I've been tossing around the idea of either getting a new bike or upgrading. I've been trolling boards for responses to this common question and it seems to come down to "If you have a good frame, upgrade. If not, get a new bike with a good frame." ...which is all well and good. But what's considered a "good frame"?

I've been sporting an '05 Specialized Roubaix for almost 10 years now. Bought it when I started doing triathlons with a friend, mostly for fun but competitive with each other and myself. I haven't used it "heavily" in the past, just enough to keep up for 25-Mi portion of the races. As I've become more running-injury prone, I've started cycling more. I'm to the point where I really only run if I'm doing maintenance on my bike. I'm thinking I'd like to try a century race next year and maybe some of the more local-ish bike races. I live between the Adirondack and the Catskills and would like to do some mountainous rides.

Haven't really had any issues with my bike. I'm relatively comfortable doing 40mi on it. With the exception of some hot-spots on the feet, it seems to fit well enough. Biggest complaint I have is that I can just barely get 700x25s through the brake calipers, and I'd like to go a little bigger. Could probably fit 28s if they were were deflated before going on...which is probably all I really "need". I do most of the maintenance on it (for better or worse) and it's time to start swapping out most of the drive train. Needs a new chain, rings, cogs, crank.

...or I can get a new bike! I really like the idea of having the option of wider tires. So I'm thinking disc breaks (and through-axles for good measure). I was testing out SL4s and Diverges and both had that great new-bike-feel. Local shops probably won't have the new '17 Roubaix in till next year, and I'd really like to try that out. But besides discs, bigger tires, and gear mount points on the Diverge, I don't know if the frames are that much "better" than what I have now. I've found in reviews that they both weigh in at about 17lbs, but I don't know how much of that 4 lb difference from mine is in the frame vs wheels.

My original thought was to get wheels good enough to go on a new bike in a couple years, get a power meter and a new computer to start training more effectively, and to start replacing/upgrading the components that need it. If I want to get away from the 3x9, then I'm essentially looking at adding shifters + derailleurs to the mix...which is breaks and a BB away from replacing the entire group...which makes me wonder if a new bike would just be smarter.

one that fits

Frame question may be secondary. It sounds like you need a new bike. Try comparing the cost of a frame set with everything else, including wheels.

When you buy a new bike, every single part is brand new and every single part has been designed to work with all of the other parts. You also get a new bike warranty.

When you upgrade a bike the result is an old bike that has a few new parts that you got to pick out yourself. No warranty but the bike is personalized to you.

The Bike making factory Buys Truckloads of components .. so Gets the Best price for each .

Retail has to come thru several businesses , so each part will cost more ,

but you are Feeding the more Local Economy. Your Neighbors .


Your Dealer can do Point-of-Sale upgrades and install Accessories, before you take it home.

brand new 11spd ultegra groupset is like $550 online right now, if you can do all the work and install it yourself. new bike with ultegra components start at $1500 and up, again if you shop online. if you go to an LBS, double that to $3000.

comes down to the money you want to spend. if you frame is good and fits you, it'll still be good and fit you. with that said, you've probably gotten your money's worth out of your bike, and nobody would fault you for buying a new one.

Two bikes are better than one.

(I know that is not the official BF slogan, which is "More bikes are better," nor its official meditation mantra, which is "N+1!" but let's start slowly.)

It sounds like a new bike is more a want than a need. As far as maintenance on the old bike, new chain and cassette is probably a need. As are new tires. New chainrings, cranks, shifters and derailleurs is not, unless you really put your bike through some hard use, which you say you didn't.

Yes, you can upgrade wheels on the old bike, again, maybe more a want than a need.

As for changing from a triple to a double, I see very little advantage to that. 3 X 9 might have a few more overlapping gear combinations than 2 X 11, but IMO, not worth spending hundreds of dollars to switch entire drivetrain. IMO, triples and compact doubles each have a set of advantages and disadvantages. If you like your triple and know how to use it correctly, I would just stick with it.

Do you even know that if you fit the 28's through the calipers, they will fit in the frame as it is? I.e., will they rub anywhere besides the calipers once on the bike?

being able to go to 25 is a big deal. 28...well...that might be nice but if you're doing 40mi comfortably that's pretty good for most folks. If you can afford a new Ultegra or even full 105 (not mixed with Tiagra) then get it, but I'd rather have an older frame with great components than a new frame with lousy ones. I'd get electronic shifting before 28mm tires... And as for disc brakes...if you do wet mountain downhills, go for them but understand that you will forever be dealing with adjustments, squealing, bent rotors and all sorts of nonsense. Some folks get discs and are trouble free simply because of how they use or don't use them but for many people they are a pain in the rear. My stable of 10bikes is a mix and one thing I'd say is to get high quality hydraulic discs if you do get them. Low quality BB5 or their ilk will make you crazy.

I got my hands on an '04 Roubaix frame/forkset (same frame as your '05) and I didn't realize how good I had it until I obtained a '10 Roubaix frame/forkset like three weeks after getting the '04 (don't ask why I bought another frame so quickly...I have issues). I swapped all of the parts (5800 groupset, carbon parts, etc) from the '04 to the 10 and I wasn't overwhelmed with the change. In fact, I'm kind of regretting it because I was able to ride 30 miles on the '04 with no problems and I actually finished strong--I struggled like a mo-fo to do the same distance on the newer frame and I was ten minutes slower (and had a sore lower back during the last 10 miles). I think that I've narrowed it down to the seat tube being at a different angle and I'm waiting for a straight CF seatpost to arrive from eBay (I have an offset one right now that was great on the '04). Hopefully that will help and I'll be able to ride the newer frame.


The point of my long-winded story is that if you have the perfect frame right now, don't dump it--keep it and just update the components.

I think you have a "good" frame already. They only drawback is the size of tire that can fit. If you can live with your 25mm tires then just upgrade your components and wheels when they wear out. Of course a new bike is nice to have but sometimes what you have is certainly good enough.

If you are thinking of upgrading your wheels to port to a new bike in the future, make them future proof. Something like DT hubs where you can convert from quick release to through axle and disc ready.

I think I'm taking the n+1 approach. Got some parts to tune up my old ride a bit so I can use it for commuting. LBS was clearing out stock for the season and offered 33℅ off. Had a pair of Roubaix SL4 I really liked, one with 105 stuff and discs, the other with Di2. Ended up with the latter, even though I think the accent colors are ugly. Was just so to smooth to say no to. Debating about going back for the other and swapping everything over...and then beating on the ugly one for my commute and trading in the old.

It fits, suits your needs, and the cost to upgrade is sufficiently better than buying a comparable (quality, weight, whatever) new bike with better components.

I've been riding the same Litespeed frame and Look fork since 1997, and most recently my $700 move to 10 cogs with Record deraileurs and NOS Ultrashift levers was about $4000 less expensive than a comparable new bike. Moving on to 9 speed at under $300 for freehub bodies and index cam was about $3000 more affordable.

look.the only thing better than getting a new bike is...wait for it...shopping for a new bike...
Get something different.try something different. Ask around. Swing your leg aroundsome top tubes.
Enjoy the process.