[jad3]

@Fleeter - Heck of a deal! Nice job on the many hours you presumably spent researching the right bike at the right price. You did a heck of a job.

[fleeter]

Originally Posted by jad3

@Fleeter - Heck of a deal! Nice job on the many hours you presumably spent researching the right bike at the right price. You did a heck of a job.

Thanks, jad3... I was a little hesitant buying from an online store, but so far, the bike has more than lived up to my expectations.

[rola643]

Originally Posted by rola643

Imho - w-h-e-e-l-s, but I'm pretty new to riding too. That will be my next investment. I'm looking at Mavic Ksyrium SL but they would be at the upper limit of what I would spend on my current bike.

Mavic Ksyrium SL Rear Wheel

Quoting myself....sad ! I finally gave up waiting to find a good deal on a set of SL's and ended up with a pretty good deal on a set of Black 2010 Ksyrium Elite wheels, new cassette and a set of Vittoria Diamante Pro tyres I think they will be a good fit for my riding abilities.

[Grenouille]

Why is nobody mentioning streamers for the handgrips? Real hard to get them as original equipment on a road bike.

[wild]

Streamers

[Hardtail]

Mine was new pedals. The Kona Jackshit pedals....sorry, but thats the name of them!

I also updated/added an album in my profile! Here is a sample!

[nvrsetl]

A few folks mentioned contact points, - and YES that is the best way to upgrade your current bike. And then ask yourself 'What kind of riding do you more of?" Long or short distances, leisure or cruising....all of this can pinpoint which you want to upgrade first.

For me on all of my bikes it was the pedals, seat, and then wheelset. All of this made a huge difference and I appreciated riding the bike on longer distances. As long as your groupo is working fine and your fit is good, then just enjoy the ride!

These are pictures of my before and after shots of my Lemond Chambry Elite (keep in mind this bike is 10 years old but with my current upgrades, I enjoyed her longer and only replaced the things that warrant my riding style)

[Weav]

Originally Posted by fleeter

I hope I don't get flamed too bad... I have an '09 Windsor Fens from BD. I'm just starting out, and I found that this bike had the best value for the price-range I was shopping within. It has shimano 105's all around, which makes for a decent drive-train, however, the crankset seems on the cheap side, and the wheels and tires seem like they were put on just to make it roll....

Here's a link to see all the specs of what came with it 09 Windsor Fens

Now... play nice, and don't tell me that the first upgrade should be a real bike

Dude, nice bike for the price. Almost a full 105 groupset for that price is like they threw the rest of the bike in for free. I'll bet if you're in shape you could pass guys on group rides with bikes 4 times what you paid for yours.

I agree with the folks that say start with the contact points. Specifically I'd start with the saddle. Start with what you have, do some long rides and see how it treats you. Don't buy a saddle that you cannot demo. Make sure you do a couple of long rides on the demo before laying out a chunk of change. That's what I did first. I ended up with a Cobb V-Flow Plus saddle. Kind of pricey but worth every dollar, and they have a 6 month no questions asked return policy, what did I have to lose, my butt was killing me. Another one I recommend is the Selle Anatomica. Google it if you are interested.

Next, I went with wheels. I found a screaming deal on a set of high end Shimano wheels. I'll bet you could do the same. consider the Ultegra 6700 wheels which can be found for under $400 if you take your time and watch online sales. They are tubeless or clincher compatible. Also consider Neuvation wheels, you can get a really nice set of wheels, with great customer support, for around $200 - $250. And they will be miles better than what you have.

Next thing for me to upgrade is the bars. Mine are too narrow for me and I feel a little akward on climbs and out of the saddle.

But if you want to get the most out of your bike and you ride it frequently for 15-20 miles or greater, then a proper bike fit by a capable bike fitter will be one of the best things you can do to improve your enjoyment of cycling. Expect to spend $150 - $200 for a good proper fit.

Cheers to your new bike, I hope it is treating you well.

[infinitemass]

Save the money for shorts,jerseys,shoes,water bottles,etc. When I got my Trek in 1993, I only changed the seat and pedals. Rode it stock until last year when my Wife got me new wheels and fork. Average about 400 miles a week. Would keep it that way but frame cracked. Has a mix of groupsets same as the bike your getting. Should last ya for years.

[jeepster93]

My first upgrade was a more comfortable saddle.
And...
My bike did not come with pedals at all, so I needed to get pedals before I could ride it.


I also got my road bike from BD.
I LOVE my bike! I put 2,000 miles on it in a year.
A sweet piece of bike. Light. Fast. Reliable.
It will need a wheel trueing soon, I think, but with all the miles on it and it being a low spoke count wheelset, no complaints.