Another upgrading thread.

I'm currently riding a 2009 Giant Avail 3, so it's got an 8spd cassette, and Sora derailleurs and shifters. I want to eventually upgrade everything to 105-level (as the cassette is SRAM and the crankset is FSA) components. I know I want to change out the cassette because while I like the spread of gears, I think my sweet spot is in a gear that doesn't exist on the 8spd. If I change the cassette, I know I need to change the shifters and the chain. On top of that, I also want a more comfortable ride. So what do I upgrade first, for comfort or for performance?

How do you plan to "upgrade for comfort"?

This conversation could probably be included in Owlie's other thread: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=35960. Not necessarily any reason to have two such similar threads by the same poster going on at the same time :)

Owlie, there's nothing wrong with mismatching fsa and sram. my litespeed has almost all ultegra components + fsa carbon fiber cranks + an sram cassette. I mostly have FSA cranks on all my bikes, because they have 165 mm cranks available on most of their line and because they make carbon fiber cranks. Shimano doesn't. I am lusting after the SRAM RED cranks, but I'll probably never spring for that upgrade.

SRAM and FSA have various levels of componentry, just like shimano does.

Why do you think you need to change the shifters? Just buy a different 8 speed cassette for it.

As for comfort vs performance upgrade - you're not going to ride your bike if it's not comfortable. Changing the avail into the bike you want it to be really doesn't make too much sense, unless you can do a lot of the work yourself and buy used parts. You can just buy a 105 level bike new or off craigslist for less than what it will probably cost you to get a bike shop to upgrade your bike.

As for your bike being a magnet for thieves for commuting - put a ratty old saddle onit. PUt duct tape on it. Do whatever it takes to make it look grungier if you need. I'm not sure 8 speed sora components are a huge priority for bike thieves, but I could be mistaken.


What do you currently have on your avail cassette?

I built up my surly using 8 speed XTR mountain bike shifters I had lying around, the 8 speed 11-32 cassette I had, and some road triple cranks. I definitely was having a hard time finding a gear I liked, because the spread of an 8 speed 11-32 cassette is fairly big. I recently bought it a 12-23 8 speed cassette and I have nice tight gearing - I just have to remember to shift my front chain ring much more than I usually do. I think the cassette was something like $20 through ebay, if that.

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Originally Posted by Kalidurga

This conversation could probably be included in Owlie's other thread: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=35960. Not necessarily any reason to have two such similar threads by the same poster going on at the same time :)

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Hah, I completely forgot that I'd posted this. Posting while jet lagged is a bad thing! I plan on upgrading the Giant eventually, but the new bike would come first.

Catriona, I'm not such a purist that I won't mix component makes. I'd just want to put 105 or the equivalent on the bike. Whatever SRAM's or FSA's equivalent of 105 is fine. This will be a project bike--I'd be buying components one at a time. I'd really only be interested in changing the cassette, rear derailleur and shifters, at least initially. I'd like to change it to a 9- or 10-speed, hence the need to change the shifters.
The comfort thing...right now, I think the bike needs a little tweaking, but I'm talking more about things along the lines of, say, road vibration. It'll probably be more than it's worth to put carbon bars on it, wouldn't it? :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Owlie

Hah, I completely forgot that I'd posted this. Posting while jet lagged is a bad thing! I plan on upgrading the Giant eventually, but the new bike would come first.

Catriona, I'm not such a purist that I won't mix component makes. I'd just want to put 105 or the equivalent on the bike. Whatever SRAM's or FSA's equivalent of 105 is fine. This will be a project bike--I'd be buying components one at a time. I'd really only be interested in changing the cassette, rear derailleur and shifters, at least initially. I'd like to change it to a 9- or 10-speed, hence the need to change the shifters.
The comfort thing...right now, I think the bike needs a little tweaking, but I'm talking more about things along the lines of, say, road vibration. It'll probably be more than it's worth to put carbon bars on it, wouldn't it? :rolleyes:

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ha. I have carbon bars on my bikes. Totally worth it. My wrists are SO much happier. They do come up cheap sometimes on bonktown.com. Cheap is of course relative. YOu can also check ebay for them and geartrade.com

If you don't want to invest in carbon bars, especially on a bike that you might commute on - try looking for specialized handlebars with zertz inserts on ebay. People sell theirs after upgrading their bike and they usually don't sell for very much. Or specialized stems with zertz in them. The zertz work pretty well at dampening road vibrations. You can get buzzkill bar ends and try those. Gel padding is also very useful.

If you want to change to a 9 or 10 speed, I'd say probably go ahead and just do 10 speed - but you technically only have to change out the rear shifter & cassette at first. The derailleurs will probably work fine and you can upgrade them later over time.

you may luck out on ebay or craigslist with someone who has just upgraded their bike beyond 105 level.