what new parts make the biggest difference toy your bike?

ianbar

hey, jut a general question really, started riding a couple months ago on a forme rapide. i now have shimano clipless pedals which i am now pretty used too. i am really asking just to understand the anatomy for a bike really....and future possible purchases lol

MattC59

Probably the best upgrade for any bike, is wheels first.

night_porter

The rider!

Shave a few pounds off the weight or add more power by building strength and the rider will make the bike go faster.

Everything else is just bling!

danowat

Tyres are the most cost effective, first upgrade IMO, either that or some better brake blocks.

Thelittlesthobo

Planetx ti & carbon QR

I just fitted some to my Trek 1.5 and i am sure it rode faster last night. I was super fast (OK for me that is)







Maybe it was just the fact i felt good and it wasnt the couple of grams i saved in weight :oops:

IMO its has always and will always be two things. The rider and the wheels/tyres. No other factors ever make as much difference.

richh

For me it's either a better sized stem, or a garmin computer. Both let me ride for much longer

alp078

Hoping it will be the Schwalbe Ultremos i parted with £56 for today - my first real upgrade.

Pretty sure I may be tempting fate though. I haven't punctured in 2000 miles since I started 8 months ago. I just know it will be less than a week now :roll:

Anyhow, they were a good price, so will be fun to try them out.

chrishd883

You - Fitness, weight , technique (cornering / descending / pacing / fueling / riding position)

Bike - first tyres and then maybe wheels!
+1 for good working brake blocks!

ric7481

IMO

1 - Professional Bike Fit
2 - Personal fitness / time in the saddle / technique
3 - Shiny stuff


The biggest difference for pretty much all of us will be the engine and how that engine attaches to the frame.............I cycle prob about 60 miles per week over two or three sessions, and try and do a sportive or similar of approx.60-70 miles every month, so I'm not that fit and could do better, :oops: however the biggest difference to my performance and enjoyment of the sport has come from points one and two above........

However , we all love shiny new stuff and it WILL make us go faster and enjoy the ride more :twisted: - so saving up for some Ksyrium Equipe's !

+1 for the brake blocks as well as technique

Evil Laugh

Good tyres at the right pressure

Good pads

Good stiff comfy shoes

The right saddle

A comfy pair of bibs/tights

A bike that fits

A bike fit incl cleat/shoe set up on said bike.


After all that if there's money left we can talk about wheels!

ianbar

so at what point and why would you upgrade your gearing?

Crispybug

For me personally changing a 53/39 for a 50/34 chainring with a 12/28 cog made an almighty difference to me, it lead me from mainly being a small ring rider to being a big ring rider on virtually all terrains apart steep and/or long climbs.

unixnerd

Probably the best upgrade for any bike, is wheels first.

+1. Nice lightweight 1500g wheels.

jimbob_1978

1. A good compitable saddle for my body shape and quality/expensive bib shorts. Not having to think about my sore behind and being able to concentrate 100% on my riding shaved minutes off my times.

2. Tyres. Stock tyres on most off the peg bikes are abysmal.

3. Wheels...... still saving for mine. fingers crossed i`ll have some American Classics 420 Aeros in the spring.

peejay78

Crispybug wrote:

For me personally changing a 53/39 for a 50/34 chainring with a 12/28 cog made an almighty difference to me, it lead me from mainly being a small ring rider to being a big ring rider on virtually all terrains apart steep and/or long climbs.

i can't really see what difference this has made apart from a purely psychological one. compacts make life easier in many respects, but they don't make you a stronger rider per se. in fact, running the 12/28 with the 39 would probably make more difference to your overall fitness, without overstressing joints and muscles, and be all the gears you need.

i can't help but think that having a range of bailout gears leads to constant bailing out, when really you need to work harder. there's some self-deception going on here.

apart from that, the key upgrade is a lightweight wheelset. that's beyond all the other stuff about fitness and weight and whatever whatever.

Daddy2Coull

i'm "making do" on a mtb with slicks for the time being, but bought myself some spd sl shoes and look keo pedals today, will take some getting used to, but first impressions are, it's much better putting power through my feet to the pedals

happy days