Upgrade or New

tartanmartin
tartanmartin Posts: 90
edited January 2014 in Road general
I've been road cycling for a year and have a 2012 CAAD8 Sora which now has a 105 Groupset.

I have signed up for the ETAPE Double this year and have recently joined a company where I can get C2W Scheme. As a result I'm now thinking of getting a new £1k summer bike but not sure whether I'd be better just continuing to upgrade the CAAD8.

Should I:

A) Upgrade my CAAD 8
B) Use CAAD 8 as commuter with mudguards etc on and get a new lighter summer bike?
C) Get a new £1k bike, sell the CAAD8 and use money for further upgrades?

At the moment I am considering Option B and getting a PlanetX Pro Carbon Ultegra......

Comments

  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    What's wrong with your bike as it is?
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    As a reminder that it's not about the bike, a 16-year-old annihilated all of us this morning on our usual ride. On a CAAD8 (and with a 39/23 bottom gear). I hate being old.

    So there's nothing wrong with the bike. Why not upgrade it? 1k will buy a very decent wheelset and finishing kit. Then next time you have some money, drop another 1k on a frame and transfer everything across. Rebuild the CAAD with its original components and presto! you have a £2.5k summer bike *and* a decent winter hack.
  • ednino
    ednino Posts: 684
    £1,000 will be a rubbish bike

    The CAAD bikes are a very good base to upgrade
  • tartanmartin
    tartanmartin Posts: 90
    There's nothing wrong with it all, I suppose I was trying to take advantage of the scheme more than anything else.

    Apart from wheels (which I plan to get in spring), what would be other worthwhile upgrades to the CAAD8 given that it's essentially a Sora but with 105 shifters, front/rear mech and cassette?

    Brakes? New crank (FSA Vero atm)? Basically what should be my priorities to lighten it and spruce it up a bit to match better spec'd bikes?
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Unless they are decidedly the wrong size or you are going for elliptical rings that won't fit on regular ones, buying new cranks is very low on the upgrade list - it will make no meaningful difference to your ride.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    Wheels first and foremost. Then bars and seatpost - carbon for comfort (and weight). Saddle if you're a weight weenie (the standard saddles with most cheaper bikes are around 300g, a Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio Flow is 115g) - of course if you find your existing saddle ultra-comfortable, don't change it. Put a Dura-Ace 7901 chain on it (they're only £30 or so, and IMO the best 10-speed chain). Brakes (go for Ultegra - there's often a set on here in the classifieds). Then cranks and BB if you have money left and feel the need to spend it. Sora cranks will be pretty heavy, but they're plenty stiff enough for us normal human beings, so I wouldn't change them otherwise.
  • tartanmartin
    tartanmartin Posts: 90
    Thanks for the advice! From having a look I think I might go for some Fulcrum 3s, a fresh set of tyres and some new brakes as a starting point.
  • cyclosteve
    cyclosteve Posts: 150
    hi there ive had ctw scheme brought a £1000 bike thought was good at time but after yr end I had 2 choices pay £220 to keep cycle or pay £70 to ride for further 3 yrs then you get a final bill of 12% not worth it keep bike as it is :shock:
  • tartanmartin
    tartanmartin Posts: 90
    Thanks Steve that's some sound advice from someone who's done what I was wondering about! Bring on the Spring!!!!

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