Originally Posted by phoebeisis
The best bang for the buck is to go for lighter , better wheels and tires. If it is a V-Brake bike this is a good time ,because many folks are going to disc wheels. Many sets of rim brake wheels are being sold cheaply on ebay. ///
I've been thinking about this for one of our clunker/commuter bikes. The frame and fork are from an older Trek 720. The unmarked rear wheel seems rather heavy and was from an inexpensive bike - it weighs 5 lbs 3 oz with the 700x35c tire, tube, etc. One spec site lists the rear as Weinmann 2719. The front was a used replacement - it says Weinman 519 and weighs 3lbs 14 oz with similar tube and tire. The tire is a Panaracer Pasela that's about 250g in that size.
This bike will be used for year-round commuting of about 6 miles a day. It's also parked in a relatively high-crime area, sometimes for several days, so we've been reluctant to make it too attractive. At the same time, making it a better ride for other recreational uses on the weekend is also appealing. So I'm trying to do a value analysis, along with deciphering the value of some of the wheels for sale on eBay or elsewhere.
Any suggestions?