Nooby Advice

That is a broad an nonspecific question. Perhaps you could give more information regarding the bike - Dawes is a brand that covers many different levels of bike.

In general, tinkering and upgrading can become expensive even when purchasing close-out parts. If you are not happy with the bike, usually it is more cost effective to save up and purchase a different one vs. upgrading it one part at a time.

Is there a particular feature of the bike not to your liking?

If you really want to tinker, here is the order of my priorities when working on a bike:

1. Fix mechanical issues, replace any worn out parts
   
2. Comfort items, tweak the bike fit. Getting a saddle that suits yourself is a big one. Fit can be tweaked with seatposts and stems. Handlebars can be rewrapped or double wrapped.
   
3. Engine upgrades,the biggest bang for the buck is to tweak the engine. Driving a bike is more than mashing the pedals as hard as you can. Improve your fitness and form and you will get much more enjoyment.
   
4. Utilities and accessories such as racks, lights and cycle-computers
   
5. Pedals and shoes
   
6. Tires, could be higher on the list. Tires affect performance in a direct way - they are both a maintenance, comfort and performance item.
   
7. Performance / Cosmetic upgrades. This includes, lighter weight components and wheel upgrades
   

Yeah I would put tires higher on that list. I recommend sacrificing weight for durability, at least in the beginning. My riding experience got much more enjoyable when I switched to Armadillos, and wasn't always replacing inner tubes. This applies to road bikes. I'm not sure whether you have a road bike or mountain bike by your post.

That's the thing. The only decal on the bike is a "Dawes" one. Nothing else. He didnt know what the bike was either as I just learned he bought the bike second hand. It has Shimano SIS shifting system, the shifting levers are up on the fork. It's a 7 speed. Alex rims and Shimano brakes (just says Shimano). Everything else looks generic. I tried doing some research and notice that most older or cheaper bikes come with a welded fork and handle bar stem. I went through bikepedia road bike section and didn't see my bike listed either, so I would safely assume it predates 1993"

As far as upgrades go, I have no clue. As I am new I dont know what differences or benefits I will gain by up grading certain parts. Other than the obvious weight reduction. The bike shop told me the bike was actually in pretty good condition, but not worth upgrading unless I already know what bike I want in the future and can then add those parts to the newer bike.

I bought new tires already, but I will keep the armadillos in mind. I did re-wrap the handlebars and bought a new seat.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by wc07 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I bought new tires already, but I will keep the armadillos in mind. I did re-wrap the handlebars and bought a new seat.

Then you've done just about everything you need to at this point.

Dawes is British company that used to export bikes to the United States. That ended probably sometime between 1980 and 2000, and a Texas corporation doing business as BikesDirect.com bought the Dawes brand, probably from the exporter. BikesDirect has bikes made in Asia which it sells under the Dawes brand. Dawes in the UK is still in business, no doubt also marketing bikes made in Asia, but no longer for export.

As long as your Dawes is meeting your needs, just keep riding it. I would not recommend upgrading the bike beyond what you've already done unless something breaks, and then I wouldn't be too ambitious. Too many standards have changed over the last 20 years, and for most of us it makes more sense to buy a new bike when the old one stops meeting our needs.

Now there are members (one in particular) who might jump in with pages of upgrade ideas and the modifications caveats you'll need to make to make them work, and if making this bike your avocation is something you'd like to do, then by all means jump right in. Otherwise, make the bike comfortable and reliable and fix what's broken or worn out.

+1 to what oldbobcat says. The other issue with succumbing to upgrade-itis as a "noob" is that it maybe difficult to say at this point what you don't like functionally with a given part. In fact, if there's nothing that you can identify that's wrong with the function of the part (something other than blah looks), it's difficult to come up with a real reason for replacing or to come up with what you should replace it with. Like the old saw goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Down the road, with more time on the bike and more miles under your wheels, you might gain a more clear idea of what your needs are from the bike or a given part. Right now, you likely don't have a lot money invested in this bike. It won't hurt then to ride it "into the ground", get the most out of it. In the interim you can participate in the forum or other bike forums on the 'net, read, and learn more about bikes. All of that will be a big help later on if and when you decide you really do need to upgrade.

Thank guys. You are definitely right. Guess I got a little excited.

+3 on the service and repair first suggestion. If you aren't comfortable or don't have the resources to do it yourself, a good LBS can do a basic lube n tune for about $50 plus parts (if any). They can also point out potential problem areas and help you with proper fit. This is also the time to replace parts that are worn out or just don't work adequately.

I'd put safety items #2a like helmet, safety glasses ( polycarbonate tinted or clear ), and gloves ( comfort item but also prevents handburger if you crash ). Tires can be considered a safety item if your current ones are inadequate. If you're riding in twilight or after dark, high visibility clothing and front and rear lights are also high priority.

As mentioned, proper fit is right up there at like #2b as fit is both a comfort and safety concern, as well as performance issue. If the bike is the proper frame size, you can usually make adequate adjustments for safety and basic fit. Then ride it for a while as you determine if you need to make changes to things like the seat, seatpost, stem, handlebar, or crank length.

At #3 I'd place utilitarian upgrades that make the bike more suitable for its intended purpose. Tires can also fall into this category as do things like fenders and a rack for a commuter, bottle cages and tool bag for road riding or touring, bar ends or special grips for MTB or climbing, etc.

#4 performance upgrades. When I wear something out I try to replace it with something better. Each individual will have to determine how far up the component hierarchy makes sense for their budget and needs.

#5 Bling. Those unnecessary items you get simply because they are cool. Bling can be blatant or a matter of perspective. For example, $2,000 wheels can be bling for the average rider looking for oohs and ahhs at the local club rides, but can mean the difference between first and second place to a professional racer.