# Best upgrades for an entry level bike?



## strohman (Apr 7, 2006)

I ride a Specialized Allez Elite. I have been riding for a few years, but I haven't learned much about components/geometry/etc. I did get rid of the Alex Wheels and replaced the saddle, and added Shimano clipless pedals, but other than that everything is stock. 

I'm not planning to race, but I wouldn't mind making my bike as quick and efficient as possible. I would also like to improve my hill climbing abilities. (I realize that I'm the biggest factor in this.) What would be a good upgrade--handlebars, stem, seat post, fork? Should I worry about upgrading anything at all?


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## dharrison (Oct 27, 2009)

I don't think you'll get much of a performance bump from upgrading the bars, stem and seat post. Fork maybe. Wheels were a good place for you to start. 

I'd say spend the money on things that will improve the hours you spend on the bike such as high end bibs, a quality saddle and shoes, etc. I think its worth it to spend money on your contact points.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

Good tires and brake pads can help, but not tons.

It becomes an upgrade trap.. you'll just keep wanting more and more, and spending more and more.. and thousands of dollars later, performance wise, you're pretty much in the exact same position you started! 

I think fit stuff is always worth it. If you're not comfortable, you wont ride. A standard 30 dollar stem is 95% as good as a $150 stem though, same with posts and most other components.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

I couldn't give you any advise as I'm in the same position as you.. But I will say.. I will upgrade my entry level bike one day too..

Sure, at the end of the day you will have poured enough money into it, when you could of just got a brand new bike with all the same stuff.. But I like the fact that I can just buy the cranks.. Or a rear derailer.. I won't have to spend 4k up front.. and can slowly upgrade my bike..

Just to say I have it if anything else.. I know upgrading my seat post, handle bars and everything else won't give any huge boost if any in performance.. But they don't put cheap stuff on expensive bikes.. Anyone saying all that stuff doesn't matter, which they're probably right, wouldn't for a second put your seat post or handle bars on their bikes.. 

Mentally you'll get a huge boost in confidence, which is probably the most performance boost you could get out of any part or component.. so if you want to get great handlebars or anything else.. I say DO IT! you'll know your grabbing onto a 250.00 set of bars and will spin faster


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> Good tires and brake pads can help, but not tons.
> 
> It becomes an upgrade trap.. you'll just keep wanting more and more, and spending more and more.. and thousands of dollars later, performance wise, you're pretty much in the exact same position you started!
> 
> I think fit stuff is always worth it. If you're not comfortable, you wont ride. A standard 30 dollar stem is 95% as good as a $150 stem though, same with posts and most other components.


I agree with the above here.


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## kmunny19 (Aug 13, 2008)

strohman said:


> I'm not planning to race,


nuff said. between this and the changes you mentioned, the way to spend your money is on good clothes and on usable commodities like tires and brake pads, chains and cassettes. just get good versions of the stuff you use up.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

When I spend a little bit of cash on my bike, Im usually a little more inclined to ride it. Even if its something dumb like new bar tape, a new chain, new lube to try etc. Im a student again so the scale has dramatically decreased, but previously It was nice to replace a tacky part with a something nicer, just for the sake of it.

Its fun to splurge and have nice stuff sometimes, provided you dont fall into the "MUST have upgrades!" zone. Just gotta keep in mind that it might ride _different_, but it wont be faster.


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## MarshallH1987 (Jun 17, 2009)

Like others have said, replacing most of the other parts won't make much of a difference in performance. Each part you upgrade will shave some weight, but you probably aren't going to end up with something noticeably stiffer or faster. You already changed the wheels out which are probably the biggest upgrade you can make.

I would just make it comfortable to ride. Bars that fit your hands and feel good, find a saddle that you LOVE (not just like, but you will stab somebody if they try to mess with your saddle), a nice pair of shoes and insoles and a wide variety of clothing for all conditions, nice helmet and sunglasses, a bunch of bottles so you always have clean ones and a healthy diet.

A nice computer might be something you would enjoy, since you aren't going to race I wouldn't worry about a power meter.

Other than that I would just replace parts as they wear out. This might be the time to upgrade.

I have actually done a slow upgrade into an entire new bike before. Basically I just replaced or swapped things as I figured out what was best while racing, but I had plenty of miles on that bike before racing and would have never thought something could be better.


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## T0mi (Mar 2, 2011)

As other have said, you should use your money on consommable parts. High quality tires, brake pads, chains makes for a bigger upgrade than replacing a shimano 105 derailleur to a dura-ace one. A saddle that fit you well can also be a great improvement. When I found out one day that my ass was made for a Selle Italia Flite, I didn't look back. I've been using them for year although I always tried the ones provided with the bikes I purchased.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

TomH said:


> When I spend a little bit of cash on my bike, Im usually a little more inclined to ride it. Even if its something dumb like new bar tape, a new chain, new lube to try etc. Im a student again so the scale has dramatically decreased, but previously It was nice to replace a tacky part with a something nicer, just for the sake of it.
> 
> Its fun to splurge and have nice stuff sometimes, provided you dont fall into the "MUST have upgrades!" zone. Just gotta keep in mind that it might ride _different_, but it wont be faster.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^'

If it gets you riding more, buy something new for the bike... but rarely will they make you faster


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

Wheels and tires will make the difference in ride and performance. Lighter tires and wheels will accelerate a bit better, particularly in the hills. But they may not make a huge difference in the overall ride performance.

A saddle that fits you well (which may be heavier than your current saddle) and handlebars (reach, flat ramps, width) can make a big difference for your comfort on long rides. Upgrading any other components is essentially worthless in terms of performance.

You are more likely to get better performance from your bike by losing body weight. The game is essentially a power-to-weight equation and slimming down by 5 lbs will be the best performance enhancement.


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

duplicate


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

Double-duplicate. The best single performance upgrade is WHEELS.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

A link to this thread needs to be posted in every new thread about upgrading a bike. There's some truly excellent advice here. 

Since you've swapped the wheels and saddle already, the only performance change I would make would be the brake pads and tires. They can make a tangible difference.

Other than that, it's all about comfort or aesthetics. But if you're happy with both of those, you're set for a while.


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## calle_betis (Jun 30, 2006)

Great advice in the thread.

When I upgraded my entry level bike years ago when I started out, I replaced my wheelset which was a good move because they needed fewer adjustments and kept me motivated and riding. Plus, the ride was much improved.

Another great upgrade was a comfortable saddle and better tires (when worn out). although not a "bike upgrade", good shorts/bibs and "comfort equipment" are an excellent choice because if you're comfortable, you tend to ride more.

After that, the best thing to do is to ride a lot, increase fitness, and drop weight (if needed).


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## rx-79g (Sep 14, 2010)

I'd recommend double mirrors, bar end streamers and a big white basket for your little dog to ride in.


I'll get you and your little dog.


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## 97G8tr (Jul 31, 2007)

The best upgrade is to ride in a group and then simply buy another bike. Not the answer you wanted but from someone that has spent more on upgrades than the bike is worth...trust me.


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## scottzj (Oct 4, 2010)

Well the first upgrade I did and I see alot do is wheelset. Mainly as they are able to be swapped to another ride if you upgraded frame. Personally I was burning up my entry level parts. So I upgraded to Ultegra and dura parts, everything and I am very happy with it, along with my easton wheels, carbon stem and seat post, this bike has done a 360 and pretty light weight too.


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

97G8tr said:


> The best upgrade is to ride in a group and then simply buy another bike. Not the answer you wanted but from someone that has spent more on upgrades than the bike is worth...trust me.


The truth. The best replacement for an entry level bike is simply a better bike, don't hang a bunch of nice ornaments on a Charlie Brown tree


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

If your Allez elite came as a triple like mine did, switching to a double is nice. Talk about losing some weight! You will need a new crankset (get a compact) and a front der. I suggest Ultegra for both.


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## milkbaby (Aug 14, 2009)

The single biggest upgrade that has the biggest impact on riding performance is a rider upgrade. Nothing else you can change on the bike will even come close to matching that.


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## Oasisbill (Jan 15, 2011)

Wheels, Seat, attitude, tyres. All good changes.


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

wheels are a good starting point, I plan on upgrading mine soon. Although my friend plans on uprgrading the **** out of his bike.


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## tommyrhodes (Aug 19, 2009)

+1 for buying another bike. Maybe a mountain bike or commuter? It'll get you to ride more which equals better fitness which will make you faster. 

Or, you could use the extra cash to take a trip someplace for a riding vacation. 

If you must upgrade parts I'd suggest drivetrain. My sora deraillurs never worked right no matter who tuned em they'd always start shifting poorly within 100 miles. THAT is SO annoying on long rides. 

Or, you could give me the money. I'll send you reports on how the upgrades effect a higher end road bike lol


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

SlurpeeKing said:


> wheels are a good starting point, I plan on upgrading mine soon. Although my friend plans on uprgrading the **** out of his bike.



Not the "crap" out of it.. but yea..

Wheels, and if I come across a group set for a good deal then yes.. which would be Cranks, Derailers, hubs, brakes, and shifters..

That would be about all I could do.. I mean, the amount of money I poured into my Mustang I could of just bought a brand new <insert 50 nicer cars here> but its the joy of upgrading and building a bond with your bike.. 

Nothing wrong with that.. Some people rather save and buy a new, better bike that has all the same upgrades you plan on slowly upgrading your uglier worse bike.. 

To each his own


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

fastfed said:


> I couldn't give you any advise as I'm in the same position as you.. But I will say.. I will upgrade my entry level bike one day too..
> 
> Sure, at the end of the day you will have poured enough money into it, when you could of just got a brand new bike with all the same stuff.. But I like the fact that I can just buy the cranks.. Or a rear derailer.. I won't have to spend 4k up front.. and can slowly upgrade my bike..
> 
> ...


No offense, but this is just not intelligent thinking. You're basically saying that you'll buy the bike parts twice -- once when you buy the bike and later when you replace the working parts with parts that are marked up quite a bit above what they would be if you had just bought a higher end bike in the first place. Its an entry level bike. Ride it and save your money for a nicer bike. that's what entry level is -- its a lower end bike you buy to see if you really like riding enough to justify buying a higher end bike. Makes a lot more sense than buying a $6000 bike and then letting it hang in your garage becaus eyou discover you don't like to ride it that much. Maybe replacing wheels and pedals that you can transfer over to the future nicer bike makes sense, but replacing handlebars? 

I don't understand the "its only got Sora components on it, so I'll just upgrade them later" mentality. A new bike will boost your confidence a lot more than handle bars. 

I don't mean to be a richard. Just save your money instead.


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

pmf said:


> No offense, but this is just not intelligent thinking. You're basically saying that you'll buy the bike parts twice -- once when you buy the bike and later when you replace the working parts with parts that are marked up quite a bit above what they would be if you had just bought a higher end bike in the first place. Its an entry level bike. Ride it and save your money for a nicer bike. that's what entry level is -- its a lower end bike you buy to see if you really like riding enough to justify buying a higher end bike. Makes a lot more sense than buying a $6000 bike and then letting it hang in your garage becaus eyou discover you don't like to ride it that much. Maybe replacing wheels and pedals that you can transfer over to the future nicer bike makes sense, but replacing handlebars?
> 
> I don't understand the "its only got Sora components on it, so I'll just upgrade them later" mentality. A new bike will boost your confidence a lot more than handle bars.
> 
> I don't mean to be a richard. Just save your money instead.


agreed 100%. Fastfed marches to the beat of his own drum. He'd rather have his frame 10 years down the road with $3k of parts poured into it. I'm on the "upgrade" to a higher level bike if Iever needed one. Honestly, I probably wont and will just end up with better wheels down the road.


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

fastfed said:


> Not the "crap" out of it.. but yea..
> 
> Wheels, and if I come across a group set for a good deal then yes.. which would be Cranks, Derailers, hubs, brakes, and shifters..
> 
> ...



yea, A bond with your bike?????? ok bro. lol


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

pmf said:


> No offense, but this is just not intelligent thinking. You're basically saying that you'll buy the bike parts twice -- once when you buy the bike and later when you replace the working parts with parts that are marked up quite a bit above what they would be if you had just bought a higher end bike in the first place. Its an entry level bike. Ride it and save your money for a nicer bike. that's what entry level is -- its a lower end bike you buy to see if you really like riding enough to justify buying a higher end bike. Makes a lot more sense than buying a $6000 bike and then letting it hang in your garage becaus eyou discover you don't like to ride it that much. Maybe replacing wheels and pedals that you can transfer over to the future nicer bike makes sense, but replacing handlebars?
> 
> I don't understand the "its only got Sora components on it, so I'll just upgrade them later" mentality. A new bike will boost your confidence a lot more than handle bars.
> 
> I don't mean to be a richard. Just save your money instead.



LOL, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that... On many higher end bikes, its usually just the same old frame with better components.. That's it.. Sure I could save every week and get a bike with all the components I want and have a better frame.. But its not just about the bike.. It really isn't.. And yes.. If I put 150.00 dollar handlebars (not saying I'm doing it, or not, maybe I will) just knowing I have 150.00 dollar handlebars and upgraded them is enough to give people the boost to ride more..

Shoot, I had rim problems for a while.. Just finally got it perfect and went riding like crazy yesterday... Simple things can easily allow one to feel good about their bikes..

I could buy the best of the best bike, whats left? Shoes, Bibs, the bike is at its max..

I could of went out and bought a 2003 or 2004 cobra, switch a pulley on it and some nitrous and it would of went as fast as my mustang.. But I like to add my own touch as many people do..

After all, why do they sell these things? Why do they sell handlebars, seatposts and so on?

if I saved 3k for a new bike or slowly add 4k to my bike, its still a bike, lol. and if it takes me a couple years to do it, just think of all the times I get to add something new to my bike to give me weeks of a boost to go ride it..

Its just money, only the way I want to do it is slowly rather than all up front..


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

SlurpeeKing said:


> yea, A bond with your bike?????? ok bro. lol



Yep.. when you're actually on the saddle long enough it happens  .. I'm sure everyone here has some sort of bond with their bikes..


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## Vibe (Jan 11, 2011)

lol, who cares if someone prefers to buy piece by piece vs buying a new bike?

people get attached with their bicycles / motor bikes / cars all the time.....


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

fastfed said:


> LOL, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that... On many higher end bikes, its usually just the same old frame with better components.. That's it.. Sure I could save every week and get a bike with all the components I want and have a better frame.. But its not just about the bike.. It really isn't.. And yes.. If I put 150.00 dollar handlebars (not saying I'm doing it, or not, maybe I will) just knowing I have 150.00 dollar handlebars and upgraded them is enough to give people the boost to ride more..
> 
> Shoot, I had rim problems for a while.. Just finally got it perfect and went riding like crazy yesterday... Simple things can easily allow one to feel good about their bikes..
> 
> ...


if expensive things motivate you (which I know they do) then you should just tape a 100 dollar and a 50 dollar bill on your existing handle bars. that why you'll have more expensive bars and will ride faster.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

SlurpeeKing said:


> if expensive things motivate you (which I know they do) then you should just tape a 100 dollar and a 50 dollar bill on your existing handle bars. that why you'll have more expensive bars and will ride faster.



Expensive things?? It was 15 bucks yesterday for the wheel pro to redo my rim.. 15 bucks.. Had nothing to do with money.. And never does.. Did Jenn not perform last night or something? you're in a mood!


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

I was faced with a similar question. But then destiny told me what to do when it dumped me on my ass and destroyed half of my bike's componentry one wet sunday morning. I could have replaced what was broken in kind, but decided to spend some extra money on some better components and ended up buying a SRAM force group to replace my stock 105 stuff. 

I salvaged what i could from the 105 stuff and gave most of it to a friend for $50 and never looked back. I could've replaced the shifters and rear derailleur for much less than i paid for the SRAM group, but i don't regret it. I like my bike much better now and i was happy to ditch the 105 triple and the extra weight. And, I can always take my Force group with me to a new frame when i upgrade. 

I would like to replace the CXP22's only because they weigh so much, but I might hold off on that until I get my shiny new bike, whenever that may be. I did the research and going from CXP22's to Soul S3.0's would be something like 900g in weight reduction, which sounds pretty major to me.


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

fastfed said:


> Expensive things?? It was 15 bucks yesterday for the wheel pro to redo my rim.. 15 bucks.. *Had nothing to do with money.. And never does*.. Did Jenn not perform last night or something? you're in a mood!


soooo, you can't even comprehend what you just wrote????



> And yes.. If I put 150.00 dollar handlebars (not saying I'm doing it, or not, maybe I will) *just knowing I have 150.00 dollar handlebars* and upgraded them is enough to give people the boost to ride more..


your hand must not be performing well for you, you should start a new thread about your right hand.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

SlurpeeKing said:


> soooo, you can't even comprehend what you just wrote????
> 
> 
> 
> your hand must not be performing well for you, you should start a new thread about your right hand.



Its an example.. do you know examples? 
let me help you

CRAP ICE









AWESOME ICE









It was describing a good pair of handlebars.. Or whatever else anyone decides to upgrade on their bike.. If I got the handlebars for free, I would even go that much faster..


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

fastfed said:


> CRAP ICE
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

SlurpeeKing said:


> fastfed said:
> 
> 
> > CRAP ICE
> ...


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Are you trying to tell Fatfred he talk's out of his ass in most of these meaningless posts?


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

ewitz said:


> Are you trying to tell Fatfred he talk's out of his ass in most of these meaningless posts?


It's "fastFED" where do you see an "R" in my name? 

And no.. He's busting balls.. But its now pretty obvious how you feel..

Nice to meet you too


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## JustTooBig (Aug 11, 2005)

fastfed said:


> LOL, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that... On many higher end bikes, its usually just the same old frame with better components.. That's it.. ....
> 
> ....if I saved 3k for a new bike or slowly add 4k to my bike, its still a bike, lol. and if it takes me a couple years to do it, just think of all the times I get to add something new to my bike to give me weeks of a boost to go ride it..


the truth of the matter (no, speculation and wishful thinking don't count) is that you'll be very hard pressed to actually identify an honest-to-Gawd high end bike that's simply an entry-level frame with some higher-zoot parts bolted on. 

I really do see the motivational value behind spending some $ to make some upgrades to your bike on an ongoing basis. But to equate a $1200 bike with another $1800 in add-ons and upgrades over a few years to a $3k bike? C'mon, man.... Don't get me wrong, I like making upgrades to my bikes. But I'm also honest with myself about what those upgrades actually do (and do NOT) accomplish.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

JustTooBig said:


> the truth of the matter (no, speculation and wishful thinking don't count) is that you'll be very hard pressed to actually identify an honest-to-Gawd high end bike that's simply an entry-level frame with some higher-zoot parts bolted on.
> 
> I really do see the motivational value behind spending some $ to make some upgrades to your bike on an ongoing basis. But to equate a $1200 bike with another $1800 in add-ons and upgrades over a few years to a $3k bike? C'mon, man.... Don't get me wrong, I like making upgrades to my bikes. But I'm also honest with myself about what those upgrades actually do (and do NOT) accomplish.


I agree.. again though, to a certain point..

I'm not going to spend 3k on this bike.. and make it a 3800.00 dollar bike..

But upgrading the wheels and if I do happen to find a good but used group set online one day in the far future.. I don't see how that could hurt.. I'm not talking about buying piece by piece brand new.. and all at one shot.. In that case I would have enough to just get the new shiny bike with everything I want on it..


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## Oracle7775 (Sep 16, 2009)

With craigslist and ebay, there's a lot of ways to upgrade your bike without laying out a new bike's-worth of cash.

I've upgraded my entry-level bike, but I bought slightly-used upgraded components on craigslist, and sold the old components and a few other MTB components I had lying around on craigslist. I went from tiagra/sora mix, square-spindle FSA no-name crank and a nine-speed drive train to an almost-new full 105 groupset (ridden lightly for less than a season). I wanted the ten speed drivetrain, and I also wanted a full-sized crank instead of the original compact. The shifters operate a bit better, too. But, I also really enjoy wrenching my own bikes, so it was a fun project.

I think after netting it all out the upgrade cost me about $30. On top of that I got a decent set of carbon bars from the wifey for X-mas, which cost me nothin' (at least in dollars, that is!)


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## T-Doc (Apr 4, 2002)

lose 20lbs and gain 50 watts.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

JustTooBig said:


> But to equate a $1200 bike with another $1800 in add-ons and upgrades over a few years to a $3k bike? .


What exactly _is_ the difference between an upgraded 1200 dollar bike and a 3000 dollar bike? 

Especially these days.. its pretty much the stickers.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

TomH said:


> What exactly _is_ the difference between an upgraded 1200 dollar bike and a 3000 dollar bike?
> 
> Especially these days.. its pretty much the stickers.



Is this true??

How much better are frames vs frames.. Meaning.. My entry level Alum. frame bike.. I think it uses good 7005 alum. or something.. But besides going to carbon, what makes 1 frame better than the next?


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

Even going to carbon.. the result is kind of the same story.

Nicer frames can have a better ride, or be more stiff, or handle a little different, but theres only so many ways to join a couple triangles and throw wheels on it. Entry level frames are getting surprisingly light too. I think the difference between a spec allez and the high end s works tarmac is less than 1 lb.. thats not huge from the bottom to the top.

You could spend 3k on the higher end frame and go the same speed, or spend 3k on upgrades and go the same speed. I dont think one is all that much smarter than the other.


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Think I had it right the first time.


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