# TOP TEN LIST - most important to upgrade



## alex(K) (Jun 27, 2008)

say you got a decent run of the mill mtb, ride all mountain / XC...
what are the ten most important bike elements to upgrade, in order of importance?

1) wheelset
2) crank
3) pedals
4) fork
5) rear suspension (if applicable)
6) adjustable seatpost
7) brakes
8) comfy saddle
9) carbon bottle holder
10) get new carbon frame

11) win lottery

hmm, forgot rear derailleur ect... going 11-36 and what not...


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## SwampDonkeyDisco (Mar 3, 2010)

My first and foremost upgrade is a freakin huge horn on the front! Blast your fellow riders as you leave 'em in your dust! Second, grip streamers! When you fly past your rivals, they cry knowing they got dusted by the streamer guy! Third, and final upgrade....supersonic noise maker on the bars so when you run into Sasquatch (ride long enough and you will) you can scare him into the bush and he won't steal your granola bar.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

alex(K) said:


> say you got a decent run of the mill mtb, ride all mountain / XC...
> what are the ten most important bike elements to upgrade, in order of importance?
> 
> 1) wheelset
> ...


#1: Rider skills


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## alex(K) (Jun 27, 2008)

shiggy said:


> #1: Rider skills


#2 loose 15 lbs.


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

The engine.


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## gumbymark (May 25, 2007)

This is why I spend the coin on getting the bike the way I want from the start. Don't need to "upgrade" anything.


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## Zasshu (Jun 6, 2008)

10 would be a down grade if you already have a titanium steed.


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## Blksocks (Dec 22, 2009)

gumbymark said:


> This is why I spend the coin on getting the bike the way I want from the start. Don't need to "upgrade" anything.


No fun in that! :nono:


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## suprcivic (Aug 17, 2008)

> 6) adjustable seatpost


i tend to think that adjustable seatposts are completely unnecessary weight. are you going to tell me that you can't scoot your butt behind the saddle?

1. tires
2. clipless pedals

the rest depends on the bike and is usually unnecessary.

you can't beat the weight savings and performance change of an upgraded set of tires for the money. even if you paid double what the tires are worth, you will never feel the performance difference in a bike more than swapping tires vs dollars spent.

pedals are a personal preference, but i think clipless offers a huge increase in bike control. 'nuff said

that being said, i love upgrading and wrenching. i have so many upgrades on my bike that made absolutely zero performance enhancements its not even funny. let's all face it, can you really feel the performance difference between an XT and XTR front derailleur?


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

alex(K) said:


> #2 loose 15 lbs.


That is on my upgrade list.


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## Twenty Times (Mar 27, 2009)

Importance really depends on what is on your bike now. There really is no such thing as "run of the mill."


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## Brodino (Sep 15, 2008)

Upgrades are expensive so I try to buy the bike the way I want it right from the start. The rest is up to me ie improve my skills. Nothing like blinged out bike being ridden by a slow poke!!


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## Ricko (Jan 14, 2004)

I'm with Shiggy and Alex...upgrading your physical condition is what makes the most noticable difference.


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## alex(K) (Jun 27, 2008)

Twenty Times said:


> Importance really depends on what is on your bike now. There really is no such thing as "run of the mill."


good point. i guess the question is more generally about what you feel is most important to spend money on. crank guy vs. seatpost guy vs. brooks saddle guy


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

Wheels and tires, contact points (saddle, pedals, bars), possibly fork. Of course, this all depends on what's on your bike now. If you've got a low end wheelset with poor tires this might be a decent upgrade. One good thing about wheels and tires is you can usually move them from one bike to another. If your wheels are already mid level or above, not much to be gained. You might get some improvement from tires that are better suited to your terrain and riding style but that's assuming your current tires aren't doing the job.

Contact points should only be upgraded if there's something wrong with how they fit you now. If your saddle is killing you then get one that fits better. If your position on the bike isn't working then a new set of bars (and stem if necessary) might make a difference. Definitely clipless pedals, but if you've already got a pair there isn't a lot to be gained from getting a different pair, they all work pretty good.

Finally, fork. Again, if your's is a low end fork then you would notice a difference in just about all phases of riding if it was replaced by a better fork. However, forks are costly.

Assuming the rest of your stuff is Deore class or higher, upgrade when it breaks.


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## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

1. Ride more.
2. Ride more.
3. Ride more.
4. Ride more.
5. Ride more.
6. Ride more
7. Ride more.
8. Ride more.
9. Ride more.
10. Replace/upgrade parts when/if I break them.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

shiggy said:


> #1: Rider skills


*ding*


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## Lord Humongous (Jan 12, 2004)

If you are looking to buy hardgoods and take them home I have always found contact points worth the dough.
1) Tires, nothing changes the way your bike rides as fast as tires. This is where your bike touches the ground so all cornering, braking and drive actions that you perform go through your tires. Find out what other people who ride your trails have good experiences with and get the best quality beads, casing and compound that you can.
2) Saddle, if you don't find your saddle comfortable chances are good that there is another saddle on the market that you will.
3) Grips, thinner grips if you get sore in your thumb/palm joint, softer/thicker grips if you get sore palms. Ergon has grips that do both.
4) Brake pads, many brakes come stock with resin pads and switching them out for sintered can dramatically alter your stopping power.
5) Shoes, often overlooked, but worth some money. If you clip in and seldom walk anything, get some carbon soles, the increased stiffness is a real improvement. If you use flats, get some of the newer engineered rubber sole shoes such as FiveTen or Shimano are offering.
6) Set up. This may or may not involve dollars, but trying some different stems, bar sweeps, bar tilts, seat post set back, brake lever set up, etc can alter your position on the bike allowing for better handling, stronger pedaling and less fatigue. Many people just ride their bikes the way they came, thinking that good enough is good enough. What they don't realize is that for just a little effort and maybe some new parts good enough can become great or even amazing 
7) Wheels. Rotating weight is always nice to lose and a light set of wheels can really liven up your pedalling. I left this later on the list due to the ridiculous prices on most quality wheelsets.
8) Forks. Upgrading from entry level forks can dramatically alter the damping quality as well as reducing overall weight. This depends on what you define as a run of the mill XC/AM bike though, many bikes come stock with forks that are good and don't need to be replaced.
9) Chain lube. I know it sounds cheesy, but many people in my area just use whatever and end up with an oily, dirt paste all over their drive components. Switching to something like White Lightning, Purple Extreme or Boeshield T9 can reduce drivetrain wear, improve shifting and prevent unsightly grease marks.
10) There is no ten, but I would say if you still want to spend money on your bike after the other nine, spoil it. Take your bike on vacation and ride somewhere new.


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## brassnipples (Feb 26, 2006)

I've come to appreciate seat upgrades. Seats are place companies can save bucks on stock bikes so they are often not up to par with the rest of the bike. Upgrading to a higher quality seat can save a surprising amount of weight and make riding much more enjoyable if you find one that fits your arse well. If you're rear isn't sore the day after a long ride you can go riding again the next day and get the additional upgrade of ride more ride more ride more.


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## crux (Jan 10, 2004)

1. Increase usable and controlled power while increasing endurance.
2. Increase flexability.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

1. Bigger Lungs
2. Stronger Legs
3. Develop larger scabs and bruises on legs and arms


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## C.M.S (Aug 28, 2009)

Riding a california beach bike with a horn /streamers ,huge white walls that kicks all your ass and waves by by LMAO ........................................J/K

Overall ride comfort # 1

# 2 get all those listed narrow it down , do some home work , get the best deal ,go for it and ride on and stay safe ..

As for the lottery , ehhhhh good luck..


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## sopwithcamel (Oct 2, 2007)

I think the number one upgrade is a light weight tubeless wheelset with Stan's Rims so you go tubless with high performance XC tires. This will take off anywhere from 2-3 lbs of weight off the bike and make you feel like you have wings.


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## GFAthens (Sep 10, 2009)

1 Wheelset and tires. 
2 Contact points.
3 Not on the bike really, but a good comfortable pair of cycling gloves. Solid gloves with solid grips reduces fatigues for me a lot


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## claychittend (Nov 15, 2009)

> but a good comfortable pair of cycling gloves. Solid gloves with solid grips reduces fatigues for me a lot


What kind of gloves to yo prefer GFAthens?


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## dropadrop (Sep 20, 2005)

I agree I've felt the biggest difference when honing my skills and getting more fit (not just the legs and lungs). Next, as mentioned tires can make a big difference. You might be able to loose a lot of weight for a cheap price, or you might add a bit of weight and gain a bunch of traction. I have a lot of high performance gear on my bike, but I feel suspension makes a far bigger difference then the cranks or wheelset (despite them being expensive). Maybe if I was not riding on slippery roots and stones all the time I would feel the stiffness from a better wheelset would make more of a difference.

This site is mainly about gear, but it's not really that important for 95% of the riders out there. My main bike might cost 5000€, but I've had some of the best rides of my life on a far cheaper loaned hardtail that was even a bit too small for me.


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## GFAthens (Sep 10, 2009)

I usually use Bontrager Satellite Fusion Gelfoam gloves (Full fingered). I also have some Pearl Izumi gloves that I like as well but aren't cushioned as well as the Bontrager gloves for my hands. Cycling gloves are one of those things - you don't need them until you try them once and then riding without them (For me at least) is a pronounced difference. I even commute to and from school (About 1.0 MI) with them.


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## FireDog46 (Jan 13, 2004)

Your diet.

But I don't see it on your list.


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## Everett09 (Oct 20, 2015)

A nice light so you can ride even when work takes more time away then we would like.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Go w/ a Pro DH'er I saw/heard say... "Tires are most important thing to get right. If the tires are wrong nothing works."

After that for me, are handle bar and stem (correct width/length).

Then pedals and shoes.

Next 5? 

Take your pic ^^

-----------------------------------------------------------
#1 resolution... Ride it like I stole it!!


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## ltspd1 (Nov 25, 2007)

Normally I'd say wheelset would be at the top of the list. But he's got "Comfy saddle" at #8; If your saddle's not "comfy," it will rise to #1 in a hurry. A $2,500 carbon wheelset means little if your butt feels like it's sitting on razor blades.


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## richde (Jun 8, 2004)

A new wheelset is the second dumbest upgrade, since it's the second most expensive component on the bike...THE most expensive component if you go carbon.

Want good wheels, fork and shock? Buy a better ****ing bike, and learn something about money.

Most important things are fit and contact points, then tires...everything else, aside from a dropper post if it didn't come with one, should have already been on the bike that you carefully chose to fit your overall budget.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

richde said:


> A new wheelset is the second dumbest upgrade, since it's the second most expensive component on the bike...THE most expensive component if you go carbon.
> 
> Want good wheels, fork and shock? Buy a better ****ing bike, and learn something about money.
> 
> Most important things are fit and contact points, then tires...everything else, aside from a dropper post if it didn't come with one, should have already been on the bike that you carefully chose to fit your overall budget.


On your point, I have been looking at new bikes and the models with carbon wheels. I would like a set of carbon wheels but it is a spendy aftermarket upgrade. But the bikes I am looking at have carnon wheels available at the top end, so it becomes a $3k "upgrade", like buying the bundled option package from the car dealer that has only one thing in it that you value, or like subscribing to cable tv.

there is a significant value to getting exactly what you want and it can be at the lower price when the alternatives from the dealer are limited. I suppose I cn try and negotiate the carbon wheels to a lower model, but ten I am taking what they have and so on...and most likely they will try and jam me on that upgrade.


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

Upgrade the pie plate.... The pie plate is the most underrated piece of bicycling technology available today. We laugh and scoff at the white circular wonder that sits between the spokes and the rear gears but you just can't hit maximum strava warp without an upgraded flux capacitor warp pie plate installed... 

They laugh today but with the new Flux Pie Plate you'll be laughing at them at the end of the trail - the only thing they will hear as you pass is "STRAVA!!!!".


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## richde (Jun 8, 2004)

cjsb said:


> On your point, I have been looking at new bikes and the models with carbon wheels. I would like a set of carbon wheels but it is a spendy aftermarket upgrade. But the bikes I am looking at have carnon wheels available at the top end, so it becomes a $3k "upgrade", like buying the bundled option package from the car dealer that has only one thing in it that you value, or like subscribing to cable tv.
> 
> there is a significant value to getting exactly what you want and it can be at the lower price when the alternatives from the dealer are limited. I suppose I cn try and negotiate the carbon wheels to a lower model, but ten I am taking what they have and so on...and most likely they will try and jam me on that upgrade.


To be perfectly clear, I'm not talking about top of the line bikes with an ENVE wheel option, and neither is the OP. The only less cost effective "upgrade" are the cranks.

The OP is about someone who tries to save money by buying a "decent run of the mill mtb" and then throwing excessive amounts of money in the vain attempt to make it high-end...but they don't save money because it doesn't work like that.

Buy the bike you want out of the box, upgrades will never be as cheap as when packaged on a new bike.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

richde said:


> To be perfectly clear, I'm not talking about top of the line bikes with an ENVE wheel option, and neither is the OP. The only less cost effective "upgrade" are the cranks.
> 
> The OP is about someone who tries to save money by buying a "decent run of the mill mtb" and then throwing excessive amounts of money in the vain attempt to make it high-end...but they don't save money because it doesn't work like that.
> 
> Buy the bike you want out of the box, upgrades will never be as cheap as when packaged on a new bike.


Agree with you on that in general. When I bought my Heckler I paid extra for the R build with the Pike because the incremental cost was quite bit less than the aftermarket for the Pike. I could have sold the stock fork on the lower model but they priced that model at just the right point where you have to get a premium price for an OEM fork in order to make it a wash, and then there is the time and hassle involved.

In my current bike search I was expecting more carbon wheels available on lower priced models stock, that's all. I would jump in on that for sure, but the only thing I see are Enve which creates the crazy premium. For this exception, it seems cheaper to go aftermarket, probably cheaper even with enve but definitely cheaper with a lower cost carbon like Derby or Nox, so long as you don't do King or I9, DT240s, stick with Hope Hubs--a great value.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

richde said:


> Want good wheels, fork and shock? Buy a better ****ing bike, and learn something about money.


Already priced that option out. Its 7 *thousand* dollars to get the bare minimum bike that comes with the suspension, wheels and tires I want. I get a whole crapload of other stuff along with that, that I dont need at all.

... or I could spend a grand and get the wheels, suspension and tires I want. Its crazy people think spending 7 times more is the cheaper way to go. Its really, really not. Its 7 times more expensive :lol:

I dont enjoy riding when im in pain. No bad seats, grips, or cheap forks.


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## thecanoe (Jan 30, 2007)

My 5 y/o Tallboy had Stan's Crest wheels. Great wheel set. But when damaged , I replaced them with the Ibis 941's and Maxxis Ikon 2.35. 
Made a huge difference in performance, traction and plushness. I weigh 165 and can run 17psi or low. YMMV


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Motor.

Dropper post.

Tubeless tires.

Good wheel set.


If I had little money and still wanted to ride mtb, I'd run a rigid 29er SS with a dropper post and tubeless tires. (Which I'd done for quite some time in the past).


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## B888S (Feb 18, 2013)

I can honestly say, without shame, that all of my bikes can currently perform better than I can in their given state. With that said, my upgrade list has everything to do with me.

1) Legs
2) Lungs
3) Diet


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

One Pivot said:


> Already priced that option out. Its 7 *thousand* dollars to get the bare minimum bike that comes with the suspension, wheels and tires I want. I get a whole crapload of other stuff along with that, that I dont need at all.
> ts 7 times more expensive :lol:


This is my experience as well. I will hold on to my $7k for now and drop perhaps $1-1.4k on carbon wheels for a bike that is one year old.

Which leads me to my next question, when are larger companies going to bring more affordable brand carbon wheels down to mid-point bikes? Are companies like Specialized and Trek already doing this through their in-house wheel brands? Bummer, I don't want to buy another Trek or Specialized although they each make great bikes.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

cjsb said:


> This is my experience as well. I will hold on to my $7k for now and drop perhaps $1-1.4k on carbon wheels for a bike that is one year old.
> 
> Which leads me to my next question, when are larger companies going to bring more affordable brand carbon wheels down to mid-point bikes? Are companies like Specialized and Trek already doing this through their in-house wheel brands? Bummer, I don't want to buy another Trek or Specialized although they each make great bikes.


I just checked Specialized web site and carbon wheels come stock on the S Works Stumpjumper, just need to pony-up a cool $8600, although i am sure you can negotiate that bike for only $7500. Eff that! I will buy a much more affordable lower model and get aftermarket carbon wheels.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

trek looks the same, $8+k for the carbon wheels and they are DT Swiss? Ithought Trek used Bontrager? Can't he get them an affordable carbon rim? He is a founder of mountain bike and all.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

SwampDonkeyDisco said:


> My first and foremost upgrade is a freakin huge horn on the front! Blast your fellow riders as you leave 'em in your dust! Second, grip streamers! When you fly past your rivals, they cry knowing they got dusted by the streamer guy! Third, and final upgrade....supersonic noise maker on the bars so when you run into Sasquatch (ride long enough and you will) you can scare him into the bush and he won't steal your granola bar.


It seems you forgot one very important upgrade. Click on the link in my signature line for more details.


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## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

I know the rider is very important, but equipment makes a difference. The OP asked about equipment, not the rider or riding technique, so I am going to talk about equipment, and not riding technique. 

Bikes like other wheeled sports are heavily influenced #1 by tire choice (which includes inflation), and closely second by geometry. Everything else is peripheral. Get the tire and geometry correctly matched to the terrain and you'll mostly have a good time. You might accelerate a little slower if you are on a heavy bike, or the shifts may be a little rough if you are running some old school Shimano SIS with thumb shifters, but on the whole the bike will ride well. 

Now a lot of things impact geometry, because geometry is not purely about the numbers and angles on a frame, but how a rider fits on a bike. So things that matter include also the front and rear suspension configuration/setting, seat height, bar location and width, and even crank arm length. 

Different riders have different techniques, just like different race car drivers have different driving styles and there fore run different geometry/tire settings. Given the same height, someone with lean short torso and long slender legs will obviously run different geometry versus someone with long torso and short stout legs.

Get a good fitting bike, and choose the right tires. Everything else pales in comparison.


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## noose (Feb 11, 2004)

Tires.

Just like in motor-sport they make the biggest difference in ride characteristics. Not necessarily lighter as heavier may be better for your trails and/or riding style. Strong side-walled tubeless tires for example let you run low pressure and grip hard with less squirm and flats. It seems even many upper end bikes are spec'd with poor tires.


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## Impetus (Aug 10, 2014)

What the hell? 
This thread was SIX YEARS DEAD when it was brought back up in February.
Then it was bumped again today. Do people not notice post-dates?

A "top ten upgrades" list for a bike? Eff Me. There's barely 10 parts to replace on a bicycle unless you count "preference parts" like grips/saddle/pedals/tires
Excluding the frame, you have left:
Wheels,
Fork,
Shifters
Derailleurs
Crank
handlebars/stem
seat post
....
.......
..........

Yep. that's pretty much everything. there aren't even 10 things to list.

Just build a bike with the parts you want. It's so much less hassle.


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## noose (Feb 11, 2004)

Nothing has changed enough in 6 years to warrant a new thread like this. There has been a lot of 'reinventing the wheel (size)' by the industry during that time. While tech and manufacturing processes improve, the fundamentals never change.


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## knutso (Oct 8, 2008)

First thing is ESI extra chunkies and a dialed cockpit, then pedals/shoes and tires. 

+1 it's all about the contact points.


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## banditpowdercoat (Aug 13, 2015)

suprcivic said:


> i tend to think that adjustable seatposts are completely unnecessary weight. are you going to tell me that you can't scoot your butt behind the saddle


I can't


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## Ryder1 (Oct 12, 2006)

ARandomBiker said:


> There's barely 10 parts to replace on a bicycle


Ha! No doubt.


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