Mtb hard tail component upgrade, worth it?
Discussion
Hi, I have a cheap Cube Race for general faffing around and a few XC races that are plainly not suited for my Enduro bike.
I always come last in the race but that doesn’t bother me. However, I was thinking of upgrading a few components to make it more suitable, or is it just not worth the bother. I am continually working in my fitness and technique as a priority. So below are the specs, I was thinking in no particular order, fork, wheelset, 1x12, dropper post. I don’t think I could get away with another bike, but is it really worth it? I feel that I am at the edge of the bike abilities if that makes sense? What would you do and suggest? I have already changed pedals, grips, tyres.
I always come last in the race but that doesn’t bother me. However, I was thinking of upgrading a few components to make it more suitable, or is it just not worth the bother. I am continually working in my fitness and technique as a priority. So below are the specs, I was thinking in no particular order, fork, wheelset, 1x12, dropper post. I don’t think I could get away with another bike, but is it really worth it? I feel that I am at the edge of the bike abilities if that makes sense? What would you do and suggest? I have already changed pedals, grips, tyres.
I think if you itemise all the things you want to change and a realistic exchange cost for upgrade, unless you're a total eBay whizz, I think this is going to be uneconomical.
Think about the wheels. You probably need to lose an minimum of 200 but better 400g on the pair for it to be a meaningful change. Once you've got these, you decide to keep the old ones as spare/winter wheels. Do you buy new discs and cassette to make switches between wheels easy? That's a big chunk of money right there.
1 x probably needs new cranks and possibly BB. and so on.
Dropper post is a good call as it gives you an immediate functional imrpovement you can switch this when you upgrade your bike (assuming seat post width the same)
Think about the wheels. You probably need to lose an minimum of 200 but better 400g on the pair for it to be a meaningful change. Once you've got these, you decide to keep the old ones as spare/winter wheels. Do you buy new discs and cassette to make switches between wheels easy? That's a big chunk of money right there.
1 x probably needs new cranks and possibly BB. and so on.
Dropper post is a good call as it gives you an immediate functional imrpovement you can switch this when you upgrade your bike (assuming seat post width the same)
As Oddman says.
Once you've done fork, wheels, dropper and drive-train (will require crank and BB) and factoring in you've already changed your tyres, grips and pedals you'd essentially be left with the frame, brakes, bar and stem of the original bike.
What you'll have taken off probably won't be worth much used and so question is, are you better selling it as a full bike and adding that to what you'd spend on parts then buying a full bike...
Some bargains out there ATM and it's def a buyers market (I understand that makes it harder selling yours on)
Once you've done fork, wheels, dropper and drive-train (will require crank and BB) and factoring in you've already changed your tyres, grips and pedals you'd essentially be left with the frame, brakes, bar and stem of the original bike.
What you'll have taken off probably won't be worth much used and so question is, are you better selling it as a full bike and adding that to what you'd spend on parts then buying a full bike...
Some bargains out there ATM and it's def a buyers market (I understand that makes it harder selling yours on)
As others have said, by the time you buy a bunch of components and resolve compatibility issues etc you're probably better off to sell it and replace the whole bike.
You can save a bit by going 1x11 instead of 1x12 and still get essentially the same gear range, Shimano Deore M5100 is 1x11 with 11-51t cassette that fits older style HG freehubs.
You can save a bit by going 1x11 instead of 1x12 and still get essentially the same gear range, Shimano Deore M5100 is 1x11 with 11-51t cassette that fits older style HG freehubs.
I'm going to go against the tide here. Economically / long term it will likely be better to buy a better bike, but not everyone wants to drop £3k on a Trek Supercaliber or whatever.
Anothing thing, it's worth considering that your bike is a collection of parts, and the frame is just one of those parts, it's the headline act, but it's not always the most important part and it can be changed like any other.
Tyres are always the best bang-for-buck upgrade, I don't know XC racing, but there will be no doubt some brillaint XC tyres that will add speed. Next I'd bin that fork, it's 100mm of bearly damped 'spring in a tube' s
te, it weighs almost 50% more than my 170mm Lyriks somehow. Get a semi-decent airsprung fork with some damping adjustment, set the sag for your weight and it will transform the handling.
Anothing thing, it's worth considering that your bike is a collection of parts, and the frame is just one of those parts, it's the headline act, but it's not always the most important part and it can be changed like any other.
Tyres are always the best bang-for-buck upgrade, I don't know XC racing, but there will be no doubt some brillaint XC tyres that will add speed. Next I'd bin that fork, it's 100mm of bearly damped 'spring in a tube' s
te, it weighs almost 50% more than my 170mm Lyriks somehow. Get a semi-decent airsprung fork with some damping adjustment, set the sag for your weight and it will transform the handling. Not familiar with your tyres, but changing tyres alone to ones more aimed at speed can make a huge difference.
There are some stonking bike deals around at the moment.
I just got tempted by a carbon xc bike which is hugely faster than my existing alloy full sus one on the right trails. Can you use a cycle to work scheme? On my browsing saw a Specialised epic at half price. Add a 40% c2w discount and you would be financially better off with a faster carbon bike with a new one. Plus-new bike!
There are some stonking bike deals around at the moment.
I just got tempted by a carbon xc bike which is hugely faster than my existing alloy full sus one on the right trails. Can you use a cycle to work scheme? On my browsing saw a Specialised epic at half price. Add a 40% c2w discount and you would be financially better off with a faster carbon bike with a new one. Plus-new bike!
bobbo89 said:
Probs the best bet. Suspension, tyres and brakes are the things to get right on a mountain bike IMO and are the 3 areas where you need to concentrate your money.
If you're happy with your brakes a good set of forks should transform it.
Done a bit more digging on upgrading the fork and because it is a 9mm axle, it could be difficult, hardly any new ones available, and if so it might have to be boost so that means a new wheel, then it gets expensive. If you're happy with your brakes a good set of forks should transform it.
I’d love to get a newer bike but I bought an expensive enduro last year, and lots of other things to spend my money on so I doubt I would get sign off !
vexed said:
Not familiar with your tyres, but changing tyres alone to ones more aimed at speed can make a huge difference.
There are some stonking bike deals around at the moment.
I just got tempted by a carbon xc bike which is hugely faster than my existing alloy full sus one on the right trails. Can you use a cycle to work scheme? On my browsing saw a Specialised epic at half price. Add a 40% c2w discount and you would be financially better off with a faster carbon bike with a new one. Plus-new bike!
We’ve got the cycle to work scheme but it is limited to £1k so nothing worth it really. There are some stonking bike deals around at the moment.
I just got tempted by a carbon xc bike which is hugely faster than my existing alloy full sus one on the right trails. Can you use a cycle to work scheme? On my browsing saw a Specialised epic at half price. Add a 40% c2w discount and you would be financially better off with a faster carbon bike with a new one. Plus-new bike!
Never mind, first world problems I guess.
I think fitness and technique is the best upgrade I can do. I have a friend who has an older 26 inch XC, god knows how old it is but he absolutely annihilates younger whippets on there 29carbon bikes, so not necessarily the bike as we know.
sir humphrey appleby said:
Done a bit more digging on upgrading the fork and because it is a 9mm axle, it could be difficult, hardly any new ones available, and if so it might have to be boost so that means a new wheel, then it gets expensive.
I’d love to get a newer bike but I bought an expensive enduro last year, and lots of other things to spend my money on so I doubt I would get sign off !
Hmm, likely a new headset too as I'd bet money the Suntour you've got now uses a straight steerer tube rather than a tapered one...... I’d love to get a newer bike but I bought an expensive enduro last year, and lots of other things to spend my money on so I doubt I would get sign off !
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