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Upgrade Path


tomreece
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Ride it long enough to figure out what about it truely you like and dislike.  Agree with Austinbike - go 1x if you don't really use those gears.  Or at the very least 2x (just ditch the bigring).  As you are riding, try out other friends' bikes to again get a feel for what fits you and your riding style.  I know people who went F.S., and then went back because it didn't suit them.  Same with dropper post.  Don't be too in a hurry to "upgrade" to greener grass until you truely know that your grass is trampled into the ground and can no longer sustain you (or in my or Seth's case, you break the frame 3X and are forced to upgrade!).

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19 hours ago, tomreece said:

Things I don't like about my current bike:

  • Weight
  • Extra components that I don't use. For example, I don't need the front gears. The rear provides me with enough range.
  • Noise. The thing rattles around quite a bit. It doesn't have that "solid" feel that quality things tend to have. This could all be in my head because I can't describe it well and I've never ridden anything else on the trails.

I wouldn't worry so much about weight; you can spend lots of money and effort to drop a pound or 2, only to find that, realistically, it doesn't make a significant difference (except in rims/tires, but to some extent, you'll suffer durability and traction as a trade-off). Since the 90's, I've gone from a 20lb bike to a 31lb bike, slowly coming to realize that there was no real adverse affect. Now I give priority to strength and practicality over weight.

+1 on the gears. Another benefit is that you can run a shorter chain for less slap. Big +1 on the NW chainring, and I'd add a clutch derailer too, otherwise you'll need a guide and tensioner without them; you can get a SLX RD for $45: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-slx-m7000-10-speed-rear-derailleur/rp-prod148232
Search ebay for "Dekas" and "Snail" narrow wide chainrings; they're cheap and will do the job. I'd start with 32T for 27.5 or 26" wheels, 30T for 29.

As for noise, the aforementioned 1x w/clutch RD and NW ring (and thus shorter chain) will go a long way toward this. Cables are cables... to quiet them down, get some Velcro straps and use them where the cables are rattling against the frame.

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33 minutes ago, mack_turtle said:

I know how you feel about frugality. other cyclists hate listening to frugal people like us. my wife hates it even more. the only complete new bikes I have ever purchased were a $300 Redline Monocog (bike shop discount) and my cyclocross bike, which was something like 75% off on clearance for $500. I end up with two nice bikes because I plan carefully and perfect it to my liking, one part at a time, but keep it rideable the whole time.

 

I've never paid full retail for any of my bikes. I've only bought a couple of complete bikes just because they had a close enough spec for what I wanted. I've built most of my bikes from parts. If you don't have to have the latest greatest thing you can save a ton of money. I usually build a bike at the end of the year when all the new upgrades for bikes and components are coming out making the price of the previous years equipment much cheaper. I built my FS with all new parts for about 3.5k the same build from the manufacturer or a shop would have cost me about 6-6.5k. If you shop around and find the deals it can one done. Disclaimer: I do all my own work so that saves a bunch right there.  

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4 hours ago, Shinerider said:

Ride it long enough to figure out what about it truely you like and dislike.  Agree with Austinbike - go 1x if you don't really use those gears.  Or at the very least 2x (just ditch the bigring).  As you are riding, try out other friends' bikes to again get a feel for what fits you and your riding style.  I know people who went F.S., and then went back because it didn't suit them.  Same with dropper post.  Don't be too in a hurry to "upgrade" to greener grass until you truely know that your grass is trampled into the ground and can no longer sustain you (or in my or Seth's case, you break the frame 3X and are forced to upgrade!).

... and,

If you keep 2 rings, consider putting a Rock Ring in place of the big ring you removed. This "upgrade" drastically reduces the chance of getting a "chainring tattoo" (where a get off, slipping off a pedal, etc. results in the teeth on the exposed ring leaving their unique, personalized pattern permanently in your calf, and usually a simultaneous blood-letting to appease the trail gods accompanies the tattoo work).

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And as long as we are talking about the weight of the bike, ponder this: if you are a couple of pounds over yourself, dropping the weight on you is both more cost effective and healthier for you in the long run.

I used to weigh ~195 and at my peak, after the typical 2 week overseas business trip, I could get as high as 210. Then I did something about it. I now weigh ~160, so I dropped the equivalent of two slick carbon hardtails. 

The weight you have to push on your bike is not the weight of the bike, it is the bike, your equipment and you. You might be able to shave a pound or a pound and a half off the bike, but that gets pretty expensive. Way easier to work at dropping 5-10. The overall net benefit is much greater and the cost is a lot lower.

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On 10/8/2018 at 7:09 PM, Ridenfool said:

... and,

If you keep 2 rings, consider putting a Rock Ring in place of the big ring you removed. This "upgrade" drastically reduces the chance of getting a "chainring tattoo" (where a get off, slipping off a pedal, etc. results in the teeth on the exposed ring leaving their unique, personalized pattern permanently in your calf, and usually a simultaneous blood-letting to appease the trail gods accompanies the tattoo work). 

And I even have one or two I can give up.

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On 10/8/2018 at 7:24 PM, AustinBike said:

And as long as we are talking about the weight of the bike, ponder this: if you are a couple of pounds over yourself, dropping the weight on you is both more cost effective and healthier for you in the long run.

I used to weigh ~195 and at my peak, after the typical 2 week overseas business trip, I could get as high as 210. Then I did something about it. I now weigh ~160, so I dropped the equivalent of two slick carbon hardtails. 

The weight you have to push on your bike is not the weight of the bike, it is the bike, your equipment and you. You might be able to shave a pound or a pound and a half off the bike, but that gets pretty expensive. Way easier to work at dropping 5-10. The overall net benefit is much greater and the cost is a lot lower.

 

Absolutely... Just a couple of pounds makes a big difference... And keep in mind that even as you're losing fat you're building muscle... 40lbs must have been epic for you AustinBike.

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On 10/8/2018 at 2:26 PM, mack_turtle said:

I know how you feel about frugality. other cyclists hate listening to frugal people like us.

 

 

Yep.... Found my '07 Cannondale Prophet on a craigslist in the Tampa Bay, FL, area... Bought it for $325, the seller took it to a local bike shop who packed it for $30, used one of those bike shipping services for another $65+ (I think)... Total cost to me was around $420... The bike was in almost new condition... Original tires stil had the little rubber hair things on them. If the bike had 20 miles on it I'd be surprised. Looked like someone bought it , rode it a couple times on the sidewalk, then put it in the garage and didn't touch it again. And I was specifically looking for a Cannondale Prophet because of excellent overall reviews and its design with a longer top tube than most XLG frames... And because of the great reveiws from those who converted it to a 27.5 or even 29 tire size. 

Still patiently gathering all the upgrade components together from deals I find online, and even from barters and giveaways here on this and the old Mojo forum.

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On 10/8/2018 at 7:24 PM, AustinBike said:

And as long as we are talking about the weight of the bike, ponder this: if you are a couple of pounds over yourself, dropping the weight on you is both more cost effective and healthier for you in the long run.

I used to weigh ~195 and at my peak, after the typical 2 week overseas business trip, I could get as high as 210. Then I did something about it. I now weigh ~160, so I dropped the equivalent of two slick carbon hardtails. 

The weight you have to push on your bike is not the weight of the bike, it is the bike, your equipment and you. You might be able to shave a pound or a pound and a half off the bike, but that gets pretty expensive. Way easier to work at dropping 5-10. The overall net benefit is much greater and the cost is a lot lower.

Just to pile on here....I too lost 30 lbs after bouncing off my all-time high of 192 about 1 1/2 yrs ago.  Lately, I've been as light as I was back in my early days of college.  My wife is annoyed.

Later,
CJB

 

 

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I also got into mountain biking to lose some weight. It's working. I get mad when it rains because it's interrupting good patterns I was trying to establish. On rainy/wet days, I try to force myself to ride the 15 total miles east to west paved Brushy Creek trail but this isn't nearly as fun.

 

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Chiming in a bit late here, but it really depends on your intended usage. If you "upgrade" your path with crushed granite, mulch, or even concrete, you may attract a broader range of path users. However for mountain biking, I natural surface path is usually best. No upgrades needed. If you really need to upgrade the path, some well placed berms or jumps can transform a relatively boring path into a lot of fun. Hope this helps in your decision. 

 

Note: Sorry if this sets off a string of bad puns, especially from Ridingfool. That dude is a path-ological punner. It's path-etic. 

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This thread is wack. Like with guitar, some people want to play the riff to back in black, some want to play like Eddie van Halen, and some want to noodle around a campfire. Its what you want to do. I can't wheelie or manual and don't really care. I have a 3x9... still want a 1x?...dont shift. I have a fs, guess what I can lock it out if I want a ht. Cant make a ht springy tho. On a fs and want to pick better lines?....get some weight weenie wheels. Go faster and get nimbly bimbly. Want to pick better lines?....ride Georgetown or purgatory. But you know what I did with all that crap?  Came 6th in the state in my xc category of 30yr olds at 39 and camped and rode every major trail system in the state  making great friends all along the way. Basically your mods are dependent on your own personal goals. Drop a big ring to lose bike weight? Ok Lance.

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