Upgrade or Buy New? Newbie in need of sage advice

13 replies · 426 views

langdalek
28 posts
#1Dec 12, 2017, 2:27 PM
I purchased an Intense Spider about 8 months ago and have been riding 2-3 days a week after being out of the sport for over a decade. It feels so good to get back out on a bike and get my heart rate pounding and lungs/legs burning climbing the hills here in southern California. After being inspired by the riding gravel podcast, I would like to start commuting to work a couple days a week. I can ride the pavement the whole way, which would take me through some pretty heavy traffic areas and end up being about 20 miles each way...not my first choice. Another, much more fun option, would be to ride about 10 miles on pavement and then cut through a wilderness area filled with steep, fire road/singletrack climbs and descents. My question to you guys has to do with bike choices. Here are two options I am considering:

Option 1: Continue to put away funds ($2,000-$3,000) until I can afford a new gravel bike: Specialized Diverge, Ibis Hakka MX, Salsa Warbird, Santa Cruz Stigmata, Breezer Inversion, etc.

Option 2: I have a brand new, stock 2007 Bianchi San Jose SS that has been hanging in my garage, collecting dust, that I considered building into a gravel bike. I was going to add the following upgrades to possibly make it a capable commuter/gravel bike: Salsa Woodchipper bars, Shockstop stem, tape, tires, cheap Nashbar carbon fork, some sort of v-brake levers (have xt v-brakes on it now with a flat bar and mountain bike levers). I also considered running an internal 8-speed hub (a la Sheldon Brown/Harris Cyclery San Jos8) since the single speed will be pretty tough to negotiate the steep, fire road climbs.

Option 1 Pros: I will have a brand new bike with all the new industry standards for gravel bikes (through axles, steel/carbon fork or all carbon, gravel geometry, gearing more appropriate for climbing steep fire roads and riding on the road), a solid platform to build off of if I continue to ride and would potentially like to ride/race in some of the classic gravel events. Cons: Expensive and would take me a lot longer to get on the bike to start riding. Have too much fun on this bike and quit riding my brand new mountain bike.

Option 2 Pros: I love the feel of the steel frame on the Bianchi San Jose and it is just an all around great bike to ride. I will be able to start riding a lot sooner since upgrading the Bianchi will be much more affordable (not sure what new wheels with the internal hub would run). Cons: Upgrading a bike that may not be designed for what I am trying to do. Upgrades quickly add up to $600-$800 and still limit the bike's capabilities.

***Note: Anyone who lives or has ridden in the southern California area, I intend to ride from my house in Mission Viejo to Newport Coast. I would like to ride to Laguna Canyon Road on the pavement and then enter Laguna Wilderness at the Willow Staging Area (Willow-Bommer Ridge- Fenceline Trail) up to Ridge Park and then back on pavement to Newport Coast.

Any thoughts or imparting words of wisdom would be really appreciated! Thank you.

Kerry
0
ljsmith
762 posts
#2Dec 12, 2017, 6:50 PM
I personally would not drop all that money upgrading that bike, the cons you listed are exactly what I am thinking. So I am for option 2. If the bike was geared I would have said just ride it as is while saving up for a gravel bike.
0
Zurichman
1,526 posts
#3Dec 12, 2017, 9:58 PM
You might want to include Raleigh in the mix. Right now or for the last year Raleigh seems to want to be selling online direct to customers on the cheap if you want to set up a Corporate account with them. I bought a Tamland 1 in the spring for $799 + $48 tax it's a sweet bike weighs in at 25 lbs. I then just bought the Roker Comp for $1652 which is listed at a $2799 bike. The bike weighs 20 lbs. They are at least worth a look for you and you might get into your bike faster than you think you can. The kicker on the Roker is they had a late 2017 production run on them and when they are gone that is it as they are making them in 2018. Good luck in whatever you get.

Zman
0
drwelby
531 posts
#4Dec 13, 2017, 8:01 AMedited
Instead of the Alfine you could put a derailleur on it with the Fyxation hanger.

I don't think it would be worth it to do big upgrades like a carbon fork. But at it's core it's a good commuter bike so I'd watch eBay and Craigslist for a used Alfine wheelset. If you're patient you can get one for $200. Then you'd need the shifter, which until recently was a problem for drop bars, but now Microshift has a bar-end shifter for about $80. Add in a front dynamo hub too and with the rack then you're ready to commute at a moment's notice. But - think if you factor in $300 to get an Alfine setup plus $250 if you just sell the San Jose that puts you at $550 play money that would buy you a $399 mail order Gravity with a triple crank and have money left over for lights.

I also wouldn't want to commute on a brand new fancy gravel bike and have to take off my commuter crap went I want to go for a fun ride.

0
dangle
465 posts
#5Dec 13, 2017, 11:19 AM
Those San Jose's have a bit of a following. You may even be able to unload it for a decent price and work towards a bike specific to what you want to do.
0
langdalek
28 posts
#6Dec 14, 2017, 10:17 AM
Thanks for all the great advice everyone! The Raleigh's look like a great option. Unfortunately, from their website, it appears that all the bikes on sale only have very limited frame sizes and none in the larger sizes (I'm 6'4"). I'm going to call them today and ask if they have other frame sizes available. I am going to drop the idea of upgrading the Bianchi unless I can find a smokin' deal on an IGH wheelset. Thanks again for all your input. The search for a sub $1000 commuter/gravel bike continues.
Kerry
0
AlanEsh
196 posts
#7Dec 14, 2017, 11:43 AM
If you upgrade the San Jose I would skip the "cheap carbon fork". It's not going to be a smoother ride than the steel, and the weight difference won't matter on that bike.

Good luck with your new hobby!
0
Zurichman
1,526 posts
#8Dec 14, 2017, 1:34 PM
langdalek wrote:Thanks for all the great advice everyone! The Raleigh's look like a great option. Unfortunately, from their website, it appears that all the bikes on sale only have very limited frame sizes and none in the larger sizes (I'm 6'4"). I'm going to call them today and ask if they have other frame sizes available. I am going to drop the idea of upgrading the Bianchi unless I can find a smokin' deal on an IGH wheelset. Thanks again for all your input. The search for a sub $1000 commuter/gravel bike continues.
Kerry

I think the Raleighs run a little bit large. I am 6 ft. with 34" inseam and the 56 cm fits me where as I normally run a 57 cm road bike.

Zman
0
chas
1,305 posts
#9Dec 14, 2017, 2:55 PM
I love the Bianchi san Jose, but that one may need to much work (tires, gears).
I use a Motobecane Fantom cross pro bike for a commuter, gravel grinder, CX race bike, fast road bike (road race training). Mine was from Craig’s List, but new they are about $800. That is a steal for a 20lb Ultegra equipped cross bike. The problem with Bikes Direct, is that you can’t test ride them, have to know what size you want, and trust that it has the riding characteristics you want (unless you find one on Craig’s list, lol).
If you have the knowledge to get what you want (and help from forums), Bikes Direct has some killer bikes.
0
teoblar
51 posts
#10Dec 18, 2017, 10:48 AM
I feel that the upgrades you would want to make will quickly spin up to a dollar amount that you will regret and you won't be able to turn around at that point.

I think that you will get about halfway into that project and then realize all of the little things it takes to modernize an older bike, especially adding gears to a single speed frame, have a lot of hidden costs associated with them. (internal hubs, frame spacing, custom wheel building, etc.)

Enjoy the Bianchi for all of the reasons that you love it for and get a new bike for your new goals. The excitement of a new bike will inspire you to ride more and you can become a proud member of the n+1 club!
0
Croz
61 posts
#11Dec 18, 2017, 11:01 AM
teoblar wrote:I feel that the upgrades you would want to make will quickly spin up to a dollar amount that you will regret and you won't be able to turn around at that point.

I think that you will get about halfway into that project and then realize all of the little things it takes to modernize an older bike, especially adding gears to a single speed frame, have a lot of hidden costs associated with them. (internal hubs, frame spacing, custom wheel building, etc.)

Enjoy the Bianchi for all of the reasons that you love it for and get a new bike for your new goals. The excitement of a new bike will inspire you to ride more and you can become a proud member of the n+1 club!

This 100% ^

0
langdalek
28 posts
#12Dec 20, 2017, 9:50 AM
So for now, I have been alternating rides between my mountain bike and my Bianchi San Jose. The Bianchi is nice, comfortable to ride, but an absolute grind when I hit any sort of hill. My sore knees and lower back back are telling me that I am not strong enough to ride one gear through the rolling hills of southern California. I am going back and forth between the Raleigh Wilard 1 or the Roker Comp. These are the only two "gravel" bikes left in my size (62 cm). I check the website daily to make sure that these two bikes are still available. I like the Wilard 1 because of the 2x chain ring and the price would allow me to purchase the bike A LOT sooner. The Roker just seems like A LOT of bike for the price and I can easily convince myself that the Roker is a smokin' deal and is pretty close to the ultimate gravel/commuter bike. The down side is it will take me longer to save the extra $1000 and I worry they will not be available if I wait to long. I may call the corporate office and inquire on their stock to get a better sense of how many of these bikes are left.
0
chas
1,305 posts
#13Dec 20, 2017, 10:34 AM
Just for grins.

I don't think you can add rear cassette to the San Jose (well, I did find one option, but it ain't cheap). Too bad you couldn't just add an internally geared hub to a 120mm dropout (that ain't cheap either).

One thing I have done for rides like yours:
- add a chain tensioner
- put a double chain ring on the bike.

I'm lazy and just shift the chain ring by hand, but it works. You could probably even put one chain ring where that chain guard is, and another one where the current chain ring is. That will get you a 2 speed bike for the mountains.

Could be a temporary solution for hills.
0
drwelby
531 posts
#14Dec 20, 2017, 6:05 PM
chas wrote:
I don't think you can add rear cassette to the San Jose (well, I did find one option, but it ain't cheap). Too bad you couldn't just add an internally geared hub to a 120mm dropout (that ain't cheap either).

San Joses had 130mm rear ends, so it's not a problem fitting a Nexus hub (132mm). Even an Alfine at 135mm should fit OK, though it's pretty easy to reset the rear end spacing to 135.
0

Related threads

So... is this site dying on the vine?Passion for Gravel Riding · 38 replies · Aug 30, 2024
Buying from local bike shop Vs online or used?Gravel Riding · 13 replies · May 5, 2018
Customization options from my shop & carbon vs steel forkBikes · 4 replies · Jul 19, 2018
Need some 1x gearing advice pleaseComponents - Discussion and Reviews · 12 replies · May 14, 2018
New Guy with lots of ???sGravel Riding · 6 replies · Aug 3, 2016