"Valerie/Hal Hudson" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%[email protected]...
> I bought a starter bike, Cannondale R400 with Sora components. I find that I am riding all the
> time and am considering upgrading. My question is it worth it?
Upgrading bikes usually isn't worth it, you're generally better off getting a new bike if you do
substantial upgrades since buying components piecemeal is more expensive (higher markups).
> I am wanting a carbon fork to help smooth the ride. I am 6'7", 215 lbs so an aluminum frame is
> not bad but I have nothing to compare it to.
A fat tubed aluminum frame, like a Cannondale or a Klein is usually the best bet for big riders,
since the large frame sizes have less side-to-side flex. It's not a big deal, but noticeable (I'm
6'10", 230 and ride a Cannondale mostly, but have steel frames also). I don't think the frame
material has anything to do with comfort, I do a lot of long distance riding (like double centuries)
and wouldn't be riding what I am otherwise.
I'm not sure what your upgrade goals are. If it's a comfort thing, the cheap experiment is different
tires. I've ridden 23 mm, but find 25 or 28 to be just as fast and less punishing and offer more rim
protection. It's always nice to have a second set of wheels, so if money is burning a hole in your
pocket you could go for that, they'd always be useful even if you got a new bike down the road, but
don't expect a transformation in comfort or speed. At your size (and mine), I'd be a little leery of
trick components like h-bars and forks that might not have the extra safety margin. Sora isn't bad
group, but it certainly isn't the ultimate, and by the time you've popped for a whole group, you're
halfway to a new bike. If what you've got works OK, then newer stuff will only be marginally
lighter, not a remarkable difference.
Bottom line is you've got a pretty nice bike for a guy your size already, you're more or less at the
point of diminishing returns. You'd notice the differences switching to a better bike, but they'd
come from a whole lot of small changes, difficult, and not very cost effective, to upgrade to.