[spreadthedecay]

What are the best upgrades for your buck. I'm a new month old owner of a motobecane 700ds from bikes direct. I've upgrade (made lighter) my handlebars, seat post, and stem, what is a good upgrade for a few hundred bucks or less? I've noticed you can shave a lot of weight in the seat and the wheelset/tires. I've been scouting the clearance and blowouts at pricepoint, cambria bike, ediscount, etc... Just wondering what the next step is... Thought about a new rear shock, new wheelset... Not sure what to do next.
So, surely I'll catch guff for getting a motobecane, I'm a newb to the mountain bike scene and am looking for a decent ride till I can afford to upgrade entirely. Just looking for some advice
Thanks for any help,
Ben

 

[jmmUT]

Wheelset-if your current wheels are boat anchors but that can be pricey.
The most effective weight drop for your buck would definitely be tires/tubeless, cranks, and pedals especially if you use platforms-get lighter sealed platforms or go clipless if you like.

But after taking off the big weight violators, ride it til it breaks then replace. Technology only getting better and cheaper so you'll get a better deal down the road.

 

[spreadthedecay]

Thanks man. I forgot to mention I've already upgraded pedals to some CB 50/50s. So, wheelset is the next step...
I appreciate the help.
Thanks again,
Ben

 

[Mojo Troll]

ESI grips + carbon bars = morning wood

 

[frank daleview]

need to know what you have in order to make that judgement. All else being equal, different tires are by far the most effective way to improve the feel over your bike

 

[steadite]

90g tubes

 

[Pedalphile]

+1 on tubeless. It's inexpensive to convert standard wheels/tires to tubeless, and in addition to the typical weight reduction (the weight savings varies with each implementation), you will enjoy the performance benefits of better grip and lower rolling resistance.

I see any weight reduction as a bonus. Going tubeless is worth it for the increased traction and reduced rolling resistance alone.

-Pete

 

[Finch Platte]

I got that issue, too. Lots of silliness going on in it.

 

[shiggy]

What are the best upgrades for your buck. I'm a new month old owner of a motobecane 700ds from bikes direct. I've upgrade (made lighter) my handlebars, seat post, and stem, what is a good upgrade for a few hundred bucks or less? I've noticed you can shave a lot of weight in the seat and the wheelset/tires. I've been scouting the clearance and blowouts at pricepoint, cambria bike, ediscount, etc... Just wondering what the next step is... Thought about a new rear shock, new wheelset... Not sure what to do next.
So, surely I'll catch guff for getting a motobecane, I'm a newb to the mountain bike scene and am looking for a decent ride till I can afford to upgrade entirely. Just looking for some advice
Thanks for any help,
Ben

Tires. Not about weight loss, but picking the tire(s) that work best for your riding style and terrain.

 

[cbchess]

Tires and wheels.

Wheels are a lot of money for a good light set. Tires are relatively cheap and can change the whole feel of your ride.
another +1 for ESI grips

 

[abegold]

frame

 

[Fletch 1]

ESI grips + carbon bars = morning wood

Not trying to Hi-Jack, I get the benefit of the grips but is there a benefit other than weight for the Carbon Bars suggestion? Do you need to swap the stem too? I was considering going a bit wider bar and thought maybe I should step up to carbon as well.

 

[BigRuckus]

I too purchased an inexpensive BD bike to get into the sport. I too had delusions of continuous upgrades. But then I realized every dollar I pumped into the BD bike was one more dollar I would have to make-up to by a new bike. My advice to you is to ride the piss out of the 700DS. If something breaks or wears out, replace it. Otherwise, take all the upgrade money and set it aside for your dream bike. I did, and was able to upgrade much sooner than I originally thought.

BTW, to all the Moto haters, a cheap BD bike is like a gateway drug. The product is just good enough to get you hooked, until you graduate to bigger and badder things.

 

[thebikersam]

All the reflectors off? Seriously, at least on my bikes direct bike (Cliff 4700) that took a lot of weight off. And, as others have been saying, wheelsets, tires and handlebars/stems are good to switch for more weight reduction.

 

[bigbeck]

Tires. The wrong tires can make a light bike feel slow. Loose spokes and/or flexy wheels do the same.

So tighten your spokes, get tires with good grip and low rolling resistance and go like hel!

Trouble with tires is that you have to try many to figure out which end is up.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Light tubeless wheelset. Something like Sun Ringle Charger Pro's if you have the money. They have adapters for different axle types, so should be able to run them on whatever bike you have in the future as well as your current bike. A little spendy at $600, but if you have the money it's a worthwhile investment. If you want to make a cheaper purchase, lose the Dart3 fork and pick up a RS Recon Silver TK Solo Air or something similar. It will ride better and lighten up the bike. The Dart is 5.5# while the Recon is 4.5#.

Recon Silver TK
Tora SL 302

Sun Ringle Charger Pro Wheelset

 

[Bikin' Bric]

Tires ..... no matter how light or trick your bike is, your tires are the only thing on the ground.

 

[spreadthedecay]

good responses, thanks guys.
and yes, I've removed the reflectors.
I couldn't believe the weight difference in a good seat post vs the stock one, nice!
besides low weight, what should I look for in a good wheel set... Can a decent set be found for under $250-$300? Is it safe to say the ones that came on the bike are lower grade than any aftermarket wheels?
thanks again

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

There are plenty of good wheelsets for under $300, but they are not going to offer big weight savings over the stock SpeedDisc wheelset. You may see other benefits though, like stiffer rims, smoother rolling hubs, etc. If your budget is around $300 I think an upgraded/lighter fork is the way to go.

 

[@dam]

I too purchased an inexpensive BD bike to get into the sport. I too had delusions of continuous upgrades. But then I realized every dollar I pumped into the BD bike was one more dollar I would have to make-up to by a new bike. My advice to you is to ride the piss out of the 700DS. If something breaks or wears out, replace it. Otherwise, take all the upgrade money and set it aside for your dream bike. I did, and was able to upgrade much sooner than I originally thought.

BTW, to all the Moto haters, a cheap BD bike is like a gateway drug. The product is just good enough to get you hooked, until you graduate to bigger and badder things.

This.

Your bike is a month old and has all brand-new parts on it. If you intended on spending more, you should've just bought the next kit up on the initial purpose. That way, you just have to buy the high-end parts instead of the high-end parts AND the mid-range parts. So, the best bang-for-the-buck upgrade is a whole new bike.

In the mean time, ride the piss out of your bike, and try to get a few miles on your friend's bikes, too. You'll learn what kind of setup you prefer. As you ride, parts will break or wear out. Upgrade those- that's the 2nd best bang-for-the-buck upgrade, since it's money you need to spend anyway.

Third best is going tubeless, and getting the best tires for your conditions. Preferably, but not necessarily, something light.

4th best is identifying some no-name boat-anchor parts on your bike where cost was obviously cut (it may even be the frame). Have a 1.5 pound seat for example? Upgrade that. Don't just buy whatever is on sale though- fit is critical on a seat.

Actually....I can think of one upgrade that maybe I should've put on the top of the list: a good light. I recommend the MagicShine from GeoManGear.com as the best value. This will allow you to get in DRAMATICALLY more riding over the course of a year, extracting more and more value and enjoyment from the stuff you already bought.