Doki wrote:
> ZeeExSixAre wrote:
>>> Is the cheapest solution to upgrade this bike, or will I get the
>>> best value buying a new one? Do Giant and the other bike makers
>>> have a different frame for every different range of bike or do they
>>> fit different level components to the same frame? I suppose a third
>>> option would be to upgrade all the components I break on this bike
>>> and get a new frame if I decide the bike's being let down by the
>>> frame. Is the LBS likely to be worth asking.
>>
>> Definitely upgrade to a new bike. The Boulder is the
>> bottom-of-the-line out of Giant's offerings. We sell them as
>> back-to-school bikes that whose primary purpose is to get left out in
>> the rain.
>>
>> Having said that, if you're tight on cash, then a rigid fork is
>> definitely the answer! The reason is, if you're breaking forks on
>> these bikes (often the first thing to go on these low-cost bikes)
>> then that means you're exceeding the intended use, which is, in all
>> honesty, city riding and very light trail riding. A rigid fork has
>> virtually nothing to go wrong with it, and any new low-cost
>> suspension fork is probably going to break just like your current
>> fork. Upgrading the whole bike is a sound decision at this point.
>
> If I upgrade the bike, I reckon I'll be waiting until next year's
> models come through and I can get one cheapo. I don't want to buy a
> bike and in 6 months see that I could have had it a load cheaper. I
> reckon a half decent second hand fork is what I want now - rigid
> forks seem to be marketed as "super super strong / light" and hence
> aren't *that* cheap. I'm also not entirely sure there's much point in
> upgrading to a better / lighter bike at the moment as I'm not
> tremendously light, or a particularly skilful rider.
>
>> If you want to stay in the Giant line (which I recommend), you may
>> want to look into the Iguana. It has a non-**** fork that will last
>> longer than what you ad on the Boulder, plus disc brakes if that's
>> your thing, and decent-quality components.
>
> What difference will I see with better components? Obviously the
> bike's going to be lighter, but does stuff work better / differently?
Gwood actually gave a really good suggestion when he said to look into used
bikes. A great-quality older bike depreciates like crazy, and you can often
get a 2-year-old bike with an excellent ride for pennies on the dollar.
Stuff works a little better, and often the ergonomics are better, but you're
mainly paying for the weight reduction. Stick with what you have if you
like it... I feel that a rider really KNOWS when they need a new bike.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training
