Upgrade choices
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NWNJ
Posts: 3,704
Bikes: Road bike is a Carbon Bianchi C2C & Grandis (1980's), Gary Fisher Mt Bike, Trek Tandem & Mongoose SS MTB circa 1992.
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 722 Post(s)
Liked 353 Times
in
226 Posts
Upgrade choices
I need better wheels and or better lighter fork Mine is a steel doosey heavy beast of a fork. So cheapo $100 wheels bikedirect with sealed bearings maybe a tad lighter or new carbon fork so alot lighter, cost about the same where is my money better spent?
#3
Senior Member
Carbon fork probably not much 'upgrade', it may screws up your bike handling by changing in fork rake (trail) so be careful playing with a new fork.
New wheel seems obvious better choice.
New wheel seems obvious better choice.
#4
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,506
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4348 Post(s)
Liked 3,986 Times
in
2,661 Posts
Carbon forks are a great upgrade but as Altimis said you do want to make sure you get one that is similar in rake and other measurements so it doesn't change your handling or at least have a good understanding of the changes and what that will do to your ride. Also you need to make sure it is compatible. 1" threadless isn't common and might be what your bike uses and pretty much forget threaded 1" carbon, that is extremely rare or expensive these days or used and wouldn't want to ride it?
Granted though cheap components of any kind aren't really a huge upgrade and that is what it sounds like you are doing. I would save some money and potentially upgrade the bike completely or if the bike is actually decent than find some good wheels ideally something handbuilt and those will cost more than $100 for a pair. However the best components to upgrade right away are going to be contact points like saddle, bars, tape/grips and pedals. Wheels and forks and cranks and etc. are great upgrades and certainly could lighten up a bike or give you better this or that but if you aren't comfortable on the bike the rest doesn't matter.
Granted though cheap components of any kind aren't really a huge upgrade and that is what it sounds like you are doing. I would save some money and potentially upgrade the bike completely or if the bike is actually decent than find some good wheels ideally something handbuilt and those will cost more than $100 for a pair. However the best components to upgrade right away are going to be contact points like saddle, bars, tape/grips and pedals. Wheels and forks and cranks and etc. are great upgrades and certainly could lighten up a bike or give you better this or that but if you aren't comfortable on the bike the rest doesn't matter.
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NWNJ
Posts: 3,704
Bikes: Road bike is a Carbon Bianchi C2C & Grandis (1980's), Gary Fisher Mt Bike, Trek Tandem & Mongoose SS MTB circa 1992.
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 722 Post(s)
Liked 353 Times
in
226 Posts
Fork rake/trail i did not consider figured track bikes had standard geometry?
my wheels seem heavy loose ball bearings so thoughr cheap ones with sealed gotta be better
my wheels seem heavy loose ball bearings so thoughr cheap ones with sealed gotta be better
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Left Coast, Canada
Posts: 5,126
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2236 Post(s)
Liked 1,314 Times
in
707 Posts
I dunno, kind of like the looks of it as is (except the bar tape). If I were itching to add something I would go with the best wheelset I could afford. It's something you can take from build to build so not a bike specific expense. Keep the originals and if you sell to upgrade frames just put them back on for the next buyer.
Plus a bar tape that matches the seat if that one is comfortable for you. The whole neon mismatchy thing seems dated to me - but that's a personal taste.
Plus a bar tape that matches the seat if that one is comfortable for you. The whole neon mismatchy thing seems dated to me - but that's a personal taste.
#7
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,506
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4348 Post(s)
Liked 3,986 Times
in
2,661 Posts
It depends on what you are doing. Loose ball bearings can be better rolling and smoother but aren't great for the weather. The few seals and things getting in the way of a bearings movement the better. Ideally for a track bike for say a Keirin event you would put minimal grease or some lube on it each race just so it is super smooth so you can edge out the competition since you don't have much else other than your strength and power. However for the practical everyday machine sealed cartridge bearings will be a better solution however I would save up to move a little further away from the absolute cheapest stuff.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: PHL
Posts: 9,948
Bikes: Litespeed Catalyst, IRO Rob Roy, All City Big Block
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1332 Post(s)
Liked 398 Times
in
194 Posts
Wheels. You can transfer wheels easily over to another bike. Fork, not so much. And I don't believe that frame fits you, so I wouldn't recommend buying a new fork for it.
#9
- Soli Deo Gloria -
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 14,779
Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix
Mentioned: 235 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6844 Post(s)
Liked 736 Times
in
469 Posts
Cartridge bearings might be an upgrade that isn't a given. Shimano's top of the line Dura Ace wheels have loose bearings.
It doesn't make sense to replace cheap, heavy wheels with cheap, heavy wheels. Unless the bearings on the current wheels are shot or the wheels are wider or you just want to change the look then the best thing to do might be nothing.
-Tim-