"Basic" wheel upgrade vs stock - Giant Defy 4

johngti

Basically, I've just sold a guitar and have about £150 to spend on the bike. Its a 2012 Defy 4 that I've already upgraded to a full 105 groupset (thanks to the classifieds here!) and wheels are next on the list. My question is...is any wheel set going to be a better option than the SR2 wheels that the Giant came with? For example, I've found a set of RS31s complete with a 105 cassette on Merlin for £155. These have to be "better", right? But what does better mean?

TIA

cycleclinic

£150 wheels better than what you pull the other one. If you want "better" then up your spend. So long as your wheels are round spend save that £150 for later.

paul1000

Save up a bit more and get some campag zondas, then you might notice some difference.

johngti

Saving money never happens here, there's always something needed (two small kids) so if the £150-ish doesn't go on something for the bike, I won't have anything to show for selling one of my guitars! Wheels seemed like a good option - the stock ones don't exactly feel...zippy I guess.

So if not wheels, what?

Bobbinogs

Tyres...but don't stick em on yet. Something like Ultremo or GP4000s, etc.

simon_e

The SR2s aren't so bad, RS31s wouldn't really be an upgrade, and they're the same weight.

But if you just want to get rid of £150 quickly then go ahead. Or do the Lottery, online gambling, go out for a posh dinner or something... there are tons of ways to p1ss money away.

What's so hard about putting money to one side?

johngti

Good advice all through - thanks

Simon - putting money aside never happens because we have two children who always need something and a house that always needs money spending on it. Saving would be nice but realistically, if it didn't go on a bike-related purchase it'd go somewhere else. And since money is tight, when I have something that I can spend on the bike, I need to grab that opportunity with both hands. As it's come about through selling something else, I want to have something to show for it (the rest of the money raised is going on kid-related stuff).

Also thought about Fulcrum 5s...not sure how they stack up though. I can probably go up to £200 max.

slowbike

I dunno about your stock wheels - but the FR5's are nice - certainly an upgrade from the sub £1k bike Specialized stock wheels (and probably higher too)

6wheels

If you really want a better/new pair of wheels , but can't afford the full amount at the moment , just buy the parts you can afford. For instance, buy hubs now and later spokes and rims, then ask Cycleclinic or Ugo to build them up for you.

I'm sure they'd oblige, and you'd then have a nice pair of hanbuilts.

apreading

You could get some Mavic Aksium for around £125 delivered... http://www.4thebike.de/laufraeder/rennr ... vge87cnhk4

Remarkable

Wheel upgrades are highly subjective, if not marginal and are usually only quantifiable by 'feel'.

Have you thought about getting some new kit? GPS for Strava? (some like it) Is your saddle comfy? Have you thought about getting a bike fit? What tyres are you using?

Just some food for thought. :-)

johngti

Thanks all, the advice is much appreciated!

Remarkable - tyres are continental Grand Prix, saddle is comfy, got a bryton 35 so all sorted on the GPS front. Not had a bike fit and thought about it but not sure what it'd achieve for this 45 year old bloke - never going to be a racer and I already know I'd have been better off buying a medium frame rather than the M/L I did get. All top ideas though!

Who'd have thought that spending money would be so difficult!

simon_e

I understand, have a wife and two kids (and only one low income). But I'd squirrel that £150 away, and hope to stick another £50 in there when I got the chance. An automatic £10 monthly transfer into a separate account was the only way I could ever afford Islabikes for the kids. But I realise we're not all the same.

IIRC the Fulcrum 5s are often well rated. Currently £179.99 at CRC, and there's a 10% voucher code displayed on the page right now, I don't know if it applies to the wheels...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fulc ... prod112079

chris_bass

johngti wrote:

Not had a bike fit and thought about it but not sure what it'd achieve for this 45 year old bloke

same could be said for £150 wheels I guess!

johngti

Chris Bass wrote:

johngti wrote:

Not had a bike fit and thought about it but not sure what it'd achieve for this 45 year old bloke

same could be said for £150 wheels I guess!

Ha! Good point!!

So, bike fit or slightly nicer wheels than stock?

apreading

Bike fit may end up costing you more in the long run - when they tell you that you need a different size stem/cranks/bars etc...! Thing is that you never know how much benefit it will be until you take a leap of faith. I have yet to do this myself, but often pondered it.

johngti

apreading wrote:

Bike fit may end up costing you more in the long run - when they tell you that you need a different size stem/cranks/bars etc...! Thing is that you never know how much benefit it will be until you take a leap of faith. I have yet to do this myself, but often pondered it.

I'm convinced they'd look at me on the bike and tell me that m/l is too big. Then I'd be stressing about changing the whole bike and god knows where that'd end up!! Still thinking about wheels; like I said earlier, the SR2s seem solid but a little lifeless, like the frame is keen but the wheels are dragging a little. Can't help but think that mavics or fulcrums would feel different somehow. I'm taking the weight and shape arguments on board, mind. Too much stress!

simon_e

johngti wrote:

I'm convinced they'd look at me on the bike and tell me that m/l is too big. Then I'd be stressing about changing the whole bike and god knows where that'd end up!!

Then perhaps you should take a course in managing stress. Stress is not good for you or the people around you and you can do something about it.

Difference between M and M/L Defy is small, no point worrying about it now. Relax and enjoy it. Bikefit is about optimising your position, regardless of your ability or goals.

tom3

It's not the sr2s that are lifeless, it is the frame IMHO. This winter I went from a defy 2 to a caad10 and the rs10 wheels are quite similar to the sr2s. Personally I would keep the sr2s unless you have 300 plus to spend.