# Upgrading wife's bike: best place to start?



## mpk (Jul 22, 2010)

We bought my wife her first road bike last summer and she's really taken to it (much to my delight). Though she started off as a recreational rider, she's now doing sprint triathlons and spending much more time on the bike training. She'd like me to look into upgrades for the bike and I'm not sure where to start...

FYI, she loves the frame and fit, so we're not interested in selling the bike and buying a different one altogether.

08 Cannondale Synapse Feminine 5 Frame
Full Tiagra group (3x9)
Maddux Aero RX 2.1 wheels
Specialized Lithia Gel saddle
C'dale C2 seatpost
C'dale C3 stem
ITM Ella handlebar

Bike weighs 21 lbs

I didn't bother listing tires because we'll be replacing those soon anyway.

Our budget is $500-750. Should I focus on a new wheelset (maybe BWW Blackset Race Ten wheelset, 1451 g, $330)? New drivetrain +/- brakes (Rival or 105, maybe pick up a lightly used set of Ultegra off ebay)? Search for deals and do all of the above??? Other ideas?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Edit: I should add that she's definitely strong and fit enough for a double (compact or standard) crankset. Re: wheels, if it matters, her weight is approx 125-130 lbs.


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

Maybe you should upgrade your bike and, by default, upgrade her bike with your old parts. That's what I'd do, if I could get away with it.


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

The tab mounts quickly on an upgrade. Wheels are a good place to start and can exhaust most of the budget. eBay could be a good place to go for used Ultegra/DA/105, but shifters, cranks, brakes turn into a tidy sum real fast. Sometimes you're better off buying an entire used eBay/craigslist bike and doing some mix & match.

Daren has got the best solution. ;-)


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## mpk (Jul 22, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestion to upgrade my own bike, fellas, but I'm a mountain biker who mainly road rides to train for races (and for pleasure, of course)... I really can't justify upgrading my 105 and Aksium wheels -- they may not be the lightest or sexiest, but they consistently do their job. Besides, she wouldn't benefit from my wheels... they're just as heavy as hers!


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

I spent money on my bike last year, both replacing worn stuff and some upgrades. What made the most _noticeable_ difference was upgrading the wheels. Definitely more bang for your buck there. My LBS mechanic got me a set of Vuelta Corsa Lites for less than $700. 20 spokes is plenty for someone of my size and weight (5' 2", 125 lbs). I ride them on a variety of surfaces, including dirt roads, and they have stayed true.


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

Assuming the saddle, bars and pedals (i.e., contact points) are to her liking, wheels will make the biggest difference.


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## mpk (Jul 22, 2010)

Great, sounds like wheels are the place to start.

Aside from theBreeze's helpful post, any other suggestions for wheelsets? Again, she's around 125-130 lbs, focusing primarily on training rides and sprint-distance triathlons, and is fairly easy on equipment.


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## valleycyclist (Nov 1, 2009)

mpk said:


> Great, sounds like wheels are the place to start.
> 
> Aside from theBreeze's helpful post, any other suggestions for wheelsets? Again, she's around 125-130 lbs, focusing primarily on training rides and sprint-distance triathlons, and is fairly easy on equipment.


She can get a really nice and lightweight set with Kinlin XR-200 385 gram rims. Another rim option is DT Swiss RR415 which weighs 415 grams. A little more aero is the Kinlin XR-270 which is 27mm deep and 440 grams.


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## CougarTrek (May 5, 2008)

Wheels, I'm loving my custom Mavic rim (I think it's an open pro, but previous owner removed decals) King hub combo. Made a huge difference. With some shopping these can be had "used" (but flawless) in your budget.

Or go for some less bling hubs (like Ultegra or similar) and get her a new set of customs.


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## valleycyclist (Nov 1, 2009)

CougarTrek said:


> Wheels, I'm loving my custom Mavic rim (I think it's an open pro, but previous owner removed decals) King hub combo. Made a huge difference. With some shopping these can be had "used" (but flawless) in your budget.
> 
> Or go for some less bling hubs (like Ultegra or similar) and get her a new set of customs.


Ultegra hubs are nice and reliable, but I think a 32 or 36 spoke wheel is probably overkill for such a lightweight rider. But it may not be bad with DT Revolution or Sapim Laser spokes. The rear hub is also fairly heavy at about 350 grams, but a heavy hub is not as bad as heavy rims.

In terms of budget, $500-$750 is a pretty good budget for a wheelset, and you should be able to get something really nice. The hubs are one of the key components driving the price, and an inexpensive wheelset may have low quality hubs. But price doesn't always determine quality since Shimano 105 and Ultegra hubs are very good and inexpensive compared to others. Sapim CX-Rays are very expensive compared to non-bladed spokes. In addition to DT Swiss RR415 and the Kinlin rims I previously mentioned, Velocity Aerohead rims may also be something to consider.


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

Wheels will make the most notable difference. For your budget, you could get a great set of handbuilt wheels. Try Joe Young or Ligero - they can customize the build to your wife's weight. You'd get lightweight plus they use standard parts that are easy to fix. 

Something like DT Swiss rims and hubs (240 hubset) would make a really nice wheelset.


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## Brazos (Jun 20, 2009)

I (am not a women) have a Synapse 5 men's bike with I assume the same components. I to like my bike and decided it was worth keeping and upgrading. Here is what I just upgraded and the bike is so much smoother and quite honestly from all my daily riding logs .5-1 mph faster. I swapped out the 105 rear cassette, 105 RD, FSA Omega crank & BB, chain, RS-10 Wheels & stock tires. I installed Ultegra 6700 parts as follows: cassette, bb, crank, chain, tubeless wheels, & Hutchinson Atom tubeless tires. I also ordered a 6700 FD still on backorder. I got all these things from ChainReaction for around $800. It made a huge difference in my bike. I can't explain the difference other that it is so much smoother and quick. All I have left are the brifters but the stock 105 brifters are fine for now. Since your wife & I basically have the same bike I am sure she will be quite happy with the change. Now with all my extra parts I am looking at building a bike for my wife with my 105 parts with hopes she will take a liking to cycling. This is why I am looking at the Womens section.


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## dfvcador (Jun 4, 2006)

I would upgrade drive train components and wheelset. Get some Shimano 105 or Ultegra components and Ritchey Protocol wheelset or Easton wheelsets. That should reduce the bike about 1 to 1.75 lbs


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## ddhartzell (Feb 25, 2009)

I got my wife a road bike awhile back and she loves it. She got a Giant Avail 3. Bottom line entry road bike. We just had the 105 groupset that came off my bike (from last yr when I upgraded) put on hers and she is riding my Easton EA90 Aero wheels. She loves it all and says she really feels a difference. Going from a triple to a double, with good wheels. I say she is riding my EA90's but I am thinking I lost them for good.....

Quality wheels probably biggest immediate impact. If she is putting in lots of miles, get wheels now and replace rest as they wear out.


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