Just getting back into it. Got a 2012 cannondale SL Trail 4 29'er. Gonna upgrade derailer and pedals. Anyone think of anything else that should be done?
Upgrade questions
Just getting back into it. Got a 2012 cannondale SL Trail 4 29'er. Gonna upgrade derailer and pedals. Anyone think of anything else that should be done?
Four wheels are fun, two wheels are freedom
just a member
very difficult ? to answer. An easy answer would be to fix/ upgrade as stuff breaks. If it works, it's hard to tell you to upgrade anything. But, wheels are a good place to start. A good set of wheels will instantly increase your speed. They're expensive for a reason.
I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.
Supporting Member
Honestly, I wouldn't touch a thing on the bike and just ride it as is. It's a good solid bike. After riding it for a year or two you feel you've out grown it then upgrade the whole bike. It's just not very cost effective to upgrade parts unless something breaks. It's always cheaper in the long run to buy a bike that has all the parts you want on it already. Sure, a wheelset would make a huge difference, but a cheap light wheelset is about $550 for a Stan's NoTubes wheelset (best bang for buck hands down btw).
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Poser
Ya don't worry about upgrading the rear derailleur until it actually breaks. RDs are a money pit - performance difference between middle of the road and high end is negligible and often times the high end piece is twice the price. But, if you wanna add "bling" that's the first place most people look ;-)
The best upgrade you can make to any bike starts and ends with the suspension (fork and shock) and the wheelset. This is where you'll notice the biggest gain in performance, and the biggest dent in your wallet! But, 'specially with a 29er, a good set of wheels will make all the difference in the world!
Welcome to the addiction...
"ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."
Thank you all. I may just upgrade the pedals at first and then maybe wheels later. I didn't really like the "grab" on the stock pedals. I'll drop the derailer upgrade and just save the money for wheels or forks down the road. I'm gonna ride the original wheels for awhile cause I'll be doing a lot of road riding at first to strengthen my knee, I just had it rebuilt, then change the wheels when I hit the trails
Four wheels are fun, two wheels are freedom
just a member
Sylvan Island only has a few hills. that might be a good place for you with the hurt knee. You can still build technical skills without pushing hard.
I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.
The Berminator
In my experience, the most important "upgrades" are those which make you more comfortable on the bike (whether it be physically or mentally). Grips, saddle, shoes, gloves, etc. If you are looking for the biggest return on investment for performance, time on the saddle is going to have a much bigger effect than component upgrades.
I'll have to look into Sylvan Island, sounds perfect for me. Thank you all for your help
Four wheels are fun, two wheels are freedom
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote