Mountain Biking - upgrading or building a new bike?

I was thinking about starting to upgrade my bike, starting with disc brakes and new derailers/shifters. And eventually overhauling the entire bike, one step at a time.

I have a GT avalanche 2.0 btw

Would you recomend this compared to just buying a whole new bike? Cheaper, more expensive? People that have done it before- do you think you ended up with a better bike that could have been bought at a store, considering the money spent?




I should also say, I have not worked on bikes much, so it would be a learning experiance for me. I dont think anything is to complicated though?

maybe just starting out with something like this would work alot better for me,

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13608-120_SRAX94_KIT-3-Parts-135-Build-Kits/Sram-X.9-Disc-Build-Kit.htm


Just upgrading a brakes/shifters, and all the parts that follow would put me near the price of an entire build kit...

just riding a mountain bike- I aquired plenty of spares over about 5 years to virtually buy a frame and fit all my old bits to it. I did not do that- But I had a custom frame built and fitted a new headset and bottom bracket to it. Then all the parts from my Kona, were transferred to the custom frame. Then the Kona was rebuilt using all the original parts that I had upgraded. Couple of things I had to buy extra- new chain and new cassette for the custom frame, and the Kona had to have a cheap set of changers fitted. Took the chance to change the custom over to 9 speed and left the Kona as originally fitted.

For my bit of Looking after the Kona and changing parts well before they broke- or upgrading to better quality- I now had two bikes. The custom was superb and the Kona was nearly as good.

That was around ten years ago, but it is not a route I would take now. Prices have dropped remarkably, and it would work out cheaper to buy a new bike than upgrade on the scale you are thinking of. Then on top of that- It is far more pleasing to have a new bike- than a revamped one.

I have been dealing with this issue for a few years now, having 2 MTBers in the family for whom I supply most of the $$ for parts and upgrades.

If you like the feel of the bike you have, upgrade it. You will learn, which will inevitably cut down on bike shop repairs, and you will end up with what you want - plus, upgrading is a little $$ here, a lot of $$ there, but all in bits and pieces, instead of one huge outlay for a new bike - and you may not like the stock components. If you're serious about your bike, upgrade until you need a new frame, and then get a new frame & transfer your parts! (see the "help - I'm just a mom" thread)

I recently decked out my '02 rockhopper frame. I saw no reason to get rid of it since it's been tough and is reasonably light. I went with a new reba team fork, new 517 wheelset, and xt everything else. I couldn't have found a new bike with a reba team or fox100 for the money I spent on the upgrades. Now I have a sweet rig and can upgrade the frame some day if I find something I have to have. These components will last a LONG time.

Right now im I see a couple different plans working for me.

1. sell my bike, use the money to buy something like this,
- http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13608-120_SRAX94_KIT-3-Parts-135-Build-Kits/Sram-X.9-Disc-Build-Kit.htm
- http://www.pricepoint.com/detail.htm?stylepkey=14169&style_id=175%20SETHS5&detailName=Sette%20Reken%20Hardtail%20Frame&dept_id=3&deptName=Parts&sub_id=135&subName=Build%20Kits&lprice=79.98&hprice=79.98

2. sell and buy a new bike (im still not sure if it pays to build a bike yourself or not) Anybody know a bike that would have comparable components to the sram-x.9 kit?

3. upgrade my 8 speed to
- http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/12826-135_SRAX93-3-Parts-57-Derailleurs/SRAM-X.9-Trigger-Shifters-w_-X.9-Rear-Derailleur-COMBO.htm
- http://www.pricepoint.com/detail.htm?stylepkey=12913&style_id=065%20SRA974&detailName=SRAM%20Powerglide%20II%20PG%20970%20Cassette%209%20Speed&dept_id=3&deptName=Parts&sub_id=57&subName=Derailleurs&lprice=34.98&hprice=34.98
- I would also need new brake levers, maybe upgrading to discs too would be an option, but that is probably more money than I want to spend.

Im not sure what else I would need to do this upgrade to my GT to a 9 speed, or if the sram shifters would work with my front deraileur. Either way, I would not want to put any more money into the bike than this.



What do you guys think?

Those aren't significant upgrades. Ditch the bike and start fresh.

I like the frame alot.

I feel in handles fantastic off-road, and I perfer it to any other similar priced bike I have ridden. However somethimes I think I should have a bigger frame, but im really not sure. Sometimes I think it fits me perfect (off-road usually), other times (road) I feel like I should have a bigger bike. It is a medium btw,

Besides actually taking a ride, how do I know what size bike fits me best.



However, if I were to make "significant" upgrades to my bike, I would rather start over and sell my current bike to help pay for the new ride.

That's the same situation I was in. I figured I wouldn't get any money for my old rockhopper and I really liked the frame, so I built it up. I have more money in the bike than I paid for it new....but all of those components can easily be moved to a different frame and I can put the original stuff back on the rockhopper to sell it..if I ever do. I thought about a new bike but most of the bikes in the $700 (about what I spent on upgrades) price range come with cheesy forks/wheels/components. If you like the frame, keep it.

how did you upgrade a whole bike for only 700 dollars?, what kind of components?

Now im thinking I should just work with what I have. I think the frame is great and would ONLY consider upgrading it, if it mean saving a few pounds. However I have no idea what it weighs (any ideas? I doubt a I would save that much weight unless I spent a bunch of money on a replacement???)

I really want to upgrade the shifting situation, but other than that- what would be the most cost effective upgrades for me to start with?

how did you upgrade a whole bike for only 700 dollars?, what kind of components?

Now im thinking I should just work with what I have. I think the frame is great and would ONLY consider upgrading it, if it mean saving a few pounds. However I have no idea what it weighs (any ideas? I doubt a I would save that much weight unless I spent a bunch of money on a replacement???)

I really want to upgrade the shifting situation, but other than that- what would be the most cost effective upgrades for me to start with?

'06 reba team fork $350 on ebay
mavic 517 wheels on xt hubs $139?
and the rest went to xt front and rear derailleurs and maxxis larsen tires.

would you recomend XT over SRAM X.9?


and what about shifters?

I still really like the looks of the sram build kit. For 700 dollars, there is no way I could get that type of quality. Even if I didnt upgrade little stuff like the saddle/seatpost/handlebar and stuff.

I figure that my best choice would either be to go with the build kit, or start fresh with a new bike.


Buying parts from pricepoint for an entire new bike
-$700 build kit (another 150 for xt shifters and derailleur's)

Sram X.9 Disc Build Kit
Rear Derailleur Sram X.9
Bar: Sette XLR 3/4 Riser
Front Derailleur: Sram Gen X
Headset: Cane Creek S2
Bottom Bracket: TruVativ GXP
Crankset: TruVativ Stylo Team
Brake Calipers: Avid Mechanical 160mm
Shifter Pods : Sram X.9 Triggers
Brake Levers: Avid Speed Dial 7
Cassette: Sram PG970
Hubset: XT M756 Disc
Chain: Sram PC-950
Stem: Sette Edge
Seatpost: Sette APX Alloy
Saddle: Sette IXA Gel Chromoly
Tires: Irc Mythos XC Racing
Tubes: Irc Rubber
Rim Strips: Sette Rim Tape
Rims: Sun Rhyno Lite

-$80 Sette Reken frame
-$300 or so for reba fork


Thats around $1100 for a pertty high end bike, or spend 1100 dollars for a new bike. However, I cant think of a $1100 bike with those types of components.... anybody know of something comparable?

any more thoughts?

maybe that is what I will do then.

But, its not like think the frame "can't" be replaced. I havent really been biking for that long, or have road that many different bikes (espicially high end). The chances are there are plenty of other rides that I would enjoy just as much. But, its hard to fix something that isnt broken...

The bottom line is, I plan on putting alot of money into this sport, and want to make sure it will be spent well.


EDIT: do all sram shifters shift up and down with the thumb?

I know this is going to sound really biased, but look at a new Jamis Exile. It has components similar to the build kit components (some nicer ones, some cheaper ones), and it has a nice reynolds steel frame. It retails for about $1200 new, but you could talk them down lower.

That bike looks pertty tempting actually, so does the dakota comp. The only thing that I dont like is the Manitou fork, I have no expirence with them, but is dosent seem like they get much respect on this forum.

Before I make any decisions, im gonna go talk to a LBS and see what they have to say. Maybe I could make a deal with them or whatnot.


About steel bikes... I used to own one when I was a kid (rockhopper). I didnt do any seriouse biking with it, but I know my GT felt alot better off road (this was going from a riged to a suspension fork).

What generally makes a steel bike different form aluminum?

You use the thumb on one shift and your index finger on another shift.



Does SRAM change the design between models? The x.7 shifters I was checking out the other day were push/push, both with the thumb...