entry level bike -- most of money goes towards wheelset and frame?

[Tsp]

dealer guy said that the price difference in entry level bikes, and also the items that one should
look at most carefully is the wheelset, frame, and forks. this is because the other items such as
pedals, derailleurs, brakes, etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.

is this true? i think the wheelset part is, because rims, hubs, and tires together are quite costly.
what about bottom bracket and crank?

well i guess what im really asking is which components should one focus on when purchasing
a new bike?

 

[Harris]

"tsp" wrote:

> dealer guy said that the price difference in entry level bikes, and also
the
> items that one should look at most carefully is the wheelset, frame, and forks. this is because
> the other items such as pedals, derailleurs,
brakes,
> etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.
>
> is this true? i think the wheelset part is, because rims, hubs, and tires together are quite
> costly. what about bottom bracket and crank?
>
>
> well i guess what im really asking is which components should one focus on when purchasing a
> new bike?

I'd focus primarily on the overall fit and suitablity of the bike to your intended use. The frame
and wheels are definitely the most important items. But I disagree that upgrading the other stuff
is cheap. Buying a bike with the expectation of upgrading components a year or two later is not
smart. Nor is it necessary to have Dura Ace or Record level components, IMHO. (I assume you're
talking road bike.)

Art Harris

 

[The Real Lee Ca]

"tsp" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> dealer guy said that the price difference in entry level bikes, and also
the
> items that one should look at most carefully is the wheelset, frame, and forks. this is because
> the other items such as pedals, derailleurs,
brakes,
> etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.
>
> is this true? i think the wheelset part is, because rims, hubs, and tires together are quite
> costly. what about bottom bracket and crank?
>
>
> well i guess what im really asking is which components should one focus on when purchasing a
> new bike?
>
Crank, yes. And the frame/fork/wheelset too. Bottom brackets are't that expensive to begin with, and
most cartridge bottom brakets are already quite OK to begin with. Also, keep in mind that when you
upgrade the hub or the rim, you will have to have the wheel relaced at the same time, which is not
very cost effective if you want good wheel-building.

A little off-the-point, but keep in mind the bike fit too. This is very important. If the frame is
of the wrong size, there is little you can do about it.

The Real Lee Casey

 

[Alfred Klek]

this is because the other items such as pedals, derailleurs, brakes,
> etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.

yes, parts such as those are cheap upgrades (unless you want to go clipless which is an investment).
what will get you is the labor involved in replacing those parts. you can get a set of ultegra (very
very nice) derailleurs for about $75 from anonymous online retailler but it will probably cost you
as much to get it installed at an LBS. that is because installation also includes adjustment.
adjustment equals time. time equals money. Alfred