Upgrading entry level road bike
dobispr
Posts: 4
I recently purchased an entry level road bike. It cam with a shimano sora/tiagra mix. Is it worth upgrading these sorts of bikes? Will going from a triple to double ring actually benefit me all that much? Upgrading derailleurs? Chain? Cassette? I know the wheels are the most important but It came with a fairly light set already. Thanks.
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Without knowing what the frame is it is hard to say if it is worth spending money on upgrading the groupset. Generally it isn't worth it as by the time you have upgraded to say a 105 groupset you could almost have bought a while bike. Given that you have only just bought your bike I suggest you just ride it for at least a year and then decide if you are going to continue, and then upgrade to a better bike. In the meantime spend your money on some decent knicks, shoes etc.0
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I started over a year ago with a defy 4 and shimano 2300 on a compact 50/34. I did over 2k miles on it and several sportives. I made a promise with myself and my missus that if my enthusiasm for the sport increased and I did a good winters training then I would reward myself with a better quality carbon jobby and 105 minimum. I did and i did and I'm very happy with it. Having said that, the differences are subtle and my defy is still a very acceptable second bike. I think it would be a good idea to wait and develop your skill to the point where you are competent and confident enough for a better bike. I too thought that upgrading would be a good option but on balance I don't think it's worth it. Sora tiagra mix is perfectly acceptable. Tires and wheels might be areas to upgrade but you say you are happy with them. If it ain't broke why fix it...0
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Changing entry level tyres and wheels are almost always the most cost-effective upgrade.
When I started road I assumed it was normal to slide at the first drip of rain, and upgrading to Aksiums and contis after a year made me feel like I had a new bike.
I subsequently went from tiagra triple to compact 105, which I am very happy with, but my advice would be look at upgrading the chainset once its worn.0 -
Upgrading anything on a bike really depends on what you are trying to achieve.
If you want the upgrade to reflect that you have spent more on your bike then all upgrades will do that, if you want to make your wallet lighter then all upgrades will do that too.
If you click your lever and the rear mech moves and the gear changes you can't really ask for more than that, can you? So upgrading levers, mech, etc. will not really make any difference. Of course the one exception would be colour, everyone knows red bikes are faster.
You could worry about making the bike lighter but it will have little or no effect to anything other than your wallet.
Wheels and tyres do make a difference but it is more about feel than anything else, I would (and have) spend money here if you want to improve things.
If you would like to make you a better/faster rider then only training and practice will do that.
Therefore upgrades are a purely personal choice but don't be misled into thinking it will make a difference. I doubt many people will agree with this but then marketing is a powerful force now isn't it?0 -
My first bike was an entry level bike (halfords)and I loved it and still use it.I have upgraded the wheels and tyres as they were crap.Also put a carbon fork on which made so much differnce to the ride.So if you havn,t a carbon fork them thats what I would recomend.Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori0
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A big advantage of upgrading wheels is that it's very easy to put the old ones back on. That way you you don't worry about making an upgrade that you are going to lose money on when you trade the bike up, and can always use the orginals for winter use in the meanwhile.0
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Sora/Tiagra is very good, unpretentious kit.
More gears won't make you faster, just poorer. The same applies to chains. Going from triple to double would actually reduce the choice of gears, which seems like a complete waste of money to me to save ~200g.
Some people will have you believe that anything less than 105 is only good for nipping to the shops, yet a chap on a cheap Carrera with Shimano 2300 (8-speed) showed up a number of TT regulars at our club 10s last year. It ain't wot yer got...Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
I'm thinking about upgrading my sora shifters purely because I hate the thumb shifter.
2015 Specialized Tarmac Expert Ultegra
2016 Focus Mares CX Ultegra
2016 Specialized Stumpjumper HT Comp Carbon 29
2012 Boardman Road Race 105
2013 Specialized Hardrock Disc0 -
The thumbshifter was the reason I spent a bit extra to get the Tiagra version Giant SCR in 2007.FergySteve wrote:I'm thinking about upgrading my sora shifters purely because I hate the thumb shifter.Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
thumb shifters better in winter with thick gloves on
But I'm not a fan. Often heard wheels are main significant upgrade but if you've paid £500 for example, for an entry level bike, can you justify £400 for a better set of wheels? Some good advice up above - wait for the stuff to wear out then replace with upgrades. Get the miles in on your current gear and you will also grow in awareness about what to best spend your hard-earned cash on. 0 -
I just bought a Triban3. First road bike and I dont plan on upgrading until at least a year and I've decided I want to take up riding as a hobby. This, of course, doesn't stop me looking at shiny new bikes! However, I do plan on buying some riding gear.
Stick with what you've got unless you have money to waste.0 -
Www.bike-discount.de a set of campagnola zonda wheels for 295 euro. Get on it. Great upgrade0
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As long as the OP makes sure they get wheels with a sram/shimano hub rather than campag as they do not fit .Noelhar wrote:http://Www.bike-discount.de a set of campagnola zonda wheels for 295 euro. Get on it. Great upgradeFCN 3/5/90 -
Absolutely. Same price and they weigh 1555g because I weighed them as soon as they came!0
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Personally, when funds allow and if you have the space for storage, i'd upgrade the entry level bike with full mudguards and then buy a new more expensive bike for good weather. You'll then have a choice of bikes to take out depending on wet or dry weather. Full mudguards are great. I wouldn't be without one bike which had them.
So don't upgrade now, upgrade later with a new bike.0 -
dobispr wrote:I recently purchased an entry level road bike. It cam with a shimano sora/tiagra mix. Is it worth upgrading these sorts of bikes? Will going from a triple to double ring actually benefit me all that much? Upgrading derailleurs? Chain? Cassette? I know the wheels are the most important but It came with a fairly light set already. Thanks.
I have a Giant defy 1 and my first upgrade was get a saddle the i was comfortable with next was the best upgrade that you can do is the wheels. I personally got a pair of Mavic Ksyrium Elite s that comes with tier and tube ready to go out of the box.
The bike responds like never before execrates very well and holds its speed during costing.
the Sora caliper i upgraded to ultegra only because i wanted better breaking but the difference in weight is not that big between the calipers but the wheel change dropped my overall bike weight to 14.4 lbs. so definitely wheels
and as the components on the bike get worn upgrade to ultra.0 -
I have a base Spec Allez - I upgraded the wheels last summer - they're nice wheels, but didn't cost a lot. Currently considering whether to upgrade the 2300 to 105 - mainly for the shifters with hidden cables and no thumb shifts, but also the chainrings are on their last legs so need to do something about that anyway.
But at £350-400 for the upgrade on an Ali frame & carbon fork - would I be better saving that money for a full carbon frame ... problem is that's a load more money that I can't really justify (yet!)0 -
Slowbike wrote:I have a base Spec Allez - I upgraded the wheels last summer - they're nice wheels, but didn't cost a lot. Currently considering whether to upgrade the 2300 to 105 - mainly for the shifters with hidden cables and no thumb shifts, but also the chainrings are on their last legs so need to do something about that anyway.
But at £350-400 for the upgrade on an Ali frame & carbon fork - would I be better saving that money for a full carbon frame ... problem is that's a load more money that I can't really justify (yet!)
The cost of buying a current Allez Elite with Tiagra groupset (non-hidden cables) is about £900 so an upgrade to 105 which you like better seems like a bargain to me, saving £500-£550. The frame will be the same and as you have already upgraded the wheels you will be much happier. The only difference will be the colour!
The other option is to sell your current bike and use the money to add to the upgrade funds but you will not completely cover the cost of changing your bike. Especially as you have indicated the groupset needs replacing anyway.
It won't make your bike any faster but then again a new bike won't be any faster either because you will be using the same engine, you!0 -
I don't think I'd buy another Allez - I'm happy with the frame I have (just need to sort a couple of paint chips) - it fits me well and like you say - the frame will be the same on a new Allez - so the only "improvement" would be in the groupset. If I need to buy new chainset anyway then I may as well upgrade it. The dilemma is whether to upgrade it to 105 for a load of money or just to stick with the 2300/sora range and sell it - add a huge wodge of cash and get something like a Tarmac with a carbon frame & 105 kit.
Ie - I can upgrade to 105 now, but will I be happy with just that, or in 6 months time will I be wanting to go allout carbon?
I suppose one option would be to get the 105 stuff now and then get a lower groupset carbon bike later on & swap the bits over ...0
