I'm riding a 100% stock Trek 7200 for my commute. I don't want to invest any money into it because I figure I'll be better off buying a new bike. Otherwise it would need at least new handlebars, suspension-less fork, seat, fenders.

The funny thing is the bike has already paid for itself on the commutes, even though that wasn't the original purpose of the purchase. I love the freedom of being able to treat it like a beater, yet still long for something better.

I think as you ride your stock bike you soon figure out what you like and don't like about the bike. As a result after a year's riding it likely won't be stock any more. That's essentially what happened to both of my bikes and I'm much happier with the end results than I would have been keeping the bikes stock.

I was going to say myself, but I forgot how many changes I made to my bicycle. I only rode it once in stock form before changing out a few parts.

The bike I was commuting on last year was 20 years old and mostly stock aside from tires and tubes. The only two things changed were the seat (original leather one was lost by someone I borrowed it too... GRRRR), and the pedals. Even the bar tape is still the original, although a bit worn.

My newer bike is becoming less stock by the week, but I knew when I bought it that I'd be upgrading stuff.

Mine wasn't even 'stock' when I rolled it out of the shop. After a fitting session, we determined I'd need a different length stem than the Cross Check complete comes with on a 62cm frame. Plus, my broken in B-17 went on in place of the stock saddle, and 28mm Conti UG tires instead of the Geax 'crossers.
Now I've changed out chainrings and the cassette and built a whole new front wheel.

For the most part I rode everything stock until it wore out. The rear wheel lasted about 1500 miles before I got sick of replacing spokes and built a new wheel (which now has 13000 miles on it with no problems). The saddle lasted about 12000 before falling apart, then I bought a Brooks. Ditto the crank, rear derailler, bottom bracket, and the freewheel. Chain and brake pads obviously were replaced.

I DID change out the pedals for ones with toe clips, then SPDs, without waiting for the platforms to wear out. Last fall after about 13000 miles I built a new front wheel so I could switch to disc brakes in the front. I switched to Koolstop brake pads after about the 2nd set of pads, then I switched to the Nashbar ones where you just replace the pads, not the whole shoe.

Still original: frame, frontend (fork/handlebar/headset), shifters and brake levers, rear hub, rear brake calipers, front derailler, seat post.

Added on: Fenders, rear rack, several head and tail lights (as I experimented).

Would like to change: Get rid of suspension seatpost and suspension fork. Useless, even on the washboarded gravel I ride on.

All "stock" as in it is how I picked it up from the LBS 8 years ago ... now I had a few things changed before I picked it up. MTB clip pedals (shamino I think) and a Cutout seat, ordered it with front bag, rack, panniers (cannondale branded), and recharagable lights (vista).

Cannondale R600T Caad 4

Nope. The designated commuter is a bike I built up from the frame. On my race bike, which becomes my de facto commuter in summer, has exactly three original components: the headset and the brake calipers.

Only thing I've put on my Raleigh One-Way has been a rear rack and a nashbar trunk bag...And I took the toe clips off the stock pedals.


Its not bone stock by choice though. As soon as I can afford a Brooks saddle there will be one on there.