Wanna upgrade my bike ... advice needed.

[Daniel Crispin]

Ok. So for those of you who remember, I decided to change my back wheel.

Got one that is really good now and have not had a single problem since it
was installed over a week ago.

Now I have the following I want to do:

Now -----> Upgrade to

Same kind of cheap front wheel -----> Deore hub with good quality spokes
and good quality rim

Shimano C50 front derailleur --------> Deore front derailleur

Standard seat that came with bike ---> High end seat

Average quality pedals + clips -------> Clipless pedals and shoes

Standard tires -----------------------> High quality Kevlar tires

My question is, what should I upgrade first?

Front wheel is cheap but since it is not supporting my weight it does not
get out of alignment that
fast. It's starting to but it's not doing as badly as it's twin sister in
the back.

Derailleur... not sure what the difference whould be, but this one has
derailled a few times and got me
mad

As for the seat, mine is a pain. If I put it at the height I like, I get
this huge burning sensation in the crotch area.
If I put it lower it's ok but I hate a low seat. Also it has a built in
suspension in the post... can I change the seat and
keep the suspension? It's on a rack type mount.

Pedals I have the most questions about. I know there are several standards
out there... if I decide to go clipless
what should I choose? I am heavy (270 now) and I need something strong.
Can someone explain the advantages
and inconveniants of clipless system for me? Also I know you can get them
for bike shoes or normal looking shoes
with clips in them... I would prefer that.

As for tires. I am sure that will come last. When I see mine needs
changing I will get good quality ones.

 

[Dan Daniel]

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 22:27:50 -0400, "Daniel Crispin"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Ok. So for those of you who remember, I decided to change my back wheel.
>
>Got one that is really good now and have not had a single problem since it
>was installed over a week ago.
>
>Now I have the following I want to do:
>
>Now -----> Upgrade to
>
>Same kind of cheap front wheel -----> Deore hub with good quality spokes
>and good quality rim
>
>Shimano C50 front derailleur --------> Deore front derailleur
>
>Standard seat that came with bike ---> High end seat
>
>Average quality pedals + clips -------> Clipless pedals and shoes
>
>Standard tires -----------------------> High quality Kevlar tires
>
>My question is, what should I upgrade first?
>

Seat. Period. You shouldn't have a sore crotch from biking, and you
shouldn't be using a bad seat height to make up for a poor seat.
Everything else is secondary.

Check seat position right away- fore/aft and tilt- to see if that
improves anything while you embark on what can be a difficult search
for the right seat.

Then I'd do the wheel. At your weight, a well-built 36 spoke wheel is
a great investment that will let you ride with peace of mind. Look at
an XT level wheel and see if the price is close.

 

[Pbwalther]

>Seat. Period. You shouldn't have a sore crotch from biking, and you
>shouldn't be using a bad seat height to make up for a poor seat.
>Everything else is secondary.

>Check seat position right away- fore/aft and tilt- to see if that
>improves anything while you embark on what can be a difficult search
>for the right seat.

Very good advice. A cheap bike that fits and is comfortable is far superior to
an expensive bike that is excruciating to ride. Which do you think would get
ridden the most? Comfort, comfort, comfort.

 

[David Kerber]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 22:27:50 -0400, "Daniel Crispin"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Ok. So for those of you who remember, I decided to change my back wheel.
> >
> >Got one that is really good now and have not had a single problem since it
> >was installed over a week ago.
> >
> >Now I have the following I want to do:
> >
> >Now -----> Upgrade to
> >
> >Same kind of cheap front wheel -----> Deore hub with good quality spokes
> >and good quality rim
> >
> >Shimano C50 front derailleur --------> Deore front derailleur
> >
> >Standard seat that came with bike ---> High end seat
> >
> >Average quality pedals + clips -------> Clipless pedals and shoes
> >
> >Standard tires -----------------------> High quality Kevlar tires
> >
> >My question is, what should I upgrade first?
> >
>
> Seat. Period. You shouldn't have a sore crotch from biking, and you
> shouldn't be using a bad seat height to make up for a poor seat.
> Everything else is secondary.
>
> Check seat position right away- fore/aft and tilt- to see if that
> improves anything while you embark on what can be a difficult search
> for the right seat.

Indeed it can be! I'm on number 6, though I think I've finally found my
one true saddle <Grin>; I'll know for sure after the 70-miler this
weekend. I think part of the problem was trying to get away too cheap.
You don't need to spend $100 to get a good comfortable saddle, but you
might need to go $50.


> Then I'd do the wheel. At your weight, a well-built 36 spoke wheel is
> a great investment that will let you ride with peace of mind. Look at
> an XT level wheel and see if the price is close.


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