[Closed] Upgrades for fun

The most noticeable bang for your buck may be lighter wheels (depending on what you already have) if you can find some within budget.

If those upgrades are really meant for fun, then get yourself a dropper post.

Hope X2 brakes?

If those upgrades are really meant for fun, then get yourself a dropper post.

Personally I'd go dropper, but with a rigid bike and a weight conscious OP I'm not sure its for them.

+1 for dropper post. Or if you are struggling to think of anything then don't bother. Spend the money on something else, a weekend away or some other kit like a new jacket or shorts.

Don't want a dropper on this bike. Unless it's insanely light.

I bought new wheels for it 2 years ago. WTB KOM light on dt350 hubs. Can't really get lighter without spending a lot more.

Carbon bits would be preferable to save weight.

Surely if you don't know what to upgrade then your just spaffing money for no reason. Why not wait until you feel something is lacking

save weight.

top end cassette? will save a few 100g probably, and as its on the rear axle you'll really feel it.

Don’t want a dropper on this bike. Unless it’s insanely light.

Get a Vecnum Nivo

Then tell me if it's any good.

DT Swiss D 232 Dropper will only cost you 150g. If you want fun, I'd "pay" that. And it's carbon.

That DT swiss post does look tempting.

Cassette wise. It's a 10 - 50 GX. I remember seeing some light 12 speed cassette on ebay a while back. Maybe one of those?

Can you build wheels? Do you have a LOT of patience? Might stretch your budget a bit but will reduce your wheel weight significantly. Berd Spokes.

Can you build wheels? Do you have a LOT of patience? Might stretch your budget a bit but will reduce your wheel weight significantly. Berd Spokes.

I did a long time ago. Happy to have a go. I have some spare Novatech hubs. Nothing special but could use them. I run a 2.35 rear and 2.6 front tyre so need a decent width rim.

Garbaruk cassette.

Won’t make it that much lighter but they are lovely engineered things and improve the feel good factor massively.

If you like engineering that is.

Ti bolts, if you shop around you can get them quite cheaply. It won't use all your £300 but will save some weight for little effort

I did a long time ago. Happy to have a go. I have some spare Novatech hubs. Nothing special but could use them. I run a 2.35 rear and 2.6 front tyre so need a decent width rim.

Sorry, I meant re build your current DT/WTB wheels with the Berds

Cassette wise. It’s a 10 – 50 GX. I remember seeing some light 12 speed cassette on ebay a while back. Maybe one of those?

Given your budget, sod ebay unknowns XX1 eagle will save you about* 500kg over a gx one.

*rounding inaccuracies apply.

Spokey Dokeys ftw.

For £300 I'd be looking at things like...
Carbon bars
Carbon seat post
Grips
Lighter tyres that do what you require
Latex tubes or tubeless kit
Maybe a bargain saddle upgrade
Maybe lighter cassette

Doubt you you would get a new wheelset upgrade for that price.

Cassette wise. It’s a 10 – 50 GX

450g claimed

Can get that down to 350g with top of the line stuff.

Not as much as I promised - as GX is lighter than I was assuming - the lower end ones are 650g plus!

Alternate train of thought, on a bike with no suspension and dropper, are you actually riding terrain that requires a 500% gear range?
Would changing to top end 11 or even 10 speed save you weight and up the "bling factor" if you could afford a XTR/XX1 set up?

Carbon bars
Carbon seat post
Grips
Lighter tyres that do what you require
Latex tubes or tubeless kit
Maybe a bargain saddle upgrade
Maybe lighter cassette

Got carbon bars already. Carbon seatpost would be nice but now tempted by the DT Swiss dropper.
Already tubless with Maxxis Ikons so can't get much lighter there.
I've seen some used X01 carbon cranks at a reasonable price.

You say for fun, but then all your comments suggest you’re just trying to make it lighter. Lighter by even 500g (which would be quite a big saving) isn’t really going to make it more fun.

What sort of riding do you do - you mention laufs- so suspension - but then dismiss it due to weight. If you’re riding rough terrain a suspension fork would make it more capable and more enjoyable - but I’d go for something like a SID / Reba 2nd hand as they are easy to get parts for / are broadly home serviceable / not that heavy.

Or a dropper post like some people mention above would make the bike more capable as you can get lower over the bike / move it around better in the corners.

If you’re just after saving a bit of weight and / or adding bling then any of the following:

Rainbow coloured titanium bolts (brake calipers / rotor bolts / stem etc

Replace the gx Eagle with a bling xx1 Eagle cassette - rainbow / gold / copper

Matching xx1 chain for whichever cassette you go for

Carbon handlebar

Fancy stem - e.g. Thomson

Lighter saddle with titanium rails etc

Your wheelset is probably a decent weight already - I don’t see £300 upgrades that in any way. Those Berd spokes sound like an utter nightmare to thread and build with. But Tom has an obvious bling bike habit so I can understand why he’s got some!

If I go foe the DT dropper I'd need to use a shim but that would probably be fine.

You say for fun, but then all your comments suggest you’re just trying to make it lighter. Lighter by even 500g (which would be quite a big saving) isn’t really going to make it more fun.

500g would make a big difference for me going up hill. So, would be more fun for xc rides. I love going fast on this bike. Even though I don't race, I get competitive with my times. I have a trail bike that's 3kg heavier which is more fun on rough terrain or decents. But much slower on xc rides. So much so, that I'm planning on making that a little lighter until I find a replacement bike in stock.

A carbon stem as a fun upgrade!
Did I read correctly?
Yeah if you like to become a dentists best friend then yeah by all means (no seriously don't)

I had a fancy new pro tharsis stem once that just wouldn't grip the steerer tube even with lots of friction paste.

Shocking!

Obvs saw sense and returned for a refund.

Personally I would choose a dropper and tyres.

Re carbon stems, I’ve had a a few, not gmjad any problems with them (Bontrager and Enve), but on the other hand, they haven’t offered anything noticeable over a decent alu one, so not worth the extra £££.

Gonna give a couple of Ti ones a go though, see what they do…

I have a trail bike that’s 3kg heavier which is more fun on rough terrain or decents. But much slower on xc rides.

what tyres does that have on it?

Given the latest information, I’m going back to my original answer of hope X2 brakes.

500g would make a big difference for me going up hill. So, would be more fun for xc rides. I love going fast on this bike. Even though I don’t race, I get competitive with my times. I have a trail bike that’s 3kg heavier which is more fun on rough terrain or decents. But much slower on xc rides

To play devils advocate would a 500g saving really make much difference to climbing times on hills? That’s a hint over a lb in weight vs whatever your total bike + rider weight is. Rolling resistance of tyres provably makes more of a difference - plus from the sound of your bike I can’t see how £300 gets close to a 500g saving.

I’d wager a short travel suspension fork or a dropper could save you more time on a big xc loop than 500g in weight off.

To offer a serious answer, the most interesting version I had on my Whippet was in its original guise when I built it. Singlespeed, 2.4" 29" tyres and not that light wheels (Ibis 938), but rigid with the Selcof fork and no dropper post.

I commented in the whippet thread that it was a bit old school lightweight feeling. So light that it surged with the down pedal stroke, flew over everything and induced a grin every ride.

My trouble was I then took it on more testing rides and quickly found I'm 50, fat and needed gears and a dropper post - oh and front suspension.

Did this and whilst it then became a go everywhere bike, the on the edge riding character was gone, so I pondered selling it.

Another while past and i have ended up with another Selcof carbon fork, 27.5 plus tyres, 2x10 - to avoid silly heavy cassettes and give a granny gear, and a dropper.

Sure it isn't super light any more, but at 11.6KG it is hardly portly. More importantly it makes me smile again and copes with everything other than real rocky trails at speed, whilst keeping the overall feel some way from my main HT bike (that also has 27.5+ tyres)

So, to answer the original question, in my experience with the Whippet in particular, getting it as light as possible wasn't really an upgrade or fun overall.

Think about what you want out of the bike and what you ride, then what stops you having as much fun in said rides as you possibly could - then change something to give you an edge back into the fun.

IMHO...weight is nearly irrelevant and unless you are an elite level racer looking to shave a second off here and there, it should be ignored. Exception being, if you need to decide between two parts.
Carbon cranks are a stand out mention here.. there may be a negligible weight difference, but apparently carbon are stiffer nad a benefit to some riders? not sure i would notice. being average weight, and a potentially low pedalling output. Do i want to risk smashing carbon cranks? nope, you're ok.. id rather have the reliability of aluminium, as pedal strikes do happen.
Exceptions being, rotating mass... i'd happily pay extra to save a few 100g a wheel
I certainly wouldn't be shaving grams at the expense of relaibility, safety or comfort.
i do run carbon bars, this is to try and save my arms and hands a little.
I do run carbon wheels, they are the same weight as my alumnium wheels. but they do ride nicely.
I would consider a carbon or high end alumnium seat post on my gravel bike, this would be purely for comfort.
Ive got a TI Hardtail and burly heavy trail. enduro bike.. probably 3kg difference in weight i guess... the heavier FS climbs better than the HT... this is on regualr fire road climbs, i put it down mostly to the geo, tyre and wheel choices...

if i was looking for upgrades for my Whippet..
id start with, am i comfortable on the bike? if not, saddle, grips, bars, seat post, pedals
is it suitable for where i ride it? if not, tyres, suspension, dropper...

Fast, grippy top-spec tyres. They'll change the feel of the bike more than anything else mentioned, bar maybe a dropper. The rest of it is just saving small slivers of weight for large-ish wads of cash.

IMHO…weight is nearly irrelevant and unless you are an elite level racer looking to shave a second off here and there, it should be ignored.

I'm not elite and only ride for fun, but weight makes a big difference for me. I'm a low weight/low power rider. 58kg with an ftp of 205. My Whippet is 2.5kg lighter than my full sus and is noticeably faster on climbs and anything other than very rough terrain.

My current philosophy when buying a new bike = Once you've spent money dialling in your contact points (stem / bar / grips / saddle / pedals) and upgrading to lighter wheels with nicer hubs, there's really no point spaffing any more money until stuff wears out / breaks.

I used to be a serial swapper. I wish I could go back in time and tell my past self not to bother. Would have saved thousands but still have enjoyed my riding.

Is it measurably faster, or does it just feel faster?

All else being equal* the physics indicate about 2 seconds a minute saved.

*that’s assuming same tyres, but also that the suspension loss on your trail bike is roughly equivalent to the energy wasted being bounced about on a rigid bike. Which is a bit beyond the scope of armchair engineering.

All my best times on strava going up or on flat is on the lighter bike. Same tyres (Maxxis forekasters at the moment) It could be partly due to wasted energy from suspension but that can be locked out.

Just weighed my current alloy seatpost which was 320g, so the DT swiss dropper is pretty much the same weight, though after some measuring, I think its about 5mm too long for the frame due to a bottle cage mount.

I had a good blast round a local flat trail centre that’s mostly swoopy flowy trails. But some of it has cut up in places - mostly on climbs. Plus there’s a more traditional rooty Singletrack xc loop - 50 acre wood in Bristol if you know it.

I was the quickest I’ve ever been in some sections - but I am the fittest I’ve ever been I’d say.

I was riding my hardtail which is give or take 30lbs. Steel Marino frame with decent modern geometry (nothing ludicrously long) a 140mm pike, and decently light wheels - XM421’s on Erase components hubs.

I was much faster than recent similar rides - the main difference was tyres.

Went from a 2.6” magic Mary at the front to a 2.5” DHF and from a 2.6” Forekaster at the back to a 2.6” Slaughter. The thing feels so much more rapid it’s untrue.

So maybe leave your Forekaster upfront for some turning grip but go faster at the back. Slaughter / Rekon race / minion SS / mezcal etc

I may do exactly the same ride next week on my 4lb heavier Transition Sentinel that has a 2.3” butcher / 2.3” dhr2 on it and a 150mm Lyrik Ultimate and heavier wheels (XM481 / Hope hubs) and see what the difference is. I’d wager there’s barely any difference in ultimate times. It maybe slower on draggier climbs but faster on the more cut up stuff.

Fast, grippy top-spec tyres. They’ll change the feel of the bike more than anything else mentioned, bar maybe a dropper. The rest of it is just saving small slivers of weight for large-ish wads of cash.

This ^
Maybe great contact points for better feel, suprising how that can improve a bike sometimes. A good carbon post perhaps, Syntace or similar. Can help with comfort.

I've never seen a bike that looked better for the application of 'bling' though. Really, save your money there.
Send £50 to a charity if it's not needed. You'll feel better for it (really, much better than spending for the sake of it), the world will be a bit better for it and it'll save you bike from a tacky fate : )

Regarding the DT dropper. Does anyone know if the cable mechanism at the bottom of the post can be rotated? It looks like ot might, and I'd need to rotate it to miss a bottle cage bolt boss in the frame.