Q&A

When it's time to change the bike?

Details

Parent Category: Q&A

Category: Q&A Bicycles

Published on Friday, 15 October 2010 07:09

Written by Luca Salvatelli

Dear Ciclonline. com

I am an amateur cyclist since about 2 years and follow carefully all of your items. The question I want to convey is: I own a road bike of the highest-end aluminum with a Shimano also from the first band that the following reports: 52/42/30 and sprocket 13-14-15-17 -19-21-23-26.

I decided to replace the 42 with a 39 because even with 30 everywhere I go, with 52 flat push a marvel, but if I want to make long journeys with variable slopes, with 42 in a few uphill sections I'm forced to resort to 30. My bike dealer tempts me trying to convince me to change bikes (Cannondale CAAD 10?), but my bike has given me much satisfaction and good results without spending astronomical sums. What is better to do?

Signed letter

 
Dear reader, I do not think it's the case to change a bike for a simple crown. Your dealer does his job well, but not the interests of its customers. If your current bike satisfies all, why change it? I understand that each have a professional looking top of top in the market, with just one second ahead to become a World Champion! But for an amateur is totally unnecessary and a bike should be replaced when the wear of the frame and the various components is such that their replacement will cost you almost what a new bike, or when not more suddisfa our needs. Then ask for a good mechanic that will replace the crown with a 42-39 (Shimano crowns, StrongLight or Miche). In the future, you will have to decide if you should move to a higher model (such as Caad 10) but is a decision that you should take not your dealer. For an amateur, when the bike is a tool for health and fun, the race last model is completely unnecessary, pointless and consumerism. Enjoy your bike well and good training.