Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

Upgrading 2012 road bike vs. buying new

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Upgrading 2012 road bike vs. buying new

Old 06-13-22, 10:23 AM
  #1  
goldfilm
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
goldfilm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 84

Bikes: 2012 Fuji Roubaix SE w/Shimano 105

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Upgrading 2012 road bike vs. buying new

I own a 2012 Fuji Roubaix 1.0. I did a tune up in 2017. A new tune up is way overdue, but I’m considering an upgrade instead. Questions:

1. Would a new bike with carbon frame reduce weight noticeably? (Budget on low end ~ 2K)

​​​​​2. What are the benefits of getting a new alloy bike with upgrades (i.e. Ultegra + hydraulic brakes) vs. keeping mine and upgrade components. Is it worth the extra cost?

3. If I sell my used one, should I tune up/spend money on it, or simply clean it and put it on sale?

4. Considering a current back injury and still wanting a light/fast bike, is there any upgrade or feature to consider that would improve impact absorption?

Thanks!
goldfilm is offline  
Old 06-13-22, 10:36 AM
  #2  
veganbikes
Clark W. Griswold
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,280

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: 4253 Post(s)
Liked 3,866 Times in 2,579 Posts
A new bike will probably get you wider tire clearance meaning more comfort which is a good thing. Low end carbon vs. nicer groupset I would probably go nicer groupset but me personally I wouldn't really be considering aluminum or carbon anyway.

I would make sure your old bike is in good order and having a receipt saying it was recently tuned can help bring a little more to the table. A bike should be tuned up at least once a year or at the very very very least looked over by someone who knows what they are doing. Leaving it like that for so long isn't good care and maintenance and not a habit you should get into.

The most important upgrade is getting a fit and I would recommend that to anyone back pain or not but especially if back pain. Do that and then you can get your new bike or keep your old bike and upgrade it because you will have some knowledge and your fitter can help steer you in the right direction for comfort.
veganbikes is offline  
Likes For veganbikes:
Old 06-13-22, 10:52 AM
  #3  
goldfilm
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
goldfilm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 84

Bikes: 2012 Fuji Roubaix SE w/Shimano 105

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by veganbikes
A new bike will probably get you wider tire clearance meaning more comfort which is a good thing. Low end carbon vs. nicer groupset I would probably go nicer groupset but me personally I wouldn't really be considering aluminum or carbon anyway.

I would make sure your old bike is in good order and having a receipt saying it was recently tuned can help bring a little more to the table. A bike should be tuned up at least once a year or at the very very very least looked over by someone who knows what they are doing. Leaving it like that for so long isn't good care and maintenance and not a habit you should get into.

The most important upgrade is getting a fit and I would recommend that to anyone back pain or not but especially if back pain. Do that and then you can get your new bike or keep your old bike and upgrade it because you will have some knowledge and your fitter can help steer you in the right direction for comfort.
Thanks, agree I was terrible with the maintenance. For years I’ve been only using it once a week for a 10-min commute, so I thought it wasn’t a big deal to tune it up, though actually a few extra times I had tires and brakes replaced.

What do you mean by “I wouldn’t be considering aluminum or carbon…”?
goldfilm is offline  
Old 06-13-22, 10:56 AM
  #4  
veganbikes
Clark W. Griswold
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,280

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: 4253 Post(s)
Liked 3,866 Times in 2,579 Posts
Originally Posted by goldfilm
Thanks, agree I was terrible with the maintenance. For years I’ve been only using it once a week for a 10-min commute, so I thought it wasn’t a big deal to tune it up, though actually a few extra times I had tires and brakes replaced.
What do you mean by “I wouldn’t be considering aluminum or carbon…”?
At least you did something to it but yeah keep the maintenance regular. If you have to pause for a while to wonder when you last tuned the bike up it is long past time or you are having memory issues and should see a doctor.

I mean I prefer the nice ride of steel or titanium that is why I personally wouldn't consider aluminum or carbon.
veganbikes is offline  
Old 06-13-22, 12:22 PM
  #5  
70sSanO
Senior Member
 
70sSanO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 5,772

Bikes: 1986 Cannondale SR400 (Flat bar commuter), 1988 Cannondale Criterium XTR, 1992 Serotta T-Max, 1995 Trek 970

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1936 Post(s)
Liked 2,150 Times in 1,313 Posts
I’m not sure light, fast, carbon, upgraded components, impact absorption, and $2k play well together.

My wife has a similar, Performance branded, bike to yours. It is fine, except the wheels on hers were exceedingly heavy. The bike came with 23mm wide tires. The biggest issue is the frame “might” fit 28mm to 30mm. The bike has 25’s on it right now.

If your back is having issues with absorbing the road imperfections, you will probably want to run 35mm or 38mm at a little lower pressure.

The other part is geometry. A slightly slacker geometry can help with some road chatter, but sometimes at the expense of quick handling. But there are too many factors to generalize exacting how one bike performs compared to another.

You can try to test out the largest tire on your current bike and see if there is enough ride improvement. If not, move on.

John
70sSanO is offline  
Likes For 70sSanO:
Old 06-13-22, 12:32 PM
  #6  
burnthesheep
Newbie racer
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 3,406

Bikes: Propel, red is faster

Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1575 Post(s)
Liked 1,568 Times in 973 Posts
Originally Posted by goldfilm
I own a 2012 Fuji Roubaix 1.0. I did a tune up in 2017. A new tune up is way overdue, but I’m considering an upgrade instead. Questions:

1. Would a new bike with carbon frame reduce weight noticeably? (Budget on low end ~ 2K)

​​​​​2. What are the benefits of getting a new alloy bike with upgrades (i.e. Ultegra + hydraulic brakes) vs. keeping mine and upgrade components. Is it worth the extra cost?

3. If I sell my used one, should I tune up/spend money on it, or simply clean it and put it on sale?

4. Considering a current back injury and still wanting a light/fast bike, is there any upgrade or feature to consider that would improve impact absorption?

Thanks!
You're going to get all manner of responses to this, so I'll only worry about giving my $0.05 opinion. Blame inflation that it isn't just two cents.

-I think anything "brand new" at that price point, alloy or carbon, is likely lighter than the 2007 aged bike.

-Upgrading will likely get you more gears, a nicer groupset, and maybe even disc brakes and tubeless ready wheels/tires.

-Carbon will be lighter in general. It is actually something that CAN improve ride quality for your concern about impact absorption. They can layup the carbon or introduce things like frame or fork decouplers that improve that (Trek Isospeed is an example).

IMO, if I had to get a "brand new" alloy bike or a "kinda used" carbon bike for $2000 I'd go for the "kinda used". Only issue may be the model years nicer bikes used in that price range having disc brakes or not. If you're making this change, I'd go ahead and get a bike with disc brakes.
burnthesheep is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 06:20 AM
  #7  
Maelochs
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,453

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,453 Times in 1,823 Posts
Look into the Fuji Sportif for a more relaxed bike
Maelochs is offline  
Likes For Maelochs:
Old 06-14-22, 06:57 AM
  #8  
Herzlos
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Scotland
Posts: 501

Bikes: Way too many

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 829 Post(s)
Liked 584 Times in 345 Posts
I used to try and upgrade the parts on a bike, then usually gave up and bought a nicer bike after wasting a lot of money.

You can presumably get something like $500 back on yours. I'd just clean it up, service it and leave it as is assuming everything works. You won't get your money back on any upgrades.

Your $2k would get you a Giant Content AR 1 - https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/contend-ar-1-2022
That's an alu frame, carbon fork, hydraulic disc brakes, 2x11 gears, D-Fuse seatpost and 32mm tubeless tires.
So that should be lighter, faster, more comfortable and will stop better in all weathers.

I'm not sure you could get anything comparable to the Content AR 1 for your $1500 difference, even if you ignore that everything original on your existing bike will be 10 years older.
Herzlos is offline  
Likes For Herzlos:
Old 06-14-22, 07:14 AM
  #9  
pdlamb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,847

Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee

Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2578 Post(s)
Liked 1,901 Times in 1,193 Posts
I agree with Herzlos , just clean the bike up and sell it. If that's what you want to do...

Before you sell your current bike, though, you might want to shop around and see what's currently available. There's plenty of horror stories of people putting money down last fall to buy a bike this spring, that haven't been delivered yet. That leaves you with looking at what's in stock near you to try one or a few bikes out, or drooling over web pages for weeks to -- well, to see how well the creative writing geniuses have been recruited into writing web pages. Lighter, stiffer but vertically compliant; all the standard buzzwords rearranged into something that may or may not have any link to reality.

Can you still ride your current bike? If so, pump the tires up and go ride it. Being on the bike is going to be much more satisfying than staring at a screen.
pdlamb is offline  
Likes For pdlamb:
Old 06-14-22, 08:46 AM
  #10  
goldfilm
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
goldfilm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 84

Bikes: 2012 Fuji Roubaix SE w/Shimano 105

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Herzlos
I used to try and upgrade the parts on a bike, then usually gave up and bought a nicer bike after wasting a lot of money.

You can presumably get something like $500 back on yours. I'd just clean it up, service it and leave it as is assuming everything works. You won't get your money back on any upgrades.

Your $2k would get you a Giant Content AR 1 - https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/contend-ar-1-2022
That's an alu frame, carbon fork, hydraulic disc brakes, 2x11 gears, D-Fuse seatpost and 32mm tubeless tires.
So that should be lighter, faster, more comfortable and will stop better in all weathers.

I'm not sure you could get anything comparable to the Content AR 1 for your $1500 difference, even if you ignore that everything original on your existing bike will be 10 years older.
What do you mean with “clean it and service it”… full tune up, or just making sure everything works? I’m still riding it with no issues… I ask this because last service was ~ $200. Also is there any basic change like cables or handle tape you’d do before selling or mostly cleaning it is enough?

Also, I’m curious about what feature you’d consider with additional $500-1K to my original budget. Ultegra set, carbon frame, another brand beyond Giant, or anything else?
goldfilm is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 09:09 AM
  #11  
Herzlos
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Scotland
Posts: 501

Bikes: Way too many

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 829 Post(s)
Liked 584 Times in 345 Posts
Originally Posted by goldfilm
What do you mean with “clean it and service it”… full tune up, or just making sure everything works? I’m still riding it with no issues… I ask this because last service was ~ $200. Also is there any basic change like cables or handle tape you’d do before selling or mostly cleaning it is enough?
If nothings broken then don't replace anything. Just give it a good wash, oil the parts that need oiled, and make sure everything else is suitably adjusted. You're selling a 10 year old bike, so no-one expecting it to be perfect, just make sure it's safe and usable.

Also, I’m curious about what feature you’d consider with additional $500-1K to my original budget. Ultegra set, carbon frame, another brand beyond Giant, or anything else?
I've no idea, personally. Higher end group sets are lighter and shift a bit smoother but I'm certainly not a good enough cyclist to notice. 105 seems to be regarded as the best value groupset though. Carbon frames will give you a slightly softer ride since there's a bit of flex there.
Most other bike manufacturers will provide something that's more or less equivalent to that Giant model, I only used it because I could look up the prices in USD and I've got a Giant. The only benefit with a Giant bike is the D-Fuse seatpost, which is shaped to allow a bit more flex, and there's often some additional flex in the handlebars as well. Of course that goes both ways, because a D shaped seatpost isn't compatible with other posts.

As mentioned above, availability is also a big deal; the supply chain was pretty broken for a while so you're probably best just settling for what's actually in stock near you and is a good fit.
Herzlos is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 09:57 AM
  #12  
veganbikes
Clark W. Griswold
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,280

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: 4253 Post(s)
Liked 3,866 Times in 2,579 Posts
Originally Posted by goldfilm
What do you mean with “clean it and service it”… full tune up, or just making sure everything works? I’m still riding it with no issues… I ask this because last service was ~ $200. Also is there any basic change like cables or handle tape you’d do before selling or mostly cleaning it is enough?

Also, I’m curious about what feature you’d consider with additional $500-1K to my original budget. Ultegra set, carbon frame, another brand beyond Giant, or anything else?
If you do swap tape, which is a good thing, take some good pictures underneath the bars after you take off the old tape (and maybe clean things up) that way people know what is going on underneath that old tape which is in the end a safety issue. Sweat soaks into the tape and sits on your bars and is corrosive. It is especially bad on bikes used on trainers but if it hasn't been changed in a while it can still happen. I don't care if tape looks dirty or whatever on the outside it is underneath that concerns me and should concern everyone to some degree. Not to panic about it but to change out your tape once and a while and when you do that you can also swap to new cables and housing and take care of your bike more often.


I would look beyond Giant or Fuji personally but in the end find something that fits you and works for you. Don't focus on price, focus on fit and function first and then once you have figured that out you can work on price. An ill fitting or ill performing bike is a bad deal no matter how your budget did. Obviously don't go broke or cause financial hardships but don't make it the biggest focus as then it can become the only focus and you get so narrow you lose sight of everything.

In terms of more important, shifting and braking would be my more important get what you want there as upgrading that can get expensive. However if I was buying a complete bike I want a good complete package that fits and works well for me as I said above.
veganbikes is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 10:16 AM
  #13  
goldfilm
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
goldfilm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 84

Bikes: 2012 Fuji Roubaix SE w/Shimano 105

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by veganbikes
If you do swap tape, which is a good thing, take some good pictures underneath the bars after you take off the old tape (and maybe clean things up) that way people know what is going on underneath that old tape which is in the end a safety issue. Sweat soaks into the tape and sits on your bars and is corrosive. It is especially bad on bikes used on trainers but if it hasn't been changed in a while it can still happen. I don't care if tape looks dirty or whatever on the outside it is underneath that concerns me and should concern everyone to some degree. Not to panic about it but to change out your tape once and a while and when you do that you can also swap to new cables and housing and take care of your bike more often.


I would look beyond Giant or Fuji personally but in the end find something that fits you and works for you. Don't focus on price, focus on fit and function first and then once you have figured that out you can work on price. An ill fitting or ill performing bike is a bad deal no matter how your budget did. Obviously don't go broke or cause financial hardships but don't make it the biggest focus as then it can become the only focus and you get so narrow you lose sight of everything.

In terms of more important, shifting and braking would be my more important get what you want there as upgrading that can get expensive. However if I was buying a complete bike I want a good complete package that fits and works well for me as I said above.
Thanks for the tips. I’ve never did a professional fitting and I think I’ll put it in the budget — a Retul fit is ~ $200 where I live.
goldfilm is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 10:23 AM
  #14  
SpedFast
Just Pedaling
 
SpedFast's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: US West Coast
Posts: 958

Bikes: YEP!

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 313 Post(s)
Liked 491 Times in 325 Posts
Considering the small amount of time you spend riding, why are you considering upgrading? If what you have is functional, find out how large a tire you can fit on it and the ride will definitely improve. Disk brakes are good, but they also make some really grippy caliper pads today that will impress you. Clean it up, lube it up, throw on some larger tires and better brake pads and enjoy. Spend that cha-ching in your pocket on .......
SpedFast is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 11:29 AM
  #15  
rm -rf
don't try this at home.
 
rm -rf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,918
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 964 Post(s)
Liked 496 Times in 343 Posts
A "tune up" has no standard definition. I really don't like the term.

For checking a bike:
Bearings status, shifting quality, cracks inspect, consumables.
Check for chain wear with a ruler or a chain checker. Replace if needed.
Check bottom bracket for rough bearings -- chain off the bike, spin the cranks at the minimum, or better: pull the cranks and turn the bearings with a finger.
Check the rims for spoke hole cracks. hold the axle, spin the wheels for a quick bearing check.
Inspect the frame carefully for cracks.
I'd want a new rear shift cable, at least, perhaps the front one too. Cable housing if it's pretty old -- that's more work than just replacing the inner wire.
Check and adjust the front and rear derailleur operation.
new caliper brake pads if needed, or at least realign them.
Check the headset for worn bearings.
True the wheels if there's pulsing when doing harder braking.
I probably forgot a few things.
rm -rf is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 11:36 AM
  #16  
rm -rf
don't try this at home.
 
rm -rf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,918
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 964 Post(s)
Liked 496 Times in 343 Posts
What new bikes have:

Larger tires!
This, by far, is the key to a more comfortable ride on rough roads.
The thin, supple tires, at the appropriate pressures, will smooth out the ride way more than a carbon, high end steel, or Ti frame.
Carbon seatposts or handlebars -- not worth it, usually.

If you ride in the right side tire track on a road, it mostly stays clean of sharp debris -- car tires kick it aside. Riding the shoulder, you need more puncture resistant tires, which won't ride as nicely.

A 2012 frame is very unlikely to fit 28mm tires, and even 25mm might barely fit. It depends on the frame design.

Lower gearing!
Way lower gearing is common now. That's so nice on a hilly ride, even for stronger riders.
It might be difficult to fit very low gears on the older bike. And more cogs help with allowing a wider range of gearing to be practical.

Better fitting
A lot of older bikes seem to be not quite correct for the rider that owns them. Fitting was often very casual then.
rm -rf is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 11:58 AM
  #17  
fishboat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,890

Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 752 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 799 Times in 467 Posts
If you'll continue your "10 minute commute a few times a week" habits(with current back issues), and not much more, then I'd buy a used, higher-end(lightweight) 1990s hardtail or rigid fork mountain bike and mount some cushy 2 inch street tires on it an be done.

This thread might be useful:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nversions.html
fishboat is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 12:10 PM
  #18  
goldfilm
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
goldfilm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 84

Bikes: 2012 Fuji Roubaix SE w/Shimano 105

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by fishboat
If you'll continue your "10 minute commute a few times a week" habits(with current back issues), and not much more, then I'd buy a used, higher-end(lightweight) 1990s hardtail or rigid fork mountain bike and mount some cushy 2 inch street tires on it an be done.

This thread might be useful:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nversions.html
I’m recovering from a back injury, and the reason I want to upgrade the bike is because I’m using it much more than before, and cycling is more recommended than running with back issues (generally speaking). So I’m currently intending ~ 1 hour rides a few times a week in a bike path. But to reach there I have a short commute with more city bumps.
goldfilm is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 01:11 PM
  #19  
dedhed
SE Wis
 
dedhed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,516

Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970

Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2731 Post(s)
Liked 3,361 Times in 2,034 Posts
Originally Posted by goldfilm
What do you mean with “clean it and service it”… full tune up, or just making sure everything works? I’m still riding it with no issues… I ask this because last service was ~ $200. Also is there any basic change like cables or handle tape you’d do before selling or mostly cleaning it is enough?

Also, I’m curious about what feature you’d consider with additional $500-1K to my original budget. Ultegra set, carbon frame, another brand beyond Giant, or anything else?
A $150-200 professional service is never going to get recovered in a sale of a used bike. Wash, wax, clean/lube chain, make sure everything works, shifts, stops, wheels true. Replace cables and brake pads if needed. Let them replace bar tape - might not like your choice.
dedhed is offline  
Likes For dedhed:
Old 06-14-22, 01:20 PM
  #20  
DMC707
Senior Member
 
DMC707's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Posts: 5,390

Bikes: Too many to list

Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1764 Post(s)
Liked 1,121 Times in 744 Posts
Originally Posted by goldfilm
I’m recovering from a back injury, and the reason I want to upgrade the bike is because I’m using it much more than before, and cycling is more recommended than running with back issues (generally speaking). So I’m currently intending ~ 1 hour rides a few times a week in a bike path. But to reach there I have a short commute with more city bumps.
Specialized Roubaix or Diverge is the one you seek
DMC707 is offline  
Old 06-14-22, 01:47 PM
  #21  
veganbikes
Clark W. Griswold
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,280

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: 4253 Post(s)
Liked 3,866 Times in 2,579 Posts
Originally Posted by goldfilm
Thanks for the tips. I’ve never did a professional fitting and I think I’ll put it in the budget — a Retul fit is ~ $200 where I live.
It is a game changer. I also did a Retül fit and can't be happier. They really made some good suggestions and changes that really did honestly work.

$200 is around the average I think. The one we had was a bit north of that but still reasonable for what I did for me. I did one with a friend of mine and it was a static fit and honestly I was unhappy from the get go, my seatpost was way too high and I had to lower it right away but with Retül I haven't changed my position at all.
veganbikes is offline  
Likes For veganbikes:
Old 06-15-22, 11:18 AM
  #22  
BikingViking793 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 527

Bikes: 2015 Felt Z75 Disc, 2008 Fuji Cross Comp, 2010 Trek Navigator 1.0, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1974 Schwinn Le Tour, 1981 Schwinn Super Le Tour, Surly Cross Check, 2021 Giant Talon 2

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 202 Post(s)
Liked 71 Times in 60 Posts
More tire clearance is only reason I would go newer. Wider tires comfy.
__________________
check out the Frugal Average Bicyclist
Frugal Average Bicyclist – The goal here is to help you keep cycling on a budget.
BikingViking793 is offline  
Old 06-16-22, 03:30 AM
  #23  
PeteHski
Senior Member
 
PeteHski's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 8,176
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4274 Post(s)
Liked 4,715 Times in 2,911 Posts
Originally Posted by veganbikes
It is a game changer. I also did a Retül fit and can't be happier. They really made some good suggestions and changes that really did honestly work.

$200 is around the average I think. The one we had was a bit north of that but still reasonable for what I did for me. I did one with a friend of mine and it was a static fit and honestly I was unhappy from the get go, my seatpost was way too high and I had to lower it right away but with Retül I haven't changed my position at all.
Just make sure you choose your fitter wisely (check customer reviews etc) regardless of what fitting system they use. Not all Retul fitters are equal and many are poorly trained or inexperienced or both!
PeteHski is offline  
Old 06-16-22, 08:13 AM
  #24  
prj71
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: North Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,601
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2965 Post(s)
Liked 1,167 Times in 763 Posts
If you are looking for comfort, IMO this is the best bang for the buck right now. Carbon, front and rear Isospeed damper and you can fit 700 x 40 tires on it. But also more than 2k.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...olorCode=black
prj71 is offline  
Old 06-17-22, 04:36 PM
  #25  
63rickert
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,068
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1090 Post(s)
Liked 329 Times in 245 Posts
Your best upgrade is getting a physical therapist and resolving your back problem. Definitive therapy. I neglected my problems until one day could not stand or walk or sleep much less get on a bike. And have not had a problem in over twenty years. Maybe five or ten hours a year of maintenance exercise.

A modern bike will be even stiffer than your old Fuji. With disk brakes, now universal, the fork and frame have to be stiff. Only way to get comfort now is with the tires. Good choice of saddle, bar shape, handlebar tape, all that stuff makes little improvements but you should get those personal details right on any bike.

Popping for a road bike with some form of spring suspension might do something. Or you might not even like the suspension ride. Suspension from tires works. No idea what a 2012 Fuji will accommodate. If it has any unused room get bigger tires now. Next bike much bigger tires if comfort is the prime factor.
63rickert is offline  
Likes For 63rickert:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.