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Should you buy a new mountain
bike or give your old a facelift?
The sun is shining, the snow is
melting. Could spring be in the air? Mountain biking enthusiasts everywhere,
from Alaska to Maine, see this transitional season as a time of deep
reflection: “Should I buy a new bike or refurbish the old?”
Our faltering economy would love for
you to buy new but that assumes that your bank account is flush with ducats.
If it’s not, give your bike an upgrade but first you have to establish if
it’s worth it.
Consider your riding style. Think
about the trails you’ve ridden, plan to ride this year, and how many crashes
the bike has sustained. What kind of a rider are you? Do you get off the
bike and walk around rock gardens, log piles, and drops or do you plunge
headfirst into the fray?
The next step is to assess the frame.
The frame is the heart, soul, and spinal cord of your bike. Is it an
average-quality chassis? Are there cracks in the paint or frame near the
junctions? Bent tubes? Loose suspension pivots? If the answer to any of
these questions is “yes” stop reading and buy a new bike.
However, if the frame is still in
great condition, you’ll definitely want to upgrade all your components. Be
forewarned, though, that this route isn’t exactly cheap. But given the
alternative, it’s cheaper than buying brand new—in most cases.
To refurbish your bike, you’ll need
new cogs ($75-$100), chain rings ($80), chain ($15-$30), bottom bracket
($50) and probably pedals ($80-$350). It’s also not a bad idea to replace
the handlebar. This’ll run you $60-$150.
The most expensive upgrade is a new
shock or fork, which runs the gambit from $350 to $1,000. The least
expensive option is have them rebuilt. I’ve used Shockspital in the past to
rebuild the front fork of my hard tail Stumpy and was satisfied.
Now add up all your averages, throw in
an extra $200 for labor and miscellaneous items such as grips, cables, and
tires. Generally, it can cost you around $1,300 to refurbish your old bike.
Ask yourself again if it’s worth it. $1,300 can easily buy a new bike, but
will it be the kind of bike that you need to ride the trails that you do?
Source:
Minneapolis Outdoor Recreation Examiner
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Posted By: Diesel
Date: 02/23/2009 |
