I recently got into cycling and I am trying to soak up as much information as I can. I tend to go overboard with most things that I do and end up with alot more gear than I actually need. So far in my first 2 weeks I have picked up a mid level bike,trainer,cadence cpu, and went clipless. I am going to be working on building my base miles for quite a while since I havent rode a bike since I was 16 and am now 26. So to the point of this thread, I have $200 to spend and I am curious if there is any tool that I could pick up that would improve the overall quality of my training? I know cycling is a pretty expensive sport so can $200 even go anywhere? If you had $200 dollars what would you pickup? Any advice would be greatly appreciated since I dont want to end up with a $200 dollar paperweight.
$200 value in cycling
- Thread starter Jeff Farmer
- Start date
I'd say put the $200 in your pocket and find some local group rides.
Otherwise, if you haven't got clothing, a good helmet, pair of cycling shorts and a jersey or two will make that cash disappear.
Also, an on the road repair kit with pump, tubes, etc.
Otherwise, if you haven't got clothing, a good helmet, pair of cycling shorts and a jersey or two will make that cash disappear.
Also, an on the road repair kit with pump, tubes, etc.
Maydog is right. The best "tool" that would improve the overall quality of your training would be people to train with. Cycling is not a good solitary sport for most people. It is easier and more fun to do training rides with other cyclists. They help you stay motivated and help out with all kinds of tried and true training tips.
As for $200, if you already have your cycling clothing, then the next things would be a flat tire repair kit for on the road and a home floor pump. If you are mechanically inclined, you can add tools as you need them.
As for $200, if you already have your cycling clothing, then the next things would be a flat tire repair kit for on the road and a home floor pump. If you are mechanically inclined, you can add tools as you need them.
Thanks for the quick replies. I live in a small town and the closest city with a cycling club is 20 miles away and my car is not able to haul a bike at all. I would have to ride my bike there to even meet up with the group and I want to build my base miles up to where I know I can make it 20 miles there, go on the ride with the group, and then be able to make it back the 20 miles home. That's why I was curious about anything that would improve training efficiency because I am anxious to get out there and ride. Would anyone ever recommend something like the Erocks Rock virtual training video? They have one that is dedicated towards building your base miles and also one that simulates a century ride that would help with saddle time for sure. At the moment I am riding 2 hrs a day 6 days a week and then an easy 45 min ride on the only sunday I have had riding so far.
what is important to you on your bike? spped? comfort? reliability? i like having spare tires and maybe a chain ready to go on. i scour ebay and buy in advance to save some and it comes in handy to have them when you need em. buy a chain stretch tool and the park on the bike chain scrubber. keep that drivetrain clean and happy. sounds like your cabable of putting in the miles so dont neglect the bike. do research on fit for the bike too. a good fit goes a long way in this highly repititious sport!
i like the idea of base miles. if your not in a hurry to get speed? work on your diet and base miles until about 1 or 2 months out from where you want to be hitting your stride. then start doing some of the drills like you find in the training vids. if speed is your goal? save for a power meter! best way to train hands down!
I'm glad you brought up maintenance because that is one area where it is easy to find alot of confusing or contradicting information. As far as general drivetrain/overall bike maintenance what is a good guideline to follow? Weekly,daily,mileage based? Just some quick tips to write on my big dry erase board with my mileage/cadence logs would be perfect. Thanks again for all of your help. I am really starting to love this sport but it can be a little overwhelming at times with all of the information.
Welcome to the forums Jeff. Try this link out load of maintenance and repair tips.http://bicycletutor.com/
Thanks Dave. Now on to recent news, this morning I stopped by a friends house and had a little luck (well maybe luck isn't the right word) but he had a Denali that was collecting dust in his garage. I asked him about it and he said that he got it last year on clearance and just couldn't get into it so I asked him if he would be interested in selling it. He said a case of beer and it was mine (gotta love the south and keystone drinkers) and figuring the frame was atleast worth that I went ahead and got it. While I was researching to buy my first bike I came across alot of reviews on the denali where it seemed that serious cyclist laughed at the bike while it seemed to work for the everyday commuter cyclist that didn't mind upgrading a few parts. After a quick test ride I can defintely see why the grip shifters get so much flack, I was not a fan at all compared to the shifters on my Trek. The brakes were fine for lower speeds but anything over 20mph and you entered the brake and pray stage. And since I have a little extra cash at the moment and ended up getting the entire bike for around 20 bucks I can make this into a comfortable commuter with atleast the same style components that are on my other bike. That way I dont start fiddling around trying to revo shift while on my Trek and vice versa. Now the 20 dollar question is.....where can I find bars,shifters, and a rear derailleur that will fit onto this bike for hopefully less than 200 if possible. I dont need top of the line since this will only be used for commuting but I would like it to be reliable and safe. Thanks for any suggestions or input that you may have for me.
Your best choice is to search on eBay. You can find a lot of new-old-stock and some good, lightly used compnents. I don't know that you will be able to find brifter style shifters for under $200 though, new or used. They tend to be a little higher than that.
Yeah Brifters could wait a week to add some of next weeks check to in order to pick some up. I was mainly concerned with compatibility of parts, what exactly should I look for when seeing if something would match up with the bike when ordering off ebay. Mainly handlebar/shifter wise..what info. would I need to know. Here is the specs of the Denali
Frame: Aluminum 7005 straight gauge
Fork: GMC Series 7000 steel
Chain: KMC Z 51
Crankset: Prowheel Alloy 335P6 28X38X48 170mm
Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-TZ 31 Index
Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-TZ30GS 7SPD
Shifters: Shimano Revo SIS L2/R7
Brake levers: Promax BL-250AP Aluminum
Brakes: Promax 501A Alloy Caliper Brake
Rims: Vitesse Alloy black 700CX14GX36H
Tires: Kenda Black With Grey Band 700X28C
Stem: Aluminum black EXT:100mm 0D.
Handlebar: Maesbend W: 430mm D:22.0mm
Saddle: Cionlli Black
Seat post: HL Aluminum Micro Adjust 27.2 X 300mm
Pedals: VP-990S plastic body with steel cage
Weight: 29.0 lbs
Frame: Aluminum 7005 straight gauge
Fork: GMC Series 7000 steel
Chain: KMC Z 51
Crankset: Prowheel Alloy 335P6 28X38X48 170mm
Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-TZ 31 Index
Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-TZ30GS 7SPD
Shifters: Shimano Revo SIS L2/R7
Brake levers: Promax BL-250AP Aluminum
Brakes: Promax 501A Alloy Caliper Brake
Rims: Vitesse Alloy black 700CX14GX36H
Tires: Kenda Black With Grey Band 700X28C
Stem: Aluminum black EXT:100mm 0D.
Handlebar: Maesbend W: 430mm D:22.0mm
Saddle: Cionlli Black
Seat post: HL Aluminum Micro Adjust 27.2 X 300mm
Pedals: VP-990S plastic body with steel cage
Weight: 29.0 lbs
I didn't know that it was a 7-speed bike. If it is, then I am pretty certain that you can forget about using brifters unless you want to replace the entire drivetrain. I believe that Shimano only started using brifters for their 8-speed offerings. Bar end shifters are an option though.
Why are you wanting to change the handlebars? If you want to put MTB bars on the bike, then you can just replace the shifters with thumb shifters. Anyway, for the handlebars, just make sure that the diameter of the clamping surface of the replacement handlebar is the same as the clamping surface of the old handlebar. If you do put MTB bars on the bike, you will need new brake handles too.
I'm kinda concerned about the brakes that you are getting with this bike. I have seen a lot of broken Promax brakes and I think that I would make replacing them my No.1 priority if I got this bike.
Why are you wanting to change the handlebars? If you want to put MTB bars on the bike, then you can just replace the shifters with thumb shifters. Anyway, for the handlebars, just make sure that the diameter of the clamping surface of the replacement handlebar is the same as the clamping surface of the old handlebar. If you do put MTB bars on the bike, you will need new brake handles too.
I'm kinda concerned about the brakes that you are getting with this bike. I have seen a lot of broken Promax brakes and I think that I would make replacing them my No.1 priority if I got this bike.
Quick reply if someone would be so kind...I found this listing and was wondering if this would work on the bike if I replaced the back cassettes or whatever I would have to in order to make it work? If I can win this and it work it would go a long way in improving the overall quality of the bike. Added with new brakes,derailleurs, etc....
http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Ultegra-Triple-Touring-Group-w-Bar-End-Shifters-/180649195736?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a0f87f8d8
http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Ultegra-Triple-Touring-Group-w-Bar-End-Shifters-/180649195736?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a0f87f8d8
With only 2 weeks of cycling under your belt, you are over analyzing this. Right now, all you need to do is ride your bike and gain some cycling knowledge. I would not recommend upgrading the Denali at all. It's a cheap department store bike, and upgrading the entire drivetrain to Ultegra would be like putting a Ferrari engine in a Yugo.
- What is the "mid level bike" you mentioned in your original post?
- Does it fit you well?
- What size is the Denali?
- Does it fit you better than the other bike?
- Have you been sized at a bike shop?
- Have you tried an online bike size calculator?
Good advice from Scotty Dog. As you have stated you do tend to go overboard. Take your time and enjoy your bike. In the end you may be better off just investing in your original bike instead of trying to build and maintain at the same time. As far as the components you have posted that is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what you will need to upgrade your Denali. After all there is a reason why they are 150 bucks new.
Thanks Scotty and Dave. You're right, it is really easy to get carried away and just start part hunting especially when you are new and not sure what to look for. Which is a horrid combination to begin with. I suppose I am in that bliss part of cycling where in the beginning you just want to jump on board and try to play catch up and everything better than what you currently have gets you excited and pulling out the plastic. But as for the denali, I will go with your advice and hold off and just concentrate on building base miles. Although on rainy days when I am spending 2 hrs on the trainer at a time I do go over my budget quite a bit in my head trying to see how much I can squeeze here and there which probably doesn't help. But I really would like to replace the handlebars and brakes now if nothing else on the bike just for pure safety reasons while commuting or for weekend rides when a friend wants to come along. I found a set of brakes that a guy upgraded to on his denali that worked so I can try those but everywhere that I find people upgrading the bars on the bike they never list what bars they are or where they got them. So if someone could help on that aspect I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again for all of your help guys. Happy Friday!
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