Upgrade wheels or switch to carbon?
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444
Bikes: bikes
Liked 1,429 Times
in
711 Posts
I am currently riding a Giant Defy with rim brakes. I have no complaints about the bike and it fits me well. As my riding and fitness continues to improve, I am spending more and more time in the saddle, which leads to the inevitable thoughts of upgrades. I have read lots about how upgrading the wheels on a bike make a huge improvement and I know that wheels on my Defy are entry level, so that is one angle I am looking at. Nothing crazy, but maybe a $500 set of wheels and keep the stock wheels for winter/training use. Option B is to upgrade the entire bike. My LBS will give me a great deal on a 2016 Roubaix SL4 Sport which puts my into a similar spec'ed bike to my Defy but with a carbon frame versus aluminum. Does one scenario make more sense than the other?
I also don't think carbon versus aluminum in and of itself is a big jump. Really depends a lot on the layup of the bike. Some carbon is better than some aluminum, and some aluminum better than some carbon. I doubt you would notice the difference in frames, though, for those bikes.
If you want to make an upgrade with probably the biggest bang for the buck, fast rolling tires are absolutely your best bet. The difference between a crappy pair of training tires and good (not necessarily expensive, some 30-40 tires are tremendously fast) tires is huge. So huge that I've flat-out stopped 10 years of riding crappy tires for training because of the differences in speed between decent tires (like Continental GP 4000s) and the $12 Nashbar specials I always rode before.
Even more of an upgrade, but one that requires a bit more work and possibly discomfort in the short term, is position on the bike. This would assume speed is the upgrade you're looking for, of course, but you can make tremendous gains by addressing how high you sit up on the bike, how wide your arms are, how high your head is, etc.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444
Bikes: bikes
Liked 1,429 Times
in
711 Posts
Tires are more important than wheels. Fast tires on fast wheels, though; that's the cat's meow.
#28
OMC
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 6,960
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sprint, Look 585, Specialized Allez Comp Race
Liked 116 Times
in
49 Posts
Strangely enough, that's a preferred combination among the tri folks around here. They're that petrified of getting flats, in spite of the fact that our roads are pretty decent and we have nothing like goat heads to be afraid of.
__________________
Regards,
Chuck
Demain, on roule!
Regards,
Chuck
Demain, on roule!
#29
I agree with latex tubes and Grand Prix 25mm tires.
Michelin pro4 is another popular choice and I think they are on sale for 25 a piece at nashbar for the moment.
If you were going to get another set of wheels I would find some that are tubeless compatible.
Michelin pro4 is another popular choice and I think they are on sale for 25 a piece at nashbar for the moment.
If you were going to get another set of wheels I would find some that are tubeless compatible.
#30
just another gosling
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 19,779
Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004
Liked 2,115 Times
in
1,494 Posts
If you want to give yourself a present that will make you a happier rider, upgrade your kit: better shoes are huge, as are shorts or bibs. Even a nicer jersey or base layer makes a difference in on-bike comfort. Better glasses are good, too. I'm loving my new Pearl Izumi Elite shorts. I'd upgrade my kit long before upgrading my bike. I reckon I've accumulated ~$3000 in kit components and I don't buy top-end gear.
__________________
Results matter
Results matter
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,319
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Casseroll, 2009 Kona Blast
Liked 209 Times
in
147 Posts
If you want to give yourself a present that will make you a happier rider, upgrade your kit: better shoes are huge, as are shorts or bibs. Even a nicer jersey or base layer makes a difference in on-bike comfort. Better glasses are good, too. I'm loving my new Pearl Izumi Elite shorts. I'd upgrade my kit long before upgrading my bike. I reckon I've accumulated ~$3000 in kit components and I don't buy top-end gear.
#32
My LBS gave me the Roubaix today to take for a test ride. Not a super great day with 50-60km/h winds, but maybe it's better to test ride in adverse conditions to see what the bike is really like. The first thing I noticed is the difference in riding position. The bike felt taller and I felt like I was riding "on" the bike versus my Defy where I feel like I'm "in" the bike. The Roubaix was smoother though, especially over road joints and railroad tracks. Was it better? I'm not sure it was better enough to justify the extra expense.
#33
If you want to give yourself a present that will make you a happier rider, upgrade your kit: better shoes are huge, as are shorts or bibs. Even a nicer jersey or base layer makes a difference in on-bike comfort. Better glasses are good, too. I'm loving my new Pearl Izumi Elite shorts. I'd upgrade my kit long before upgrading my bike. I reckon I've accumulated ~$3000 in kit components and I don't buy top-end gear.
#34
Banned.
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
And of course, this dumb **** had parked their bike PARALLEL with the rack, so they were taking up 4-5 slots on the rack.
********.
#36
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 7,927
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
My least favorite argument. Why shouldn't someone have the bike they most enjoy riding? I know I wouldn't ride nearly the hours I do if I didn't have a fast bike that gave me a thrill every time I hopped on. The investment also provides some incentive to get out there on days when the weather is bad or I'm not feeling 100%.
BB
BB
Why buy a $45,000 truck that will be $27,000 when cleared out? Therein lies the dilemma.
I've obviously got more stereo equipment than you do.
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.
#38
Riding is my addiction
I agree with some of the replies. Tires are a good choice and ++1 on Conti GP 4000S II, especially 25mm or higher if you frame will accommodate them. But I think a good set of wheels will make a huge difference. My Orbea Opal came with mavic ksyrium elite wheels, when I upgraded to HED Ardennes FR wheels the difference was night and day, lighter, stronger, wider (23mm OD) which translates to more comfort and better handling, as you can ride lower pressures. However the OP at 225lbs going too low puts you in pinch flat danger.
The newer Ardennes and Belgium 25mm rims would be a great choice, the Stallion build with more spokes is what you want coupled with 25 or 28 mm tires. My new HED Ardennes SL Plus 25mm rims the 25mm Conti GP4000S II measure 28mm. Can't say yet how the new wheels ride as they won't fit on my Opal. The new SL Plus I bought for my a new Orca I haven't received yet.
That's my .02
John
The newer Ardennes and Belgium 25mm rims would be a great choice, the Stallion build with more spokes is what you want coupled with 25 or 28 mm tires. My new HED Ardennes SL Plus 25mm rims the 25mm Conti GP4000S II measure 28mm. Can't say yet how the new wheels ride as they won't fit on my Opal. The new SL Plus I bought for my a new Orca I haven't received yet.
That's my .02
John
#39
Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm not really a latest & greatest kind of guy with anything. Once I find something I really like, I keep it for a long time. It just sometimes takes bit of time and effort to settle into that equilibrium. Maybe I will start with some tires and progress from there. I would like to try some 28c tires to see how they work.