When to upgrade or buy a new bike?

[Alastair_S1D]

So I am in a conundrum.

 

I really want a new mountain bike. I am currently riding a 2013 Merida Big.Nine 3000D. Carbon Frame and Shimano XT M780 top to bottom with a Fox F32 CTD Evo fork and still fairly new American Classic MTB Race 29 wheels. And has Carbon bars seatpost and a Fabric Flat Pro to finish it off.

 

However I am ITCHING almost dying to buy a new ride or upgrade.

 

In terms of a new bike, A hardtail is always going to be cheaper than a duallie. But I am looking for something to take the sting out of the trail.

So I set my eyes on a Trek Procaliber SL with the isospeed.

I wanted a frameset so I could build it up how I want. I HATE 1X drivetrains with a passion so fixed my sights on XT 2X11. With a Fox F32 SC Factory fork. Probably AM classic wheels as well just set up for boost. Carbon bars, seatpost etc with my current saddle. Worked out that will cost around 70000.

 

I am thinking I could probably sell my Merida as it is for around 20K, Wheels are still quite new, and the frame has been restored with some fresh paint. The brakes are also new as well.

 

 

Or I can upgrade the Merida to a similar spec level as the Procaliber I would want to build for around 28000 ish. Part her out and keep the frame and sell off the parts for like 10K or so or whatever I can get.

 

So Procaliber with ISOspeed going to be very different? Or should I just save the cash and upgrade my MTB. I was a very competitive MTBer in the past doing quite well in XC marathon events. But my focus has shifted the last two years to road and so my MTB has fallen by the side a bit. I haven't ridden my MTB for a few months now. But I want to go back into MTB and I want to go back strong and I want to have a machine that is going to support me well in this. Upgrade. Or New?

[mecheng89]

Buy new if you have the dosh. Upgrading brings headaches if you missed something w.r.t compatibility of hardware swapping between bikes. 

[dasilvarsa]

1X drive train is a big yes

[Psyrax]

BUY THE DAMN BIKE!!!

[porqui]

If the improvement is worth R50k go for it.

 

If you have the money go for it.

 

Hope you don't have a R50k disappointment.

 

Maybe rethink the 1X

[Christofison]

Get a 1x full sus, haha

 

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[Eugene]

Well done. It takes guts to admit here that you don't like 1speed.

 

Before you buy the bike. Wait a month. If you still have the urge, then get it.

 

If the urge disappears, then you know you don't need it.

[nelian]

itches have to be Scratched     What you buy, new or used, as long as you want it, it will be the machine for you.

 

I recently upgraded, I had a choice between a Lapierre and Silverback... both great bikes... choose the lapierre because there was something about it that I liked.. probably not the best choice from a resell perspective... but man... It just does me... so no matter what you choose... make sure it something you want to ride...

[Me rida my bicycle]

I go through the same thing every couple of months I buy something build it like I want it, sell it and start over.

I love building,upgrading bikes almost as much as riding.

Have to say there are hardtails out there as comfortable as the procaliber I would rather go for reviews I have read about that frame not great and I was not wowed riding it.

Of the hardtails I have owned for cumfort and performance I would say,

Cannondale FSI 2016(any after 2015 with updated geometry)

Scott scale 2016+ and

Spesialized stumpjumper(2015/2016).

 

These where all as cumfortable as an HT can be and didn't take much to get them well below 10kg. But that is only if you decide to go HT.

 

Good luck!

[Kom]

New for sure, I'd review the Scott and Spez options as well (apparently the HT sworks epic is the lightest frame ever?)

 

You mention wheel set option but not tires? Can make a huge difference in rolling mass, what ever your brand preference take a kitchen scale with to weigh up options, I've seen 500g differences per tire between reenforced sidewall options and not.

 

I'm definitely a +1 for 1x12 group set options, although for marathon 2x11 seems to work well for Kulhavy

[rudi-h]

it might just be me, but i think the industry has come a very long way in the last 5 years wrt frame geometry.

 

changes on the pure xco and marathon race bikes are maybe not as pronounced (at least I don't really know), but on the slightly longer travel bikes with slacker head angles, the new generation bikes are a completely different breed and they handle 10x better than even the best bikes that were built 5 or 10 years ago.

 

I'm long past choosing bikes based on the groupset, it's all about the riding and the feel.  I love the feel of the santa cruz 5010, so I'll ride my bike with an slx groupset and aluminium bits much rather than any other bike that is specced with top-end carbon components.

[GSG]

I recently was debating a HT or DS upgrade. I previously had only ridden HT, I had tried the DS and at that stage wasn't a fan. At the end I went for the DS and haven't looked back! I also went from the XC geometry to the slacker in betweener XC/Trail and what a pleasure. I've found that im definitely stronger and quicker with the slacker geometry. Don't know why

[Lapierre]

soft tail - slacker geometry - 1 x 12  and 2 bottle cages.

( Pyga Stage , Spez epic , Cannondale )

[slickjay007]

I used to only ride Hardtail's but moving over to Dual Sus has really made a difference with my riding and my skill.

 

If you going to compete with the racing snakes and pros then by all means stay on the HT and even buy the Trek but if you only going to enter and ride like most of us then go the Dual Sus way. 

 

The older you get ..... your body with thank you for moving to a Dual.

[PygaSchmyga]

Go for new if you can.

 

Question: why do you hate 1X?  I am curious about this, because in my case I was fearful about the effect of reducing the number of gears - the "limiting my options" concern.  I took the plunge and switched to 1X12, and then started paying attention to how often I use the full range of gears, and it turns out that for a the majority of my riding I seldom use the full 12 gears.