Better Components or wait for a New Bike?
367
Member
826 days
mdd posted 2 years ago.
So when you buy your next bike are you only going to buy a frame and then build it from there? If so then buying upgraded components now would seem like a good move since you can reuse them on your new ride.
If you are going to buy a complete bike and not just a frame then maybe you wait since you probably will not reuse your components going on the assumption that your next bike will be of fairly high quality and will already have good components.
Just my 2 cents! :)
834
Member
1363 days
JamieM posted 2 years ago.
I'll assume this is a road bike setup with aerobars and not a tri bike with a bullhorn bar setup. First off I have ridden a bike with low-end Shimano parts that are nearly ten years old and am only now starting to have problems.
That said, with the possible exception of the seatpost and bottom bracket and maybe the stem and headset, most of the parts will be able to move from one frame to another. And I'll assume that if you go with a new frame you'll get a new fork with it.
I would probably hang onto the money for one of three things:
1. Replacing parts that break (this is my typical justification for an upgrade)
2. E-Bay finds - they're there, even in a 63, they just take patience and educate yourself on what you're looking for and looking at
3. Upgrading to a complete new bike when you can
I find that most of my money goes into 1 and 2. You might consider upgrading the components piece by piece with 105 or better stuff, then do a frame after most of the parts.
If I had to pick one part to upgrade, on a dollars per benefit basis, wheels can't be beat. And you should be able to find something nice in the $200-$400 range. Good wheels are a solid investment for training and racing.
7
Member
773 days
BigTom05 posted 2 years ago.
Thanks for the advice! After I've saved a bit, I'll most likely keep my eye out on ebay for a good frame and fork then use any components, wheels, etc that I've purchased in the next year to build it up.
Since I have more of a passion for swimming and running, I won't be joining any road biking teams in this lifetime, so the bikes I buy/build will be used solely for tris. This brings me to my very newbie question of: how exactly is a tri bike setup different from a road bike setup? frame? number of gears? wheels? Why are they different? Can the components, wheels and other items that I may buy for my road bike in the coming year be transfered to a tri specific setup?
834
Member
1363 days
JamieM posted 2 years ago.
A tri bike setup will use different handlebars, shifters and brake levers than a traditional road bike setup. Most of the other parts can be used either way, though some may not fit depending on the frames.
As for the other differences, there are differences in geometries in the two. Tri bikes typically have steeper seat angles and maybe setup with lower front ends. Basically the difference is because on tri bikes you spend most of the time on the aero bars and aerodynamics are considered more important for tri's than road racing.
You can probably find more (and better) explanations with a seach of the site.
12
Member
786 days
cal_mag posted 2 years ago.
I have seen a handfull of bikes for $400 on Craigslist with 105 or Ultegra components. You may be able to buy any other bike, swap all the higher end components to your bike and then sell the cannibalized bike for close to what you paid initially.
I buy and sell bikes often and clean them up real nice, adjust them so they work good, and can often get $50-400 more than I paid. It just takes patience, a good ad, and maybe a little luck. The time of year also plays to this also since it is getting close to the end of the season.
1008
Member
1195 days
PJT posted 2 years ago.
If you can squeeze onto a 60cm frame, you may want to check this deal out: http://www.insideoutsports.com/product.aspx?storeid=&eventid=0&sku=105553
Cervelo One complete tri bikes, new, for $499. It looks like an older model (2004?), but that price is about as low as you can possibly go for a new tri bike.
84
Member
976 days
thebiochem1000 posted 2 years ago.
PJT;54878 wrote:
If you can squeeze onto a 60cm frame, you may want to check this deal out: http://www.insideoutsports.com/product.aspx?storeid=&eventid=0&sku=105553Cervelo One complete tri bikes, new, for $499. It looks like an older model (2004?), but that price is about as low as you can possibly go for a new tri bike.
Holy crap! thank you for pointing that out, the store is about 20 minutes from me.... glad I saw that
EDIT: i just called them and they only have a 48 and 51 left
1008
Member
1195 days
PJT posted 2 years ago.
Rats. I didn't think those bikes could last too long. :( Though I suppose some of the shorter trifuelers who don't mind riding with 650s could still get a good deal.
I just began training for my first tri season about 2 months ago and recently purchased a new bike. I bought my new 06' Motobecane Mirage Pro 'Sprint Tri' for a number of reasons, including; price (couldn't go above $500) and size (try finding a used 63cm frame on ebay or craigslist for a decent price). It is stocked with Sora and Tiagra shifters, derailleurs, brakes and levers, generic aerobars, handlebars and stem and lower end Alex rims. The Kinesis alluminum frame feels very solid though I don't have much frame of reference.
Though I've never ridden with dura ace, ultegra or even 105 components, I can imagine how much more smooth they would feel than my current parts.
Since I'm already falling victim to the addictiveness of tri training, I know that a light, smooth and very $$$ frame is somewhere down the road (maybe a year or so). I'm willing to put in another 200-400 over the next 6 months just as long as the parts I buy can be used on the frame I buy next year. So my question is, what replacements on my current bike will give me the most bang for my buck for my upcoming season? New rims? New components? both?