dinkjs

When something breaks or is time to replace excluding tires...do you generally replace with the next step up in terms of component i.e. Derailleurs, BB etc. or do you just go with same level of quality, when its strictly a commuter bike and not used for racing or other types of use?

MijnWraak

I go for the best bang for the buck. I won't go for something just because it's cheaper. I'll go with the part that will most likely be the most durable. That's part of being frugal - it's not all about up front costs.

If part A costs $40 but will only last 6 months, and part B costs $75 but will last 3 years, which one would you go with?

tjspiel

Usually things on my bike are outdated before they break or wear out except for stuff like chains and brake pads. I don't have any set rules. If I liked the way something worked I'd get the same thing again.

On the on the other hand, if I'm not happy with the way something works I won't necessarily wait until it breaks or gets worn out to replace it with something better. It may not be the next step up either, but something from a competitor or a different technology altogether. I recently converted one bike to a gear hub. On my main summer bike, I've replaced the shimano shifters with ones from Campy.

Gary in VA

If it is a low level part I usually buy an upgrade to the middle. I also look for a new old stock part so I'm not paying extra to have the latest version.

BassNotBass

Functional quality is what I look for.

SouthFLpix

If I'm not satisfied with the part I will upgrade. I will also go for the upgrade if the price difference is marginal. For example an Alivio rear derailer is only about $13 less then a Deore derailer. In that case I would go with the Deore.

pdlamb

I'll go with what's cheapest, down to a certain level. Cassettes, I've just about persuaded myself the cheapest Shimano is worth the extra cost over the Perf-bar cheesy house brand. Derailer, I'll go down to a Campy Veloce or Shimano LX, but not much further. I've only had to replace one crank and BB, and I just took what the LBS had in stock. Chains, cheapest SRAM works for me, although I've run some cheap Shimano, too. What's on sale when I go to REI or Performance?

fietsbob

I run a pretty trouble free IG hub bike. I replaced an aluminum chainring,
with a more durable stainless steel one.

and just a different compound for the brake pads ..

BarracksSi

I try to go with a better one that won't break. Usually that means an upgrade.

My example(s) were identical cranks on two bikes that developed a wobble bad enough to reliably throw the chain in tall gears. I changed them both to Shimano (105 and Tiagra, both HT II), which have remained rock-solid ever since.

Andy_K 

You're saying you wait for something to break before you replace it?

Seriously though, it depends on the part. For a rear derailleur, the incremental cost difference of each level is small enough that I don't think I'd go below Tiagra or Deore and I've found that with persistence you can even find Ultregra and Deore XT for a price that makes them reasonable. This is a part where you can definitely feel the difference in quality as you upgrade. For something like a chain or a cassette, on the other hand, I'm not convinced that it makes so much difference and, as such, I'm very pleased that the Tiagra group is making the jump to 10-speed so maybe I can get a cassette for under $50.

The other thing to consider is whether a part makes sense in the mix with the rest of your bike. A Deore XT rear derailleur isn't really a reasonable part to hang on a Walmart BSO. To get the benefit, you'd have to upgrade a bunch of other stuff too, and ultimately you'd realize the frame had to go.

As an example (or two), I went through a period of being an upgrade addict. I had two bikes at the beginning of that phase: a 2008 Kona Jake and a 2008 Marin Muirwoods 29er. These were both decent bikes and the stock parts were good, but I upgraded anyway. I upgraded the Jake to a full Ultegra drivetrain. I don't regret this, and those parts are still on that bike today. The Jake thrived with its new parts. Meanwhile, I upgraded the Muirwoods 29er to a full Deore XT drivetrain. This never really made me happy and didn't significantly improve that bike. It just wasn't a performance bike. There was nothing at all wrong with the Alivio/Deore parts on that bike and I should have left it like that. On the other hand, the upgrade from BB5 to BB7 brakes and unbranded to Avid Speed Dial brake levers is far and away the best upgrade I ever made.

But here's a third example. I have an '89 Specialized Rockhopper. When I got it, it had the stock "Mountain LX" 7-speed drivetrain and cantilever brakes, all in execellent condition. I built some new wheels for it with Tiagra hubs and Mavic XM317 rims. I replaced the cantilever brakes with Avid SD5 V-brakes and Speed Dial levers. I bought some Deore 9-speed triger shifters for it. I used the XT derailleurs because I still had them, otherwise I would have probably gotten Deore parts there too. These upgrades transformed that bike from a serviceable old beater into an outstanding bike that I'd compare favorably with any rigid flat bar bike you can buy today.

What I'm saying, I think, is that just as a sculptor looks at a piece of marble an intuits what it can become, you need to ruminate on the soul of your bike and decide what it could be. This will determine what level of parts you should buy.

BarracksSi

Well, I kinda do some of that, too, although it depends on how badly something is performing. I got better wheels for my road bike because I was tired of hearing the stock wheels' spokes pingity-ping whenever I stood up. I also got better brake pads because the original ones braked like they were made of Play-Doh.

I've also avoided the immediate onset of upgradeitis by not buying bottom-rung stuff in the first place. For example, that road bike's 105 drivetrain performed flawlessly for the few thousand miles I had it; changing to Ultegra or even DA (which I have on my current bike) wouldn't have been worthwhile as long as the 105 kept working.

Where it makes plenty of sense (to me) to upgrade on a whim are the fabled contact points -- handlebars, pedals, saddle, etc. I'd even lump controls in there. If it feels uncomfortable or awkward, and no amount of adjustment will help, the "interface" with the bike is "broken" and should be fixed. No reason to wait fifteen years for a painful saddle to crack before buying another one.

justadude

Commuter bike is often left outside at public bike racks when I take it out, and gets mid-level parts.

Andy_K 

Yeah, that definitely helps. I suspect that paying a couple hundred dollars to upgrade from 105 to Ultegra would also cure upgradeitis in an early stage. Having both on different bikes I'm not sure I can find a non-visual difference. Upgrading from 2300 to Ultegra on the other hand may result in an incurable condition.

The Chemist

I've currently got a Sora rear derailleur. It works just fine now, but if it does ever need replacing I'll probably go with at least Tiagra, if not Ultegra. I'm not a big fan of the quality of the hubs on my bike (freewheel failed at only 1600km, replaced under warranty) so if they break after the warranty period, they'll definitely be replaced with higher quality hubs - and I'd probably update the whole wheel at that stage. Front derailleur and shifters are Deore, and I don't think I'd pay more to upgrade them to a higher level, since I like the way they work now.