For beginners: bike parts that should be prioritized for upgrades.
Bike parts that should be prioritized for upgrades.
Published on Apr 29, 2024
By Markus from SUMLON

When a novice starts considering simple upgrades to his road bike to improve its cycling speed and other performance, which bicycle parts are the best for upgrading? SUMLON, as a one-stop wholesaler with 15 years of experience in manufacturing bike parts, gives the following tips for beginners.

1) Bike frame

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.

2) 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.

3) 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 .

4) Seat

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. 

5) 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. 

tire pressure road bike
tire pressure road bike

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.

6) Inner tire

The inner tyre of a bicycle is particularly easy to ignore. All entry-level bicycles use TYL rubber tyres weighing about 130 grams. Upgrade your inner tyre to a 70 g ultra-light or 30 g TPU inner tyre. 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.

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