BoJaffa

Here's the deal.. After not riding for a few years after starting a family I have jumped back in this year.. My main bike is a Trek 5900 I bought brand new in 2001.It's very well equipped and gets the job done. My back up bike is a 99 Raliegh R700 which I have had since new also. The drive train is shot, but the wheels which are Mavic CXP 33's on Ultegra hubs are good.. Is it worth upgrading the group to new 105?I want this bike to ride from November to March, it just needs to be a solid beater bike. I figure a new 105 bike would be at least $1,500 and new upgrades would save some money over that. Thanks in advance for any replies.

BoSoxYacht

If there's nothing wrong with the Ultegra that came with the bike, I'd just get it tuned up(cables, housings, brake pads, and tires), and ride it.

dalava

^ I don't think the OP said he's got Ultegra drivetrain anywhere

dalava

OP, I think getting some good condition but used components like the Shimano 105 for the beater bike is pretty sound strategy. You can probably pick the whole thing up for less than $300 off ebay or craigslist. The only thing I would be careful is that 5500 is 9 speed, and 5600 is 10 speed. Depending on if you want to use your existing cassette or not, it may or may not be an issue. Another groupset to consider is the SRAM Rival, but it's probably a little more expensive than the 105.

BoSoxYacht

He didn't, but that is what came on that bike.

He says the drivetrain is "shot", but I want to know exactly what is wrong with it.

BoJaffa

Thanks for the replies.. The R700 came with full Ultegra but it is shot from front to back.. The frame is still very stiff although it is dated with a 1 inch head tube and such from that era. I would go 10 speed 105.. I get leary buying used components as far as fit to the frame and the actual life left in the component.. It's really just a mental issue for me. I think the frame is worth upgrading and the wheels I have already.. Are the new aluminum frames that vastly improved from back in the late 90's?

BoSoxYacht

It would be nice to know exactly why you say the drivetrain is shot. I've worked as a bicycle mechanic for many years, and have had many people say components are shot, when all they need is a little attention. Those shifters often get gunked up over time, but normally they can be restored with just a little cleaning.

dalava

I think he just wants a new drive train, what's reason got to do with that

Mountain Mitch

If you are going new a tiagra grouppo will do just fine for a 'beater' bike.

BoJaffa

The shifters are pretty bad.. The front is original with a lot of miles and plenty of slop in the shifter itself. The rear is an old 105 from like 2001 which I had put on after tearing up the original Ultegra one.. Chain and cassette are worn out too. The thing that makes it appealing to upgrade the group is that I have wheels, Thompson seat post, King headset and the frame already. If those parts were bad then a whole new bike would make more sense. I hate to see this bike hanging there doing nothing and I wouldn't get anything for it if I sold it. So if I can get it up and running for around 600.00 bucks I think that's the way to go. Thanks again for your input.

BoSoxYacht

If the derailleurs are still good, I'd look for some lightly used 10speed levers, and get a new chain & cassette.

qualia8

Buying a new groupset is almost always a bad idea. I got a brand new Ridley Icarus last year from Competitive Cyclist for $650 on sale. It has 10-spd Tiagra and by replacing saddle and wheels with my own, I got it down to 17.5 lbs and rode it all winter. It's a great bike and I've raced it while my carbon bike was in the shop. Didn't notice a difference in performance except that Tiagra shifts perfectly, better than Ultegra b/c of its external routing. $650 is what you're going to spend on a groupset alone. Just think about that...

You pay almost nothing to get the rest of a whole bike along with a groupset. You can sell your current setup and get a whole new bike and probably come out ahead.

rpenmanparker 

I see no fault with OP's reasoning. He wants to do a job properly and cost effectively, but he is not whining about a very restrictive budget or other limitations. So all new parts at the lower medium part of the range make sense. OP, I agree with other poster's recommendation about 10 speed Tiagra. It is basically older 105 rebadged. Could be a good compromise point.

dtrain

I'd go with the new 9-speed 3500 Sora (or Microshift) shifters and limit the other 'upgrades'. For example; brake pads instead of calipers; cassatte, chain, and cables/housing but likely not derailleurs; etc. But it's your money.

cyclezen

it would take a lot of abuse to ruin 9 spd Ultegra shifters - a good cleaning of the internals and levers should make them good as new.
Likely the same goes for the FD/RD/Crankset and brake calipers.

I would:
spend a few quality hours get the above parts back into good shape
get a new chain and cassette
put on new cables
maybe get new hoods, if they didn;t hold up well.
nice set of ultralight tubes and GP 4000s or similar...

be prepped for the butt break-in time...

or send me a pic of all the stuff you want to replace and I'll make you an offer...

in either case, do expect a few wks of monkeybutt - wurst part of rentry...

dalava

The man needs a new groupset, why are you guys talking reason and try to talk him out of it

Just help him out and tell him what groupset he must have: Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, used, new, SRAM, whatnot.

cyclezen

...I'm fishin for a deal on good stuff... need some for my son...

qualia8

I think people don't understand the economics of how bikes are made and priced. It just isn't logical that you can essentially buy a complete bike, including saddle, seatpost, bars, stem, headset, etc., for roughly the same price as a groupset, but that is the strange reality out there.

It seems less bizarre when you think about autos. Who would try to piece together a car out of parts? It would cost you 10x the price of a new vehicle, at least, even if you did all the labor of assembly. Bike pricing isn't nearly as bad as that. But to all my friends who talk about upgrading groupsets or worse yet, building up a frame and sourcing all components on ebay, my advice is the same: price it all out. Be sure to include cables and all of the little bits! You'll spend 50% more, at least to build your bike, and more likely double. (Remember shipping on all those separate parts!)

Check out what bikes like yours are selling for on Ebay. Just look at what your frame and fork would bring. There are lots of other idiots looking to "buy a cheap frame and build it up". Now look at the best deals online for new bikes, complete with components. Compare (price of new bike - price of your bike on ebay) to (price of groupset). When I did that anyway, it was kind of amazing how much I could save going new.

Actually, given the price of new parts on Ebay, I thought about buying bikesdirect bikes or whatever and just parting everything out. You could buy the cheapo internet bike, swap over the new components and then set the frame and cockpit, etc., on Ebay and still come out ahead.

IMHO, we should stop enabling this insane pricing by buying groupsets.

BoJaffa

Well I took down to my mech. He's also a very good friend. Seems chain and cassette are worn past 80%,wheels in rear der. are cracked.. I realize the cost of groupset and how it compares to new bike. If I can get the whole job done for around 800.00 I think it makes sense. Seems most 105 equipped bikes are more than 800.00 and don't come with very beefy or durable wheels. Money saved could go toward a new high endd purchase next year or new gear or whatever.

merlinextraligh

Sell the Raliegh. Make the Trek the beater bike, and buy a modern CF bike.

You'll be surprised how much nicer bikes have gotten in the last 12 years. Compared to your Trek, a comparble new CF bike will be more comfortable to ride, as wel as stiffer where it matters in the bottom bracket, and the front end.

And Dura Ace 9000 is dramatically better than Dura Ace 7700. Heck, current generation 105 is better.

The $1000 or so that you'll avoid spending on the up grade, and realize from selling the old bike is a decent start toward a new modern bike.

himespau 

Take any bits on the Raleigh that are better than those on the Trek but work on both (if any), swap them over, sell the working parts of the Raleigh separately (probably could get more for parts on e-bay than for a nonworking bike), put that money with the money you're planning on spending on a new groupset and put that towards a whole new bike. It's so fun spending other people's money.

dtrain

Shifters:
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...08_-1___202436

Plus cassette, chain, brakes pads, tires/tubes, and RD jockey wheels.

You intend this as a rain bike...why on earth throw $800 at it? I'd cap the investment around $375 - otherwise sell it and demote the 5900 as others have suggested.

BoJaffa

It seems you really run into some decisions once you keep a bike for as long as I have had these two. I really don't think I would get more than a couple hundred bucks for the R700..So 200.00 towards a new CF bike nicely outfitted isn't much.. I may do better selling the trek and using that money towards new bike next year.

RollCNY

OP, just for frame of reference:

I jumped on Ribble, and put the following in a basket: 4600 crankset (choice of compact or std), 4600 BB, 4600 chain, 4600FD, 4600 RD (short), 4600 cassette (12-28), and Veloce shifters (which include all cables). With shipping, it is $309. Buy a J-Tek shiftmate for $40, and you are all set up for an all new drivetrain for $350-360.

If you want to do it for less, get a 9 speed cassette and hubbub the cable, so you don't need the shiftmate. Then it is $307.

This is for all new parts. You don't have to spend a fortune to update the drivetrain.

BoJaffa

Thanks for all the input.. This site is a great resource. I think I may just get 105 shifters, Ultegra chain, ultegra cassette, and ultegra rear der. I'll keep my cranks, brakes and bottom bracket for now. $412.00 for parts. Best price I found for 105 groupset was 610.00.