New bike or not

"Dave Kiely" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am currently riding a 97 Trek 470 that I got as a hand-me-down from my brother. It's stock with
steel frame and RSX components. I mostly ride

to

Quoted message said:

keep in shape for XC ski races. I ride 2-3 times a week usually 30-60

miles

Quoted message said:

at a time. I mix in mt biking and running as well. 95% of my road riding

I

Quoted message said:

do alone. The bike is fine and I have few complaints but was thinking

about

Quoted message said:

upgrading.

I wonder if it is worth it to put any money into this bike or save my

money

Quoted message said:

and get a new bike. I don't have much money to play with now but figured

if

Quoted message said:

I were to upgrade I would be looking at Ultegra level parts. Will I

notice

Quoted message said:

much of a difference when and if I upgrade or will I just need to find longer rindes since I will
be covering longer distances with the same

effort

Quoted message said:

on a lighter bike.

You won't notice much of a difference at all. I find that a fresh drivetrain makes any bike feel
"new", which is a nice thing; but any speed advantages are basically non-existent. RSX should work
fine for many years; but after 6 years of riding, you might need to replace the working parts
(chainrings, chain, cassette) This will run you probably $100 or so, and is well worth it. You will
probably find that the bike shifts much better, which may translate into more enthusiastic riding.

That said, I just built up a lovely Soulcraft Royale custom road frame with Ultegra and Dura Ace
components. The combination of a gorgeous superlight custom CrMo frame and Dura Ace is like magic.
This bike says "let's race!" every time I ride it. Shifting is effortless and fluid. Responsiveness
is instantaneous. There is no hint of harshness anywhere, even over brick paved streets. I can't
explain it - it just feels fast (and is fast). I've likened it to a 20-year-old bottle of fine
scotch. There isn't much difference between 12-year-old scotch and 20-year-old scotch; but that
subtle difference is worth twice the price to those who appreciate it. The same can be said of many
fine things. When we realize that even expensive bikes are cheap compared to just about everything
else in adult life, it makes sense to ride what makes you happy.

-Barry

Dave Kiely said:

I am currently riding a 97 Trek 470 that I got as a hand-me-down from my brother. It's stock with
steel frame and RSX components. I mostly ride to keep in shape for XC ski races. I ride 2-3 times
a week usually 30-60 miles at a time. I mix in mt biking and running as well. 95% of my road
riding I do alone. The bike is fine and I have few complaints but was thinking about upgrading.

Why? Did you see an ad for a new bike with a pretty girl near it?

Jay Hill said:

Dave Kiely said:

I am currently riding a 97 Trek 470 that I got as a hand-me-down from my brother. It's stock with
steel frame and RSX components. I mostly ride to keep in shape for XC ski races. I ride 2-3 times
a week usually 30-60 miles at a time. I mix in mt biking and running as well. 95% of my road
riding I do alone. The bike is fine and I have few complaints but was thinking about upgrading.

Why? Did you see an ad for a new bike with a pretty girl near it?

Best things in life are free.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why? Did you see an ad for a new bike with a pretty girl near it?

Best things in life are free.

Last time I checked, women cost big money.

Doug

I know getting rid of one did...;-)

<Last time I checked, women cost big money. Doug

"Dave Kiely" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am currently riding a 97 Trek 470 that I got as a hand-me-down from my brother. It's stock with
steel frame and RSX components. I mostly ride

to

Quoted message said:

keep in shape for XC ski races. I ride 2-3 times a week usually 30-60

miles

Quoted message said:

at a time. I mix in mt biking and running as well. 95% of my road riding

I

Quoted message said:

do alone. The bike is fine and I have few complaints but was thinking

about

Quoted message said:

upgrading.

I wonder if it is worth it to put any money into this bike or save my

money

Quoted message said:

and get a new bike. I don't have much money to play with now but figured

if

Quoted message said:

I were to upgrade I would be looking at Ultegra level parts. Will I

notice

Quoted message said:

much of a difference when and if I upgrade or will I just need to find longer rindes since I will
be covering longer distances with the same

effort

Quoted message said:

on a lighter bike.

If all you are doing is riding to keep in shape for XC ski races then the bike is fine and you don't
need any upgrades or a new bike.

Hawke

Dave Kiely said:

I am currently riding a 97 Trek 470 that I got as a hand-me-down from my brother. It's stock with
steel frame and RSX components.

Is your brother the same size as you? If the frame is the wrong size for you, that would be a good
reason to get a new bike. Have you made any changes in setup (stem length, bar/saddle height, etc.)?

Quoted message said:

I mostly ride to keep in shape for XC ski races. 95% of my road riding I do alone. The bike is
fine and I have few complaints but was thinking

about

Quoted message said:

upgrading.

It sounds like you're happy with the bike, so why blow your money on a new one. This bike should be
fine for solo fitness rides.

Quoted message said:

I were to upgrade I would be looking at Ultegra level parts. Will I

notice

Quoted message said:

much of a difference when and if I upgrade or will I just need to find longer rindes since I will
be covering longer distances with the same

effort

Quoted message said:

on a lighter bike.

I doubt you will notice much difference at all. I have used 105, Ultegra, and Dura Ace, and there
really isn't a lot of difference. How much weight do you expect to save? A couple of pounds in bike
weight isn't going to make a lot of difference. And since you're riding mostly solo for
exercise/fitness, what does it matter?

Art Harris

mayokiely-<< I am currently riding a 97 Trek 470 that I got as a hand-me-down from my brother. It's
stock with steel frame and RSX components. >><BR><BR> << The bike is fine and I have few complaints
but was thinking about upgrading.

What problems do you want to solve? What questions do youi want answered?

I say spend some $ on a good bike fit, spend some $ on a good massage therapist, leave the bike
alone. The $ you spend for things like ultegra will not make the bike woprk better, unless something
is broken or worn out.

<< Will I notice much of a difference when and if I upgrade or will I just need to find longer
rindes since I will be covering longer distances with the same effort on a lighter bike.

'Covering longer distances with a lighter bike' is in the realm of feet, not miles, maybe...

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

A come on Dave. Buy a bike.

"frank121" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I know getting rid of one did...;-)

<Last time I checked, women cost big money.
Doug

Dave Kiely said:

The bike is fine and I have few complaints but was thinking about upgrading.

Quoted message said:

I wonder if it is worth it to put any money into this bike or save my money and get a new bike. I
don't have much money to play with now but figured if I were to upgrade I would be looking at
Ultegra level parts. Will I notice much of a difference... ?

What are you hoping to accomplish by upgrading the bike? You may save a few grams with Ultegra vs
RSX, and they might conceivably work marginally better, but what's the driver here? Is the RSX stuff
worn out and in need of replacement, or are you in the grip of Bike Lust? I suspect the latter,
given the "bike is fine" statement.

Dave Kiely said:

I am currently riding a 97 Trek 470 that I got as a hand-me-down from my brother. It's stock with
steel frame and RSX components. I mostly ride to keep in shape for XC ski races. I ride 2-3 times a
week usually 30-60 miles at a time. I mix in mt biking and running as well. 95% of my road riding I
do alone. The bike is fine and I have few complaints but was thinking about upgrading.

I wonder if it is worth it to put any money into this bike or save my money and get a new bike.
I don't have much money to play with now but figured if I were to upgrade I would be looking at
Ultegra level parts. Will I notice much of a difference when and if I upgrade or will I just
need to find longer rindes since I will be covering longer distances with the same effort on a
lighter bike.

It's nice to have a second bike, so you can work on one at leisure while you ride the other. That
is, if you like working on bikes and have the time to do it.

Quoted message said:

I mostly ride to keep in shape for XC ski races.

I wonder if it is worth it to put any money into this bike or save my money and get a new bike.
Will I notice much of a difference when and if I upgrade or will I just need to find longer rindes
since I will be covering longer distances with the same effort on a lighter bike.

Dave,

Since your end goal is to use the bike for training for XC races, I don't think a new one is a wise
investment. Working your muscles and cardio system won't be even one lick different. Spend your
money on better XC gear and training.

When cycling itself becomes the end goal, then a new bike may be in order. Not so much for the added
speed potential, which is very small, but for the enjoyment of the sport. When and if you get hooked
on cycling, a nice bike makes the whole experience so much more satisfying IMO.

I wasn't terribly proud of my old bike. Old bar mounted friction shifters, too much rust to fight
off all the time, older 27" rims, etc. Quite antiquated by today's standards, but still quite
functional. The bike was about 12 years old, from my college days no less. My new one, built from
parts bought here and there, some new some old, is quite a beaut. Modern shifting and parts makes it
slick looking and riding. I want to get out and ride on it, which is half the battle in getting
enough riding time to make the body respond. I suppose I'll want something better later, but it's a
toy as much as a tool for me, so why not? Luckily I don't lust easily (for metal things anyway) so
that is some time off.

An added bonus is that of the camaraderie of serious bike owners. Some may call it snobbery, I
don't. It's like Porsche or Harley or Miata owners hanging out. Nice bike owners swap stories and
admire gear. It's part of the whole cycling culture that's fun if you're into people.

But unless all the facets of cycling are for you, a new bike will do so little.

Doug