I know that’s a bit of an off the wall question. But the background to it is that I bought a Specialized Sequoia (aluminum frame) last fall at a clearance sale.
It was essentially my first road bike and I bought it specifically to train for the Ironman which I figured would involve a lot of century rides. I really didn’t know a enough about bikes at the time, and ended up choosing a bike designed for “comfort over long rides.”
But after the past few months riding, including multiple centuries, I feel like the bike is wrong for me.
And since money doesn’t grow on trees, trying to replace it has been tricky. It would be ideal if I could some how sell it at cost and upgrade, but I don’t see that as likely. Which made me wonder if I could buy a really good frame for less than $1000 and then swap over all the components. The logic being that I can afford a $1000 bike, but feel I need at least a $2000 bike. But if stripped down, the frame alone should be in the $1000 range.
So I guess the two questions I have are:
can I get a really good frame for less than $1000 that would improve my performance?
Sometimes you can swap over all the components, but it’s rare, there’s usually something that you’ll need to replace.
For selling cycles and cycle parts, you need to go by the rule of 3, you’ll get at most one third the value of the item, and that’s if everything is in top condition.
You will find that the pros actually ride pretty relaxed frame geometries, so the ultra short wheelbase machine with steep frame angles is not for them, even though it feels faster - that’s largely down to twitchy handling.
Your first thoughts should be toward wheels, cycling shoes and tyres, since you can carry these from machine to machine with no problem and they all make a real difference to speed.
Try not to go down the equipment upgrade route if you can, its very deceptive and the real answer is almost always about training, and riding. I’ve seen plenty of fast lads on pretty ordinary clubmans machines who can destroy the equipment tarts in less than 20 miles.
It sounds like you’ve done the right thing - bought an entry level bike, put it through it’s paces and are now looking for something better. You’re not going to get ‘really good’ for less than $1000, but you absolutely can get a decent triathlon frame (and fork) for less than $1000 - just check whatever the US equivalent of chain reaction is. Have to agree with Dave, though, that it’s not really about the bike at this stage - I’d be just looking to get hold of a mid-level tri bike and use that for the forseeable.
A whole bike secondhand might be the best bet if you can find a bargain on ebay / local club (but need to be absolutely certain of the fit for a TT-type machine!) - the wheelset on that sequoia is pretty poor so if you could just upgrade everything, albeit secondhand, that would be the best value for money.
I actually have the same bike and agree that if you are doing any kind of racing at all it is not a good choice of bike. I do like it for my fitness rides, but due to frame shape and wheel set it really isn’t a fast bike (I borrowed my bosses carbon form racing bike for a ride and averaged 3 mph faster than normal). Really though I just wanted to add a plus one to looking at ebay/craigslist for a used bike. You will have to have some patience for waiting for a bike that is what you are looking for (and proper size), but it is in the only way you are going to get what you want for $1000.
What exactly is the issue you’re trying to address? Is it the size and fit of the bike, or handling, or something else?
Personally I wouldn’t spend $1000 on a new frame and then put used Sora components on it. I’d rather sell the bike whole and buy a whole new (or used) $1300 bike. But depending on the issue, there are probably cheaper ways to accomplish it.
I don’t know how experienced you are at bike maintenance but swapping over all components, including forks, stem, steerer, everything isn’t difficult if you have the right tools and a current book on bike maintenance and repair. Back in '92 I crashed a Cannondale road bike and bent the right chain stay. I bought a brand new frame and transferred everything from the bent frame to the new one. At that time, however, I had a lot of maintenance under my belt, including changing bottom brackets, freewheel sets, and building wheels, among other things. I cannot stress enough the importance of having proper tools though as they can make an extremely frustrating and mysterious process extremely easy. In addition to bike-specific tools I also recommend getting a very large crescent wrench and a length of steel tube (approx 2 feet long or longer) which will fit over the handles of your different wrench-type tools. A good work stand, while not essential, makes life a whole lot easier as well. Building up a good rapport with a favourite bike shop never hurts either. And all of my advice will prove useful for the long term as well.
And no matter what, the experience of doing this is extremely rewarding and satisfying.
Thanks guys, pretty much exactly what I expected to hear and needed to hear. I was really very curious about the feasibility of transferring all the components from one bike to another, and it’s unlikely that would be a smooth process.
I like the thought of upgrading the tires, and that may happen sooner rather than later.
On reflection, after re-reading the thread, I think I might view the bike as a training tool. Lugging around all that extra weight is going to help my strength.
I may end up renting a decent high end bike for my next two races, my only hesitation is that I’d want some time on the bike pre-race.
For the record, those equipment tarts were blowing by me in my last race
