New bike or upgrade?

Euan said:

So dump and new or upgrade? I'm in favor of upgrade (if you consider
compact cranks an upgrade) and unless someone can sell me the benefits
of moving to a new steed when the one I've got fits me like a glove
that's probably the way I'll go.

Upgrade {:-) everything, gradually,

So you get brownie points for the fact you are prepared to upgrade just
a few items (at a time) and brownie points because you do it gradually.

Then combine all the old parts back together for another bike {:-)

And then you get more brownie points because you are reusing the old
stuff {:-).

and I'll just wander off quietly in the hope that swmbo never reads this
{:-).

Euan said:

My Trek 1200 is getting to that stage in its life where just about
everything of consequence needs replacing.

Forty five thousandish kms on the clock, little wonder that the big rings
are starting to exhibit signs of wear. I've been told that saddles
should be replaced every three years or so (assuming constant use).
Naturally the chain and cassette will need replacing at the same time.

My 1400 has 56,000km on it and the frame is still going strong. I'm
about to replace the groupset with Ultegra I'm going to rip off my
Madone when I bump it up to [censored]-ace.
Your frame is good, and a BB replacement isn't much. You sure you need
compact? A 12-27 doesn't give you enough range?

A new bike is a short cut & easy answer to a fresh set of wheels. Everything is new & seems to change, roll & flick about real nice.
Also, it’ll mean the old one will still be there for a future project if you have the space/time/inclination.

Upgrading the old bike will spread the costs out, but if hold onto those receipts & add it all up after about a year, it might = ¾ of new bike. Also, what do you do with all the worn out stuff?

Euan said:

So dump and new or upgrade? I'm in favor of upgrade (if you consider
compact cranks an upgrade) and unless someone can sell me the benefits of
moving to a new steed when the one I've got fits me like a glove that's
probably the way I'll go.

To throw another element in - what about buying a reasonably priced
groupset with frame attached from Learsport or someone like that? Flog the
frame on eBay and you'll get a few bucks, especially if you put your old
bits on it so it's rideable.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
Like most computer techie people, I'll happily spend 6 hours trying to
figure out how to do a 3 hour job in 10 minutes. --Rev. James Cort

from what i have read and a few i know who have gone the compact path (and love them) lament shifting can be rather dodgy, especially with wear (assumption of 34/50 compact. ps checkout either Hillbrick or Torpedo
torpedo's compact altoh ans ISIS BB required)

A sothers have suggested a 2nd cassette with some bigger cogs would be far more economical

Changing your Chainrings, chain, cassette and perhaps a cable set will make your bike sing again, feel like a new bike and fit you jsut like the 'old one' 😄

Then again, I have a triple on my roadie but have taken the woosie ring off so the big mean boys wont larf at me 🙄 at the crits.
Of course, your running Shi!$@$#! so such things are an expensive and impractical option for you. bahahahahhahah

PS do i smell a audax or alpine Classic candidate lurking in that scottish blood?

Random Data said:

......snip....To throw another element in - what about buying a reasonably priced
groupset with frame attached from Learsport or someone like that? Flog the
frame on eBay and you'll get a few bucks, especially if you put your old
bits on it so it's rideable.
......snip....

Good idea to get another bike whole and strip it....word of caution on a Learsport...may get a good new 105 group set, BUT, the bottom brackets are grossly over tightened by LS in assembly and virtually impossible to remove without drilling out the frame, defeating the purpose and leaving you without a saleable frame......

As a project I'd do an ebay build and get everything you want from ebay, and over time at your pace build it yourself , your way, to your spec and probably at the lowest cost and use your old "Pal" as a some time training bike or bad weather steed.

If that doesnt appeal, find a bike you like, get its owner drunk and have him/her sell it to you for the price of the next shout....(we can dream)

flyingdutch said:

from what i have read and a few i know who have gone the compact path
(and love them) lament shifting can be rather dodgy, especially with
wear (assumption of 34/50 compact. ps checkout either Hillbrick or
Torpedo
'torpedo's compact'
(http://www.torpedo7.com/page/bikes/PROD/crankset-road_bike_rb/RTK905)
altoh ans ISIS BB required)

Hmm, poor shifting's not good. I'd assume the poor shifting would be on
the big rings, given that not a lot's changed on the cassette.

Quoted message said:

A sothers have suggested a 2nd cassette with some bigger cogs would be
far more economical

But I wouldn't get the same range that compact would give me. Looking
at the profile of the Alpine Classic is nudging me in the direction of
more and more and more gears, but I don't want a triple.

Quoted message said:

Changing your Chainrings, chain, cassette and perhaps a cable set will
make your bike sing again, feel like a new bike and fit you jsut like
the 'old one' 😄

Yep, that's what's happened with the four chain and cassette
replacements.

Quoted message said:

Then again, I have a triple on my roadie but have taken the woosie ring
off so the big mean boys wont larf at me 🙄 at the crits.
Of course, your running Shi!$@$#! so such things are an expensive and
impractical option for you. bahahahahhahah

PS do i smell a audax or alpine Classic candidate lurking in that
scottish blood?

When your wife sends you this URL:

http://www.audax.org.au/calendar.asp

It's best to start getting prepared ;-)
--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

Euan said:

When your wife sends you this URL:

http://www.audax.org.au/calendar.asp

It's best to start getting prepared ;-)

bahahahah. SUzyB is dangerous 😄

[quote="Euan"]My Trek 1200 is getting to that stage in its life where just about
everything of consequence needs replacing.

So dump and new or upgrade? I'm in favor of upgrade (if you consider
compact cranks an upgrade) and unless someone can sell me the benefits
of moving to a new steed when the one I've got fits me like a glove
that's probably the way I'll go.

I cant help tinkering so I keep upgrading and fiddling, yes I imagine it probably costs more in the long run but making it all work is a part of the fun. and I can't bear the thought of letting my old frames go.

As a consequence I still run a screw-on 7 speed 12-19 as I like close ratios (and my Mavic 501 hubs) but for about the last three years I have run a compact triple 46-36-26.

I went to this from a 52-38 double set up when I found I was rarely using the top end of the 52. I don't race and I'm not getting any younger.

As I still use a short cage campy rear derallier there is only enough play in the system to use the 26-19 or 26-17 combinations but I really want these as an absolute last resort anyway when all else is lost. (Think junction hill climbing out of Flowerdale)

I rationalise the weight saving in that I carry an extra cog on the chainwheel to save carrying two or three extra cogs on the cluster.

If I had more cogs on the rear, I would contemplate a double but something like a 46-34 for the non-racer. This would also deal with the shifting issues of a 16 tooth difference of the 50-46.

For some reason my Suntour ARX fron shifter handles all this with no drama, but that is part of the benefit of the Campy semi-non-indexed ergo lever

Rory W

[quote="Rory Williams"]

Euan said:

My Trek 1200 is getting to that stage in its life where just about
everything of consequence needs replacing.

So dump and new or upgrade? I'm in favor of upgrade (if you consider
compact cranks an upgrade) and unless someone can sell me the benefits
of moving to a new steed when the one I've got fits me like a glove
that's probably the way I'll go.

I cant help tinkering so I keep upgrading and fiddling, yes I imagine it probably costs more in the long run but making it all work is a part of the fun. and I can't bear the thought of letting my old frames go.

As a consequence I still run a screw-on 7 speed 12-19 as I like close ratios (and my Mavic 501 hubs) but for about the last three years I have run a compact triple 46-36-26.

I went to this from a 52-38 double set up when I found I was rarely using the top end of the 52. I don't race and I'm not getting any younger.

As I still use a short cage campy rear derallier there is only enough play in the system to use the 26-19 or 26-17 combinations but I really want these as an absolute last resort anyway when all else is lost. (Think junction hill climbing out of Flowerdale)

I rationalise the weight saving in that I carry an extra cog on the chainwheel to save carrying two or three extra cogs on the cluster.

If I had more cogs on the rear, I would contemplate a double but something like a 46-34 for the non-racer. This would also deal with the shifting issues of a 16 tooth difference of the 50-46.

For some reason my Suntour ARX fron shifter handles all this with no drama, but that is part of the benefit of the Campy semi-non-indexed ergo lever

Rory W

On 2006-01-09, Terry Collins (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Euan said:

So dump and new or upgrade? I'm in favor of upgrade (if you consider
compact cranks an upgrade) and unless someone can sell me the benefits
of moving to a new steed when the one I've got fits me like a glove
that's probably the way I'll go.

Upgrade {:-) everything, gradually,

So you get brownie points for the fact you are prepared to upgrade just
a few items (at a time) and brownie points because you do it gradually.

Then combine all the old parts back together for another bike {:-)

And then you get more brownie points because you are reusing the old
stuff {:-).

As if EuanB needs bike brownie points with SuzieB.

--
TimC
New!: Sysadmin Barbie! Complete with tiny pager, Leatherman, selection of
LARTs, and makeup kit for that haven't-slept-in-3-days look. --unknown

MikeyOz said:

coming from the other angle, having experienced going from an old comfy bike to a new bike.... maybe you just plain old like the bike because it is what you are used to ?
whats to say though that the frame is actually effecting your riding, how do you know, I know the engine has to drive the frame, but it does make a difference

surely frames wear over time ? a new frame, might make the riding a little easier, keep you fresher, even more enjoyable riding ? just being able to afford it I guess.

I admire the people that have the time and inclination to do a lot of work on their bikes, building etc, but maybe it is just time to consider a new frame..... 🙂

no I dont own a LBS 🙂

I wonder about that; wouldn't the LBS prefer the upgraders to those who buy new bikes? I'd have thought the mark up on parts would be more than on a whole new bike.

I admit complete ignorance in these matters :-)

EuanB said:

I wonder about that; wouldn't the LBS prefer the upgraders to those who
buy new bikes? I'd have thought the mark up on parts would be more than
on a whole new bike.

Add to that the build up of a complete bike is included in the price, but
fitting parts is often charged (though not always, depending on the shop
and your relationship with them).

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
Researchers in Fairbanks Alaska announced last week that they have
discovered a superconductor which will operate at room temperature.

flyingdutch said:

from what i have read and a few i know who have gone the compact path
(and love them) lament shifting can be rather dodgy, especially with
wear

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's because the original front
derailleur was kept. I know it's bloody hard to get a 53 tooth chainring
to behave itself with MTB derailleurs, so I'd be surprised if you'd get
clean shifting going the other way (in fact, it'd probably be worse, since
the back of the derailleur wouldn't drop quickly enough to push the chain
down - with the 53 tooth the derailleur sits too high to shift down well).

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
Researchers in Fairbanks Alaska announced last week that they have
discovered a superconductor which will operate at room temperature.

rooman said:

Good idea to get another bike whole and strip it....word of caution on
a Learsport...may get a good new 105 group set, BUT, the bottom brackets
are grossly over tightened by LS in assembly and virtually impossible to
remove without drilling out the frame,

Did you try a torque extender, which is the friendly name for a big length
of pipe over the handle of the tool you're using?

With a decent BB tool that can be locked on to the BB (a 135mm QR can work
if the axle is hollow) you can put truly silly force into undoing a BB,
and I've had to do that on a few factory BBs. Hell, someone was a bit
overenthusiastic on the crank bolts of my wife's bike and I needed to use
an old seatpost on the end of the allen key to get them undone yesterday.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
Researchers in Fairbanks Alaska announced last week that they have
discovered a superconductor which will operate at room temperature.

EuanB said:

I wonder about that; wouldn't the LBS prefer the upgraders to those who buy new bikes? I'd have thought the mark up on parts would be more than on a whole new bike.

I admit complete ignorance in these matters :-)

I'm sure that the cost of a new bike is much less than the cost of all it's components bought separately.

I also like the knowledge that I am on something unique. Although there are other carzed souls like myself types out there putting things together, I'm sure my combination (and other combinations arcoss the fleet) haven't been attemped elsewhere.

RoryW

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

Quoted message said:

flyingdutch said:

from what i have read and a few i know who have gone the compact path
(and love them) lament shifting can be rather dodgy, especially with
wear (assumption of 34/50 compact. ps checkout either Hillbrick or
Torpedo
'torpedo's compact'
(http://www.torpedo7.com/page/bikes/PROD/crankset-road_bike_rb/RTK905)
altoh ans ISIS BB required)

Hmm, poor shifting's not good. I'd assume the poor shifting would be on
the big rings, given that not a lot's changed on the cassette.

Quoted message said:

A sothers have suggested a 2nd cassette with some bigger cogs would be
far more economical

But I wouldn't get the same range that compact would give me. Looking
at the profile of the Alpine Classic is nudging me in the direction of
more and more and more gears, but I don't want a triple.

I recently changed from regular to compact cranks on the roady..50/34
chainrings
Shifting is fine, all i needed to do was drop the front derailleur down a
bit.
I rekon theyre great.. doubt i'd go back to a 53/39 chainset anytime soon
Got the cranks from benscycles on ebay for 90us i think?

Last year i also did what you're thinking of doing and upgraded the running
gear on an older bike.
All parts were bought from ebay either local or us and total cost was $495au
for ultegra shifters, cassette, crankset, bb, derailleurs, cables and sram
89r chain

Euan said:

My Trek 1200 is getting to that stage in its life where just about
everything of consequence needs replacing.

<snip>

Did you say Trek?

Upgrade everything. Wait until the frame cracks. Use your lifetime
warranty to get a new frame. Now you have an entirely new bike.

Tam

Euan said:

My Trek 1200 is getting to that stage in its life where just about
everything of consequence needs replacing.

Forty five thousandish kms on the clock, little wonder that the big rings
are starting to exhibit signs of wear. I've been told that saddles
should be replaced every three years or so (assuming constant use).
Naturally the chain and cassette will need replacing at the same time.

My thinking is that I want to replace my current stock drive train with
a compact set up. My little cog is shiny, it gets no use whatsoever,
partly 'cause my cadence rarely drops below 95 and partly because I'm a
commuter, not a racer. A compact set up would give me a better range
for hills than a traditional double without the complicated fuss of a
double..

So I'm airing these thoughts with a mate of mine and he says to me
``mate, you're going to hate me for saying this but it's time for a new
bike.'' He sometimes reads this forum so I'll probably cop it tomorrow.

Looking at dollars, putting my old shot wheels my Trek and selling it
(my Ritchey rims / Dice hubs are sooooo sweet) it may actually work out
cheaper. Especially considering that a bottom bracket replacement /
refit can't be that far away.

But.

I really like my bike. It's an old friend. It's comfy, does what I
want and I just plain old like it.

So dump and new or upgrade? I'm in favor of upgrade (if you consider
compact cranks an upgrade) and unless someone can sell me the benefits
of moving to a new steed when the one I've got fits me like a glove
that's probably the way I'll go.

Guess that's just my personality. Heck I've got a fleece that's 17
years old and it's my favourite piece of clothing.
--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

I second the upgrade path. You already have new wheels. If your shifters are still good, all you need is the drivetrain.
As for lower gearing, do you know if you have a 39 or 42? you can fit a 38 tooth small ring on a standard road crank (130 BCD).
Check out the range of possible cassettes for a more suitabe replacement.

If you still want a compact crank, I know Abbotsford Cycles has some Ritchey labeled cranksets at a reasonable price.