[music] Speaker: We love an upgrade here on GCM. Upgrades
can get your old, run-down bikes feeling brand new again or give your new bike a boost that
makes you want to ride it even more. It can make it look better and even give it new functionalities.
There are many different ways to treat your bikes but we've narrowed it down to just five
upgrades you might want to consider. [music]
Speaker: First up, pedals. Now if you are using flat pedals, why don't you give clipless
pedals a go? They are a game-changer. I remember when I first started using clipless pedals.
I felt so much more powerful on the bike, and I could really get the most out of every
pedal stroke, and I felt really connected to the bike and safer. Yes, I did tip over
when I tried to stop on my first few rides but that's okay when you're new to clipless
pedals. Maybe you want to try a different system.
There are loads out there with different features and benefits. Double-sided, super aerodynamic,
or super lightweight. If you are using clipless pedals, then how old are they? Are they quite
worn, is there a lot of play in them even though they've been tightened? This could
be a sign you need to replace your pedals. Riding worn-out pedals can lead to a knee
injury and nobody wants that. When getting new pedals, we'd always recommend going for
a good quality pedal because they will last you so much longer.
While we're on the pedal subject, what about your cleats? Now this isn't an expensive upgrade
but like your pedals, your cleats will wear depending on how much you ride, how much you
unclip and stop and clip in again, and generally walk around in them. As you can see from a
distance, mine don't look too bad. If we take a closer look, we can see the rubber is starting
to wear off and the bottom bit where we actually clip-in is pretty worn. I think I've got a
month or two left in these before I need to replace them again.
If you're looking at to save weight, then get yourself a new pair of wheels. This is
going to make a dramatic difference to how your bike feels. It was always my favorite
part of race day, getting the new, nicer, lighter, stiffer wheels in. It was dreamy.
Now a new set of wheels isn't cheap but there're some great high-performance wheels out there
for a reasonable price and it's going to be worth it because these are going to make the
biggest improvement out of everything. Lighter, stiffer, and more aerodynamic wheels will
make a huge difference to your performance. If you do lots of riding on hilly, punchy
climbs, then you could opt for a lightweight wheel, or if you're doing lots of riding on
flat fast roads, maybe a deep-section wheel is for you. Although if you speak to Sai,
he'll choose aero regardless and there are studies that show aero saves you more watts
than lightweight. [music]
Speaker: If you are riding in whatever the weather especially on grubby country lanes,
the elements can take its toll on your bikes. Particularly in the winter months, you can
find your brake pads can become quite worn and for your own safety, it is a good idea
to check for wear every now and again. When your brake pads need to be replaced, which
you should be able to tell by the wear indicator on the pad, all you need is a couple of Allen
keys and some new pads and that's it. You don't even have to remove your wheel from
the bike. Don't just replace them, upgrade them. You
can get a higher performance brake pad for rim and disc brakes that give you a better
stopping performance, less ribbon wear, and less noise. Just make sure you get the right
compound for your wheel. [music]
Speaker: The only part that actually touches the ground, the tires. This is a cracking
upgrade and it's a simple but effective one. It's like getting a pair of new shoes. They'll
give you that spring in your step, and as far as price goes, this is the best upgrade
that you can do. Make it to tubeless, even better. Most bikes come with standard 23-millimeter
tires fitted. Why not upgrade to a 25 or even a 28? As wider ties tend to be more comfortable
but not only that, they have less rolling resistance. Whether you've had your bike in
storage or you've worn your tires out on the indoor trainer, well maybe now's a good time
for an upgrade. Consider things like weight, tread pattern, and puncture resistance.
A weekend warrior will need a different tire to a city commuter, and maybe as the sun comes
out, why not treat yourself to some nice [unintelligible 00:04:49] for the summer? Don't forget to
keep your old tires because you never know when they might come in handy.
[music] Speaker: Whether cycling is your form of transport
or you just do it for fun, you're a keen racer or you just love stunts, well, you could benefit
from a bike computer. They're great. They can store all your data on there from time,
speed, distance, heart rate, power, calories burned. They're not just for pros. They're
great for day trips too. You can plan a route on there and you can even save your home location
so you don't get lost. There are various bike computers available.
It all depends on how much you want from it and how much riding you do. We'd recommend
a dedicated head unit like this Wahoo, but there are various apps that can help track
your basic metrics. If you're not sure you want to invest, maybe try out one of those.
You'll soon be hooked. I know I've already mentioned five, but I've got one more I need
to mention and this upgrade is the best upgrade out of them all. It gives you a 50-watt saving
and when everybody sees your bike, they will be extremely jealous, but it's going to give
you so much morale. Yes, you guessed it, it's a gold chain. Now I've never actually had
a gold chain, but I always wanted one. This weekend, I'm going to put my money where
my mouth is and order myself a nice gold chain. It's going to be so bling. Those are some
of my favorite upgrades, but what one you're going to choose? Let us know in the comment
section below and if we've missed any good ones. Thanks for watching, everybody. Happy
riding. [00:06:32] [END OF AUDIO]