trek 1.1 upgrade

alkispan
alkispan Posts: 4
edited March 2011 in Road beginners
hello

Got a trek 1.1. which is a great starter bike. I feel that the 16 speed wont allow me to progress, so i am thinking a 20 spd upgrade.
need advise on what do i need to upgrade

thanx

Comments

  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Rubbish. 16 speeds are fine.
    To get 20 gears you're probably talking about £200 or so and you wont notice the benefit.

    I rode a sportif on my fixed gear at the weekend and passed plenty of people on flash carbon fibre bikes with lots of gears. (that said - I was passed too - but I'm fine with that !)

    As Lance Armstrong said 'Its not about the Bike'.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    He was right; less about the bike and more about the drugs / blood doping.

    Allegedly


    Anyway, I agree, 16 gears is more than enough to be going on with. How do you feel it's holding you back?? I made do with a 10 speed for years; I can confirm that having more gear ratios doesn't make you go any faster.
    Upgrading to 10 speed kit will instantly make you several hundred pounds poorer, and your new 10 speed chain will wear out quicker and cost 3 times as much to replace!
  • alkispan
    alkispan Posts: 4
    i am a runner, but i find it very difficult to follow my mates while they cycle 5km faster than me. Tried a madonne 4.5 and i could easily cycle 30km/hour.
  • Lillywhite
    Lillywhite Posts: 742
    edited March 2011
    alkispan wrote:
    i am a runner, but i find it very difficult to follow my mates while they cycle 5km faster than me. Tried a madonne 4.5 and i could easily cycle 30km/hour.

    Having 4 extra gears won't make you go any faster. The Madone 4.5 is a better bike, and so it should be with a carbon fibre frame etc. A better test would be to ride it when you're in a group with your mates.

    However, I recommend you do more solo riding, increase your bicycle fitness levels and then see if you can follow your mates on your Trek 1.1 in the first instance. :wink:
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    alkispan wrote:
    i am a runner, but i find it very difficult to follow my mates while they cycle 5km faster than me. Tried a madonne 4.5 and i could easily cycle 30km/hour.

    That'll be the carbon. :lol:
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • MaxwellBygraves
    MaxwellBygraves Posts: 1,353
    Peddle Up! wrote:
    alkispan wrote:
    i am a runner, but i find it very difficult to follow my mates while they cycle 5km faster than me. Tried a madonne 4.5 and i could easily cycle 30km/hour.

    That'll be the carbon. :lol:
    Here we go again :wink:
    "That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! " - Homer
  • alkispan
    alkispan Posts: 4
    Thank you all

    i got the asnwer i wanted, ill increase my solo riding and fist chance i ll get a new bike. Seems it doesn't worth spending the extra money on 1.1

    greetings from Athens

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