5 cheap upgrades to make your old bike new again
- Getting an old bike back into reliable riding shape doesn't always have to be a price-gouging nightmare — as long as you know what to upgrade.
- Any dust-collecting bike can ride like new again by focusing on five key upgrades: tires, grips, a seat, a dropper post, and pedals.
- We tested gear from each of those categories to find which would make for the best improvements, in terms of both price and quality.
Maintaining a bike can get expensive. From replacing tires to upgrading components, investing in two-wheeled transportation can sometimes do a number on your wallet. It doesn't always have to, though.
With a little TLC and a few inexpensive new parts, anyone can make an older bike feel like they just pulled it off the shelf. So, no matter if you want to get it back into singletrack riding shape, convert it into a commuter, or fashion a bike path rambler out of it, a few simple add-ons is all it takes to get that dust-collector rolling along again.
Where to start
Before starting in on your bike's makeover, you'll first want to take it in for a necessary check-up to make sure it doesn't have any serious or expensive mechanical issues. If possible, bring it into a local bike shop — many of which are considered essential businesses and are still open — and have them advise what work the bike needs.
Some of the most common issues an old bike may run into is needing a drive train cleaning and a replacement of brake pads and cables. If there's a larger fix that needs to be made, and it seems likely to run you several hundred dollars, consider if getting the work done is worth the investment at all. Even upgrades and tune-ups in the range of $500 might cost less than a brand-new bike but we understand that that much money isn't exactly considered cheap.
What to upgrade
After giving it a proper tune-up, now you can get to the actual upgrades. The five areas that are the easiest, cheapest, and most impactful to improve are the tires, grips, seat, dropper post, and pedals.
These have the ability to dramatically alter the look, feel, and ride experience, and go a long way in giving any older bike a renewed purpose. To help narrow down the increasingly large pool of what's available, we tested a range of products from each of the above-mentioned categories to bring you our favorites.
Here are the best cheap upgrades to make your old bike new again:
- Give it some new tires: Vittoria Barzo Tires
- Tack on some fresh grips: Ergon Bike GA2 Grip
- Install a modern seat: Specialized Power Comp with Mimic
- Embrace the benefits of a dropper post: PNW Components Cascade Dropper Post
- Upgrade to a set of real pedals: Supacaz Smash DH Pedals
Give it some new tires: Vittoria Barzo Tires
If your tire rubber is split and rotted, you won't make it out of the garage. One of the best do-everything tires you can buy is the Vittoria Barzo, a low-profile mountain bike tire with moto-style square knobs for durability and stability. The tire comes in sizes ranging from 26 inches to 29 inches, as well as 20-inch versions for souping up your kids' bike.
The Barzo has siping along the ridge for superb grip in wet conditions and features compounds like Graphene in the tread which make this tire both versatile and long wearing. It's a true winner, too. The Barzo was ridden to gold at two bike events last year: the Mountain Bike XC World Championships and the BC Bike Race. Ultimately, it's a tire that helps every rider have fun.
Product Name: Vittoria Barzo Tires
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Tack on some fresh grips: Ergon Bike GA2 Grip
Gummy, mouse-gnawed grips are no fun to hold onto, and new ones add a dash of flash to any flat bar bike. We like Ergon's Bike GA2 Grips.
The UV-stable rubber has an ergonomic shape that's easy to grip and the thickness varies by how much shock-absorption is ideal for each part of your hand — this takes stress off the ulna nerve to prevent numbness, too. In short, they just feel good to hold onto. Plus, they come in seven colors, allowing them to match almost any bike.
Product Name: Ergon GA2 Grips
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Install a modern seat: Specialized Power Comp with Mimic
Since you plan on putting in some miles on your newly refurbished bike, splurging on a saddle should be one of your priorities. Specialized's Power Comp features a carbon body for superb support, a medium level of padding, and Chromoly rails, which help improve its long-term durability.
A good saddle should support your sitz bones, too — and this doesn't just mean it needs to have a ton of padding. If the saddle presses on soft tissue when you're riding with your hands on the bars, it cuts off blood flow. We love this saddle because both men's and women's models have cutouts to prevent pressure and we've found that they also both seem to work for a wide range of riders.
Product Name: Specialized Power Comp with Mimic Bike Seat
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Embrace the benefits of a dropper post: PNW Components Cascade Dropper Post
A dropper post lets you sit low on your bike, lowering your center of gravity and allowing descents to feel more stable. It also helps you get the seat out of the way anytime you're getting on or off the bike.
Before you buy, determine your seat tube diameter and the distance from your saddle rails to the spot the seat post enters your bike frame. It's important you take a measurement when the seat is at an ideal height for you. That measurement helps determine how much drop you can fit on your bike.
PNW Components has an excellent selection of both internally and externally routed posts with multiple models and price points to choose from. Our favorite is the Cascade because it's the most affordable post PNW makes and it fits most bikes, making it an ideal choice for older models.
Product Name: PNW Components Cascade Dropper Post - 150mm
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Upgrade to a set of real pedals: Supacaz Smash DH Pedals
Investing in a new set of pedals means allows you to have better grip in whatever cycling footwear you choose, be it sneakers or any other sort of shoe or boot. We like Supacaz's Smash DH, which is great for everyday riding thanks to a stiff thermopoly platform that has plenty of real estate and enough replaceable pins for anyone to find good footing.
Its CNC-machined Chromoly axle uses ultralight self-lubricating sealed bushings so the bearings won't freeze up even after multiple seasons of use. And, at 6 oz. per pedal and with a price tag of $56 per pair, they're not overly heavy and stay easy on the wallet.
Product Name: Supacaz Smash DH Pedals
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