Originally Posted by
Andy_K
The thing I'd wonder is how much of an upgrade are these bikes over your Smoke. I totally understand wanting to get a new bike, but I wonder if you wouldn't get more bang for the buck out of upgrading the components on the bike you have (assuming it fits and is comfortable).
I was just poking around a few of my favorite web site, and it looks to me like you could upgrade your whole drive train to Deore/LX level and get some hand-built Deore/XM317 wheels for around $400. This is assuming you could install the parts yourself, but if your open to it, I think you could. If you buy one of these new bikes, you'll spend at least $400 and still have Altus level components.
Of course, this brings us to what you mean by efficiency. Components aren't everything. I think you'd feel a big difference with a 9-speed drive train and a carefully chosen gear range, because it would get you tighter spacing between gears. Lighter wheels would also be quite noticeable, and though I know clydes are concerned about wheel strength, a well built 32-spoke wheel is going to be plenty tough enough for you.
Hanging new stuff off of the current frame is a viable option. The only real beefs that I have with the bike is: a)the short chain stays that give me all kinds of heel strike grief, b)the placement of the water cage mounts, c)the grip shifts, and it may not be able to accept 29"/700c wheels.
The main reason why I'm looking at getting another bike is, well, I just want one
. I'm starting to rely on my bike more and more. The family is down to just the one vehicle, and I would like to at some point to let my wife stay home and save the gas money (it's a '99 Suburban- 42 gallon tank, need I say more?). Do that, I would have to start riding to the bus stop instead of being dropped off. That would mean route I'd have to take would be roughly 12 miles, with 8 miles of rolling hills, on a divided 4 lane.
The efficiency comes into play with not just what I'm currently doing, but what may become a reality. My bike is geared like a friggin' mountain goat. It will climb damned near anything that I'm likely to see, but I'm wondering if a larger diameter wheel will actually roll better or not.
The models that I linked to were chosen due to my own personal taste, as well as local availability. I didn't include anything from Specialized, Fuji, GT, Masi, Bianchi, Raleigh or Diamondback due to either I felt they were overpriced, didn't really like the styling, or unsure if the LBS could actually get a specific brand/model (even though they are technically an authorized dealer).