I've had my Kilo for a few years now. Frame fits me great, love riding SS but I am riding fixed more and more. This being said, I was planning to buy another FG this year but decided to upgrade the Kilo. It already has a pair of Weinmann deep wheels that were permanently borrowed from another build.

Budget wise, I'm thinking $500 give or take. So what should I be looking at? New crank? Wheelset? Everything else on the bike is fine (I guess with a SS/FG there isn't much eles!).


ETA: Most likely will buy from Retro. And the bike is used as a commuter as well as potential century/endurance machine.

How light are your wheels? A lighter wheelset would definitely make an improvement in performance. Some people say that upgraded cranks don't make a huge difference but I definitely felt it on my Pista (similar component levels to your Kilo). I went to Sugino 75 165mm and instantly noticed a difference in smoothness and the ability to spin faster without excess movement in my seat after using 170mm....it's made keeping a higher cadence a lot easier which is nice because I use spinny gear ratio.

That Wabi wheelset seems like it's hard to beat for the price. Wabi Cycles fixed gear wheels

I paid $150 for my Sugino 75s + Sugino BB because I found someone that had upgraded to the new DD75 cranks...and my cranks were practically new...there is definitely deals to be had.

Thanks for the reply. I keep reading about the Sugino 75 as well as the SRAM Omninium. Also forgot about the Wabi's. I should look up my wheelset online and see what spec weight is on them.

As for upgrades you should think about why you're upgrading; aesthetics, quality, weight, any or all of the above, something else? Pics of the bike please, maybe we can give you better ideas of where your hard earned money should go.

I usually upgrade stuff that gets worn our improves comfort, stuff like saddle, bars, tape, pedals, chains, etc. +1 for wheels, if you're happy with everything else.

Quality cogs make a world of difference...EAI , All City, or something of that ilk.
And get a couple of different tooth counts.
Quality chain rings are a blessing.

A new saddle.

If you ever plan to actually rando, get a good quality saddlebag for your gear.
I use a Dill Pickle bag which has served me for 3 seasons.

And as others have mentioned, a good, strong, light wheelset is a great purchase...just save the old wheelset! You never know when it will come in handy.

Cyril

I wouldn't bother upgrading the crankset unless you just want shiny bits. The frame is flexing long before the trutaviv cranks are.

I'd just get a new wheelset with tires.

Most significant upgrades you will actually notice:

1) Tires (lighter more supple)
2) Wheels (not deep V's will be lighter and more resilient and nice smooth hubs feel good)
3) New chain/chainring/cog (smoother)
4) Anything you touch (seat/grips)
5) Seatpost/stem/bars, stiffer ones will feel, well, stiffer but contribute to overall feeling of integrity
6) Cranks are bling but nicer cranks are machined better, straighter and have some psychological benefits though practically probably not.

I would agree with most of that but lumping AC which makes great stuff (and I am not knocking them) with EAI I think isn't totally right. EAI Gold Medal/Superstar, Sugino Gigas and maybe Phil Wood and White Ind. could be together for sure but I wouldn't put AC there.

I would certainly put my money towards wheels or a drivetrain upgrade. The DT upgrade I did certainly quieted things a bit and the new wheels I am working on should be lighten up the load a touch and give me a fresh braking surface and a better tensioned wheel than the old machine built ones on it currently

I would continue to ride it as is and wait until something wears out or breaks. Especially since it sounds like you are pretty happy with the bike. Honestly you could blow thru $500 in upgrades and not feel any difference on the bike. Real talk.

+10. Those Weinmann deep v's are real boat anchors. An upgrade to a nice lightweight wheelset like the Wabis would be a massive improvement.

Sorry. I wan't trying to imply that all EAI cogs and the AC cogs were of the exact same quality. I was trying to provide a continuum from best to good quality.

Saddle. As previously mentioned, you can spend a lot of money and not feel a major difference. If you must spend money/upgrade then go with wheels/tires, but after a good saddle.

hasn't someone here already built the most expensive #kilott ********** and didn't he sell it????

people are providing great knowledge here, but other than wheels/tires and cockpit, it's still gonna be a kilo. If you think you'll be riding this bike all summer i'd look for a new frame and just transfer over your kilo stuff, then start upgrading.
If you can save another ~$200 you can probably get a used fixed gear complete bike. Put all the parts you like best on the new frame, and boom you have a new bike and an old bike to sell to make back $200-$300. problem solved!!!

or wheelset & cockpit and then fight off the upgrade bug. if you are putting carbon on a kilo you are doing it wrong.

Keep Kilo as commuter, spend as little as possible on it save keeping it running well. Maintain it.

Build second fancy bike for your endurance/high performance riding. Start with a frame that fits, then fancy wheels and tires.

N+1 > fashion show commuter/theft bait/jack of all trades master of none bike.

Good good. I am glad I am sure someone would try though.

Thanks for the replies to this thread, plus my thread on the Aventon. If I spend any money on bikes I do think I'm gonna buy a set of Wabi wheels and be done with it. Maybe buy a better pair of cycling shoes as well (like something that wasn't on close-out!).

As cheezy as it may sound, perhaps a pair of aerobars for long distance rides, too. Just because.

This thing was ridiculous.

Re: what to upgrade now, contact points and clothing is a good place to go. Find a saddle that you like, get a nice pair of shoes, and maybe a kit or two. At least for me, finding a saddle that I loved, shoes that fit my stupid feet, shorts that are comfortable, and jerseys that I liked wearing did much more for getting me excited about riding than any of the other upgrades I've made to my bikes. Comfort is king, and clothes can be worn on all your rides, and not constrained to just one bike.