The BEST Upgrades to Improve Your Bike!

[@Phlizz]

Working in a shop I often think the biggest upgrade for a lot of people would be just a good setup, lever reach and angle, saddle positioning, cleat orientation… all that. No cost at all and a massive improvement.

[@jesmondo5785]

I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment and completely logical. Power delivery is difficult from a wanky position. One of my next big upgrades is going to be shoes and saddle and probably stem to bring the reach in a touch

[@imagistatheimagista1870]

100%

[@alastairgrantham4503]

And dont get me started on juniors, Why do xs frames come with 420 handlebars, 170 cranks, massive saddle for little arses and so on. I've spent a small fortune on junior parts, to get bike to fit my boy!

[@rob-c.]

No cost… except for a bike fit price of course 🙂

[@stanislavkindiakov6334]

@@alastairgrantham4503 oh boy, you are so right! My wife is small 152 cm, so we had to buy smallest xxxs bike and even there was 40 cm handlebar.

[@future62]

I switched from cheap + light tubular tires/wheels to wider GP5Ks on heavier + deeper wheels and gained like 1-1.5 MPH on rides with the same power and no other changes. Difference increased with speed- I am like 3-4 MPH faster at the bottom of descents, which carries into climbs. It's great.

[@jasonwu9287]

So you... added weight? Does that make you a weight unweenie? 😂

[@tinaspagnoli7977]

Very comprehensive review of ways to upgrade and modernize my current bike (2011 Parlee!). Thank you David!

[@stevegeek]

I have a Specialized Tarmac SL6. I love it but wanted to upgrade the wheels so I’ve just taken the plunge and ordered 50mm carbon hoops from Sigma, almost half price in sale for £399! While I was at it I also bought new tyres (Conti 4 season, 32mm rear / 28mm front) and new cassette / chain. Looking forward to getting all the new parts and seeing how the Speccy rides with the new bits. Much cheaper than buying a new bike but hopefully it will ride like a new machine, for just over £500! 😊

[@welshbikepackingadventures]

iv had same bike for 8 years, does the job . depends on what you want it for, if your competing and needing to most up to date tech then you`re gonna be looking to upgrade more often i guess. me? im old ,slow and mostly a solo rider. i recon i can get another 8 years out of my old banger . all the best 😁

[@BrianRPaterson]

Great minds think alike. My CAAD4 is already 20 years old. I put 35mm tires on her 2 years ago and it transformed the ride comfort for not much money. Cheers

[@bonbonflippers4298]

If your bike fits and nothings wrong with it why replace? Keep it! I've settled for steel bikes with bigger tires and heavy but durable 32h Alloy wheels. Speed is not a priority and the ride feels incredible with confidence that it won't crack when hitting potholes.

[@bartmullin8018]

Done all the upgrades i needed to to (Advent X drivetrain, Selle Atómica X saddle, and 2nd Salsa Exp Anything bag for the forks) for the bike. Now it's just tweaking the camping gear; new larger pillow plus whatever small/practical items that will make my trips more comfortable. Bike's where it needs to be and the only 'upgrades' needed are more experience, fitness, and new pictures/stories from places new to me.

[@bonbonflippers4298]

@@bartmullin8018 this setup depending on your interests is the endgame or the end of the road in recreational cycling. There's no other reason to ride but to enjoy the journey or in your case the destinations. All of us will get there after getting tired of comparing and chasing the rainbow of advertisements and unicorns. Wake up to reality.

[@bartmullin8018]

@@bonbonflippers4298 Wake up to reality... What's that supposed to mean? I'm a little in the dark as per your last statement. Also, quantifying end of the road in recreational cycling, as if there's a more elite level that is superior to my level of participation? Kinda confused there...

[@jeffhunt2807]

I just upgraded my 2005 Litespeed Ultimate titanium bike's group set from campy record 10 speed to 12 Speed mechanical with rim brakes. The 10 speed was fantastic and smooth, the 12 Speed has better ratios for hills and top speed. Love it and no reason it can't last many more years.

[@edwardcromarty891]

Try upgrading the touch points, comfortable grips (ergonomic) or bar tape, and the pedals (for flat pedals suggest, Entity pp15), and if using tubes-I like Schwalbe tubes-try Velox cloth rim tape to help prevent pinch flats and give a softer ride (remember to gently file down rough edges on inside of rims, such as spoke hole edges, that may come in contact with tubes before putting on the cushiony cloth rim tape).

[@nickslatter3559]

Another great video David , looking forward to your content for 2023 . Happy new year to you 👍🏻

[@davidarthur]

Thanks and same to you Nick!

[@clp91009]

I would add latex inner tubes to the list of value for money upgrades. They are significantly lighter than butyl, give improved comfort and contrary to common belief they don’t puncture as frequently as butyl in my experience. I can never understand why more people don’t use them. Oh well I guess that means there’s more for me 😊

[@martinbichler7089]

Agree, Latex tubes are better than butyl as far as rolling resistance and drive comfort are concerned but cheaper than TPU tube upgrades

[@randy3907]

@@martinbichler7089 I've been using "Ridenow" TPU tubes from Allipress for the past few months, about $7 each.

[@martinbichler7089]

@@randy3907 so do I, but you can get Latex tubes locally at the same cost without ordering from China.

[@simonwarmer8777]

I use them too, won’t change them for tubelito’s. Light and low rolling resistance/costs.

[@jesmondo5785]

A few words to people considering going tubeless. I personally recommend it 100%, just don't skimp, specially on the sealant. Spend the extra £10 go for orange endurance, stans or caffelatex. I've had 0 issues with these sealants. 4000+ miles a year with 0 punctures sealant couldn't fix. No brainer.

[@twatts4436]

I do wonder if you're also lucky. My experience with narrower tubeless has not been good, but with wider (32mm+) I've only had a couple of punctures which wouldn't seal. In those cases, also don't scrimp on the plugs. I"ve found that the "strips of bacon" work their way out over time. Got dynaplugs and so far have had no issues since.

[@jesmondo5785]

@@twatts4436 I could be lucky, given the terrain I ride on I'd probably say punctures are pretty likely and were before moving to Vittoria tyres and better sealant. I had issues with muc off sealant and bacon strips. Hence the move aha. I'll have a look at Dynaplugs actually as a back up. Can't say I've heard of them!

[@jesmondo5785]

@@twatts4436 also I've not had any issues with 32mm+ either. But I've never run and lower

[@byronstanford8770]

how often do you change the sealant

[@jesmondo5785]

@@byronstanford8770 I go through roughly 500ml a year. 200ml to setup both tyres. Then 300ml for top ups.

[@manoz6194]

Wheels are the best upgrade I have done. Not only are they lighter but they are more robust(the rim, the spokes and hub) and are also easier to maintain. Next step is to go tubeless once I have worn out my clinchers.

[@joshmaitie5954]

Do you have a rim brake bike if yes can I have the parts name of your bike.... like the brakes leavers, back rim hubs and the selector

[@manoz6194]

@@joshmaitie5954 sorry, disc brakes for me

[@ElRealista.]

​@@joshmaitie5954go for Shimano 105 rim brakes

[@GuilhermeTheobald]

My 2013 GT Series 1 with max 25mm tires was upgraded almost everything I wanted and became the perfect bike to the old town I lived. But now I live in a smaller town without good places to ride it due to the 25mm tires not being enough. After assembling a 29er XC monstercross with 60mm front and 50mm rear, my GT became a wonderfull wall decoration. WIth all the parts I wanted, but lower resale value due to small tires and rim brakes, I'll just use it for indoor riding probably.

[@brucelaird3978]

Just got my Trek 2018 Domane ALR 3 from a total overhaul and upgraded the group set from Shimano Sora to Tiagra with new Continental Tires. 1st ride yesterday that I planned for 22 miles and ended up 39 miles because I loved it! Smooth shifts, new crank gave me more power and confidence. $1010 US but worthy of the spend.

[@ElRealista.]

1000 dollars for Tiagra groupset? Wtf!

[@insung9]

I would also add upgrading the wheels to a modern carbon wheelset. This may shave weight and increase aerodynamics. The wheels can also change the way an older bike looks and rides.

[@joeuser2360]

Unfortunately, carbon wheels are also stupid expensive. If they could come out with decent quality affordable carbon wheels, a lot more people would upgrade.

[@tamasvarga67]

@@veganpotterthevegan Would you elaborate? I upgraded from DT Swiss G1800 to Giant CXR1 and the difference is big even for me as an average rider… and it’s not the G1800 which rides better.

[@tamasvarga67]

@@veganpotterthevegan I understand, the DT 350 hubs with 54T star ratchet are not good and the 1400g wheel set for a gravel bike is heavy… I should have asked for your expert opinion before I bought them but now I’m screwed.

[@gabrielfong]

@@tamasvarga67 1400g wheelset for gravel bike or even road bikes are not considered heavy. That's a great weight tbh. Lots of other high end wheels are about 1400-1500g scale

[@tamasvarga67]

@@gabrielfong I know, I wouldn’t want to ride anything lighter on a gravel bike.

[@davidtydeman1434]

Best upgrade on my bike was going from aluminium shallow rim wheels to deep rim carbon wheels. The carbon wheels are lighter which helps climbing and much more aero which helps on the flat. Many carbon wheels are optimised for 28mm tires for a more comfortable ride.

[@stevesnailfish]

I have tubeless on 5/6 of my bikes and 3 of the bikes have non tubeless rims (all Mavic 319 in different sizes) and they've all been a doddle to convert. My old 2010 rim brake Allez, however, is still running tubes with 28c Gravelking SS tyres (super comfy).....methinks I'll give this one a go as well on a rainy day very soon....Stans sealant and Muc-Off valves is a good combo....

[@joeuser2360]

There is a big dividing line that impacts the upgrade options. If you have a great road bike that has rim brakes (as I do), your options are very limited or expensive to upgrade group sets or wheels. It's almost as if manufacturers want to forget rim brake bikes ever existed.

[@tamasvarga67]

They moved on from rim brakes except the entry level. Moving to disc freed up wheel and tire development and no turning back.

[@ElRealista.]

On entry level bikes, tyres, crankset and carbon post and handlebars. These make the bike so much comfortable.

[@911Sam]

I was considering to change the old mechanical groupset on my CAAD9 to an electronic one, but unfortunately the rim-brake versions were only available to the more expensive groupsets (Ultegra Di2 / Force AXS). So eventually I bought a new carbon fibre bike with disc brakes and Rival groupset (I’m doing fine without the other kidney, thanks for asking). Unfortunately the cheaper electronic groupsets are disc brake-only and thus cannot be a cheap way to ”modernize” an older bike. New saddle, wheels and tyres probably are the easiest way to find more speed and comfort.

[@sbccbc7471]

You can upgrade just the dual-control levers to the next model up to pair the groupset with a rim brake frameset. In the case of your Rival eTap AXS, only your dual-control levers and rim brakes are from the Force lineup.

[@marky1974]

A shorter stem and new padded saddle has transformed the comfort of my bike ..the wiggle prime doyenne saddle is very comfortable..

[@robbchastain3036]

A fun list, David, and no bike of mine was ever as bling as my Redline BMX bike, red frame with gold-plated components adorning it like an F1 Ferrari. And about tubes, at the start of this winter I installed in the rear 26" tire of my commuter bike one of those double-thickness, flat-resistant tubes. And that thing had me cryin' the blues until I took it out with a grimace, lol. It was like the rear was filled with sand, no speed for me. And I was actually sort of mad about it, like am I getting weak and slow or what's up. Thankfully, I returned to riding like the wind with a regular tube. 😀

[@damo5219]

99.1k subscribers!!!!. Best wishes for a great year David.

[@davidarthur]

🙏

[@mikegibbons4282]

Very interesting video. Could you please tell me the make of the floor stand shown in the Drive Train/Groupset segment.

[@NemanjaPantelic]

Isn't it also about wanting a new bike? When COVID hit, I sold my TCR Pro 1 for surprisingly high amount of money, although I loved it to bits with all the upgrades I made. You see, I wanted to be reasonable and ride only one bike, Defy Alu Disc that I used to commute to office, when office was a thing. But yeah, it didn't really work out long term as I found it harsh for longer rides. It didn't inspire me to ride for reasons other that fitness. So, this May when Canyon released new Aeroads, I bought a CF SLX. I wanted it, can't say I really needed it, if it makes sense. I am excited for every ride on it and I can't wait for the next one.

[@NemanjaPantelic]

Now that the title of the video had changed, my comment is a bit out of place 😅

[@davidarthur]

Sorry about that, your comment is still really interesting though and I hope you enjoy your new Aeroad! Maybe don’t sell it this time 🤣

[@NemanjaPantelic]

@@davidarthur Thanks David.

[@zedddddful]

I have a GT transeo 1.0 that I'm going to make into a drop bar gravel bike already has wide tyre clearance and disc brakes.

[@Bullitluna]

I love the idea of upgrading. Where do I go to find what possible upgrades I can do to my bike. I have been toying with idea of upgrading to a new bike but then I think why not upgrade, but I don’t know what is possible. My number one issue with my bike is the group set, the shifting is treble followed by the comfort.

[@stanislavkindiakov6334]

Exactly in time! Just brought my bike to the workshop to replace 42 cm handlebar to 40. Time to find a nice new bar tape 😊

[@davidarthur]

Perfect! Can recommend the Ergon bar tape, used it on the Colnago and was Este to wrap and had been comfy and durable

[@stanislavkindiakov6334]

@@davidarthur thank you for a hint

[@bcsintreprindereindividual9916]

What about wheel bearings? How much do they influence performance in percentage gained?

[@markwright8030]

Hi David Great informative video as always 🚴‍♂️👍 Happy new year to you 🎉🚴‍♂️🍺🚴‍♂️

[@davidarthur]

Thanks 👍

[@Brookes79]

Isn't it true that the latest Ultegra rear cassette is compatible with the 10 speed Shimano Tiagra rear derailleur? That would save some weight for a small cost

[@rudyelizondo1935]

Cool vid, I got the specialized power mirror saddle and man it’s super nice!!

[@charlesblithfield6182]

I always bought the cheapest tires I could find then bought some premium Scwalbe Marathon Supremes as they were on sale. Could not believe the difference in ride quality and, subjectively …rolling resistance? Now I am all about the supple ride so Rene Herse Naches Pass tires were next. I think they are totally worth it. Such a comfortable fast feeling ride even better than the Supremes.

[@morapelimokokomali7907]

Thank you for this! As a new cyclist (gravel bike) im hoping to learn and understand enough about marginal gains. For example, is it worth upgrading from a GRX 1x11 to a 1×13 or 2x? I bought a 1x11 and haven't run out of gears so far, but it might happen in the future and im wondering what I'll have to do?

[@gdd9150]

I have the same mountain bike my dad bought me for my 16th birthday theres nothing wrong with it but I'd like to know what I can do to improve my ride on it besides the obvious answer which is tires

[@mikefreitas1331]

Could one upgrade of drive train chapter be a sensah or Ltwoo? Seems to me people are afraid of talking about china upgrades. A friend of mine had a flat bar city bike with 105 and wanted to sell so he ould buy a road bike. But he just loved that bike, so i had an idea based on tracevelo videos. Had an Pro 42 drop handlebar and we ordered Sensah Team Shifters and bought Deda tape and jagwire road pro cables... 100£ spent on a canyon roadlite cf 7 and after that a new star was born!!!

[@valentinstefanov1502]

Is it worth upgrading my bike for trail or enduro I currently ride a Scott Aspect 50. I can spen some money for Tires, drops, cassettes, tensioner, chain, fork from 100mm to 140/160mm

[@galenkehler]

A new frame or fork can really be a nice upgrade, especially if you already have nice wheels.

[@elirocha8548]

Excellent value - particularly for the price

[@Countrystock]

Di2 upgrade for me this year 😀

[@davidarthur]

Nice! 👍

[@johnlee7709]

what are the bars at 4:50?

[@sbccbc7471]

That's Trek's Madone Integrated handlebar/stem one-piece cockpit. If you have the intention to completely hide all shift and brake lines, this is impossible if your bike wasn't designed with integrated internal routing to begin with.

[@geckojones]

Anyone know what the bike is at 8:40?

[@AidenFranklin1]

would you upgrade your first road bike from Claris to 105 with rim brakes or buy a new one with 105 and disc brakes

[@lucky247365]

If you like rim brakes and your frame, then just do the upgrade.

[@whazzat8015]

20 pound, 18 year old bikes are pretty nice for the cost of a moderate new groupset

[@Jacob99174]

Excellent ideas!

[@enigma1000]

“What’s inside your tyres can make a big difference.” Yes indeed. Air works well for me.

[@davidarthur]

Haha true! How about upgrading the air to something lighter weight?

[@falcoperegrinus82]

@@davidarthur I fill my tires with hydrogen. Amazing weight savings

[@kpsig]

@@falcoperegrinus82People can believe you

[@detroitgagt]

Wait I love those fenders

[@jaredfontaine2002]

Bar tape???

[@TheKen661]

Does anyone make custom built handle bars?

[@twatts4436]

Bit of a reach to say you can save a LOAD of weight with saddle, cockpit, and seatpost. Maybe 400-500g between them all, at high cost - that's being optimistic. If you want the lightest, that's your choice. But it's not going to be transformative. IIRC, difference between a £100 vs a £200 saddle was maybe 50g? And if you get a carbon saddle you may need to change the seat clamp!

[@bonbonflippers4298]

Agree. I've done that route with carbon everything for weight and at the end..was not worth the amount of money I spent. Replaced everything with aluminum and am just as happy and comfortable. Tires make comfort. Aluminum stem and handle bars work just fine.

[@Dimashoey]

Should’ve included training plan, indoor trainer, and/or bike fit

[@tonyg3091]

Wheels, handlebars,saddle, tires.

[@donharrold1375]

Wheels?

[@funnyanimalworld7579]

Cheapest is tail light . It is esential for driving in dark

[@treygray2817]

Modern road bikes are worse than what we has 10 years ago.

[@Mr.Hotman]

I thought the wheel set might be the best upgrade - apparently not.

[@davidarthur]

Yup they are a good upgrade but more expensive than most of the options in this video, and I did a separate one a while ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHjQe6Z4fJKFd5o Also have another video planned about wheel upgrades for the new year

[@jeremyemilio9378]

The best upgrade is actually yourself. Put a tdf winner on a cheap bike and he will most likely still be faster than you

[@rockysangwan]

Tyres

[@MAGAmaniac1000]

Modern bikes are heavier, more proprietary, and disposable. Why would anyone want an overpriced, electronic shift bike that is prone to creaking and mfg recalls

[@GlorpShittoGunkleboosters]

Pulled my dad's (sorta) old single speed tricross out of the garage did a lil mantinence and she rides like a deam. Who needs a heavy breaky really bike

[@Velez0777]

“Tyres” 😂

[@mnmalbaz]

Islam