The cheapest, most effective upgrade is better rider fitness! I had a friend some years ago who raced a rusty 10 speed Raleigh against a field of $3,000 high end bikes in a 25 mile road race and almost won...because he was very fit!
After I destroyed the stock wheels that came on my MASI gravel cross, I contacted Joey at Indigenous Wheel Company (Tacoma, WA), for a Clydesdale spec cyclocross wheel set. They come in at 1,560 g $550. I wound up buying another set, and I had him build up a set of carbon hoops for my Jones. Super nice guy, awesome wheel wright, highly recommended!
What a timely video! I just went from 700C x 33mm tires to 700C x 42mm tires yesterday. The improvement was tremendous! The frame I mounted these on was my favorite, steel A. Homer Hilson from Rivendell. This has been the most comfortable bike to ride I have ever owned even on the 33mm tires. But increasing the width by just 9mm adds a huge amount of volume which instantly translates into comfort with no real down sides... well, other than having to mount them mostly deflated to clear the rim brake pads. But that’s a small price to pay for the comfort! I am really interested to see what is available in the 45-50mm range as that’s the widest I can run on this frame! Thanks, Russ, for continuing to provide excellent features and advise!
$700 buys a damn good alloy wheelset these days. I would also suggest taking that same amount of money and speaking to a local wheel builder. That way the customer can get good consultation regarding components, materials, and build style suitable for their intended use.
@RollinRat Oddly enough, two bike shops frowned when I asked them to re-spoke my rims with larger gauge spokes. (Due to breaking them over time) This foray into wheelbuilding was a great experience! It actually ain't that hard to build wheels!
I went from supple to “Cargo Rated” on my Surly, Bridge Club and yeah... Heavy, slow, not as comfortable. But, I can slam into potholes with 40 pounds of groceries on the bike and it’s not a big deal and considering some of the potholes here in Eau Claire, WI those tires are the best choice for me for right now.
Great point. When buying a bike, if your salesperson doesn't ask the question, you should pose it to yourself: "What kind of riding will I be doing, with how much baggage, over what kinds of roads, and at what distance from repair shops?" If you are sure rescuers will always be close, you can dare to trim weight to the hairy edge of structural integrity. And for sure, wheels+tires would be the components whose rotational inertia you want to trim first in your search for speedy starts and stops. It's unfortunate that many novices set themselves up for dissatisfaction by failing to make the sensible upgrades when FIRST the bike is bought. If they are penny-wise-pound-foolish, they scrimp and are then faced with future upgrade cost, plus they find themselves trying to sell off components that should not have been bought in the first place.
Hunt wheels make affordable lightweight wheel sets. I ride the huntXmason 650b adventure wheelset - just under $500 for the set abs they are light years above the stock wtb wheels that come on my salsa journeyman.
I agree Hunt wheels might be the best bang for the buck in wheelsets. Plus they ship them super fast, I get mine shipped to Oregon from the UK in three days!
I also have been riding the Hunt 650b wheelset and have had zero issues with them. Good bang for the buck and free shipping. Yes they're not the carbon version but for the price and very solid and capable wheelset.
1. Bike sizing - book an appointment to get on to a fully adjustable fitting jig. Getting the correct frame is non negotiable regardless if you’re racing or just want to do adventure rides. 2. Saddle that will fit and suit you. You can do this during step one. Bike fitter will give you different saddles so you can select based on your comfort. 3. Shoes. Get the right shoes that will suit you and also custom insoles for your bike shoes. Happy riding! Upgrade your wheels later on. Most newbies don’t think bike fit is not worth it only to realised they should’ve done this in the first place before purchasing a bike. Great content keep it up!
Wow. I 100% agree with your three top choices. Also, all three of those upgrades are potentially transferable to a new upgraded bike at some point in the future. So, they can even be long term investments.
Could not agree with you more, fit and wheels. Having said that my husband as never had a bike fit he just plays about with the saddle height and fore and aft position till his happy!!. Keep Safe and keep em coming!. Love from lock down England!!
My upgrades depend on, whether i can get spare parts for them easy. Like wheels, can i get bearings, spokes at a moments notice. Same goes for other bike parts. Been riding sram cranks, but the maintenance cost is 3xtimes the shimano ones, so swaped out cranks to shimanos. f.e. Depends on, what you can get at where you live.
Totally agree. I put some Origin 8 650b carbon wheels ($900) on my my Surly Midnight Special and it was game changing. The Midnight Special has now been my go to bike. Responsive, lighter, comfortable, an all around joy to ride.
Bang for your buck, Hunt Wheels are pretty light, affordable and well built. I ride the Mason X Hunt adventure 650b set on my Rove ST. They're a hair under 1600g and were right around $400.
So right. I got into some carbon hoops from Light Bicycle and thus far fantastic. Several of my ride friends have several 1000 miles on them with no issues. I had them built with White Industry hubs, but with a work horse like a Shimano Deore hub, you could be into some really nice and light custom wheels for well under $1000 even with the wheel build labor.
I didn’t see anyone mention it but the Pacenti Brevet 650 wheel set (tubeless ready) comes in at 1475g at a very modest $450. Though I hasten to add it’s a rim brake set. Still you could have some strung to disc hubs and it’s still lighter than a lot of disc rims
I built up a Midnight Special Frame last year and bought a wheelset from Hunt bike wheels in the UK. They have good builders and use pretty good components for a good price; I think they use novatec hubs. The 650B Adventure Sport Disc wheelset is $429 and weighs 1594 grams, it’s the best dollar to weight ratio I could find besides building a wheelset yourself. They’re tubeless ready and come with all the adapters one would need to fit any type of cassette and hub spacing/axle type. Just a slightly more cost effective option than what was suggested in the video for about the same weight.
When you think about it, wheels and tires are far more cross-compatible than most components (e.g. drivetrain components) so there are so many for sale that would work on your bike, from so many different manufacturers. So it pays to keep an eye out for sales. Velomine currently has some carbon 650b Mavic MTB wheels for $700 currently I believe. Talk about lightweight.
I’ve got a used set of Stan’s podium 27.5 wheels on my gravel bike, and think that going with a used 27.5 xc/trail wheel set for gravel to be a really good choice. I got mine for $250, and think that this is a great option if your trying to avoid the “gravel tax” from brands charging more for selling something that already exists.
Wheels and Tyres for bang per buck. Im currently using Hope Pro4 hubs on 20five rims, not the lightest wheelset but will last years. As others have said saddles and contact points come next.
Industry 9 has some nice light aluminum wheelsets for around 700. I would add that better hub engagement makes a huge difference for me. I hate that little deadzone when accelerating so something like a DT swiss hub with 54 tooth ratchet or i9's hydra make a big difference.
For good price 650b and 700c disc wheels and 700c rim brake wheels try Hunt Wheels in the U.K. their Mason Hunt 650b gravel set weights in about 1500/1600g a set for £319.00 - for the USA 🇺🇸 I am not sure if they have an importer but direct you can take 15% off as you won’t pay VAT. I have some 700 c gravel wheels (£299.00) a great upgrade and really light and strong. They also come tubeless ready, with valves, spare spokes, spoke tensioner and 6 bolt disc adaptors. As for tyres I have been a huge convert to René Herse ones and run these on 3 bikes. Even a 32mm road one makes a hell of a difference. Supple rules!
Been there. I don't have a car any more, but the last one I owned cost considerably less than my current commuting/gravel bike. I don't miss the car, and I like the bike, but I'm seriously considering trying out some new wheels and hubs.
tires make such a huge difference. Recently went from Sim Works Volummys to schwalbe Marathons and it was such a huge downgrade in ride feel and speed. Worth it, I think, on my minivan of a bike, but still a sad choice.
I used to favor Panaracer Paselas but I got sick of fixing punctures. Ribmos are good and not too draggy. I don't mess with paper thin nonsense anymore.
This speaks to me! Just ordered a pair of Dirt Components wheels. If anyone is looking they’re currently on clearance at nearly half their normal price.
I asked myself the question before clicking on the videos, and I came to the conclusion of: tire, wheels in that order. Glad to see it is the same you had(kinda).
This wheelset is only for rim/canti brakes, but the Pacenti Brevet 650b wheelset is 1540 grams for $399. Their forza wheelset for 700c is around 1440 grams but 700c only.
The first upgrade i make on every bike is the wheels. I spend well over the $1000 mark for wheels and light isn't in it at all. I am a heavy rider. Stock wheels and light weight carbon wheels seldom last me a season and many didn't last a single ride. My wheels are built for strength and are heavy even compared to stock wheels. Still when paired with high quality hubs and heavy spokes the improvements in the ride are very prominent.
Boyd Altamont come in about 160 grams heavier then your 1500 threshold, but i just put a set on my Kona Esatto and they have been awesome. Plumps out my 28c tire and really improved the ride and responsiveness. Would highly recommend them
Farsports. 1320grams for the set. Carbon rims 30x30mm DT swiss 350 hubs Sapim Xray spokes, US $769. Cant fault them. 600grams lighter than the WTB wheels which came on the Norco Search, and its transformed the bike to another level. I always thought carbon would give a harsher ride, buts its just sooo smooth now. Feels like the tyres are 10psi lower than on the Aluminium wheels.
Definitely the tires. I find that locating the optimal wheel and tire combo is best ( lightweight tires folding) with a slightly heavy wheelset. One other note what about flat pedals and shoe combo
Those boyds are light for the money for sure. I'd did some calcs and a 650b Velocity Blunt SS/Dtswiss 350/Sapim laser build would get you there in 28hole front and rear and that rim is wider internally. Or sub in a Stans Crest rim with the same hubs and spokes would also be possible although a tiny bit narrower 23mm. Both options should be 1500g or under and should be doable fo $700~
I’m surprised no one mentioned velocity USA wheels made here and excellent quality, also stands seen to have great reviews and my favorite industry nine also made in USA even tho a bit more pricey then hunt/mason or few ppl seen to like carbon unbranded rims and bitex hubs
I do believe wheels make a different when I was a roadie, but as heavy rider the only wheelset I could find to suit me was the HED Ardennes CL which was the heavy of their models cause it has a higher count spokes. Looking for wheelset for gravel is the same situation. All sub 1,600 grams are lower spoke with the exception of Easton ea70 AX which have a spoke count of 28 I think? Also the inner width is important for suppleness anything above 21.5 mm will make the wheel bigger.
I've gotten a couple custom wheelsets from Colorado Cyclist. Who knows what they weigh but they're built very well and cheaper than the parts with coupons.
I run a Jr's team in Ohio and I can say the Boyd wheels are very impressive. We have CX and MTB wheels from them. They are also huge supporters of jr racing and getting kids involved in cycling.
Stans Notubes makes the best bang for buck wheels there are, with 2 "gravel" models The Grail for skinny tires and the Crest for tires up to 2.25. Have been running the 1st gen Crest wheel set on my Vaya since 2012 no issues whatsoever well I've replaced the bearings a few times weight is in the mid 1400's if I recall correctly and the new ones have way better hubs and a wider internal rim measurement
I’m surprised you haven’t mentioned Hunt bike wheels. They have to be the best if not one of the best bang for the buck wheelsets on the market today. They make 700c road and gravel and 650B in both lightweight alloy and carbon as well as dynamo wheelsets. I purchased a 700c gravel and 650B alloy wheelset for my Diverge and swap them out accordingly. They only cost me $400 each set shipped from the U.K. and I had them in 3 days. I even purchased tires when I bought the 700c set and they installed them and set them up tubeless for free. They were all aired up when they got to my door. Hunt is definitely worth looking into.
@@PathLessPedaledTV GSC told me those are an option if I wanted it(but swayed me a different route), but not sure if they are a distributor or just directly ordering from them.
As for the wheels and the 1500g threshold: The weight is always the sum of its components; and the lighter they are, the lesser material is used at the expense of durability. With approx. 2x 450g for the rims plus 400g for a pair of hubs plus 300g for spokes, 1500g for an aluminium wheelset is out of proportion in terms of cost and/or quality. I would go for 1700 or 1800g and get something relatively light, durable and affordable.
Bottom bracket gets no love on these "best upgrades" lists, but it's the heart of the bike. Also, I ride 23s because I like them. I even take them on some hard packed dirt from time to time...
@RollinRat I have, over the years, switched out a couple of cup n cone BBs for cartridge shimano and more recently Campag units. It always meant an improvement in ride quality, but almost more important, the cartridge meant a huge reduction in maintenance. I wouldn't leave a cup n cone BB alone for 5 years. It does depend what bike you get in the first place, but if you have a bike specced with a below average BB, a new one can make a big difference.
Love my straggler with Stan Grail wheelset and wtb nanos :) Still need a fit bc it feels like I keep going back and forth between 2 stems I have- one short and upright and one fairly normal. So yea, a fit is in my future
Not 1500 grams, but I had a set of wheels built at my LBS with Shimano XT hubs, wheelsmith spokes, brass nipples and WTB KOM i21 rims which came out just a hair over 1600 grams. All for under $600 CAD.
Yes have red torch hubs + spokes less roll resistance. Also durable if need 2 rebuild in different colors depending on color scheme. & U no the best part when U rock out with some color plus it sounds like U Rollin with 🐝s. People don't have 2 be bike lunatics 2 👀 & 👂 U Rollin different then everybody else.
I'm riding Alex boondocks3 650b wheels on my NFE and I really like them. They're a bit over your 1500g threshold, but I weigh over 200lbs so I'm a bit leery of super light wheels. I've matched them with Soma grandrando tires and they roll very well and I paid around $350 cdn for the pair.
Agree about those 3 main points to do.i upgrade my wheelset past 7month,from stock double wall aluminium marin gestalt x10 (gravel bike) wheelset to deuter xcr27 carbon wheelset.actually,the xcr27 rim are MTB wheel.however,as i find my self to have a lightweight but robust,to put load on rough surface,its the best investment as you said (eventhough the rim cost me nearly 2/3 bike price).so,if i plan to change to toher bike,i just swap like that since the carbon rim are compatibke both quick release @ thru axle.
At this point, I still shop at the lowest end (sub $1k) for hybrids. So if I were to upgrade anything on my current bike, it’d be the front derailleur and the saddle. Also I should probably slide my saddle back a bit, just to give myself a little longer reach
Hello from the Basque Country again! What about a "fat gravel bike"??? In our region here there are many fire roads completely muddy most of the year because the sun doesn't reach them and because it's clay soil
totally agree with your top three upgrades. But - "only" 700 bucks for a properly light wheelset? You're cute. I'm eying at Prime Kanza 650B gravel wheelset, alloy, 1550g, spare spokes & nipples, currently at a discount from € 335 down to just € 200 - the set! Time will tell if the quality's acceptable and safe. Certainly at least, they leave enough budget left for some super supple, extralight (or endurance plus) René Herse tires. Not the worst compromise in my view.
This! I've been eyeing the Prime Baroudeur, great looking and even cheaper than Hunt offers. That said the lack of included adapters is somehow holding me back.
@@sventramitis Nice to hear that. Where are you based currently? In German online stores it reads "adaptors included", but anyway for about 10 to 30 Euros/bucks/quid you get those and trying different brands would be worth the hassle, when you can save €1,000 compared to carbon at a weight penalty of 250g.
I am surprised Boyd cycling still hasn't send you a pair of alloy wheelset so you can whole heartedly recommend them. If I were them, I would send the carbon wheelset too so you can verify whether it is good.
Thinking of getting a Marin Nicasio as my first gravel bike. Good option? Seems better than than the Aventon Kijote which would be in the same price bracket here.
The cheapest upgrade, associated with getting great tires, is the air pressure. This will be specific to the tire you run, your weight and the terrain you ride. If I could add two more it would be to set up tubeless and a dialed in saddle (but I guess this is covered in the bike fit.
I think you nailed it on the bike fitting. One more point I would add...… I'm 6'4" and my first bike I bought returning to cycling was a 22.5" frame that was too small. Forcing my seat up too high and handlebars too low. Helping to cause inflammation that by the time I figured out what was happening, lead to scaring of the tendons in my hands. 5 years later, I still have minor trigger finger in my index finger. Not a good result for a guitarist. Point being, not only can a bad fit hurt performance and comfort. It can lead to flat out hurt. And lead to true long term injury.
Check out HiFi wheels. Awesome portland company, customizable with dynamo or whatever, fits your description for weight and price range. I have two wheel sets and they are both bombproof!!
I moved from the average at best & undersized WTB Trailblazer 2.8(barely a 2.5) to Onza Canis 2.8 as a rear tire my Bombtrack Beyond+ & it really made a difference in terms of performance & comfort. On my gravel bike I swapped out the donated alloy seatpost with a carbon model that was rated as best seller on a certain website. It really improved fit & it could be the placebo effect, but it's also a bit more supple? My next upgrade new bar tape, which I think would have fit well on this list.
I find your videos very informative. Your production is the best. I find your waving hands very distracting. I could understand if you were signing for the deaf. The Lady on Utah Trikes videos has the same annoying body language. I'm French and use my hands to be more expressive. FYI. Toastmasters has made me aware of body language.
I find your comment extremely insulting. As someone just trying to share their passion and information for pennies, the least you could do is be appreciative and keep really asinine criticism to yourself. You get to watch these videos for FREE. If you don’t like it, don’t watch. I hope one day you get the experience of doing something you love and then having some random person shit all over it.
Got a Fulcrum Racing 7 DB wheel set. I really like the ability to switch between quick release and 12 or 15mm thru axle. Didn’t find anything else that versatile. Downside is that the max weight is quite low with 110kg and my rear wheel has become untrue. Any suggestions for qr and 12mm thruaxle Center lock disc wheels?
Like your three upgrades. Mine is to add the little more space to my touring setup. Looking at Mag Tanks for just that little more space I need. Have you had any experience with the Mag Tank 2000? Is it to wide at 4.5 inch's in your opinion? Worried about knee rub. Would be putting it on my Trek 520. Just wondering. Take care and stay safe, Al
Pumpkin Village Maple I have that bag on my Salsa Fargo (large frame) and yes its a wide bag but non issue for me on knee rub. I’m 6ft. I think it has to do more when the frame gets smaller that might into play. I think Russ mentioned that he experienced some of that but have to see what he says. He does ride a frame thats smaller. I think his Cutthroat is a medium. I would say go for it because it’s a great bag. I have the mag tank bag. Original with the magnet closure. My one complaint was that it was too small. Then the 2000 came out and it fits the need on certain rides. I like options!!
So far with my Kona NRB, it's been saddle (specialized power comp), wheels (Hunt Adventure carbon are awesome!), and drive train- going to sram force 1x. The switch to 1x- which is a first for me- has been mind blowingly good.
