The 6 BEST Cycling Upgrades!

[@gcn]

What upgrades did we miss that helped you upgrade your cycling? Let us know 👇

[@michaelo6870]

I don't know if you can call it an upgrade, but eating and drinking right is certainly tremendously important if you want to be fast...

[@paulgal]

I bought adidas cycling trainers and stuffed peddles for my bike and feel they’ve made a big difference. I don’t like clip in peddles.

[@murphychris9811]

stop making the same videos each week its gettin silly now ..... stop saying in videos best things for free and then get on a 3 grand bike and tell us to get a trainer and power meters how about gcn comes into the real world for a bit

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

What about cycling kit?

[@gcn]

@@michaelo6870 This is so important! You've got to fuel those efforts 🙌

[@mashjordy]

Hey Conor, at 5:48 I noticed your disc brake isn't fitting correctly in your caliper. Looks like either your caliper bracket is for a bigger rotor, or your rotor is too small to fit correctly. This misfit will cause your pad to wear down unevenly. You can kind of see that happening already. Plus a few seconds later you can see only part of the rotor getting worn by the pad only contacting the outer edge. Worst-case scenario your pads will make contact with each other before they contact the rotor and you wont be stopping. Plus your braking efficiency is greatly reduced. Stay safe out there!

[@jonford6119]

When I saw your comment I was initially a bit sceptical, (excuse this, there are a lot of odd comments on cycling threads on KZbin) but you're spot on. Really clear image at 5:52 of the wear marks on just the outer 4 mil or so of the disc. Looks like a 140mm disc on a bike set up for 160mm rotors. Braking must be lousy.

[@a1white]

Good spot 😮

[@Bazza1968]

@@jonford6119 At 5:50 you can see the distance from the top of the rotor to the narrow slot in the caliper body is huge...the outer edge of the rotor should be fairly close to the top of that visible slot and it's still in the wider part below!! What a howler (aye, that'll be 10mm then!)....

[@Bazza1968]

Brilliant spot Jordan....

[@andrewdwyer-rm1io]

How on earth did Connor not notice that

[@MTBScotland]

bought my road bike and immediately changed tyres. OE tyres where heavy and not tubeless so for £67 I got two goodyear F1's which saved 400 g and tubeless. Then bought a power meter, aero wheels and some kit (all my stuff was MTB). My kids don't understand the beans on toast for dinner though.

[@gcn]

Ahahah get them into cycling, they'll understand then 😂

[@MTBScotland]

@@gcn That's also part of the reason why we have beans on toast for dinner ha ha ha.

[@Z-u-m-a]

Could you guys do a video on top alloy vs entry carbon wheels please? Include a basic box section wheel too, ie as a point of upgrade reference.

[@doublejumpvideogames....]

Feel like ive seen this GCN video 30 times already...

[@murphychris9811]

they just make the same videos every 6 months and think people forget this shit

[@milybanily]

37 to be honest,

[@psy-v]

Lol they can only make so many info based videos before they overlap. But sometimes it's about circulation. A viewer is more likely to watch a new video when it comes out than to search for one from 1 - 2 - 5 years ago.

[@rangersmith4652]

If you tune in to a commercial station on TV or radio, you get the same ads over and over. Ad revenue pays the bills. Same with GCN.

[@glennoc8585]

Haha...

[@bobbysilver272]

I agree. A decent couch makes all the difference. Relaxing after a ride is lovely now.

[@thosebikepackers]

A quality, comfy saddle is always a great upgrade!

[@Kommentierer]

Upgrade Through Maintenance is a nice approach. Use what you got as long as it works, but if you need a replacement, think about other options. I early-swapped the derailleur wheels of my 105 to Ultegra Ones. Much better bearings.

[@Bazza1968]

I bought a "budget" Vitus Razor Disc for £629(thru axles, full carbon steerer/fork, Sora with mechanical TRP Spyres)... upgraded wheels to P1800 32mm with Hutchinson T/L tyres, and snapped up a CRC 105 groupo at the end of last year...OEM wheels could be used for 35mm gravel tyres I suppose(frame/fork would easily take that maybe 38mm) but I have the bike I want for just over £1200 that weigh 9kg without pedals (Liked the carbon 105 Vitus Zenium...then I saw the "PF30" and that was the end of that).... have also added a 4iiii NDS power meter(and Ultegra pedals...and new bars...and stem...and seat post...and saddle.....!!)

[@seanclark2703]

repainted my bike this winter to high visibility yellow. got my brother to do it with left-over paint from his shop. best upgrade ever.

[@madmick9205]

All things I am thinking about. Great video, it has given me some great info and insight TY:)

[@mpvsystems9302]

In the last few weeks since the season has begun in earnest where I live, I've challenged several of my club mates (of similar or greater weight) in coast down (60 to 80 kph) challenges to compare my old school 23 mm (albeit expensive Veloflex tubulars at ~105 psi) fitted on my antique Zipp 404 rims to their modern disc brake bikes with fat low pressure (~70 psi) tires running GP 5000s or similar. To everyone's surprise, especially my own, the new bikes with big tires and wheels simply do not descend as quickly as my old school "narrow" tire set up. For one test, we repeated it after swapping bikes to rule out any difference between our body shapes; same results. In my estimation, the big tires may have similar or even slightly lower rolling resistance, but they obviously have more aerodynamic drag. It would be good to hear the experience of others performing the same comparison....

[@wspmjw]

Upgrade the bicycle motor (see Olie's upgrade) through nutrition, resistance exercises, and wise training. You have to eat anyway, why not eat well?

[@johnstrac]

Keep an eye on prices and stock up on regularly used consumables, brake pads, chains, bar tape, tyres etc.

[@bubblesezblonde]

Always enjoy these thanks

[@gcn]

🙌

[@cb6866]

Thanks Conor and Manon ....

[@Tim955w]

I would like some latex inner tubes suitable for 30C tyres does anyone have any recommendations, when i have looked they don't appear to be specified up to this size?

[@oplkfdhgk]

can we get same video but for like other types of bikes cus i don't think most of these upgrades make that much sense on like city bike that is used for going to work and back home or like going to shop?

[@gcn]

We would love to do more commuter content, what did you make of this video? 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gH-7hH2diM2sldk

[@a1white]

Decent tyres that have good puncture resistance, mudguards (or fenders if you’re from the US) so you can keep drier and help protect the bike in the wet. Consider panniers, so much better for carrying loads than putting it on your back. Tortec velocity is great- slimline and unobtrusive

[@VictorElGreco]

As manufacturers try to meet a certain price-point, they tend to put some of the lowest-end consumables on their bikes. So it makes perfect sense to upgrade as you wear those down.

[@a1white]

Or sometimes before they wear. I know on my rim brake bike the stock pads they’d put on where horribly abrasive things that didn’t even stop me that well. It was like the sound of sandpaper on my rims, in the wet,definitely wanted to upgrade them.

[@VictorElGreco]

@@a1white Indeed, stock brake pads are notoriously crappy. Best changed ASAP.

[@TBATTIECYCLING]

A great duo

[@rangersmith4652]

The best upgrade -- we've heard this a gazillion times, of course -- it fitness.

[@erlendsteren9466]

I like to get fit too. I do get rid of houndreds of grams these days. First I have saved a few gram on my bike, but using the bike saves a lot bodygram. Roughly calculated: 1 hour hard ride is 100 gram weightloss.

[@andras.89]

Dear All, I have a basic Decathlon Triban RC520, any recommendation for the best cheap wheelset upgrade to accomodate 11-speed Shimano 105 casette, 6-bolt disc brake and quick release features and fully compatible? OR, at least a good and compatible freehub? Thank you!

[@Krismarkussen]

The fulcrum Racing 4 wheelset would be a good lightweightoption, looking for carbon wheels then the zipp 303 or selcof carbon wheels

[@sarahtoustra7127]

I switched the stock wheels to DT-Swiss P 1800 spline 23 disc that are ~400g lighter. Works well with the QR end caps that are ship with these wheels and they also come with a 6-bolt to centerlock adapter so you can reuse the stock TRP rotors. Anything with a DT-Swiss 350 or 370 hub should work. I know some Mavic disc wheels also support QR adapters.

[@andras.89]

Thank you both for your answers, recommendations. Could you help and list me the points I need to cover when I am checking for a compatible wheel/hub set for my Triban? There are so many criterias I need to follow.

[@willmo1725]

Hey gcn, great video. Im on the edge. New tires new wheels. Tires seem as impressive an upgrade as new wheels. So many choices so little time.

[@gcn]

Tyres first, wheels later! Tyres are a great option for that first upgrade 🙌 If it's still too slow for you, those wheels are going to be a great option!

[@willmo1725]

@@gcn cool thanks i need to wear these down a bit more. Thanks

[@sweepsp8468]

Wheels and tyres best upgrade I have made, in doing this I have increase ave speed by 2mph minimum.

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

Nice & Thanks :)

[@davidhughson189]

What about a show about how to put tire liners EASY ON road tires, with a tubeless set up? Could Josh of Silca get involved? All I’ve heard is how HARD IT IS. I’m sure Ollie could figure something out😀

[@BladeBarn]

EPO is the best $:performance gain I got

[@bangsmash]

I think "wiv" is important too :)

[@stevengibbs8117]

Anyone scared of increasing their tire width I strongly encourage you to do it (if you are not racing). If your FTP is 180 or above you will not notice a speed difference going from 28 to 32, and you will notice a HUGE increase in comfort. As long as you get a good 32 tire, you're sacrificing MAYBE 3 watts in rolling resistance? And considering your main opponent at 180 watts or above is air resistance, your speed difference will be about 0.1 kilometers an hour slower. That's a mere 10 second loss over AN HOUR for significantly more comfortable tires. Honestly you'll probably be so much more comfortable , you'll be able to maintain an aero position for longer, and recover more than the 10 seconds you lost by being in an more aero position with your body for longer.

[@tomswift3748]

Great to see little and large back on TV 😅

[@SiParengBen]

if you went to the comment section to look for comments about the calipers and the rotors, here you are! 5:50

[@Jari1973]

Thanks for the video (especially Manon 🥰)! If a rally car wants to go faster.. do we put wider tires and looser shock absorption under it??

[@HuntersCyclingAdventures]

May the fourth be with you all at GCN mega base

[@supocarta74]

I prefer 23mm tyres😂 and I wear as little as possible normally just a gym vest so I can show the ladies my upper body muscles not just my legs😊

[@2karvaly]

I do have a coach: you all at GCN.

[@gcn]

Glad we can help 💪

[@necstanunn]

Proper seat fitting

[@gcn]

Makes the world of difference 🎉

[@LegSpinna]

I need to upgrade my legs.

[@emmedigi89]

Wheels and tyres are really an upgrade worth doing. They really change the behaviour of your bike.

[@bikemirror6620]

Best upgrade is having a training plan and the time to do it

[@miyui9269]

one of the best upgrades to enjoy more time on the bikes is to buy low maintenance bikes.

[@patrickb840]

Wrong rotor adaptor at 5:50

[@devinmorrison7131]

Upgrading to rim brakes is the #1 best upgrade.

[@iecrime]

Glad you all didn't push clipless pedals (myths) in this vid.

[@garyjones6519]

Subscription to komoot .... an upgrade ... hmmm .... plenty of free apps out there that do much the same thing.... then use the money on genuine upgrades or that coach ...

[@yncr18]

Please turn the music down when they are speaking! This issue persists in so many recent videos.

[@aAnd67]

And they say there's lots of repeats on TV 😂😂

[@j-k-j]

The first upgrade: the right saddle high...

[@AndrewOliverHome]

Before watching. Wheels, tyres, go tubeless, new chain, wax your chain, shoes.

[@milospesic5322]

It's reading "milimetres"

[@chrism5433]

Max tire pressure.less flates 😂

[@sarahtoustra7127]

This Canyon Aeroad looks terrible in size 2XL. The Orbea looked much better.

[@izumihanako5415]

First!

[@padleydaley]

Upgrading power to weight ratio remains best Manon

[@r2d2fromstartrek]

What about you just get stronger

[@jaydibernardo4320]

Best upgrade? A decent pub near the finish line. 😅

[@garyjones6519]

Ride upgrades don’t buy upgrades ....

[@leonsutton299]

Omg GCN you really are a corporate promotion channel these days, how about buying a lighter rim brake bike for a 3rd of the cost with cheaper parts and your still clim fast than a disc bike and some of your up grade are very expensive but you did offer cheaper option you only showed the top brands on the videos 🙄

[@GrahamSWright1]

GCN: the KZbin channel for people with unlimited disposable income to spend on their bicycle. Bikes are already expensive enough and their are encouraging their viewers to spend even more. It’s almost as if they are being sponsored by kit and parts manufacturers. 🤔

[@dankbank7424]

I don’t take advice from people with a lower vo2 max than me. Bring back Simon

[@RomanKokosh-o6h]

Did u reuse footage from old videos?)

[@murphychris9811]

isnt going to cost you a penny while holding a bike worth 3000 grand

[@doublejumpvideogames....]

Video then suggests a power meter and a coach ....

[@murphychris9811]

@@doublejumpvideogames.... gcn living in there own world