Upgrade advice please guys
Discussion
My club ride's been cancelled due to the s
tty weather 
So I'm bored and what better way to aleviate it than planning my upgrade path.
My bike is a 2011 Trek 1.1, so it's entry level in every regard.
Alu/alu fork, alu frame, Shimano 2300 groupset, 50/34 front 25-12 rear.
The reason I went for this bike was both my limited budget and that it's the same frame used for the 1.2 and 1.5 the latter of which seems well received with the right bits hanging off of it.
My initial thoughts are that I'd like a wider set of ratios say 27-11 on the rear and that it's twitchy at high speed so much so that moving from hoods to drops when descending makes me nervous to take a hand off.
2300 is only available as 25-12 and 26-12 as far as i can see so I'm looking at maybe 105, am I right in thinking I can acheive this with just shifters, cassette and chain, new cable due to routing and bar tape as I'll have to strip the bars to mount the new items?
Should i also be looking at tiagra/sora?
Are the hubs I've got going to be compatible with 9 speed cassettes? (I'll be looking at wheel upgrades later, budget won't allow both for now)
As for the second issue, I'm still on the original Bontrager tyres how likely is a tyre change going to help the twicthiness or is it more likely to do with the alu/alu stiffness up front?
Sorry to bunch so many questions into one post but I'm sitting here debit card out ready to pull the trigger on some shiny bits
tty weather So I'm bored and what better way to aleviate it than planning my upgrade path.
My bike is a 2011 Trek 1.1, so it's entry level in every regard.
Alu/alu fork, alu frame, Shimano 2300 groupset, 50/34 front 25-12 rear.
The reason I went for this bike was both my limited budget and that it's the same frame used for the 1.2 and 1.5 the latter of which seems well received with the right bits hanging off of it.
My initial thoughts are that I'd like a wider set of ratios say 27-11 on the rear and that it's twitchy at high speed so much so that moving from hoods to drops when descending makes me nervous to take a hand off.
2300 is only available as 25-12 and 26-12 as far as i can see so I'm looking at maybe 105, am I right in thinking I can acheive this with just shifters, cassette and chain, new cable due to routing and bar tape as I'll have to strip the bars to mount the new items?
Should i also be looking at tiagra/sora?
Are the hubs I've got going to be compatible with 9 speed cassettes? (I'll be looking at wheel upgrades later, budget won't allow both for now)
As for the second issue, I'm still on the original Bontrager tyres how likely is a tyre change going to help the twicthiness or is it more likely to do with the alu/alu stiffness up front?
Sorry to bunch so many questions into one post but I'm sitting here debit card out ready to pull the trigger on some shiny bits
Edited by Jayfish on Sunday 4th November 10:29
TBH, you're looking to/would have to upgrade so much, that unless you really, really like the bike and you're a sales/eBay/STW ninja, then it's simply not worth the cost: you'd be well on the way to the cost of a new bike. Don't believe me? Check out the price of a set of Shimano shifters, never mind the entire groupset...
Aside from available ratios, there's be little gain when going from 2300 to Sora. Tiagra would eliminate the thumb-shifters of 2300/Tiagra (assuming 2300 has them!).
The twitchiness you report is nothing to do with the tyres* nor the frame material. It's rider confidence. All bikes are "twitchy" to a degree (due to their geometry) but you soon adapt to it/ride around it. IIRC Trek 1.xs aren't the raciest of bikes. So, without wanting to sound harsh, it's more you than the bike.
Stick with what you've got and ride more. Come spring, with the money saved and an idea of what you really want, then start shopping.
Aside from available ratios, there's be little gain when going from 2300 to Sora. Tiagra would eliminate the thumb-shifters of 2300/Tiagra (assuming 2300 has them!).
The twitchiness you report is nothing to do with the tyres* nor the frame material. It's rider confidence. All bikes are "twitchy" to a degree (due to their geometry) but you soon adapt to it/ride around it. IIRC Trek 1.xs aren't the raciest of bikes. So, without wanting to sound harsh, it's more you than the bike.
Stick with what you've got and ride more. Come spring, with the money saved and an idea of what you really want, then start shopping.
- crap, overly-inflated tyres can make for a harsh, jittery, skittish ride at times. By all means invest in a new set, as they can make all the difference
Not what I wanted to hear Jimbo but I suspect you're largely right
As mentioned budget is limited so a drip drip upgrade path suits me better than a new machine, and keeps the gap between new things to play with down.
Just been looking at Tiagra, pricing doesn't seem too bad, 70 for the shifters and 50 for chain+cassette; this'd also give me a thumb control in the drops which the 2300 lacks (it has thumb switches on the hoods).
I'd like a whole groupset but frankly I'm not fit enough to notice the change in deralieur weight and the 2300 brakes work just fine. I'm assuming the jockey wheels in the 2300 8 speed wouldn't have an issue with the thinner chain of a 9 speed.
Yeah looking at turbo's too, but my thinking was to get one once i've done the wheel upgrade, then the current rear can be my trainer wheel. (club ride or no, when this wind dies down i'm off out)
As mentioned budget is limited so a drip drip upgrade path suits me better than a new machine, and keeps the gap between new things to play with down.
Just been looking at Tiagra, pricing doesn't seem too bad, 70 for the shifters and 50 for chain+cassette; this'd also give me a thumb control in the drops which the 2300 lacks (it has thumb switches on the hoods).
I'd like a whole groupset but frankly I'm not fit enough to notice the change in deralieur weight and the 2300 brakes work just fine. I'm assuming the jockey wheels in the 2300 8 speed wouldn't have an issue with the thinner chain of a 9 speed.
Yeah looking at turbo's too, but my thinking was to get one once i've done the wheel upgrade, then the current rear can be my trainer wheel. (club ride or no, when this wind dies down i'm off out)
Edited by Jayfish on Sunday 4th November 11:13
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