I'm sure most people using bf probably have a bike now that differs greatly from the bike they bought new , due to replacing worn out parts and upgrading let's see some pictures with explinations of why upgrades or changes were made(type of riding ,where you ride or just to upgrade a worn or broken part)I know the only stock parts to my bike are the bar ends ,even the frame was replaced under warrenty, so what's left to replace on your ride and why and what stock parts are still hanging on your frame

Speaking of upgrades- can you get a keyboard with punctuation marks besides commas???

I have a 2000 Trek 5200, the only original parts are the frame, the brake calipers, and the headset. It was replaced as my race bike this year by the Bianchi in my avatar, but I can't fully retire her. I put aerobars on her to use as a tribike.

i know someone who replaced the frame of his Merlin and still calls it the same bike.

[Speaking of upgrades- can you get a keyboard with punctuation marks besides commas???] sorry demon- I tend to talk in runon sentences as well. at what point is it a different bike?once the frame is switched?it seems like kind of an obvious answer but i have switched frames and still call it the same "bike" ...

The only thing I've never replaced is me.
That would have been the most worthwhile upgrade of all.
But I would miss all the fun.

June 29th, 2008:



August 3rd, 2008:



April 7th, 2009:



I bought the bike used and it had the oddly mounted rack, big cushy seat and ratty old handlebar tape. First thing I did was change the seat to one I had laying around and ditch the rack. I did try to keep the rack and positioned it so it was level, or closer to level, but the heel strike was terrible and I couldn't carry anything worth a rack on it anyway.

Then, after an incident involving a flat a mile away from where I needed to be, I bought a pump, saddle bag, tire levers, patch kit and spare tubes (I also got a spoke wrench and presta->schrader adapters to stuff in there, just in case).

This year, I ditched the seat when I found the white one seen in the last photo. I wasn't aiming for white, but it was on sale and is fairly comfortable for the riding I do (my butt is still adjusting ) and added the white handlebar to match (the old stuff had again become ratty due to a couple of spills). I have since put the saddle bag back on but need to get a smaller one.

All in all, it has been a fun transformation

BikesDirect Motobecane Messenger fixed gear bike- original purchase price $350.

Carbon seat post - $50
New saddle - $40
New tires - $70
SRAM S7 internal gear hub wheel - $150+
Custom shifter mount - $priceless
Grip tape - $10
New chain - $12