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I've been given a wee bonus from work and am considering upgrading some bits on my bikes.
The bikes are all standard and are:
2012 Whyte Stirling
2013 Commencal Meta AM
2016 Whyte T-130 Yari
The Whytes get the most use, one for fun, the other for commuting.
The Stirling could use new wheels tbf as the rear hub bearings are pitted.
Other than that I can't think what, if any, upgrades to make.
n+1 fatbike
Sell commencal, buy wheels for stirling, buy fat bike.
Upgrade yourself with some one to one skills or some epo
Better wheels for the 2016 Whyte T-130 Yari would be my choice
Do you have a dropper post? Wheels and a dropper could be done nicely for £500 or so.
Dropper will have a big influence on enjoyment of riding - changing other bits that actually work fine but you want something shinier will have a more limited effect (forks, shock etc).
v666ern - Membern+1 fatbike
andyflaw - Member
Sell commencal, buy wheels for stirling, buy fat bike.
Fat bike.... possibly. Not completely sold on them and would be extremely reluctant to sell the Meta. 🙁
mikewsmith - Member[b]Upgrade yourself with some one to one skills [/b]or some epo
That's already on the cards. 🙂
leftyboy - MemberBetter wheels for the 2016 Whyte T-130 Yari would be my choice
I don't know much about wheels. Are the standard ones on the T-130 worth upgrading already considering the bike is only 3 weeks old (subjective question obviously)? Any suggestions on what I should be looking at? Bike is used mainly in Surrey Hills, trail centres, BPW and Antur Stiniog.
euain - MemberDo you have a dropper post? Wheels and a dropper could be done nicely for £500 or so.
Dropper will have a big influence on enjoyment of riding - changing other bits that actually work fine but you want something shinier will have a more limited effect (forks, shock etc).
Got a dropper on both bikes, agree fully that they make the ride much more enjoyable.
I won't be changing fork or shock until they need replacing a I wouldn't get the benefit. 🙂
get decent wheels which are tubeless if they aren't already, would be my first choice. Beyond that there's lots you could do, in no particular order.
New carbon bar
new lightweight stem
new riding shoes
new fancy pedals
upgrade the shifters?
You could do a lot with £500 incl some luxurious accomodation for your next cycling trip, hotel with a spa??
A week riding in Spain.
Bar and stem on the T130 as I hate the whyte ones. £200ish for renthal/easton/raceface carbon bar and stem
£160ish for some mavic aksiums for the sterling.
Spend the rest on booking some uplifts.
jekkyl - MemberNew carbon bar
new lightweight stem
new riding shoes
new fancy pedals
upgrade the shifters?
You could do a lot with £500 incl some luxurious accomodation for your next cycling trip, hotel with a spa??
Wheels are already tubeless, first thing I did when I got the bike home. 🙂
Do carbon bars and lighter stems add anything other than bling? Genuine question as I've never really considered them.
New flat pedals is a good call. My current Saints are getting a bit sticky on the axle.
nickjb - MemberA week riding in Spain.
That's what the rest of the bonus is for. Having said that, happy to listen to any recommendations you might have as we've not been before. Uplift/guided preferred. 🙂
5 quid on a tub of grease so you can service some perfectly good pedals, and not waste 90 quid on some pimp replacements that will only get bounced off rocks?
And as there's obviously nothing fundamentally 'wrong' with your bikes which is why you haven't got anything specific you want to change, then another vote for n+1 fat bike. Not ridden my Alpine160 since spending £405 on a Voodoo Wazoo, and Northwind and others are V impressed with their Calibre Dunes from Go Outdoors.
Fatbike for definite!
crashtestmonkey - Member5 quid on a tub of grease so you can service some perfectly good pedals, and not waste 90 quid on some pimp replacements that will only get bounced off rocks?
Fair point. The Meta doesn't have pedals just now 'cos they've been moved to the T-130 but attempting another service of the Saints is sensible. 🙂
crashtestmonkey - MemberAnd as there's obviously nothing fundamentally 'wrong' with your bikes [b]which is why you haven't got anything specific you want to change[/b], then another vote for n+1 fat bike. Not ridden my Alpine160 since spending £405 on a Voodoo Wazoo, and Northwind and others are V impressed with their Calibre Dunes from Go Outdoors.
Yep, another good point. Must look into these fat bikes a bit more.
Up grade the riders fitness by buying a turbo and training plans, all three bikes will be seen to faster. Biggest bang for your buck. Or save it up for summer MTB holiday.
If you are struggling to find ways to spend £500 on your bikes, don't. Rather than waste if on something you don't need, send your parents away somewhere nice for the weekend instead.
The Meta doesn't have pedals just now 'cos they've been moved to the T-130
if you're swapping pedals between bikes then buying another pair is probably acceptable 😉 Point is, shiny bling will give you 5 minutes of satisfaction and motivation to ride, then you'll forget about it. You've covered the skills coaching and holiday which have been widely suggested. Something like a fat bike will be a new riding experience, and it's sufficiently different to ride that you'll basically have to learn to ride it which will be more interesting and involving for longer than subtle changes to your current bike. Mine was cheap, is rigid and staying that way, and beyond the novelty value I find that riding it makes me work on my technique (ie. all the things I got taught in skills coaching sessions) and the fact that some of your efforts have to be exaggerated re-enforces those skills. So it's more a skills developer than a skills compensator. As well as a right laugh, which ultimately is the point of riding bikes off road!
Euro - MemberIf you are struggling to find ways to spend £500 on your bikes, don't. Rather than waste if on something you don't need, send your parents away somewhere nice for the weekend instead.
That is a good idea actually. 🙂
crashtestmonkey - MemberPoint is, shiny bling will give you 5 minutes of satisfaction and motivation to ride, then you'll forget about it. You've covered the skills coaching and holiday which have been widely suggested. Something like a fat bike will be a new riding experience, and it's sufficiently different to ride that you'll basically have to learn to ride it which will be more interesting and involving for longer than subtle changes to your current bike. Mine was cheap, is rigid and staying that way, and beyond the novelty value I find that riding it makes me work on my technique (ie. all the things I got taught in skills coaching sessions) and the fact that some of your efforts have to be exaggerated re-enforces those skills. So it's more a skills developer than a skills compensator. As well as a right laugh, which ultimately is the point of riding bikes off road!
I'm liking the idea of a fat bike but my riding is mainly the muddy trails of the Surrey Hills, never on sand or snow. Still worth getting one? Very keen to try one. 🙂
Well I'm in Oxfordshire so the only sand I see is Woburn and the only snow I see is Jon. It's still been my go-to MTB since getting it, and I've rediscovered my mtb mojo. As I said above I rode it both days in Afan, leaving my Alpine160 in the lock up, and it'll be joining the Alpine on our next road trip.