Upgrade Advice

GRBarker
GRBarker Posts: 31
edited May 2013 in Road buying advice
Evening,

This is a post with many different questions relating to upgrades which I hope that you might be able to help me with. I picked my bike up from the shop yesterday after taking it in for a standard service and was told that most of the components on the bike would need replacing in the near future. The news wasn’t unexpected as the bike is an entry level model (Bianchi via Nirone 2300) but I’m now unsure what I should be looking for when searching for new parts and how much I should be expecting to spend to upgrade to the next level. I currently ride between 100-150km and have entered into my first sportive recently, although I’m looking to join a club in the near future and therefore increase my weekly distances. I was told that I would need to look into replacing the following parts;

Hubs (front and rear)
Rear Mech
Cassette and Chain
Cranks

I have three major questions about each of the parts;

How much should I be looking to spend on each part?
Which brands should I be focusing upon?
What should I be looking for in each part?

Is it better to get a completely new set of wheels and if so how much should I look to spend?
Do I need to new front mech if I’m replacing the rear one?

I know that there are a lot of questions about a few issues and I would appreciate any help that you can give me.

Thanks

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    How old is the bike and how many miles has it done?
  • GRBarker
    GRBarker Posts: 31
    The bike is a 2012 model which I bought last August. I've done around 3000km since then.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    A bit odd that it needs all that stuff after less than 2000 miles. I would get a second opinion somewhere else.
  • GRBarker
    GRBarker Posts: 31
    I suppose I was a little disappointed when I heard the news but he did show me a few things that were happening that shouldn't be, such as the rear casette twisting all over the place when the wheel spun. In all honesty the parts were very basic back in August and so I'm not too surprised that things are starting to show signs of wear.
  • 16mm
    16mm Posts: 545
    Get a second opinion.
  • Tb2121
    Tb2121 Posts: 73
    Definitely get a second opinion, even the most basic components can be refurbished if you use your head and look at the part, work out what it does and look how it's worn. Cassettes and chains do wear, that isn't a surprise but rear mech, cranks should not wear that quickly and if looked after will last years and years. In regard to what you should buy- it depends on the equipment you have- shimano- keep it shimano, Campag- keep it Campag, and if you want to up grade- make sure things are compatible- I.e 10 speed shifts to 10 speed cassette etc.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Why do you need to pgrade your rear mech or cranks. These things rarley wear out. I have lowly Campag veloce one of my bikes. I would love some Record 11 speed instead but really that won't make the bike better, it empty my wallet and it will look fantastic.

    The thing about drive trains are if they shift well there is little reason to "upgrade". Your current drive train will 8 or 9 speed I think, nothing wrong with that as cassettes and chains are cheaper.

    The first "upgrade" on a bike is always tyres then wheels. Cranks are the last thing you should do if you ever do. Also all this is pointless unless the bike fits you properly.

    I would not listen to anyone who says you need something. Most of what people need is driven by fashion. I still ride bikes with friction shifters on club rides. Many a time I have been told why don't you have modern shifters given yo rn a shop. My answer is modern shifter are great bt they are expensive, these are cheap and never go wrong.

    If you need to ask the question abot what to "upgrade" I would do nothing until you are sure about what you want.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • GRBarker
    GRBarker Posts: 31
    Thanks for the advice, I'll certainly try and hunt out a second opinion. However, he did show me a couple of things which didn't appear too great on my bike such as the cassette moving from side-to-side when the rear wheel spins. Also, the rear mech is really stiff to move.

    I will try and get a second opinion, but if the issues are confirmed what should I be looking for in the new parts? Also, does the whole system have to be made up of the same brand of parts? I currently have shimano throughout but would quite like to change to campagnolo if I'm going to change most of the components.
  • GRBarker
    GRBarker Posts: 31
    It does sound as if I should just leave the rear mech and cranks alone, but if I was to get new wheels, cassette, chain and bottom bracket what should I be looking for?

    I'd really appreciate any recommendations as I'm not sure what I'm looking for. Ideally I'd like to improve my components but I don't have a huge budget and would like to sort as much as possible for around £250.
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    I have the 2009 Via Nirone, albeit the one with carbon rear stays. Great frame for the money I reckon and looks more expensive than it is.

    You probably do need at new rear cassette and chain but thats pretty cheap to sort out and I would suggest going with Tiagra or 105 as an upgrade to your 2300, which is entry level kit.

    I would be very surprised if you need to replace bottom bracket so soon and the rear deraileur is an odd one. Is it bent or damaged as it shouldn't be through wear and tear. If it is damaged, again upgrade to Tiagra or 105.

    Wheels _ I imagine stock wheels were pretty basic if it came with 2300 groupset so worth an upgrade anyway. Have a look and see what people are selling on the sale board here or look at Mavic askiums or planet X for good value wheels. Askiums are under £200, I certainly would be looking to spend any more, planet X have some good stuff in £100-£150 range
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • ooermissus
    ooermissus Posts: 811
    The first "upgrade" on a bike is always tyres then wheels.

    Actually it's better brake pads - the only way to swiftly and cheaply transform the performance of most bikes.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Tyres, then wheels are the best upgrades. People have preferences for contact points to add comfort too. 'If' you bike does have poor pads then I agree with the above too. Tektro pads are very poor in my expererience but shimano & sram can be absolutely fine, depending on which brake set we are talking about. Otherwise, just make sure what you have already works.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    When a cassette wears out, it's usually the teeth, leading to chain slipping. When you say it's moving side to side do you when looking at it from the side or from the rear?

    Either way, it could suggest it's not fitted properly or the freewheel is worn?

    If the rear mech is stiff, it needs a clean and lubing of the pivot points.
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • galatzo
    galatzo Posts: 1,295
    If you bought ot new last year and only put 3000 km on it then bits really shouldn't be wearing out yet unless its been very badly treated.
    If bits do need replacing do you really want to sink a load of cash into it when you could put it towards something shinier ? £1500 or so at Planet X or Ribble will get you a substantially better 10 speed bike as with a Bianchi you'll have paid over the odds in the first place.
    25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.
  • GRBarker
    GRBarker Posts: 31
    Thanks for all the advice again.

    The cassette appears to be moving from side to side when I look at it from the rear, which I was told was likely to be due to the quality of the hub.

    I really can't afford to spend money on a new bike and so timely upgrades will be required. I'll have a look into wheels and a new cassette and see how I go after that.

    t4tomo - Did you find that the upgrades made a big difference to the bike? Have you had any other issues?
  • GRBarker
    GRBarker Posts: 31
    Would you consider the Planet X wheels to be an upgrade on the ones which my bike came with?
  • doug5_10
    doug5_10 Posts: 465
    Changing to Campag wouldn't be sensible, you'll probably be spending the value of your bike to replace the entire groupset as Italian and Japanese don't really mix :wink:

    As above, if rear mech is stiff, it just needs a clean and lube. This should only need replaced if crash damaged, bent etc. The jockey wheels can even be replaced when they wear out. Your bottom bracket should have plenty of life left in it yet, no need to replace that until it grinds and/or wobbles. I would limit your spend to chain, cassette and wheels just now (plus tyres, tubes and brake pads if you haven't already) I would also consider your next port of call to be contact points before looking at the rest of the groupset. Can you improve your comfort (bars, bar tape and saddle)?

    Upgrade timeline:
    1. tyres and tubes
    2. brake pads
    3. wheels
    4. contact points
    5. groupset (or often time for a new bike!) :wink:

    Consumables:

    Cables annually/depending on wear
    2-3 chains per cassette
    BB after appropriate wear
    2-3 cassettes per chainrings
    Only at this point is it really worth looking at derailleurs and cranksets, although 'upgrading' to a higher spec groupset earlier will improve your steed if your wallet justifies it!
    Edinburgh Revolution Curve
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1920048
  • GRBarker
    GRBarker Posts: 31
    That's great, I'll keep that timeline in mind.

    I've been having a look through the Planet X and Ribble websites, both of which are a massive improvement upon where I was looking previsously. However, there is so much choice now that I'm not quite sure what to look for. Could somebody advise me of the key features I should look for when choosing a pair of wheels for around £150?

    Also, how much should I look to spend on a cassette and chain which is an improvement on the one I already have?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    My maintenance routine is as follows:

    1) replace stuff that's worn out or broken.

    Lots of cassettes wobble a bit when you spin the wheel and view from behind; ignore it.
    Get yourself a chain wear checker. Replace the chain when it's 0.75% worn and before it reaches 1%
    Keep doing that until a new chain skips on the original cassette. At this point it's time to replace the cassette too.

    If you have 2300 shifters then the cassette and chain need to be 8 speed to match. I'd go looking for an old 8 speed Sora cassette and an 8 speed KMC chain. You can't go sticking on a 10 speed 105 cassette and chain and expect it to work with your shifters.

    Chainrings last for ages.

    Cranks don't wear out. Occasionally they break, sometimes they fall off. You won't need a bike shop to tell you if that happens, the arrival of the ambulance will be a clue.

    Keep an eye on tyre and brake block wear and replace them if required.
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    GRBarker wrote:
    Thanks for all the advice again.

    The cassette appears to be moving from side to side when I look at it from the rear, which I was told was likely to be due to the quality of the hub.

    I really can't afford to spend money on a new bike and so timely upgrades will be required. I'll have a look into wheels and a new cassette and see how I go after that.

    t4tomo - Did you find that the upgrades made a big difference to the bike? Have you had any other issues?

    I didn't upgrade - mine came with Ultegra shifters & rear Derail,105 cassette & front derail and FSA chainset, plus Mavic askium wheels.

    I have recntly changed cassette and chain as it was jumoing a bit and went with Ultegra on both as weren't much more expensive than 105, it now runs as smooth as. However inner spacer supplied with new cassette was thinner than the old and when I fitted it, teh cassette rattled a bit so I changed it back to the old spacer. not sure if thats related to your loose casssette.

    A tiagra cassette is pretty decent or 105 - see whats on offer. A 105 chain or KMC equivalent can be had for around £15-20 on wiggle or CRC. EDIT - ah if 2300 is 8 speed then a shimano 8 speed cassette is what you want.

    Wheels wise the Askiums or pretty good or for a bit cheaper have a look at planet X - they have some decent ones around the £120-£150 mark.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • doug5_10
    doug5_10 Posts: 465
    +1 keef66, you need 8 speed stuff to be compatible with 2300. Your cassette will probably be a like for like replacement e.g.http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-hg50-8-speed-cassette-road/. I would go for a Sram or KMC 8 sp chain so you can have a quicklink.

    At that budget you would be looking at entry level-ish factory wheels (Mavic Aksiums, Shimano RS range, Fulcrum Racing 5 or 7s) If you can stretch a bit, you can go the handbuilt route. Qualities to look for are dependent on the rider e.g. do you want bombproofness v.s. lightweight. Best to search the make and model on here for reviews/forum threads on quality (i.e. longevity, ease of service, hub/spoke/rim quality, staying true etc.)

    FWIW, I have some previous generation Shimano RS20s which have been great for probably a good few thousand miles despite them being a low spoke count wheel and me being 80kg(ish :wink: )
    Edinburgh Revolution Curve
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1920048