component upgrades.

[madscot13]

wow! I expected at least some input on the gear someone had or wished they had!

[motochick]

I just upgraded my old (early nineties) ti bike with new stuff. I had down-tube shifters that were 7 speed and updated it to 10 speed. I used SRAM rival for the drivetrain and went the barcons in Dura Ace. I wanted to keep it kind of era, plus the STI is way too much $$$. I went with a compact crank and I do a lot of UP riding. I think the upgrade was the best thing I could have done with my budget. I am very happy with it and it was not expensive if you shop around. So my 2 cents is to upgrade to all road as I noticed a HUGE improvement!

Brenda

[Zen]

Motochick, how much did it cost you to do that?
I don't know what Mad's riding will be like in the future but for where she is now I'd like to see her on a new Trek FX (big sale this week at the Bike Doctor in Frederick, tell 'em I sent you...or maybe not

[madscot13]

Way back when I almost bought an FX. I was split between the upright ride and the increased agility of the roadbike. I obviously went road bike but at least one that is not racing bent.

Living in DC makes me appreciated the upright riding more. I end up riding on the flats of my handlebars so much.

I love having a triple and i don't know if I could live without one. Although, my cassette is 7x. maybe a 9 or 10x would make me more amenable.

motochix, how did you choose SRAM over shimano? My bike is for commuting and so I wonder about choosing all ROAD over MTN.

[Zen]

if you're only looking at it as road vs. mountain, see post #17 in this thread "Mountain" might just be what you want.

[KnottedYet]

That Trek520 frame is a beaut.

If your LBS says the frame's in good shape, and it feels good when you ride it, I'd be upgrading the heck out of the components and living large on that puppy.

Later you can get her repainted if you get bored with the color. (Trek420 did that with her GT commuter, and it looks like a whole new bike.)

I haven't had a brifter give out on me, but I do love my barcons with a burning passion. (like my Campy brifters better than my old Shimanos, but future bikes will have barcons rather than brifters) Perhaps the best way to figure out what will please you most is to pick one and try it. I like barcons because I like my brake levers clean and pure and I like having my shifters set to friction.

Feel the bike love, and go with what appeals to you most.

And... moustache bars are compatible with road levers and barcons, give you a few hand positions, and do a lovely job of keeping you upright for commuting purposes. (got 'em on my Surly Cross Check now) Comfy enough for a 50 mile joy ride, upright enough for a 9 mile white-knuckle commute.

[madscot13]

That Trek520 frame is a beaut.

and you know, its the last lugged year too. I could never give that up.

[madscot13]

Zen, that is a pretty good link. actually I have a deore LX rear derail- complements of that one crash.

I love taking my bike to the shop because they always complement the heck out of my bike.

maybe I will find a DC LBS that is flexible ( I have 2 favorites in MN: one that can emotionally take care of me and one where I see the same guy every time I head in). I could ask them to remove the parts and I could redo the frame (and spray in some framesaver if it not too late). then bring it back and have them add in all of the pieces. when I head home this summer maybe I will try and read a trek520 with bar ends. I'm pretty sure they won't hit me, but if they do it is a good excuse for STIs

in that one line, Lisa said the next time she would upgrade to Ultegra. I'm thinking about it. I'd like to give myself a present. hopefully one people won't steal my steel.