The Best Road Bike Upgrades
You love your bike. It’s fast, it fits and it’s even your favorite color. But at some point, you’ll start looking ways to upgrade your road bike to be that little bit better. From wheels to tires to saddles, it’s surprising what a few small tweaks can do. The best part? You don’t have to break the bank.
Road Bike Upgrades for Any Budget
Stock road bike today come with some incredibly reliable components, and while you might upgrade your groupset as it wears out, it’s usually not the first thing we recommend upgrading on a road bike. Think about it; while shifting matters, you shift exponentially more on a mountain bike and often in worse conditions.
Instead, focus on weight and comfort.
Upgrade the wheels.
The biggest improvement for almost any bike is the wheels. Stock wheels are typically a little heavy, usually 1900 grams or more. You can 200-400 grams with new wheels even if you don’t make the jump to carbon.
You’ve probably heard about rotational mass, so we’ll boil down the physics into a sentence: you’ll notice weight that’s moving, like your wheels, more than static mass, like your frame. Knock 300 grams off your wheels and the bike feels more responsive.
Tubeless-ready wheels also allow you to skip the tube entirely, reducing the risk of punctures and saving even more weight.
Find the right saddle.
The saddle is the most important contact point on the bike. Your bum bears more than its fair share of your body weight, plus added pressure from pedaling and road impacts. Getting the right shape and length can help you deliver more power to the pedals and feel more comfortable on long rides.
You can save a few grams by upgrading to saddle with carbon or titanium rails but focus on comfort first. Stop by and we’ll let you test a few saddles to make sure you’ve found the perfect match!
Upgrade your tires.
One of the best cheap road bike upgrades is a set of new tires. Whether you wait until your stock tires wear out or just make the switch, fresh rubber can save weight, improve rolling resistance and reduce the risk of punctures.
You can also find a bit more comfort with a wider tire without sacrificing speed. Even the pros are consistently riding 27-28c tires and locals love 28-30c tires for soaking up Michigan’s rough roads.
What is the Best Way to Upgrade a Road Bike?
Ready to make a few changes? You don’t have to do it all at once.
Replace parts as needed. You don’t need to splash cash to replace a perfectly good part. Upgrade your bike’s high-wear parts, like tires, chains and cassettes, as they wear out.
Start with the biggest gains first. If the goal is to lighten up your bike, focus on the heaviest components and moving part first. Start with wheels and tires, then look at heavier static components, like your crankset, handlebars and seat post.
Don’t skimp on maintenance. Upgrading your road bike might make it feel like brand new, but so will a professional tune-up. Trust your local bike shop (that’s us!) to keep your bike rolling smooth and to recommend replacing parts as needed. We won’t steer you wrong!
Ride Bikes, Have Fun and Shop Brick
No matter what bike you’re on, enjoy it. The most important aspect of cycling is the thrill of it, not the parts. Get in touch for fast repairs, expert advice and a friendly route recommendation and we’ll see you on the road!
