Hey, I own a 5 year old marin ridgeback, a regular city tourer. Now, ive been thinking about upgrading to something lighter etc for some time. instead of buying something brand new, I've decided to gradually replace the main components on my ridgeback with stuff purchased second hand. To start the ball rolling I'm gonna get some wheels. Now, the wheels I currently have are standard touring wheels. What i want is some nice thin road tires. First question is will i be able to fit them? My current bike has a 7 speed cassette so im guessing i need to get something which is compatible?? Would i have to get new breaks and a new rear deraillieur. What about the front? Is this gonna be worth the hassle? Should i just go down to Halford?
If anyone can point me in the right direction id be most grateful. Thanks JT
Is this gonna be worth the hassle? Should i just go down to Halford?
It might end up being more expensive than a new bike, or it might not, depending on what level of upgrades you are aiming for, and the kind of sum you would consider spending on a new bike.
I've now more or less completed the upgrading process on my old Raleigh Royal and have spent something in the order of £250-£300 to do so. And that's not including the parts that needed replacing for routine wear and tear. The "upgrades" were mostly new parts, except for the wheels, which were a steal from ebay (the 105 hubs alone are worth more than the £35 I paid for the two whole wheels).
To my mind, it's been a worthwhile project, though I might have got a very respectable bike on the secondhand market for that kind of money.
To start the ball rolling I'm gonna get some wheels. Now, the wheels I currently have are standard touring wheels. What i want is some nice thin road tires.
Note that tyres and wheels are rather different beasts, and most rims will take narrower tyres than are typically fitted. To start with you could probably do something like fit some Schwalbe Stelvios rather than the existing tyres, and those are fast and designed for road use.
Quoted message said:
Is this gonna be worth the hassle? Should i just go down to Halford?
Only you can really answer the first question, but for the second don't go to Halfords, there's thousands of better bike shops to choose from!
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
My 2p worth - for £150-200 you should be able to get a full bike on ebay, secondhand. There are a few turkeys about, but it could save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
But... upgrading is more gradual, and arguably more, er, fun...
