All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

"ace"

 

I don't know that I'd qualify myself as an expert, but have gone through a (very) similar situation. I started out riding a Giant Talon 29er, an XC bike with very entry level components ($700 at the time). As a starting point that bike was more than enough for me. Due to skillset I wasn't able to "out ride" the components on that bike for about a season. Nor were the trails I was riding that demanding. As my riding progressed I decided to do some upgrades to that bike that would improve certain aspect of performance, but also simply make the bike more comfortable to ride. This was in lieu of dropping several grand on a new bike. I upgraded the fork, then the drivetrain (converted to 1x10), tires, then the brakes and lastly handlebar/stem. There wasn't any particular reason for upgrading in this order other than finding the components at solid prices on PinkBike. Here's what I found:

The fork made a world of difference in comfort and how much I enjoyed riding that particular bike. It allowed me to do some minor tuning (setting proper sag) that resulted in the shock performing better for my weight. The simplification in drivetrain allowed me to focus on more on riding and less on thinking about what gears I was in (previously had front and rear deraileurs). Some of this was due to improved skillset and being more comfortable on the trail. The drivetrain (upgraded from Suntour to Shimano Deore) was also much smoother and shifted much better than the stock components. Again a more enjoyable riding experience. The brake upgrade was probably the least noticeable until my riding started to progress further. I went from Tektro mechanical brakes to Hayes Radar hydraulic and my initial thought was, "great, these stop the bike too". As my riding progressed I started to feel the difference in being able to control braking power. The Tektros were largely on/off where as the Hayes allowed some minor modulation which aided in cornering and downhill sections. The tires were probably the item I should have upgraded first. The bike came with Kenda Small Block 8s which is an XC/gravel tire. Moving to a more trail oriented tire (kenda nevegal) improved cornering and overall traction. The bar and stem provided more comfort (wide bars with a bit of rise improved riding position and allowed for easier breathing). Shortening the stem gave me a little more steering input (i.e. tighter turns).

So that's a long response that doesn't really answer your question. In short, the bike and its components aren't likely to make you a better rider. The bike and its components, in my opinion, will make your ride more enjoyable and commensurate to skillset, allow you to ride better.

I've looked at the spec on your GT Aggressor and it is strikingly similar to the Giant Talon I started riding on. If you do want to upgrade those components and have questions please feel free to drop me a message.

 

awesome I appreciate it! yeah I mean I don't know Brand X from Brand Y unless I've seen it a bunch of places. when somebody says they have the Kimashaki gearset with Sushirak derailleur (yes made up names) I'm just like "yeah that's super cool" and nod my head haha!

I guess it might've been a good idea to post my bike so people could be like "this component is no good and might be worth changing out"

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/...ike-17gtxmggrssrprxxxprf/17gtxmggrssrprxxxprf

 

Seattle's wet and gritty commuter rides def kill components. Renton to Bellevue and back took its toll on my road bike. Midwest winters are just cold and snowy from my experience. Cedar Rapids, IA has a surprisingly good riding / beer scene for those that don't know!

And because it's a slow day at work... My DHRs are better than your DHFs. Flame away https://www.*********************.com/smilies/flamethrow.gif

 

As a general rule, the key to getting a good bike is avoid the Dicks/SportsAuthority/Big5s of the world and go to an actual bike shop.

The exception to the rule I know of is Scheel's in Utah, which is a full up Trek dealer.

 

Oh I know that, but didn't want to drop the coin on a first bike to get into the sport. That being said...I could've ordered the bike from GT...but why not see it in person at Dicks? I agree, but if it's the SAME product, going to the box store for it is ok.

 

Yeah... that's about as entry level as one can get without descending into big box retail (W-M, etc...) bikes. At least it has a Shimano group set. You can upgrade from there and choose in which order you'd get the most bang for your buck. Personally, I'd change out the fork for a proper one with either a Reba, or Fox Float (used can get you a bargain but you gotta know what you're looking for and the spec'd differences between them). Wheel upgrade gets you reduced rolling resistance, reduced rotational mass, and converting to a tubeless setup will yield even better performance out of it.

You can piecemeal the drive train until you get a full set. Cranks (1x or 2x depending on how much elevation change there is in your trails). 10 speed out back is plenty enough and cheap to find used. I prefer Shimano XT over anything from SRAM, but I do have SRAM XX1 w/ gripshift on my bikepacking rig (simplicity of function w/ Jones Loop bars)

 

that's a lot of fun words, but that's the kind of stuff that triggered my original questions. is all of that you just mentioned worth doing to this bike? or should I just wait and get into a better bike from the get-go?

I guess now that you see how beginner my bike is maybe it makes more sense...

 

In my opinion, I'd just wait and get a better bike. For me, the amount of time you spend searching for good parts may kind of offset any savings you financially realize.

 

lmao that's gold. he'd be offended

 

The spec page states it has a standard 1-1/8 head tube so that opens up a lot in the way of upgradability (my word). So long as the bottom bracket is of the standard threaded type, you can swap out crank sets and use external BB cups to again upgrade when your budget fits. The frame isn't horrible for a buildup platform... it's just not the newest fandangled, whiz-bangiest...

 

that's sort of my thought. because I think I can get into a worthwhile bike for ~$1,000 or maybe less and don't really see the point in dumping hundreds into this bike

 

x2. Scout Craigslist and PinkBike for sub-$1000 deals

Buying all these new components for a 35 lb bike and then having to pay someone to install would quickly add up. Here's a decent start

https://bham.craigslist.org/bik/d/birmingham-santa-cruz-5010-black-bike/6831635671.html (May be a scam actually)

 

I know I'm weird, and don't have much to stand on with this statement....but I think I'd really like to stay in a hardtail. I just like it for some reason.

 

That's a solid choice for what you have gleaned about your riding style. Plus you tend to develop skills better and faster on a hardtail than a full squish bike.

 

does this look like a good deal? I might keep my eye on it...

https://gadsden.craigslist.org/bik/d/rainbow-city-2019-trek-caliber-8/6845923259.html

 

@stronghammer 'Upgrading' your current bike will be a complete waste of money. Sell it on CL for a couple hundred bucks, or whatever you can get. And pick up a used, reasonably built/priced bike from Pinkbike/MTBR classifieds/CL, etc.

Bike values drop significantly. For example, my hardtail was $2600+ brand new in 2016. I'd be shocked if I could get $1000 for it today, if I wanted to.

 

That's a step in the right direction. Even better if that is carbon.

That is an upgradeable frame.

 

aluminum frame: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...mountain-bikes/x-caliber/x-caliber-8/p/23156/