The weakest link
 

Dear fellow bikers,

I figure a little background on myself and my situation might help before you decide to share any of your insight or opinions with me. I’m 22, 6’4, 225-230 pounds. Before I graduated from college, I ended up purchasing a 2010 CAAD9-1. I have ~1500 miles on the bike so far in about 4 months of riding. This being my first road bike, I haven’t been riding a road bike very long relatively speaking. For a while now I’ve been going with the bike club twice a week which is about 70 miles, than on off days I will try to ride once or twice more. So as a good rule of thumb I’m riding 100+ miles a week (I ride anywhere from the B group to an A group pace at about 17-22mph average – mind you my area is very, very hilly) All I have is my CAAD9-1: 100% stock, 105 pedals, specialized pro race shoes, an eye balled fit, and a cheap pair of bib shorts and jersey. Biking is my passion, my hobby and becoming my life, my therapy, and now that I’m working full time I am accumulating some spending cash.

I’m looking to dive more into biking world, whether it’s save for a new future bike, upgrade some parts on my existing one, buy some accessories etc. I don’t know yet, that’s why I’m here. What I do know is, I have some cash and am coming here for insight, and help on where it’s likely best I spend it. What are my weakest links? I’ve been toying around with throwing around a few upgrades on my CAAD, I’m not sure what the weakest links are, wheels? breaks? seat? cranks? My bib shorts? My eye balled fit? You hopefully catch my drift. Not only what are the weakest links, but what are respectable replacements. I’ve also been considering saving for another bike instead, likely to be a full carbon. Maybe that’s just silly talk, but I’m seriously considering it. Please help out an amateur to the sport. Thanks in advance for your time and energy.

Ghostcode

Right now? You and your eyeballed fit.

Get a good fit. Ride it till something breaks, then upgrade.

1. Get more bibs/shorts/socks and jerseys so you can ride a lot.
2. Ride a lot.
3. Buy the things necessary for comfort/fit (saddle, stem if necessary for fit, etc.)
4. Upgrade bike items one at a time (wheels first), save stock items.
5. Keep upgrading until the frame is the weakest link.
6. Buy new carbon frame.
7. Put all upgrades on new carbon frame.
8. Put stock items back on CAAD-9 frame and sell or use as back-up/rain bike.
9. Repeat steps 4-8 until you leave this earth.

Get fitted first, then several sets of shorts and jerseys, including tights and jackets for the cold weather. The CAAD9-1 is a great bike which will cost you thousands to upgrade. If you're itching for upgrades to the bike, get a good set of lightweight wheels.

Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades.....E.M.

+1

+1

Your legs.

Ride more. Spend less.

+1. Rollers (or a trainer) would be a nice thing to have to train on in the winter as well.

I second the "don't buy upgrades, ride upgrades". Re-evaluate your fit and keep riding, replace parts that wear out.

I would keep the bike as it is pretty top line as far as CAAD9s go and buying upgrades will do nothing for you. Save your money for a whole new upgraded bike, in carbon , if you prefer. I wouldn't bother with buying parts and transferring them to a new upgraded frame. Unless you like to wrench your own.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their opinion thus far,

It sounds like there aren't really many upgrades worth it. I was considering replacing the Tektro breaks with Ultegra etc etc. I definitely am going to be getting a professional fit here shortly. The LBS near me that I like has a $75 full fitting, and they have a $135 Serotta fitting option as well. The guy told me the only real difference is the Serotta one is for people who don't have a bike and want a 100% custom built frame and such. So for the $75, if I bring my bike in, I assume that's generally going to be "fit enough" I don't know how they measure a "good fit vs. bad fit"

I will be upgrading my saddle, just because the stock one is crap and not that comfortable. I've been looking at the Selle Italia Flite Gel Flow, not sure if anyone can comment on it. I know I should test ride them all, and I will likely borrow a couple seats for a few days then decide - but the Flite Gel Flow gets rave reviews and looked the most appealing to me. Stems/Handlebars, am I likely going to be swapping those out based on fit? I don't know what some quality stem/handlebars typically go for in the scenario they ask me to upgrade/buy different ones. Is there any difference in stems/handlebars besides weight really? Other than minor ergonomics/lengths I can't tell the difference. All in all, I'd just like to be aware/knowledgeable before I go in there and just listen to what they have to say. I don't want to drink all the cool-aid if I can help it.

Totally irrelevant information to what I'm asking and a different topic, but I got bored at work and did a few calculations.
Full DA7900 group = 2113g and costs $1855 through performance bike.
Full Ultegra 6700 group = 2499g and costs $1070 through performance bike.

Which concludes a 386g weight difference --> or .851 pounds. Which means you pay an extra $922.44
to shave 1 pound of weight off. Just in case anyone wanted to know! As far as I can tell and from what I’ve read, Ultegra 6700 = DA7900 in quality and performance just a little heavier. I only checked into this, because I was initially considering upgrading my weak parts to Ultegra (ie: Breaks, maybe crank? etc.)

Tektro brakes in my experience do suck. However, just switching out the pads to Kool Stops will make a big improvement in the braking.

I've concluded that the most valuable upgrade is buying time to ride. Once your contact points (saddle, bibs, shoes/pedals, fit) are suitable, then ride the bike into the ground.

Gear upgrades become pretty self-evident the more you ride.

I've been looking at the Selle Italia
http://kona.kontera.com/javascript/l...rey_loader.gif
Flite Gel Flow, not sure if anyone can comment on it. I know I should test ride them all, and I will likely borrow a couple seats for a few days then decide - but the Flite Gel Flow gets rave reviews and looked the most appealing to me.

All of the above are great suggestions. I lean toward riding what you have and upgrading to a new bike when you're ready. Don't rush. As for the saddle.....it's a very personal decision, but I've had the Sella Gel Flows on two bikes and think they're great.

Good luck.