- So, you've just got your first mountain bike
or maybe a new bike that's in need of an upgrade,
but where do you start?
You really wanna get the most performance for your money.
And get something that really makes
a big difference to your bike.
This could be the addition of a dropper post
to help get that saddle out of the way
or a new pair of tyres to really suit the terrain
you're riding, day in, day out.
There are quite a few ways to tweak out
a bit more performance from your bike.
So, here are five essential upgrades for your new bike.
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The only part that touches the ground, tyres,
is so important and often and overlooked
and very simple upgrade.
As far as price for performance goes,
there's no question that tyres
stand above as the top contender.
Make them tubeless and you've doubled that upgrade.
It's important to get the right tyres
for the condition you're riding in.
So, wet weather tyres in very dry,
dusty conditions are not gonna perform well.
And the same goes for having a really dry tyre
in wet conditions, ya gonna be slip
and sliding all over the place.
So, make sure you get the right tyre for your terrain.
But, if you get it right, the performance
for your bike is gonna go skyrocketin' up.
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If you wanna save weight on your bike, then get new wheels.
They can make a dramatic difference to how your bike feels,
second only to tyres, really.
It's one of the pricier upgrades you can do,
but the benefits are huge.
You'll probably save a lot of weight,
upwards of an entire kilogramme, at times.
But, if you're not a weight saving aficionado,
chances are, value and durability
over featherweight efficiency is more important.
In this case, a new pair of wheels
is still a fantastic upgrade.
Having a pair of wheels that you
can really throw down a mountain
and bash through some rocks without being worried
if they explode is a wonderful thing.
Allowing you to really enjoy riding your bike
and focus on the task at hand.
Generally speaking, wheel upgrades can be kinda costly.
They range from like 350 pound for an economic wheel set.
But you can spend a monumental 3,000 pounds
if you want draw-worthy carbon hoops.
But, listen to this, as Keith Bontrager says,
"Strong, light, cheap."
Pick two of those and it's perfectly describing
the situation of what you want
to think about when it comes to wheels.
Strong, light, cheap.
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If your bike doesn't come with a dropper post,
then it should, without doubt,
be on your shortlist for an upgrade.
We've even put it ahead of new Fawkes
or even a new drive train.
It's simple, but amazing, to get your saddle out
of the way or up, into a climbing position,
just at the touch of a button.
It's a game changer and it makes
your bike feel totally different.
If you haven't tried one, you must.
They range from 80 mils of travel, to 200 mils.
But most drive a 125 or 150 mils in travel.
The price, they range from about 120 pound for a basic post
that'll do the job, all the way up to 800 pound
for RockShox's new AXS wireless dropper,
which is absolutely fantastic.
But, don't get me wrong, there's all sorts of upgrades
you can add to your bike,
but a dropper post has got to be one of 'em.
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Your bike might have come with narrow handlebar
and quite a long stem.
While this may have been the trend a few years ago,
even cross country bikes are now changing those ways
and going for a shorter stem
and a very wide handlebar combo.
Generally speaking, we seldom recommend having
a stem over 60 mil long and handlebars less
than 740 mil wide, which is a big change
from mountain biking, back in it's early days.
It just provides so much more control
through the direct steering.
The wider handlebars open up your chest
and you can breathe much easier on the climbs
and that makes a huge difference.
It's not something you would necessarily
think about before-hand.
Often times, the way to find the best width
of handlebars is by doing some pushups.
That'll really give you a good idea
of how wide you need your bars
and it, also, gives you an idea
of how much control you'll have over the bike
because you're constantly doing pushups
when you're out on your bike.
So, it's the same riding position that you'll be reflecting.
So, check that out, see how wide you wanna go,
and make that change.
It's a big difference.
Then, what about the materials, what the bar is made from?
Do you go with carbon or alloy bars?
Alloy is certainly cheaper, but carbon
is lighter enough and can be more comfortable,
especially when it comes to absorbing
those vibrations when you're out on the trail.
And that can reduce arm pump dramatically.
You're looking at, between 50 pound to 200 pound
for a new handlebar, more or less,
but, it's a great upgrade and make
a big difference to how your bike feels.
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When you buy a new bike, you really wanna make
it your own and the best way to do that
is to change all the contact points.
Now, what I mean by that is
the three places you contact the bike.
It's the grips, it's the pedals, and it's the saddle.
Very simple, really.
These all need to feel good and comfortable.
Otherwise, your bike won't feel good and comfortable.
Just like the tyres are the only thing
that touches the ground,
the contact points are the only place
that you touch the bike, so, they are critical.
Proper grips feel good, yes, but they also help reduce
the chance of arm pump or cramped hands.
Some grips have different rubber diameter
to suit different size hands or the amount
of feedback from the bars you want to feel.
Other grips have different diameters,
from one side of the grip to the other,
like these Ergon GA2 grips,
we use these, actually, here,
that contour to your hands
and the narrower, on the inside, makes a big difference.
Find some that work for you,
it's all about goin' in a shop
and actually gettin' ya hands on these grips,
because they can make a huge difference
to how you ride your bike and the comfort
that you've got whilst doin' it.
Now, what about the pedals?
Now, a solid pair of flat pedals will keep
your feet from slipping in rough terrains,
while clip-in pedals ensure you're connected at all times.
Good pedals are a solid investment
and you might find that you actually move them
from bike to bike, once you're comfortable.
Making sure your feet are always where they should be,
feels great and you don't like the feeling opposite to that.
We usually suggest going for flats when just starting out,
as they are often helpful with learning proper techniques,
like bunny hopping and your foot position.
But clips are great for feeling connected to the bike
and getting a really efficient pedal stroke going
when you're out on those cross country rides.
Both kinds of pedals are priced similarly,
ranging from 30 pound to, up to 180.
Fill ya boots.
Can't go wrong with a great set of pedals.
If you plan on riding your for a few hours at time,
it is super important to get the right saddle
that fits you correctly.
Everyone's lower bits are shlaped, uh,
how should we say this, slightly differently.
One saddle might be the bee's knees for one person,
but shocking for another, so, if possible,
try different saddles to find one
that fits your, um, undercarriage just right.
Many shops will have sit bone measuring tools
that can help narrow down the options,
so, maybe try that out.
It's not something you would come to, first off,
but, if you think about it, it's a great idea.
Saddles can go for as little as 40 pound,
but for as much as 250 pound
for those carbon and titanium numbers.
Trust us, finding the right saddle,
can be the difference between a great,
all day epic and a day you'd rather forget.
So, start saving for one of these upgrades
for a definite way to improve your bike riding experience.
If you'd like to improve some riding skills,
then head over to this video that's all about just that
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See ya next time.