My first road bike is an allez steel 2010, and what should i upgrade first. Fork or wheels?

wheels

which type of wheels do you recommend? I want something cheap (around 300-400), yet fast and light, and holds up to the streets in NYC.

Legs

brain

IMO the very first upgrade should be to Specialized's Armadillo Elite tires - they're the folding ones w/kevlar bead. Excellent weight-to-flat protection ratio.

At your preferred budget and with your terrain in mind, working Craigslist and eBay for lightly used wheel sets would be a good idea. If your freehub is Shimano, keep your eye out for sets with Dura Ace hubs; very high quality. I'd be inclined to sacrifice a few grams and get a set with 28/32 or 32/32 holes. That'll get you durable wheels which can be trued with standard spoke wrenches.

Extensive upgrading can be a minefield, because it's difficult to get that money back. Better, IMO, to save up for a second bike which is already equipped the way you want it to be.

Engine, then wheels.

"don't buy upgrades, ride up grades" Merckx. He should know.

Wheels are best bang for buck but start with comfort - A pro-fit. This should set you up for the type of riding you want to do. Also are you happy with all of your contact points?

By the way do you think your fork or wheels are holding you back in some way?

so you're saying you've already exceeded the capabilities of your new bike? impressive.

whatever breaks first.

The only real upgrade is one that makes you more comfortable. Get a fit, change the seat, new shoes or better gloves. What will a new fork or wheels do for you? FYI I could hardly tell the difference between the ride of my alloy allez and a 15k madone 6. Not that the madone wanst better, it was, but for riding a few hundred miles a week the allez in standard form will serve you well. Just leave it alone

+1



tends to be cheaper too

pedals
saddle
wheels
then get a fit
stem if you need one
bars

ah fk it, just sell this one and buy the bike you wanted in the first place!

Because sometimes people don't have the money available right away to buy a better bike?

Just sayin.

Are you serious? Most of the cyclists here prefer them expensive, slow and heavy, and would totally disintegrate at the first encouter with a pothole!


Go with hand built wheels. Contact one of the members...psimet...great reputation for awesomeness in wheel building skills.

There's also Neuvation Wheels for a lot less than your budget.

But, have you priced his bikes lately?

first of all...it's "what TO upgrade first"

second, depends entirely what you are using it for. cruising, bike courier-ing, I would be crazy to suggest R-sys, then again, if you are biking around Central Park on a weekend, sure any grade would be good and then it's a matter of price.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, cheap/light/fast and you want it to stand up to NYC streets. Better just pick up a handful of titanium stem bolts, they are cheap, light and as FAST as your bike.

This is what I was thinking

Hmm.. Lets see... Cheap/light and be able to stand up to NYC streets. Is this a joke? Tell you what, IF and when you find those, please post where you got them, their specs, how much they cost, and where you got them! We would all want to know.

+1 on the leg, lung upgrade. I would learn to ride my bike faster and longer first. Then think about upgrades. Or until something broke, that was not under warnty.

Cheap, light, durable, pick any two.

Legs, saddle, and then whatever breaks first. If you use your bike to get around NYC and lock it up, invest in a mini U-lock. You'll shave some weight and it'll be a lot cheaper than buying new bike parts to shave weight.

Stock fork=steel
Stock wheels=Alex S500

You are not going to notice much of a difference in your price range on the fork or wheels.

The first thing I would upgrade on your bike is the wire beaded tires (after you have completely worn them out). Pick up some light tubes and a set of Michelin PR3's if you are looking for a performance upgrade. You will notice this difference.

What kind of pedals are you using? If you are using platforms or toe clips, I'd pick up a set of Shimano R-540's.

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.

yes I am. I had the bike in April and put about 2500 miles on it.