Advice Appreciated re Upgrade/Improving Bike

kennyb3

Boardsie help/opinions required please!

Basically i ve a year old defy 4 and want to try improve it with a budget of 300e (maybe slightly more). basically i prob wont be able to afford a carbon race bike until next summer and want to keep my Bike To Work tax break until then and use it when im ready to buy the right bike. plus i know im not ready to look after a really good bike yet. The defy has all original stock on it wheels, and so on, only change is its on schwalbe blizzard sport tires

So anyway thinking about spending some money improving new bike, maybe i should be saving it towards new bike, but thats not easily done.

So im thinking the best place to start would be with the wheels and tires, so am thinking of buying mavic aksium wheels (highly suggested from past threads) from here (though they seem to be silver would prefer black)

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=89&idproduct=16968

If anyone can find them cheaper let me know. also why are they way cheaper than here i presume they are the same yeah? (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=42068

Next i was thinking of putting some GP4000's S on them. I heard these can be hard to get onto aksium rims but do go together.

Now some questions:

1. Any other wheels to consider? Fulcrum racing 5's @ 220e?
2. Will they be a big enough upgrade to be worthwhile or should i push the boat out further?
3. Do i need anything else i might be forgetting - rim tape i assume, anything else?

Finally what other things that are relatively cheap (greatest bang for buck) could i do do make the bike lighter/upgrade it.

- get light bottle cage, i have big heavy aliminium one on

I wouldnt know what else after that though.

Thanks

niceonetom

I'd say just keep saving.

Don't know what wheels came stock with your bike but the aksiums are likely to be only a very marginal improvement - they're a very dependable wheel but not particularly light or aero (not that it matter much anyway). I would get the 4000Ss though; tyres are an upgrade you can feel instantly.

When you do eventually get carbon uberbike dripping in italian jewellery (or whatever) the Defy can be what you ride when it's horrible out.

IM0

kennyb3 wrote: »

Basically i ve a year old defy 4 and want to try improve it with a budget of 300e (maybe slightly more).
at are relatively cheap (greatest bang for buck) could i do do make the bike lighter/upgrade it.

wheels will be the biggest bang for the buck, akysium's are about 1900g
not sure what your current stock ones weigh but it it isnt more than 2300g I wouldnt bother, best save it for the new bike, thats what Id do

bcmf

A couple of things Kenny.
Probably the best upgrade you will make will be the wheels.
I only recently changed mine to Pro-Lite Como and for €120 ish they are great.Look superb not the lightest but not too worried about that yet and roll beatifully. I spoke to the guy who owns Pro-Lite and he told me they would last years if looked after.
Tyres. You wont go wrong with Conti's gp 4000s chilli.I rode a set last year till the literally wore out with the amount of flats to be counted on one hand.

There is another option. Ever consider the e-bay carbon frame? wont be a million miles off €300
and put the gruppy/wheels you have now onto it. And then upgrade bit by bit

kennyb3

stock wheels are as detailed here http://www.wheelworxbikes.com/wwx/article.php?story=2009040910051736

dont have a clue what weight though, cant seem to find out.

but i read previously they were flexi and hence was considering upgrading to the stiffer aksiums.

really looking to do what i can this summer to start racing without spending a fortune.

kennyb3

bcmf wrote: »

A couple of things Kenny.
Probably the best upgrade you will make will be the wheels.
I only recently changed mine to Pro-Lite Como and for €120 ish they are great.Look superb not the lightest but not too worried about that yet and roll beatifully. I spoke to the guy who owns Pro-Lite and he told me they would last years if looked after.

Hi BCMF

what had you on previously? the consensus above seems to be not to change but i would of though a stiffer better wheel would make a huge difference.

bcmf wrote: »

Tyres. You wont go wrong with Conti's gp 4000s chilli.I rode a set last year till the literally wore out with the amount of flats to be counted on one hand..

I ll prob by a pair of these later so

bcmf wrote: »

There is another option. Ever consider the e-bay carbon frame? wont be a million miles off €300
and put the gruppy/wheels you have now onto it. And then upgrade bit by bit

To be honest i wouldnt have the ability to spot the good frames from the bad ones. and the defy is very very entry level 2300 and sora stuff so id actually be embarrassed to ask someone to switch it onto carbon frame. its something i ll consider next year and buy a gruppo.

kennyb3

niceonetom wrote: »

When you do eventually get carbon uberbike dripping in italian jewellery (or whatever) the Defy can be what you ride when it's horrible out.

Thanks yeah i ll keep the defy as a training bike anyway

bcmf

Kenny I started back on Kysriums then onto a set of Ambrosio's until they had to go.
I wouldn't worry about putting Sora onto a bike as you can uograde bit by bit when you can afford to.
I have 2 light/decent plastic bottle cages looking for a good home FOC

Chips Lovell

kennyb3 wrote: »

really looking to do what i can this summer to start racing without spending a fortune.

What you have is fine for racing. If you want to upgrade, I think you'd be better off saving towards a new bike.

kennyb3

bcmf wrote: »

Kenny I started back on Kysriums then onto a set of Ambrosio's until they had to go.
I wouldn't worry about putting Sora onto a bike as you can uograde bit by bit when you can afford to.
I have 2 light/decent plastic bottle cages looking for a good home FOC

Ta, will take the bottle cages off you at some stage, cycling up sunday tho so wont be able to get them then.

edit: maybe we could orgaise a spin for some evening next week and i ll sort you out with money then

kennyb3

el tonto wrote: »

What you have is fine for racing. If you want to upgrade, I think you'd be better off saving towards a new bike.

Cheers, i know your right and its about the rider. i think its more psychological than anything else if you know what i mean

Lumen

kennyb3 wrote: »

Cheers, i know your right and its about the rider. i think its more psychological than anything else if you know what i mean

The other way to look at it is that you won't know what to upgrade until you start racing.

Maybe you'll want more gears, or a narrower range cassette, or better shifters, or differently shaped handlebars, or stiffer wheels, or grippier bottle cages, or some different clothing to keep you comfortable at higher efforts....

I busted my front wheel while crashing out of my first second race, so I wouldn't recommend dropping big money on wheels right at the start.

kennyb3

Lumen wrote: »

Maybe you'll want more gears, or a narrower range cassette, or better shifters, or differently shaped handlebars, or stiffer wheels, or grippier bottle cages, or some different clothing to keep you comfortable at higher efforts....

My god sounds like im going to be broke, hope my GF never reads this.

point taken though. I ll just splash oout on the new tyres (realised i used american tires above - doh) as they seem to come very well recommended

Lumen

kennyb3 wrote: »

My god sounds like im going to be broke, hope my GF never reads this.

Most of the stuff that really matters is pretty cheap.

bcmf

If I remember I will bring them on sun. Should only take a few minutes to swap them over. Don't worry about money they are just taking up space at home. You can either bin you steel ones or I am sure they will hold onto them in fingallions until you get back.

kennyb3

Another quick question - inner tubes - 700x19/23 LV51mm or 700x19/23 SV42mm whats the difference

cdaly_

LV - long valve
SV - short valve.

Matters if you have deep aero rims.

cdaly_

bcmf wrote: »

If I remember I will bring them on sun. Should only take a few minutes to swap them over. Don't worry about money they are just taking up space at home. You can either bin you steel ones or I am sure they will hold onto them in fingallions until you get back.

If you're chucking your old one I'll take it. Only have the one at the mo and can't be arsed buying another...