upgrading

I'm fully aware I'm by far and away the most inefficient thing in the whole equation, and I regard the Trek to be absolutely the right machine for me.

Hence I'm tinkering with to set the bike up how I want - I'm not looking to trick the thing out with the Litespeed catalogue here, or upgrade everything to 1.5 spec.

As I said, just a few tweaks to see me through the summer, before I get something higher end and relegate the Trek to winter/wet duties.

I expect it'll get no more than a new saddle because the stock one isn't right for me - I could tell that after 20 miles) and the brakes because they're somewhat random. Pedals are necessity before I do myself an injury with the OEM ones.

EarlyGo

lifeform,

If you must upgrade the brake calipers then Planet-X ultra light CNCs (£109) are generally highly regarded and come in a multitude of colours for extra bling effect! Cheaper option would be to put Swissstop pads in though. However I'd save my cash and just get used to how your existing brakes feel and how to optimise their (lack of) stopping performance. I was in the same position as you and was convinced that my brakes were lethal devices designed to kill me! The reality was that I just needed to find the best way to get them performing. IMHO cheap brake pads improve in their performance after a few hundred miles.

Don't even consider changing your shifters as they are outrageously expensive to buy!

For pedals try the bottom of the range Shimano 520 SPD-SL with bottom of the range Specialized shoes if you are on a budget. (That combo has done me proud for 18 months now. But bear in mind that SPD-SLs are a pain in the neck to walk any distance on. So perhaps M520 SPD (MTB Style) pedals and shoes if you want to walk on the shoe.) If money not a problem then possibly Sidi shoes and posher SPD-SL pedals.

Best upgrade in the budget department must be new tyres; Conti GP4000s / MIchelin PR3 / Schwalbe Ultremo ZX etc and some lightweight tubes. Less than a £100 and very noticeable on the bike. Probably save you 300 grams in weight on the OEM fitted at the moment.

Regards, EarlyGo

Crozza

I've got a Spesh Allez 16 which I think is very comparable to the Trek 1.1 in terms of spec. I have ridden it stock for a couple of years and have never had an issue with the levers or brakes, although I did put dura-ace pads on it fairly quickly when the others wore out, and this made a difference to stopping power and they have lasted an awful lot longer.

But I have recently put some Planet X Model B wheels on it (1600g vs the 2700g of the original wheels), together with latex tubes and Pro Race 3 tyres (total outlay of about £160) and it just feels like a different bike to be honest - much smoother and nicer to ride, and I started being able to keep up with riders I struggled to hold before (literally overnight)