New bike or upgrade?
Jules
Posts: 987
in General Chat
This is more of a discussion issue than a question about an imminent purchase.
I have a Trek 1.5 road bike - which apparently meets the approval of Mike at Bridgetown Cycles
I really like mine. Not that I've ridden that many bikes, but it feels good to me. Better than the Allez I used to have.
Of course it's only alloy, not carbon, but it's pretty light. As I understand it it's Trek's best alloy frame, the same as the one they use on the 1.7 and 1.9, after which I believe they rest of their range is carbon.
Anyhow, my thoughts are turning to saving up for another bike. This is a long term thing, two or three years at least.
The conventional wisdom would suggest that I get a carbon beast of a TT bike. If I go down that route I'm likely to not upgrade the Trek at all, unless bits waer out. That way all the spare cash can go in the carbon beast fund. I'd keep the Trek as a winter bike.
However, what are everyone's thoughts about not buying a carbon beast but upgrading the Trek instead? Is this a good idea or not? I could get some decent wheels, tyres, carbon seatpost, better tribars, possibly replace the handlebars and stick bar end shifters on, upgrade the Sora/Tiagra to Ultegra etc? I would be able to make gradual improvements and maybe spend less overall. I could spend the difference on other tri "stuff".
Upgrading the Trek means only having one bike, which would mean not having to find space for another bike, which would be good for me.
What are the thoughts? Will I ultimately be held back by the fact that the Trek is a road bike with road bike geometry? Is blinging up an alloy fram a waste of effort? Or is this a cunning plan?
I have a Trek 1.5 road bike - which apparently meets the approval of Mike at Bridgetown Cycles
I really like mine. Not that I've ridden that many bikes, but it feels good to me. Better than the Allez I used to have.
Of course it's only alloy, not carbon, but it's pretty light. As I understand it it's Trek's best alloy frame, the same as the one they use on the 1.7 and 1.9, after which I believe they rest of their range is carbon.
Anyhow, my thoughts are turning to saving up for another bike. This is a long term thing, two or three years at least.
The conventional wisdom would suggest that I get a carbon beast of a TT bike. If I go down that route I'm likely to not upgrade the Trek at all, unless bits waer out. That way all the spare cash can go in the carbon beast fund. I'd keep the Trek as a winter bike.
However, what are everyone's thoughts about not buying a carbon beast but upgrading the Trek instead? Is this a good idea or not? I could get some decent wheels, tyres, carbon seatpost, better tribars, possibly replace the handlebars and stick bar end shifters on, upgrade the Sora/Tiagra to Ultegra etc? I would be able to make gradual improvements and maybe spend less overall. I could spend the difference on other tri "stuff".
Upgrading the Trek means only having one bike, which would mean not having to find space for another bike, which would be good for me.
What are the thoughts? Will I ultimately be held back by the fact that the Trek is a road bike with road bike geometry? Is blinging up an alloy fram a waste of effort? Or is this a cunning plan?
0
Comments
A good set of racing wheels will be a necessary (haha, like any of it's necessary) upgrade for any bike (unless you're into the 5-6k range) so you can do that and be well pleased with them whatever the future holds.
As you can guess from my postings my suggestion is to go the carbon tri bike way. Having said that, if you put decent bling on the Trek you can get a frame later and swap over and still have your road Trek. The fatal flaw in that plan is of course that when you get your frame in the future you will inevtiably want to put brand new bling on it - but you will then have 2 'blinged; bikes - admitedly poorer but hey triathletes never have spare cash.