Hello all!
I've ridden store bought mountain bikes my whole life. The only really cycling I did was as a courier back in the mid 90's on a borrowed bike. A few months I decided to start commuting with my bike as a way to stay active despite a really busy schedule. My bike was stolen shortly afterwards and shopping around for a cheap/throw away bike I came across the walmart single speed and thought, "Hey, who's going to steal that?"
I really didn't like the look of the bike and end up buying a slightly more expensive single speed that a) looked much better and, b) was actually better suited for my size. I've used my new bike for about a month now and am relatively happy with it. That said, the pedals, crank, brakes and wheels aren't the best quality.
I'm a big guy and the roads here in Miami Beach can be a little rough. I'd like to feel more confident that components on the bike won't fail on me, get a bit more out of my bike and also get my hands a little dirty. It's always good to understand the machines we use and I'm a strong believer in being able to fix, upgrade and maintain my gear on my own.
So my question is: What wheelsets, pedals, cranks etc should I be looking at to improve my ride? I'm looking for value (i.e affordable price, quality components). I like understated and do not want something flashy. I am not the type to rock Aerospoke, for example. I don't want to be the coolest guy on the street, I'm just looking to maximize my enjoyment. Also, any tips on things I need to remember when actually working on the bike? All I really know on the subject is that grease is your friend.
Info on my current bike: flip-flop track style bike with drop downs. The frame is steel and on the heavy side. The ride can be jarring and steering a bit nervous at times but in general I enjoy it and am pretty happy not to deal with gears. Me: over 200 pounds, fairly aggressive rider and pretty much clueless about brands or materials to avoid. I also live in a pretty flat area with the shoddy roads.
Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.