er78mph

Hello,

My first ever post! Thanks all in advance! So I have an older 2008 Giant TCR an in need to replace the the drivechain/groupset/bottom bracket???? I stripped everything down and was wondering what to buy? I was hoping to buy something in the range of $200? Can anyone recommend a set? Website? I'm not riding any century rides any time soon but would like to ride, especially climbs.

Maelochs

I would go with 5800 105---https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-5800-11-speed-groupset-72462.html

Good enough for every use, and you can buy a 34-tooth big cog from a more recent group if you find you need it.

If you just need chainrings, cassette, and BB you might find partial groups, or shop on EBay.

mstateglfr 

A bit of the cart coming before the horse here. You broke down your bike without a rebuild plan?

At the price you are hoping to spend, go to ebay and bid/buy whatever looks to be in the best condition at the price you want to pay.

Or up your budget. There is 1 gen old Sora- https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-Sor...4383.l4275.c10 <---no idea if this is price competitive, but i would think under $300 for everything would be pretty good.

Or buy new Claris and get a crankset separately(as well as brakes, if you want). https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-Cla...4383.l4275.c10

er78mph

Should I buy a groupset on Ebay from China?? I still have not found a groupset for my TCR. Can someone help me find a groupset or American website ? I'm having a hard time finding a groupset, thanks!

melikebikey35

I'd recommend staying away from ebay sellers from China.

For $200, you're going to have an extremely difficult time finding a groupset...you'll have to keep looking at ebay/craigslist/Facebook for a used Tiagra set. Or wait till you can increase your budget. ~$500 should get you 105.
What was wrong with your pervious groupset that made you strip it off without having something to replace it?

er78mph

No good, I put around 25k on the previous/original set. Should I just maybe try to buy a new bike?

noodle soup

25k miles isn't that much. Should need just a cassette, chain, and maybe chainrings.

melikebikey35

That depends on your budget. If you have the budget for something like a current-generation TCR with ultegra, then I think it'd be worth it to get a new bike.

But, if your budget doesn't allow that, then I think you're better off refreshing your current bike (cassette, chain, chainrings, and cables like Noodle said), or dropping $500-$800 on a new/current groupset (105 or Ultegra)....it all comes down to how much you want/can spend.

mstateglfr 

The ebay link I posted 7 months ago is still active. Who cares where the product comes from if it's in your budget and comes from a reputable seller?

Maelochs

As far as sources go, Shimano is made primarily in China and Malaysia, so it's not like you would be failing to "Buy American." Also, China is full of people starting small business ... going to the factory, buying a bunch of stuff, and selling it cheap on Alibaba or whatever .... avoiding a lot of taxes and tariffs serious overseas distributors have to pay, which means you get it for less. If it is on EBay, you should have some consumer protection ... I am not so sure about Alibaba or Ali-Express or whatever. if you want to pay more to make a political statement, buy from any online bike shop in the U.S. if you Really want to "support the industry," buy retail, by piece, from a local shop. I wouldn't, but the option is there.

I don't know of any affordable, widely produced bike groups produced in the U.S. Costs are too high compared to China and Malaysia and such. Since it is all made there, why not buy it from there?

er78mph

Not pushing a political stance or anything, just dont want to be ripped of😎 Thanks for the feedback, I will do my research and make my first purchase from ebay!

goenrdoug

What's wrong with brand new Tiagra for $335?

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano...set-90612.html

mstateglfr 

use paypal to pay- its easy to make a claim thru paypal for your money back if the seller is a fake/scam.
look at the seller's satisfaction %. A seller with 99.4% satisfaction and a lot of transactions is not a threat to purposefully scam you.

mstateglfr 

Its 70% more expensive than the OP wanted.

goenrdoug

OP's had 6 months to save the additional $135.

I maintain that it's a strong option: current generation, a higher quality group, a reputable seller, and it's only ~$75 more expensive than the e-bay-from-china Sora group you posted

mstateglfr 

oh, i dont disagree that its a great option. Just saying that its a lot more than the OP wanted to spend. Sometimes wants are unrealistic though.

mcours2006

Why not look at local classifieds. Might be able to get a used r3000 or 3500 for that budget.

er78mph

I can spend the $335, beats spending $1500 for a new bike. I dont see a bottom bracket, where would I find one? Is there anything else I need? Thanks!!

mstateglfr 

Its part of the options in the link. The only kind in stock is italian threaded though, so you would need to spend $20 and buy one that fits your frame(no idea what style BB your bike uses).

Frankly- the lack of effort and knowledge on your end would lead me to think it would be best if a shop did this work for you.

TiHabanero

The Tiagra kit is a really good choice. Get the BB from a local bike shop. Tell them exactly which model crank you have, the frame you have and even bring the old crank and BB in for reference. They will be able to set you up with the correct BB.

er78mph

Thanks for all your feedback and willingness to share your wisdom. I've been slacking with my effort but I can definitely figure out how to put the bike together. I just need the right parts, thanks again!!