What should I buy for my bike?
834
Member
1373 days
JamieM posted 1 year ago.
I wouldn't worry about changing handlebars right now, and the tires and seat are pretty easy to swap out. You might want toee about the LBS doing the cabling and have them look at the bearings (wheels, bottom bracket, headset) just to be sure everything is rolling smoothly.
If you do decide to do it yourself I'd check out these two sites first:
sheldonbrown.com
parktool.com/repair
Both are filled with information and instructions on just about any type of repair.
And post any questions, I'm sure most of us have been through whatever it is before.
134
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1051 days
Homebrewermike posted 1 year ago.
You may want to change the handlebars if they are in fact 10 years old because they do fatigue over time. Especially if the person before you was a big gear masher and not a spinner. I change my handlebars on my road and mountain bikes about every 3-5 years because I have broken aluminum bars before.
1127
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987 days
UFTriGator posted 1 year ago.
I picked up some Nashbar handlebars for my training bike a few weeks ago for less than $20 after shipping if you decide you want new ones. (It came with a Ritchey Pro, which I found to be pretty uncomfortable). Plus they tend to have other components on sale pretty often so you can combine shipping.
Also, if you decide to tape your own bars, I'd stay away from Cinelli cork. It's really good, comfortable tape, but it rips easily, so probably not the best choice if you're taping bars for the first time.
______________________________________________
-Matt
Not fast enough.
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616 days
getdusty posted 1 year ago.
one of the best inexpensive things you can do to gain speed without extra effort is get into a proper aero position (can save you 2 - 4 minutes on a 40 km ride) so I'd say aero bars or at least clip ons would be a great starter... From a comfort perspective (witch is IMO far more important than weight or expensive aero parts) make sure the bike is properly set up and has a comfortable saddle. As the miles pile up, you'll thank me. The bike setup and fit is a great investment and also a great way to introduce yourself to your LBS staff - the more they see and get to know you the better the deals get...
2455
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1333 days
Triguy98 posted 1 year ago.
JamieM;65706 wrote:
You might want toee about the LBS doing the cabling and have them look at the bearings (wheels, bottom bracket, headset) just to be sure everything is rolling smoothly.
I second this. Make sure your bearings are ok and cut of wear beore it trashes the bike. New cables wont run you too much (just stick with basic cables and housing, no need to get fancy) and new tubes and tures will make a world of difference in how that bike rolls.
A new saddle is a fantastic idea. Have fun with the quest for the holy grail. Finding the saddle that works for you can take a while.
Life is short. Play hard and get dirty doing it.
Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to pick up that bike yesterday! I definitely need to modify it a little to make it more comfortable and better looking (purple with bright yellow tape and cables, eek!)
Here's what I want to change for now:
1. seat
2. cabling
3. brake levers
4. tires
5. what about handlebars? they are just basic road bars, but probably about 10 years old. Has the design changed a lot? Or just the materials? I'm not ready for aero bars yet.
6. I already have shoes and pedals
Also, do you think I can do the work myself? I'm not opposed to paying the LBS to do some of it, but I would like to learn how to take the bike apart and stuff :) I'm going to paint it too.
Thanks for your help, sorry to be such a rambler! I'm pretty new to the bike thing, did my last tri on an MTB, so I really don't know much about cycling and road bikes.