When a beginner starts considering simple upgrades to his road bike to improve its cycling speed and other performances, what are the best road bike upgrades? Here we have some tips for beginners.
1) Bike frame – best road bike upgrades priority list top 1
If budget isn’t an issue, upgrading your frame is your first option to consider. A lighter, more robust frame can improve riding performance and enhance the riding experience to a whole new level. But I have to say that replacing your bike frame is almost equivalent to buying a whole new bike. So I would not call it an upgrade. It’s more like a start over. However, getting your self a now frame is still considered the top item of the best road bike upgrades list, cuz it brings you a whole new experience that no other upgrades can achieve.
2) Wheels – best road bike upgrades priority list top 2
Upgrading your wheels ranks high on the priority list. Wheels is absolutely one of the best road bike upgrades. Wheels play a crucial role in how your bike handles, accelerates, and brakes—ultimately dictating your overall speed and enjoyment on the road.
Performance Gains
One of the most significant advantages of upgrading wheels is reduced rotational mass. A lighter set of wheels requires less energy to spin, allowing you to accelerate more quickly. This is especially beneficial during sprints, climbs, and when navigating stop-and-go traffic. For instance, swapping out heavy, stock wheels for a lightweight carbon fiber set can shave precious seconds off your commute or race times.
Moreover, high-quality wheels are often built with better hubs, featuring precision bearings that offer smoother rotation. This results in less rolling resistance, enabling you to maintain higher speeds with less effort. You’ll notice a marked difference when riding on flat stretches or descents, as the bike glides effortlessly forward.
Handling Improvements
The right wheels can also transform your bike’s handling. Wider rims, for example, are designed to accommodate wider tires. This setup provides a larger contact patch with the road, improving traction and stability. As a result, you’ll feel more confident when cornering at high speeds or in wet conditions.
Aerodynamic wheels are another game-changer. With their streamlined shape, they reduce drag, allowing you to cut through the air more efficiently. This not only makes your rides faster but also more comfortable, as you’ll experience less wind resistance pushing against you.
Durability and Longevity
Upgrading your wheels can also enhance their durability. Stock wheels may be prone to damage from potholes, curbs, or rough roads. In contrast, higher-end wheels are often built with stronger materials and better construction techniques, making them more resistant to impact. This means fewer flats, fewer bent rims, and less maintenance over time.
In conclusion, investing in a quality set of wheels is a surefire way to breathe new life into your road bike. Whether you’re a casual rider looking for a more enjoyable commute or a competitive cyclist aiming to improve your performance, wheel upgrades are a worthwhile addition to your bike enhancement journey.
3) Derailleur – best road bike upgrades priority list top 3
Upgrading your road bike’s derailleur is an impactful way to elevate your riding experience. As the component responsible for gear shifting, a high – quality derailleur offers multiple benefits. High-end derailleurs, especially electronic ones, enable rapid and seamless gear changes. Whether you’re climbing a hill or cruising on a flat stretch, you can shift gears instantaneously, saving time and maintaining momentum. They also offer precise gear alignment, reducing chain skipping and rubbing. This optimizes power transfer, letting you make the most of each pedal stroke. Stock derailleurs often wear out quickly, especially with frequent use or in tough conditions. Upgrading to a derailleur crafted from lightweight alloys enhances durability. It can endure more stress, minimizing breakdowns and maintenance.
Overall, in this best road bike upgrades priority list, an upgraded derailleur makes your bike more efficient, reliable, and fun to ride—an upgrade worth considering for both casual riders and serious racers.
4) Brake system – best road bike upgrades priority list top 4
Among the best road bike upgrades, enhancing your bike’s brake system is one other important change. Safety and control are vital during rides, and an upgraded braking setup provides both. Disc brakes, a popular upgrade choice, offer far more stopping power than rim brakes. They’re highly effective in emergency stops and perform well even in wet conditions. Hydraulic disc brakes, in particular, allow for accurate modulation of braking force. This improves handling and extends the lifespan of components. Moreover, top – tier brakes are durable and need less maintenance. Thus, upgrading brakes is a worthy investment for a safer and more enjoyable cycling experience.
5) Carbon fiber seatpost
Many entry-level road bikes may provide you with a carbon fiber fork, but rarely with a carbon fiber seatpost because the carbon fiber seatpost costs too much compared to a steel or aluminum seatpost, so few bikes use carbon fiber seatpost on entry-level bikes. On the other hand, the lightweight and suitable cushioning of carbon fiber seatposts is superior to the seatposts of the other two materials. Carbon fiber seatpost reduces the bike’s weight but also filters out part of the vibration from the road, significantly improving the comfort of riding.
The specifications of the seatpost are mainly 27.2mm,30.8mm, and 31.6mm. The length of the seatpost will be 350 and 400mm. When you are looking for a new seatpost, you can take down your old seatpost and check. The old seatpost may have a tag with various parameters. You can choose and buy a new one based on that information.
6) Pedal
Pedals are the source of power throughout the ride. The size of the contact area between the pedal and the shoe, whether the contact surface is anti-skid, the material and lubrication of the axis, the material of the pedals and the weight of the pedals all affect your pedal efficiency and cycling safety. Upgrading your old pedals to a pair of more oversized and more non-slip pedals can improve cycling stability, comfort and safety, especially during long-distance rides and intensive training. This upgrade can make cycling more enjoyable and efficient, while also improving the safety and comfort of cycling.
The larger contact area can provide more robust support, allowing the rider’s foot to fit more firmly on the pedal. This helps disperse the pressure on the feet. More oversized pedals are usually designed with grooves and bumps to provide better slip protection, preventing the rider’s shoes from sliding on wet or dusty roads, maintaining good stability, and improving cycling safety. This helps to improve power transmission efficiency and make cycling more efficient.
In terms of the material, the aluminum alloy is good enough. In terms of weight and durability, the new pedal will be much better than the old pedal with the bike. It’s worth noting that SUMLON only recommends you choose more oversized pedals to increase the contact area and improve the slip resistance, but not directly upgrade the original pedal to a pedal with a lock. If you are just considering upgrading your road bike, indicating that you are not particularly experienced with riding, directly buying and using a pedal with a lock can be dangerous .
7) Saddle
They are choosing a suitable one for your body shape and cycling habits, which is very important, as it improves the safety and control of cycling by increasing comfort. The seat is one of the few contact points between you and your bike, and a suitable seat can reduce the pressure on the hips while riding. The material and design of the seat are also essential for reducing friction. The high-quality seat is usually made of wear-resistant, breathable materials, and a reasonable concave and convex design effectively reduces friction with cycling clothes and skin. Everyone’s body shape and cycling habits differ so that a suitable cushion may vary.
A comfortable seat can reduce discomfort and fatigue during riding, making maintaining good riding posture and cadence easier. This helps to improve the efficiency and durability of cycling, allowing you to enjoy riding for longer. Generally, men can choose a seat with a width of 143 to 145mm, while women can choose a seat with a width of 150 to 155mm.
8) Outer tire
If you don’t plan to replace the wheelset, getting a better pair of outer tyres can significantly improve the riding experience. For a bicycle, the outer tyre is just like the shoes we wear on our feet. The rolling resistance, friction, grip, puncture resistance, shock filter, durability and weight are all used to judge whether an outer tyre is excellent. To reduce costs, entry-level bikes generally have external tyres that perform very ordinarily. Therefore, for beginners who have just started riding a road bike, the riding experience brought by upgrading to a better outer tyre is significant.
So, from what aspects should we choose an excellent outer tyre tyre? First, figure out how your frame and brakes support a type of tyre. Many bike frames can only fit up to 25C—28C tyres mounted in such a bike, causing direct friction between the tyre and the frame. Commonly used tyre sizes are 23c, 25c, 28c and larger. Five years ago, riders believed only 23c tyres would make their bikes faster. That’s not the case, and SUMLON conceives that 25C and even 28C tyres can provide the same high speed and improve riding comfort.
If you are a novice, please try to choose a slightly wider tyre. The 25c tyres are a perfect choice. In terms of material, the folding tyre is lighter and easy to carry, while the wire tyre is more durable. Choose it according to your preferences. Finally, the installation and maintenance of vacuum tyres are relatively complex and require some technology and experience. It is not recommended that beginners choose a vacuum tyre.
7) Inner tube
The inner tube of a bicycle is particularly easy to ignore. All entry-level bicycles use TYL rubber tubes weighing about 130 grams. Upgrade your inner tube to a 70g ultra-light or 30g TPU inner tube. This will significantly reduce the weight of the whole bike, and you will get more feedback from the road while riding.
7) Other
The above six bike parts are the most recommended for beginners to upgrade. If you want extra upgrade suggestions, the carbon stem and a comfortable handlebar tape provide better slip resistance. SUMLON does not suggest that newbies buy carbon wheels in a hurry because the cost performance is too low. In many cases, the amount of money you pay for a good pair of carbon rims is enough for you to upgrade your frame to a better one. If you don’t have a reasonable frame, have more than $1,500 in your pocket, and want to buy something, go for a new one.
BTW, SUMLON have been manufacturing bicycle parts for over 15 years. Contact us if you are looking for a bike parts factory or a one-stop wholesaler. Peace.
