About to buy my first road bike and I already know what my first upgrade will be.
#1
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About to buy my first road bike and I already know what my first upgrade will be.
First off this is my bike https://www.khsbicycles.com/05_flite_300_12.htm
I want to upgrade to an Ultregra Crankset, compact 50 x 34 and it says something about 10 speed, does this mean I need a 10 speed cassette system? Because this bike im buying only has 8 speed cassette and chain. My question is will an Ultegra Crankset work with 8 speed drivetrain with 8 speed chain? I love the Ultegra cranks, I had a deore lx hollowtech 2 on my previous bike and I LOVED IT. I cant wait for the Ultegra Crank.
I want to upgrade to an Ultregra Crankset, compact 50 x 34 and it says something about 10 speed, does this mean I need a 10 speed cassette system? Because this bike im buying only has 8 speed cassette and chain. My question is will an Ultegra Crankset work with 8 speed drivetrain with 8 speed chain? I love the Ultegra cranks, I had a deore lx hollowtech 2 on my previous bike and I LOVED IT. I cant wait for the Ultegra Crank.
#2
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It should work but an Ultegra crankset seems serious overkill on that bike and would be way down on my list of things to upgrade. Doubt you'd even notice much of a difference difference except slightly smoother shifting (though with the bike's 2300 series FD and shifters, you might not even experience this). Honestly, on a bike of this level, it is better to ride the heck out of it, replace stuff if it breaks and save up to buy a new one when you are ready for a serious upgrade.
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i have the 223, and I havn't gotten quite all I can from the gears yet, it's a solid bike, and while I already have ideas for my next bike, the next upgrades for me will be the rear cassette and a different saddle. Of course, a front rack, since it has the mounts on the fork.
Ok, I do want to either make the FD cage wider, or change FD, it is just a little to fickle for my taste, then again, I might just change chains, going to look into it this spring.
---- i just realized, you have a 2012 line, my 223 is a 2011. Still, I like my KHS a lot, though I am glad I have my own repair stand.
Ok, I do want to either make the FD cage wider, or change FD, it is just a little to fickle for my taste, then again, I might just change chains, going to look into it this spring.
---- i just realized, you have a 2012 line, my 223 is a 2011. Still, I like my KHS a lot, though I am glad I have my own repair stand.
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The chainrings for the 10 speed are just narrower to accommodate the narrower chain required to fit 10 gears in the back. It will still work fine with your 8spd rear, the spacing is still the same.
#6
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The crankset gear is already a 50/34t, leave it as is, just ride it ..
save your money..
if you want the up market group-set get the model already fitted out that way ..
save your money..
if you want the up market group-set get the model already fitted out that way ..
Last edited by fietsbob; 10-13-11 at 02:27 PM.
#7
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Putting an Ultegra crank on that bike would be the LAST thing I'd do. Like putting a high performance exhaust system on my Escort. At that pricepoint, it's just not worthwhile. How much does that crank go for? You're much better off putting that money into getting a nicer bike.
If you want to upgrade a new bike, the best places to start are the things you will actually notice: saddle, pedals, etc. Do you have clipless pedals and shoes? That would be money well spent, if you don't.
#8
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How could you possibly tell the difference between an Alivio crankset and XT crankset? It turns round and round?
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there are a fair number of people that don't like KHS for some random reasons. My goal for my next bike is Titanium, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy another KHS. Yeah, I plan to upgrade it with various things over the next year, but it's a great bike. (and the touring model looks like a demonic good time)
If you have certain components you really really want though, buy a bike with those. it would be cheaper. I had the opportunity when I got my KHS to get a Fuji that was 200 bucks more expensive, but basically the same components. I liked the way the KHS looked better. Everything so far has been tweaks, like new pedals and such. I have no reason to believe sinking a few hundred bucks into the bike will really make a difference in speed.
If you have certain components you really really want though, buy a bike with those. it would be cheaper. I had the opportunity when I got my KHS to get a Fuji that was 200 bucks more expensive, but basically the same components. I liked the way the KHS looked better. Everything so far has been tweaks, like new pedals and such. I have no reason to believe sinking a few hundred bucks into the bike will really make a difference in speed.
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I thought you were going to say "wheels". That's where you should spend upgrade money IMO. Saddle and wheels- saddle first because cheap stock saddles always hurt my butt, and wheels to go faster and further with more reliability.
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First off this is my bike https://www.khsbicycles.com/05_flite_300_12.htm
I want to upgrade to an Ultregra Crankset, compact 50 x 34 and it says something about 10 speed, does this mean I need a 10 speed cassette system? Because this bike im buying only has 8 speed cassette and chain. My question is will an Ultegra Crankset work with 8 speed drivetrain with 8 speed chain? I love the Ultegra cranks, I had a deore lx hollowtech 2 on my previous bike and I LOVED IT. I cant wait for the Ultegra Crank.
I want to upgrade to an Ultregra Crankset, compact 50 x 34 and it says something about 10 speed, does this mean I need a 10 speed cassette system? Because this bike im buying only has 8 speed cassette and chain. My question is will an Ultegra Crankset work with 8 speed drivetrain with 8 speed chain? I love the Ultegra cranks, I had a deore lx hollowtech 2 on my previous bike and I LOVED IT. I cant wait for the Ultegra Crank.
I had to do that to have any overlapping gears between rings when I paired an FSA "10 speed compatible" 50-34 Carbon Pro Compact crankset with a Campagnolo C9 chain and 13-23 cassette.
Le Tour and Wheels Manufacturing both make .6mm spacers which are useful for running "10 speed" cranksets with wider chains for 8/9 speed setups.
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Clipless pedals and shoes, kool stop brake pads and nicer tires are what you need. An Ultegra crank on a 2300 bike is silly.
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There is nothing specificly wrong with KHS bikes but you have a lower line model and, as the other posters have said, adding an Ultegra crank will contribute nothing to your riding experience but weight savings in your wallet.
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You're polishing a turd. The money you spend on the upgrade, you can get yourself a nice tiagra level bike. 2300 is as entry level as it gets without going to a dept store. No point in upgrading it. If you're set on this bike, just ride the crap out of it, and when you're ready, then find a more race ready bike. But seriously, an ultegra level crank is like half the price of that bike. I'd rather have an overall upgrade, than just one kickass part.
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Two thoughts:
1. Changing the crank will give you absolutely no performance advantage. If you want to upgrade something, upgrade the tires and wheels.
2. The road crank of comprable quality to the Deore mtb crank is the Tiagra, not the Ultegra. The Ultegra is likely to be hundreds of dollars more expensive than the Tiagra. I don't think the Tiagra will give you any performance advantage, either, but you will be wasting less money.
1. Changing the crank will give you absolutely no performance advantage. If you want to upgrade something, upgrade the tires and wheels.
2. The road crank of comprable quality to the Deore mtb crank is the Tiagra, not the Ultegra. The Ultegra is likely to be hundreds of dollars more expensive than the Tiagra. I don't think the Tiagra will give you any performance advantage, either, but you will be wasting less money.
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This is kinda turning into a "brand" thread. The question as to which brand is best(?) always gets my goat. When you're looking at $500-1000 bikes, they are basically the same. The frames are all pretty much decent quality aluminum frames coming from some factory somewhere in China, and in some cases I'm sure that one factory may actually produce bikes sold under several brand names.
The KHS in question is a decent bike with working components. No better or worse than any brand bike in this price range. Same-same. Put any label you want on it, it's the same bike. What makes one brand better than another is dealer support, from out-of-the-box assembly to post sale support and service. Branding doesn't have squat to do with it.
Why would one random shop call it a department store bike? Because they are selling something else. I know of one case where a "department store" had a bike shop and sold Giants. Is Giant then a department store bike? In this case yes, but that particular shop was a good shop. Not that Giant is any great shakes. It's $700 bike is the same as the KHS in question. I call them generic bikes.
Sorry for the rant- now back to the original thought. Putting a crankset that's half the cost of the bike new doesn't make sense to me. Consider in a year that you won't be able to sell that bike for the cost of the crankset. Properly tuned, that bike will be very servicable. Ultegra cranks won't add anything to the experience.
It's your money however- do what you want.
The KHS in question is a decent bike with working components. No better or worse than any brand bike in this price range. Same-same. Put any label you want on it, it's the same bike. What makes one brand better than another is dealer support, from out-of-the-box assembly to post sale support and service. Branding doesn't have squat to do with it.
Why would one random shop call it a department store bike? Because they are selling something else. I know of one case where a "department store" had a bike shop and sold Giants. Is Giant then a department store bike? In this case yes, but that particular shop was a good shop. Not that Giant is any great shakes. It's $700 bike is the same as the KHS in question. I call them generic bikes.
Sorry for the rant- now back to the original thought. Putting a crankset that's half the cost of the bike new doesn't make sense to me. Consider in a year that you won't be able to sell that bike for the cost of the crankset. Properly tuned, that bike will be very servicable. Ultegra cranks won't add anything to the experience.
It's your money however- do what you want.
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You're polishing a turd. The money you spend on the upgrade, you can get yourself a nice tiagra level bike. 2300 is as entry level as it gets without going to a dept store. No point in upgrading it. If you're set on this bike, just ride the crap out of it, and when you're ready, then find a more race ready bike. But seriously, an ultegra level crank is like half the price of that bike. I'd rather have an overall upgrade, than just one kickass part.
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+1 to what others have said - that crankset won't matter, and there are plenty of better things to spend your money on: cyclocomputer, wheels, and I'd put a few bucks into proper maintenance so you get a longer life out of what you have. Think "regular chain lube" and "annual overhaul".
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+1
Putting an Ultegra crank on that bike would be the LAST thing I'd do. Like putting a high performance exhaust system on my Escort. At that pricepoint, it's just not worthwhile. How much does that crank go for? You're much better off putting that money into getting a nicer bike.
If you want to upgrade a new bike, the best places to start are the things you will actually notice: saddle, pedals, etc. Do you have clipless pedals and shoes? That would be money well spent, if you don't.
Putting an Ultegra crank on that bike would be the LAST thing I'd do. Like putting a high performance exhaust system on my Escort. At that pricepoint, it's just not worthwhile. How much does that crank go for? You're much better off putting that money into getting a nicer bike.
If you want to upgrade a new bike, the best places to start are the things you will actually notice: saddle, pedals, etc. Do you have clipless pedals and shoes? That would be money well spent, if you don't.
If that's the bike you want then buy it, but don't spend money upgrading the components.
Ride it, wear it out, by the time you're ready for your next bike you'll have a better idea of what you want in a bike.
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If the OP wants to put on a crank that cost half as much as the bike itself, so be it, if for the right reason. Perhaps that frame was the one he liked best, maybe it just looked perfect. Maybe the one that has all the good stuff happens to have the ugliest dang paint job around. Maybe his favorite color only comes in a 2300 model, and he really wants the better componets on the bike of that color and style. If I were to buy another KHS, I would get their touring model, because it looks super in my opinion. I want a titanium road bike, sure, but I like the way the touring model looks. Would I be so daft to attempt to put sram red on it if I had the money? Dunno, but if you have a bike you love, then nothing is unreasonable. I don't think the specs have changed on the tr101 in 3 years, it looks the same, and damn it, I might just buy it anyways next spring and wait till I'm old enough to claim midlife crises before getting a Titanium bike.
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Dude, that bike is screamin for a Dura Ace crank and bottom bracket... sweeeeeet.
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