I Don't Know Parts!

[scarah]

Ok so are you looking for brand suggestions or just in general where to start looking? I tend to buy my parts online as it's much cheaper from Australia. The two sites I use are wiggle.co.uk and chainreaction.

Brands like Easton and Raceface do a good range from basic to top level, the main thing is getting the right sized and shaped bits. Have a look on those sites you'll get a feel for the ranges of what's available.

[Becky]

Seatpost: I like Thomson. They're aluminum, and 2-bolt micro-adjust. A little pricy, but they'll last forever, and I love how easily you can adjust tilt on a Thomson. You will need to know a) the length of your current post and b) the diameter that your frame needs. One or both of these are probably stamped on your current post (if it hasn't been cut down, that is).

Handlebar: Everything that you need to buy a new one with the same dimensions is right there in the spec for the old one. I usually look at Salsa for bars. Lots of choices for carbon out there now, or you could stick with aluminum.

Before you buy a bar with the intention of cutting it down, double check the width between your shifters. On some 31.8-clamp bars, the bulge for the clamp is so wide that us petite people can't get the shifters in far enough to allow the grips to fit when the bars are cut. I had a Ritchey that was problematic in that sense (now on DH's bike!), but neither my Salsa or my BBB has been an issue.

Stem: You'll need to know how long the current one is, usually measured from the center of the top cap to the center of the handlebar. I wouldn't get too stressed about angle, as long as it's not a 20* stem or something really upright. Make sure that the clamp size of your stem match the clamp size of your bar, and that the clamp for the steerer tube matches what's on your fork. Almost everything these days uses a 1 1/8" steerer tube. Both Thomson and Salsa make nice stuff as well.

Have fun shopping!

[tzvia]

The Bontrager stuff is available in black so if there are no issues with what you have other than color, you could just get the same stuff in black, if you did not want to upgrade anything.

I, however, agree with Becky; I like Thomson. Had a Raceface seatpost on my Giant and did not like the way it adjusted but kept it till I read about some bolt failures with the single bolt adjust/clamp. So I took the opportunity to upgrade (heck, if I am going to spend money to replace something, might as well upgrade) and got a Thomson. Easy to adjust and built to last. As for the stem, Thomson makes a mighty good, although heavy, one. I put a Bontrager one on my Giant instead as I wanted something lighter and needed something shorter. I think they are just fine. For handlebars, well... If the aluminum color really bothers you, you could just get the same thing in black from Bontrager (but again I prefer to upgrade if I am taking the time to change something). As I prefer carbon fiber bars, I upgraded my Giant to the Raceface CF low riser bars and stuck with the wider length (630 is really narrow, I went with 660). It really opens the chest for easier breathing and provides me better control-less twitchiness in steering. I figured I could always cut it down (takes a few minutes with a fine tooth (30?) saw) if I did not like the length, but I just love it. If sticking with aluminum, a simple tube cutter from the hardware store will cut it down in minutes or the LBS could do it.

[Aggie_Ama]

Hmmm my bike is very twitchy I didn't think about the bars being the issue. I am leaning toward some Salsas and maybe won't cut them down so much. What really makes a difference in seat posts? I don't really have an issue with mine except I was my bike to not have the silver. But I probably will get them a bit lighter just to upgrade.

On another note, how can I tell what size clamp I need? I have a quick release but since I don't ever desire to adjust my seat I want to take it off. I find the quick release ones don't clamp as tight and the seat slides down.

[Becky]

For me, the most important part about a seatpost is its adjustability. The balance between weight and strength comes next...

Take the existing QR seat clamp off, and see if its diameter is stamped inside. They're often marked. Otherwise, the easiest way is to a) look up the bike's spec online or b) have you shop measure the outside of the frame with calipers.

As for bar width, the Salsa bar on my single speed started life as a 710mm bar, and is now ~660 mm wide. I cut it down in 1/2 centimeter increments until I liked the way that it felt and stopped hooking it on trees

[tzvia]

Aggie_Ama-
If your bike is twitchy feeling, a longer stem and/or wider bars will slow the steering input. If you like the stem length (not cramped or stretched out), go wider on the bars. I rode a mid-90s Proflex with the short flat bars and bar ends that were all the rage back then, and when I bought my Anthem I went 'what the heck??' Riser bars- and wide?? But I stuck with it and now realize it works well and can't imagine going back to short/flat bars.

As for seatposts, it's about three things; durability, adjust-ability, weight. Thomson rules. Not the lightest, but that's a trade off to get the other two. The head and post are milled out of one piece, not a tube with a pressed on head. Hard to break, and the two bolt adjustment is easy to get it exactly where you want. They make an 'Elite' and a 'Masterpiece', I have both, they look the same but the Masterpiece is milled out more for lighter weight and more $$.

[Aggie_Ama]

I didn't even think about durability, on my Scott I had to walk out one day because the seat post broke. Remembering that I guess durability would be number one for me. Since handlebars can often be cut but not added back I may try something wider. I am pretty narrow shouldered so I think 660 might be okay. Anything wider feels odd, I test rode a bike with something wider and I felt spread out. I know the stem length on my Fisher should stay, I love the fit length wise of my bike. I also like the riser bars, even though it is all I have rode I just know I like that position and why mess with a good thing?