Predator 007

I have a one year old Trek SL 6 Pro but really like the electronic shifting (Di2). My local shop gave me a price of $1400 to do the upgrade. I also want to upgrade from the Aeolus Pro 3 wheels to the Aeolus XXX4 since they will be on "sale". Bottom line is I'm dumping $3,600 including tax into it. It is still cheaper than selling/trading and then buying a new bike.

Lrdchaos

It’s your money, but I don’t think I would put that much into that bike. The di2 is nice, but I just bought a bike without it, and I could have bought either, because I felt the money could be better spent elsewhere. The wheels will be a nice upgrade, but I doubt you will be that much faster, if any. But if the upgrades make your rides more enjoyable, and you don’t have to go into debt to do them...go for it!!!

dmanthree

Sell it and buy a new bike that's set up the way you want.

So, yes, you're crazy. I say that because anyone who asks that question usually is. ;-)

Maelochs

Depends what you use the bike for and what you hope to get for the money. Return on Investment is often purely emotional in these cases .... for instance, upgrading from really good wheels to a tiny-bit-marginally-better wheels .... someone could come int he night and change the decals, put the old wheels back on, you'd never know. DI2 ... you'd notice, but is shifting ruining your rides now?

As to whether it would be "cheaper" than selling/trading and buying new ..... depends how much you can get for the old drive train and old wheels. Depends how much the bike equipped as you would like it might cost---and also, how much you would spend on That bike in a year when the urge to upgrade hits you again.

I mean, none of us are fooled into thinking that after you drop this $3600, your bike will be "done" and you will never spend money on it for anything but consumables, or that this will be your "last bike" that you will ride for the rest of your life.

You drop $3600 this year .... and next year see another "too good to pass up" deal on wheels, saddle, electronics, whatever ... and in two or three years feel the need to get a new bike anyway .... and a year later see another "too good to pass up" deal on some parts upgrade ......

Besides, you have already decided to do this. This upgrade, the several before it, and the several to come. You picked this path a while ago. You came here to be reassured that others share your particular insanity, not to get help making a decision .... the decision was made long ago.

So ... . crazy? Certainly. Like the guy who spends $300 to save 100 grams laughing at the guy who spends $500 to save 150 grams .... while the guy with the hard "dollar-a-gram" rule laughs at all the rest .... and the guy on the steel-framed C&V bike beats them all up the hill, and who cares anyway?

You have cash, you like buying stuff, you like cycling, you like buying stuff to make your bike "better." None of this stuff will empirically make your Bike better, but psychologically, they all add up (hopefully) to make your riding better .... until the addiction resurges and you need to spend another $2400 to shave another 22 grams off the rear wheel or whatever.

Crazy. or ill, or whatever ... we all recognize the symptoms. Welcome to Bike Upgrades Annonymous. My name is Maelochs and I buy too much bike stuff.

cycledogg

Not sure what you paid for the bike "as-is" but it looks like it sells for around the price of your upgrade quote. I would think you could buy another bike, for about 1K more than what you originally paid for the SL but with Di2. Invest in some other wheels and come out cheaper and just as fast. Or, just invest in some wheels. Di2 won't make you faster. JMHO

DrIsotope

As with most things, "crazy" is relative. Want also usually trumps need. But I know that in my mind, 3600 bucks sounds a whole lot more like N+1 than it does electronic shifting and more bling-y tire holders.

Considered a gravel bike at all? CX? Fat bike, maybe? Your upgrade budget is within striking distance of a Checkpoint SL6. Start looking at 105 equipped and you could be taking home two bikes.

Predator 007

The upgrades are simply to make the riding more enjoyable and slightly better wheels. I did look into trading, but for the cost of the bike I was considering (SLR 7) it really didn't make sense to spend 5k+ to trim .8lbs. It just seemed more practical to stay with my current bike and do the upgrades. I have no false expectation that will be able to sell the bike for what I have in it. It's simply for my enjoyment. Somewhere down the line I may even do a custom paint job. Won't make me any faster, but it's just like customizing a motorcycle or car.

smashndash

I would say wait until the TDF to see what Shimano does. They may be dropping a new Dura Ace and maybe even a new Ultegra. If those two groups are 12 speed, then this gen will be worth a lot less. You can choose either and you’ll be significantly better off than now.

If you get new wheels with the 11 speed freehub, they may be incompatible with all new Shimano groupsets. Do you trust Trek to make a replacement freehub for the XXX4?

noodle soup

That's a ton of money for an upgrade, on a bike that went for $3200.

sdmc530

I think its "crazy" I would just but a new bike. With your trade in and your willingness to drop some decent cash I would just opt for a new bike. If you can swing it that is. BUT its your bike, if you love your current bike then do that. Who really are we to judge what you choose to do with your money?!


But yeah your crazy

Predator 007

Yeah, but I can still take my fancy wheels with me when I change bikes.

Rides4Beer

Not my money, but I agree, $3600 to upgrade sounds like new bike money to me. If one isn't brand loyal, I would be ordering this, Di2 Ultegra Disc.

https://www.merlincycles.com/sensa-g...19-128501.html

dalava

From what I understand, the hubs on the XXX are DT Swiss internals including the free hub body. I have the older D3 and they are definitely DT Swiss.

dalava

Let's see: you only need shifters, derailleurs, junction boxes, cables (e-tubes) and battery. Existing crankset and brakes will still be good. So that should run you about $800. The XXX4 retails for less than $2500, and I have seen them on sale for less than $2000. Adding labor, you should be at less than $3000. You can probably recoup say $800 from the mech parts and the wheelset by selling them. So the net cost is really about $2-2.5k.

Is it worth it? f it makes you ride more and enjoy more, then yes!

Lrdchaos

It it sounds like your mind is made up....do it!!! If not, you most likely won’t be happy with this bike. I buy stuff I don’t need from time to time, but it makes me happy. What fun is life if you can’t splurge every once in awhile.

I assume this is a rim bike? If so, one thing I would consider is the direction of the business. A rim bike might be hard to come by in a few years. You might not be able to keep the wheels for a different bike.

noodle soup

I think those fancy wheels are way overpriced. I'd consider a 46mm Light Bicycle wheelset like the one @Rides4Beer has.

https://www.lightbicycle.com/700C-V-...ompatible.html

Seattle Forrest

Technically the Di2 as well, but realistically you're not going to.

Are you on disc or rim brakes? If you drop $$$ you'll be married to the type of brake. How wide are the rims you're considering? What tire size are they made for? (If you're going to spend $2k on aero wheels, you're not going to want to give that aero advantage up.)

I spent $3k on a set of Enve wheels. I love them. I enjoy riding them, I don't ride more because I already rode a lot. I'm kind of anxious about them though. That's really the biggest downside in my case, worry about damaging them.

I would probably go the LB route mentioned above, if I had a second bike that needed good wheels.

Fox Farm

Honestly how much better will your shifting be with electronic? If you were building new and dropping the cash, I suppose you could justify the upgrade but if what you have works fine, why change? New fast wheels will make you smile, sure, but I am not all that familiar with what you have vs what you want to get.
I say throw that money into a nice well built gravel bike and go have some fun.

Dean V

The "upgrade" certainly wouldn't be worth it to me, but I am not you.
The bike already has nice wheels and I am not that fussed about di2. I have bikes with it and without and can't say I enjoy the ones with it any more.
Swapping out those gatorskins for something decent would be the best upgrade and only a hundred bucks.

Rides4Beer

Oh, forgot to say, def +1 for a gravel bike! $3600 will get you a really nice setup. Way more fun than road riding, imo.

Ghazmh

Di2 is cool to have but I wouldn’t do it again. In fact I didn’t. I parted out a Di2 equipped carbon bike and replaced it with a custom Ti bike with a mechanical group set. It made absolutely 0.0% difference in my performance and enjoyment. I can replace the cables 10 times at $100 for parts and labor each time and still come in under the cost difference for Di2.

datlas 

Yes you are crazy.

Unless you already have a back-up/beater bike, keep the current one and get a new one for not much more. N+1.

ronin4740

I'd do the Di2 upgrade but I'm balking at the $2K price for a wheel set. Of course I'm not a competitive rider but I DO absolutely LOVE the accuracy that the Ultegra Di2 group on the Giant TCR I just purchased second hand has over the manual shifting 105 group with a triple up front that's on the 2004 Fuji Roubaix it replaced.

Your money, your choices...

cycledogg

My thought exactly!

Seattle Forrest

Less traffic, safer conditions, better scenery, more wildlife than texting drivers ... what's not to like?