what to upgrade first
08-05-10, 01:39 PM
#26
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I didnt know i was going to be upgrading so fast. Also, i cant have a nice bike since i lock it up once in a while.
Last edited by misc; 08-05-10 at 01:44 PM.
08-05-10, 01:44 PM
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I wouldn't upgrade a bike that I was gonna lock up in NYC. Unless the upgrade was a really mean dog that would follow me around and hang out with the bike when I parked it.
08-05-10, 01:45 PM
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Why are you looking for lightweight wheels when you're riding a steel frame? They won't make much relative difference. Also, light racing wheels are not the ideal type for city riding. Assuming you're riding 23c tires right now, I'd probably first look to switch to 28c or 32c city/touring tires to help avoid so many flats due to broken glass and whatnot. You probably don't need to upgrade your rims for this, as a rim can accommodate a tire up to twice its width.
Im looking the lightest wheels, more precisely rims/spoke combo that i can get away with.
08-05-10, 02:43 PM
#29
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For a hundred dollars more, you could replace the steel frame with a Bottecchia CF 78 carbon frame[1] and be much, much lighter than using light wheels on a steel frame.
[1] https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ils&ProdID=777
08-06-10, 12:21 AM
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Congrats on the mileage. It's easy to understand why you want to upgrade components.
For riding in the city, it'd be a good idea to go 28/32 or 32/32. Getting a set with double butted spokes will help to keep the weight down. You can get a good idea of what's available at your budget limit by checking the wheelset auctions on eBay.
If you haven't already looked into flat resistant tires, this would be a good time to do so. If you continue to ride that kind of mileage, IMO those tires are the most important upgrade. Then start saving up and watching the listings on Craigslist and eBay, to get a feel for how much you'll need in order to get a second bike that's spec'd the way you really want. Then use that bike when you know that you won't have to leave it anywhere.
For riding in the city, it'd be a good idea to go 28/32 or 32/32. Getting a set with double butted spokes will help to keep the weight down. You can get a good idea of what's available at your budget limit by checking the wheelset auctions on eBay.
If you haven't already looked into flat resistant tires, this would be a good time to do so. If you continue to ride that kind of mileage, IMO those tires are the most important upgrade. Then start saving up and watching the listings on Craigslist and eBay, to get a feel for how much you'll need in order to get a second bike that's spec'd the way you really want. Then use that bike when you know that you won't have to leave it anywhere.
