I bought an old bike and rebuilt it. All new components. I love that bike. I too have gleefully ridden like Ollie at 0:05 but I'm shorter and I was sincere in my goofiness.
I love to “update’ my bikes, I currently have 2 mtn bikes and 5 road bikes. I have customized them all with new cranksets, seatpost, stems, better bottom brackets, bars, derailleurs you name it. It is one of the most concerning things with the new bikes I see being released by the major bike brands. So many parts are unique and proprietary. Is it going to be possible to update this new crop of bikes when they become less current? Where do I find a stem that will work? How can I find a lighter “d” shaped seat post. My hobby is looking for my next bike and if I want a bike that has parts that are easily swapable I have very few choices in the mid/high end range.
Yes. Took my Cervelo S2, upgrade to SRAM E-Tap, Reynolds Assault wheels, Quarto Crankset, and a ceramic bottom bracket. Love my bike and see no need to buy a new one. May even trick her out a bit further at some point.
This is a good video series idea! "Surprising viewers by upgrading their bikes" Whilst making nice to watch content, you will be giving back to the community!
@@chris1275cc I don't have the gcn stamped ones but had mine for a couple of years now, they could do with replacing but not bad for something soo flimsy
When I first put carbon wheels on my bike back when I still ran Sora I laughed to myself quite a bit as well. Now that I'm on sensah the only reason I can think of for going back to shimano r7000/8000 (I don't think I'll run 12 speed even if I had the opportunity to for a while) is vanity (making my bike look cool to the general public). But hey, having people with top spec bikes especially friends gives you the opportunity to experience the joy of riding expensive equipment without buying it, so I'm not complaining when I have friends who ride high end bikes.
I have typically advised new riders to invest in a bike that is spec'd slightly above what they might have budgeted. This gives them the opportunity to "grow into" it and not find themselves sometime later doing what Ollie describes in this video.
My first roadie was shimano sora, had to stop and count too. Fantastic group set for the price, can’t complain much about it looking back (i run 105 and Ultegra now).
I love these upgrade videos 🤗 But I don’t think that many people will upgrade from Sora to DuraAce… What about making a upgrade series that’s more down to earth??? You could have gone for the new 105 Di2 group set, witch would still be a huge upgrade from the Sora…
I love how you speak so free and explain everything in an easy way… seems like you stand in front of the camera on a regular basis. Good story telling, nice n fluent ☺️👌🏻 love to listen
im still on my 1st bike, used TCR Aluxx SL1 2021 with 105 R7000 after picking up cycling 8months ago. The upgrades i did was swap the 25mm CTS tires and butyl tube it came with to 28mm GP5000 and Revoloop tpu tube. Speed increase was significant. Then recently i swapped 42cm drop bar to 36cm to go full aero tuck
I think it would be better to put 105 Di2. The frame is a really nice one and 105 Di2 would be more realistic match. It has all the features (including Di2!) and 'relatively' less expensive.
He's so far removed from budget biking..... I've just massively upgraded to 9 speed Sora from 7 speed tourney (which was a tweaked hill climbing geared beast- 30/46 by 13-34).... but considering I never get into the 11 cog it's really just an 8 speed Claris now.. and Claris is a Tourney with an extra 11 cog I'd never get into.... so for me every bike is "X amount of gears less 1"....
I own bikes with mechanical and hydraulic disc brakes, and yes, there is a difference. Night and day? Hardly, but we got to push those upgrades, and spend, spend, spend.
Yes because the real world for everyone also involves going on trips to the world’s best cycling locations. You don’t get to pick and choose with these types of things
Over kill of new components for the frame, 105 would have been better, by high speck such as DA it’s cheaper to sell the donor bike and buy a new complete bike with DA
Cannondale CAAD bikes are like that, too. They grind them down and it makes them look pretty. Works really well, too. Another option for anyone looking at that tier of bike.
@@rizzoid yes Cannondale is also good at welds. What disappoints me is the welds on the new Allez Sprint, if it wasn't for that I would've considered getting one
@@rizzoid Welds on my Caad12 are not grinded down, but they look good. On the other side welds on the newer Caad13 look very ugly! Just google some pics of it. The times where aluminium frames could compare to top spec carbon frames are over.
Wanna improve your bike ? Get clipless if you are using normal pedals Aerobars are bang for watts. Find new place to ride and new people to ride with because your bike is as good as the experience it gives......
In one video GCN claims weight is no longer an issue. Then they make videos on how to make your bike lighter! 😂 this is what happens when you’re owned by your advertisers.
Yeah I did both...bought a new bike and upgraded my Carrera to be a decent winter hack. The Carrera lost its shoddy Tourney bits and was blessed with 2nd hand 105 , groupset of the people, sourced cheaply and some amazing Shimano wheels with gatorskins, also second hand. An amazing upgrade, transformed and received a new lease of life!
@@zachschmidt7417 I know I typically charge my phone and bike computer for a ride, but the fact is I don't have to. Can't exactly get away with not charging your gears in the same way.
Would love to have seen a more budget upgrade approach. Eg. Change it over to 12sp, but retain the existing cranks as there is no functional difference
It's a nice video, and it's what we all dream of when we're just really sinking our teeth into cycling. But let's be real, even if this was new 105, it'd still be the price of two brand new entry level bikes just for a groupset upgrade. If you ask me, don't upgrade your first bike. Buy another bike instead. Get yourself a gravel bike, a fast tourer, a full-sus mountain bike. Whatever it is, it'll let you explore a whole new world of cycling and it'll cost you no more than a full 105 Di2 groupset. £1,700 will buy you a lovely new bike, or it'll buy you electronic shifting. Which would you rather? Now not to shit on the idea of upgrading components, I fully understand it and have done so myself. But not on my first bike, not even my second bike. Doesn't matter if I have Tiagra or Dura-ace, my super light aero road bike is still gonna suck for long-distance touring or gravel riding. Maybe if I was a competitive rider it'd make more sense, but who's really that concerned about a few watts, a slightly slicker shift, a hundred grams, with their first bike? And if you are that concerned here's an idea. Save yourself 2 grand and just go for a massive shite before you ride - Cheapest 300 grams you'll ever shed.
😁 I just made that progress on my Endurace CF SL7. From mechanical 105 to electronic Sram Force/Rival Etap AXS 12s with Powermeter and some other Carbon upgrades (Canyon h31/VCLS 2.0, Ergon SR pro carbon) . Before I changed the wheels set to Vision Team 35 DB. ... lovely result 😍
My 10 year old Tiagra rear derailleur lost all its tension recently. My local bike shop replaced it with a nicely polished up, 2nd hand, 10 speed Ultegra one. Gear shifts feel a lot smoother and it looks so much nicer! 😎
It’s impossible for 1mph to be added to your average speed just from wheels. When you add TT bars to your bike and get I a TT position that is a drastic change and even then that only adds 1.x mph. Wheels are more like 0.4mph
Nah...buy some decent Chinese carbon Wheels from LightCarbon or somebody else. Gap the expensive Chinese Companies like WinSpace, EliteWheels etc... - they are also all about maximising profit.
@@loc9588 It is absolutely possible to add 1 mph by changing wheels, tyres, and assuming hubs (since he said he changed wheels not rims). Do you know the condition of every hub in existence? No. So you cannot state it's impossible. My hubs are shot, so currently I need about 300 watts to give the same speed that I previously got with 250 watts, over a known 13km course. Therefore I would be 50 watts 'faster' if I bought my same wheels again in new condition. It's actually more impossible for 50 watts to not give me 1 mph.
I really enjoy these upgrade videos. Would have been really interesting to see them set a Baseline time with the stock bike Factory components ECT, then do the tear down and rebuild process with the new upgraded components and then do another test to compare before and after results.
Reading the comments, there are a lot of people who think that this is an absurd upgrade. It's not too late to change the plan. Put the Di2 Dura Ace on a bike that previously had 105, put the 105 on this bike, do a giveaway of the Sora groupset and wheels. Of course, after the series is made, I'm sure the Di2 will go back to Shimano, and the bike will be rebuilt to original specs. Otherwise, this makes so little sense to rebuild a brand new bike. I've only got Aluminium bikes, and they are great for me, but if I did have fancier components I'd want a tasty frame too.
This is awesome! I just purchased an entry level Canyon Ultimate SL as my first road bike and I am already thinking about what upgrading would look like. Thanks for making it easy for me!
I can sense the sarcasm but I’m not sure…it’s a joke right?😂 Having the Ultimate CF SL as a first road bike is something some people won’t ever be able to get as their ‘dream bike’. I, myself have been lucky enough to upgrade from a Endurace AL (also a great bike) to a Canyon Ultimate and I’m over the moon with it. Anything past this point and you’re surely hitting very marginal gains
@@lobi8655 No sarcasm. I have been riding a cheap 9-speed hybrid for 8 years and I will finally be able to upgrade to a mechanical 11-speed 105 groupset. Of course I would one day love to use an electronic groupset and really nice wheels so I am interested in how this video series goes.
@@AaronGoodTimes I thought the entry level ultimate came with 105? 105 is a great group set as I’m sure you’ve already heard if you watch GCN often. Last year I made the jump to an Endurace with a 105 groupset and I absolutely loved it, still do. I hope you enjoy the new bike🚴♂️
It's been said a billion times, but bears a few billion more. Wanna go faster? Get fitter. There is no more effective way to achieve that goal. Another issue: No doubt someone will point it out if I'm wrong, but to the best of my understanding, and from Shimano's own spec sheets, the freehub on Sora is 130mm wide, but on DuraAce 12-speed it's 142mm. How's that gonna work?
This is the one issue I am thinking of with the bike industry at the moment...Your not really going to be upgrading a disk brake bike with a new groupset from the last 2 years (you could but its unlikely) most people upgrading would have a bike from 4-5 years ago and most likely would of had a rim brake bike. So instead of being able to get a nice shiny rim brake groupset and nice wheels most items are disk only now, so instead of upgrading parts you have to buy a whole new bike it seems. This is why I find it so odd the 105 is disk only? Upgrades for new equipment will be much harder for a lot of people the 2nd hand market is where it will have to be.
When I was looking at this, an issue I found was the older rim brake bikes have limited tire clearance. There's also the whole through axle thing to make things more complex although I think you can get hubs that work with qr and through axles.
Please do another TT bike on a budget. But instead of using an older dedicated TT bike platform. Use an aero road bike. Alot of us that have Aero Bikes and double duty them as TT bikes as well. So can you do a series doing a standard Aero Bike. A TT'ed Aero bike (clip ons, disk wheel etc) and a fully kitted TT bike.
Heehee, I did a theoretical list of full weight weenie-ing last years AL7 (rim) when I grabbed one, and for the princely sum of the same amount as TdF winning bikes you can get it under the UCI limit by almost half a kilogram (mechanical setup). 2nd tier stuff (Ultegra, EASTON EC70/EA90, 1250g carbon wheels) I ~think~ was 7.3kg at roughly 3x bike cost again. I grabbed the XXL 105 (rim) version, swapped wheels off for Bontager TLRs I already had, running on 28mm and tbh it's a bloody good lil rig!
Question please.. Just how much real time performance benefits are there between the Sora and Di2. are we, as it seems being ripped off by marketing hype? For example, I had a Felt with Claris. spent my money on a carbon bike with Ultegra 8000 and was actually underwhelmed by the performance difference. PS. Firstly I love the video. it's fun. I think I learn more from Ollie than most people. My question arose because if the Sora Group sets are an improved version of themselves when compared to a few years ago, due to trickle down tech, then how much better is this £3500 ish upgrade. How much is hype. I find it hard to keep up and hard to understand. It would now seem that todays 105 Group sets are now better than my Ultegra 8000. is it?? Is Sora going to out perform it by next year? Perhaps Ollie would delve into this a little whilst doing this video. I'd be interested. Thank you.
Are you a paid professional cyclist riding for the clock against a thousand others? If no, then why would you care for real world performance, when the subjective enjoyment matters more as a leisure cyclist.
@@87togabito I must apologise it seems, I did not realise that such a question should only be asked by paid professionals, and that a mere mug like me should not care!!! I,m only a leisure cyclist after all!!!
@@87togabito lol, that's ridiculous, then everyone should be riding a 20kg bike by your comment... Everyone can but better stuff, why would someone need to be a professional to do so? Ridiculous.
Cool episode I'm slowly upgrading my boardman road bike got some new DT Swiss wheels to go on new continental tyres and saving up for a better crankset really liking it.
If it's not planned already, please include an episode with marginal gain improvements. Stuff like swapping out the stem/handlebars to be more aero, titanium axles for lightness, etc. All the little touches that may not make a huge difference by themselves until you put them all together. The little tiny bits that will make a bike feel more unique to you.
Why's everyone calling this model "Endura Ace"? It's called "Endurace" as in "Endurance" and "Race". It's therefore called "Endu Race". Other than that, I would have expected a jump to Ultegra components. I guess these are a far more likely upgrade for such a bike.
Perfect timing as I’ve just got my bike and I’m already thinking about upgrades next season! Also appreciate the longer videos, some of us have patience for them and the pace is less choppy.
Lots of people saying that it’d be cheaper to just buy a new bike but you don’t often see di2 on AL bikes-at least from canyon. This is exactly what I’m going to do (di2 upgrade, not dura ace) with my AL grail cuz I don’t need/want a CF frame.
first thing I did when I bought my bike was swap wheels. Saved 500g and it only cost £171 due to black friday. Changed saddle for personal preference, put a carbon post on it and new tyres (wanted to go tubeless). Bonus was loosing some gramage. What you did isn't really normal. Would like to see the effect of everything you changed. Did it actually make the bike easier to ride. I noticed the difference the tyres made pretty quickly.
An ‘entry’ level bike at £1,000 is still a big spend for a lot of people. I have been using a Triban 120 road bike from Decathlon (currently on sale at £350). It has Mircoshift 11x34 cassette and Shimano Tourney group set. So I would think this is an extremely entry level bike. I have been thinking whether it would be worth upgrading this bike or simply look at purchasing a new bike. Thoughts?
Seems the easy option was chosen, for Ollie to have less compatibility problems, and groupset availability; choose a frame with disc brakes, and swap out the wheels.
Sub £1k road race bike challenge. Full build used or new parts. Each presenter builds their own and one rider does a TT on all 3 of them. Top Gear Style! This will quickly sort out the best 'bang for your buck' upgrades and what's available on the market, how to look and what to look out for.
A normal upgrade path would’ve been more sensible tbh and Itl still be a heavy alloy frame. And what about the bars and stem and seatpost? No point sticking dura ace on and keeping those alloy heavy components
My first complete New road bike in 1984 costs $400 USD (Cannondale R400) That is the equivalent of $1150 USD in 2022. Of course, I started upgrading it as soon as I bought at, but only to mid-level components and wheels.
My road bike is 8 years old so prime for upgrades, sadly not got that sort of budget, would be good to see something a bike like the tyre/tube thing with upgrades - show different options like wheels - best budget upgrade along with the premium and something in the middle, same with saddle etc.
I switched recently from cheap road tyres with butyl tubes to midrange tyres with latex tubes and I gotta say it was worth it I lost 450g in total but what amazed me the most is the rolling resistance, it felt soo smooth and I even felt a difference going uphill Better outer tyre meant also better grip and better braking performance without sacrificing rolling resistance The only downside is the fact that latex tube looses air so quickly If I don't ride for 3-4 days I have to inflate some air cause pressure drops down to almost zero
That’s cool, but I’ve saved 908g (2.00lbs) on my entry level road bike with Ali express parts for just over US$320. Still using the stock aluminum wheels and shimano Claris. Eventually I’ll buy sensah empire 11spd for like $300 and then carbon wheels in the far future
Pause at 2:33 and check, the cassette does look like a 9 speed only. I too was wondering the same and checked the cassette. Either Shimano is planning on going that route in the near future and Oille has a slip up before the official announcement. Or, he got confused between Sora and Tiagra. 😜
Reckon he's going to spend at least £7k on upgrades...for that, I'd cut back a little on the components a bit and upgrade the frame too. Funnily the result I'm looking at looks exactly like a Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert 🤔
Once you're done, you'll have to do a video racing against your aeroad. I would expect the aeroad to still edge it out, but upgrading a mid-range bike's groupset and wheels can be very competitive. Granted OEM manufacturers get huge volume discounts when purchasing components, so buying the best bike you can afford will almost always be better than buying a cheap bike and upgrading it. Still it's good to see what you can do with your existing bike.
I have a ton of neck issues due to a compressed disc, and just got my first road bike. Besides having the proper ride height, what components should I prioritize for increased comfort on the old neck?
I made something like this also but i am in other category i have sram x4 on back transmission with rollers on ball bearlings. All my bicycle on ball bearings now. It is create huge difference.
Have you upgraded your first bike, or did you get a new one?
I bought an old bike and rebuilt it. All new components. I love that bike.
I too have gleefully ridden like Ollie at 0:05 but I'm shorter and I was sincere in my goofiness.
I love to “update’ my bikes, I currently have 2 mtn bikes and 5 road bikes. I have customized them all with new cranksets, seatpost, stems, better bottom brackets, bars, derailleurs you name it. It is one of the most concerning things with the new bikes I see being released by the major bike brands. So many parts are unique and proprietary. Is it going to be possible to update this new crop of bikes when they become less current? Where do I find a stem that will work? How can I find a lighter “d” shaped seat post. My hobby is looking for my next bike and if I want a bike that has parts that are easily swapable I have very few choices in the mid/high end range.
I have upgraded my first bike till now but not the best... Still using till now 1year... But can I have the sora groupset?
Yes. Took my Cervelo S2, upgrade to SRAM E-Tap, Reynolds Assault wheels, Quarto Crankset, and a ceramic bottom bracket. Love my bike and see no need to buy a new one. May even trick her out a bit further at some point.
Isn't shimano Sora 9 speed?
love how the bike used was a brand new bike, would have been nice to see gcn and shimano team up to upgrade a viewers bike
This is a good video series idea! "Surprising viewers by upgrading their bikes" Whilst making nice to watch content, you will be giving back to the community!
@@leedorney One must always leave room for improvement. But rather sadly, you are right :/
@@leedorney Hey, the give away those Elite Fly "2 rides and you're done" water bottles all the time. 🤣
@@chris1275cc I don't have the gcn stamped ones but had mine for a couple of years now, they could do with replacing but not bad for something soo flimsy
@@MultiLuc28 Jea, good title would be "pimp my bike" maybe they can hire Xzibit to do the part were they show the upgraded bike to the owner ?
Yes, most people will put Dura Ace Di2 on their first bike… The gap between new riders and the pro peloton shortens daily 👍🏼
Right after we get deep dish wheels!
GCN videos are basically long advertisements for bike companies. Dont expect much from advertisements.
When I first put carbon wheels on my bike back when I still ran Sora I laughed to myself quite a bit as well. Now that I'm on sensah the only reason I can think of for going back to shimano r7000/8000 (I don't think I'll run 12 speed even if I had the opportunity to for a while) is vanity (making my bike look cool to the general public). But hey, having people with top spec bikes especially friends gives you the opportunity to experience the joy of riding expensive equipment without buying it, so I'm not complaining when I have friends who ride high end bikes.
I have typically advised new riders to invest in a bike that is spec'd slightly above what they might have budgeted. This gives them the opportunity to "grow into" it and not find themselves sometime later doing what Ollie describes in this video.
...and I agree with Ollie. Electronic shifting is waayyy better than cable. Hydraulic disc brakes waayyy better than mechanical disc or rim brakes.
2:32 I've even hit pause to check if sora really became 10sp all of a sudden.
Nah, still 9 speed, despite what Ollie said.
Same 😭
Same hahaha my eyebrow raised immediately
My first roadie was shimano sora, had to stop and count too. Fantastic group set for the price, can’t complain much about it looking back (i run 105 and Ultegra now).
yeah, my bad! Sorry for that
Mine's so old it's still 8 speed 😆
I love these upgrade videos 🤗 But I don’t think that many people will upgrade from Sora to DuraAce… What about making a upgrade series that’s more down to earth??? You could have gone for the new 105 Di2 group set, witch would still be a huge upgrade from the Sora…
DuraAce and 105 work exactly the same, so setup is equal
GCN is one giant paid promotion
@@Splozy The content is free, you don't have to watch it and you still feel the need to complain, about the videos they put out.
@@nielsdekruijk395 and the availability of DuraAce components is probably much better than the new Di2 105 at the moment!
105 Di2 would probably make the bike even heavier 😂
i got the other way round. Bought a Pinarello F frame and installed a coplete Shimano Claris groupset. That's how it's done properly!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
One year later… did you upgrade anything?
Best upgrade would be putting pedals on it from the start. You’ll enjoy cycling a lot more 👍🏼😜
Pedals are pretty important 😅
Would probably be cheaper to just buy a bike with dura ace than upgrading an existing one.
Yes yes yes
Well, considering what Dura Ace specced frames usually cost, then probably not 😃
Agree. Upgrading parts piecemeal is far more expensive than purchasing a "better," complete bike from the get-go.
Unless you fish for separated pieces and make sort of a Frankstein then probably yeah...
Sensah to the rescue.
at 1800 USD I don't think you can call the new 105 DI2 groupset "the groupset of the people"
I love how you speak so free and explain everything in an easy way… seems like you stand in front of the camera on a regular basis. Good story telling, nice n fluent ☺️👌🏻 love to listen
im still on my 1st bike, used TCR Aluxx SL1 2021 with 105 R7000 after picking up cycling 8months ago.
The upgrades i did was swap the 25mm CTS tires and butyl tube it came with to 28mm GP5000 and Revoloop tpu tube. Speed increase was significant.
Then recently i swapped 42cm drop bar to 36cm to go full aero tuck
I think it would be better to put 105 Di2. The frame is a really nice one and 105 Di2 would be more realistic match. It has all the features (including Di2!) and 'relatively' less expensive.
2:33
I think the sora groupset is 9 speed , tiagra is 10speed though. 😊
Yup, you can clearly count the gears at the back, Tiagra is the 10 speed version. Come on Ollie get with the program, geez.
😂
Ollie goes on to correct that later in the video, but the 10 spd remark earlier on should have been picked up during editing.
He's so far removed from budget biking..... I've just massively upgraded to 9 speed Sora from 7 speed tourney (which was a tweaked hill climbing geared beast- 30/46 by 13-34).... but considering I never get into the 11 cog it's really just an 8 speed Claris now.. and Claris is a Tourney with an extra 11 cog I'd never get into.... so for me every bike is "X amount of gears less 1"....
I own bikes with mechanical and hydraulic disc brakes, and yes, there is a difference. Night and day? Hardly, but we got to push those upgrades, and spend, spend, spend.
Also, if I have the money to burn for a new dura ace di2, I'd probably just get a giant tcr advanced.
BIG respect for you recognizing that £1000 or $1000 IS a lot of money 👍
My entry level bike - 300pounds
GCN entry level bike - just under 1000 pounds
They’re so out of touch. It’s all about the marketing
@@fixedskidz definitely
GCN we all know you got sponsors, but come on let's get back to the real world
Yes because the real world for everyone also involves going on trips to the world’s best cycling locations. You don’t get to pick and choose with these types of things
Wonder how much sponsors pay them?
Maybe instead of Shimano wanting you to do a promotional video for them. They should try getting a supply of their components out into the market.
Over kill of new components for the frame, 105 would have been better, by high speck such as DA it’s cheaper to sell the donor bike and buy a new complete bike with DA
Exactly, not even an electronic 105. A cable 105 would be perfect for this frame.
I agree! but we are finding it really hard to get 105 at the moment. Happy to do it on a future vid though!
@@GCNuser123 Love you guys from California. I picked up cycling recently, and you guys are a contributing factor, lol.
The welds on this bike is so good that I mistook it for a carbon endurace. Good job Canyon
Same here. He said "entry point" and I thought it's a carbon bike but it's actually a well made aluminium bike.
Same hear. It makes me think I should get a Canyon aluminum bike for my next bike. That weld is so well done.
Cannondale CAAD bikes are like that, too. They grind them down and it makes them look pretty. Works really well, too. Another option for anyone looking at that tier of bike.
@@rizzoid yes Cannondale is also good at welds. What disappoints me is the welds on the new Allez Sprint, if it wasn't for that I would've considered getting one
@@rizzoid Welds on my Caad12 are not grinded down, but they look good. On the other side welds on the newer Caad13 look very ugly! Just google some pics of it. The times where aluminium frames could compare to top spec carbon frames are over.
Alright, the GTN mug bit was hilarious.
Wanna improve your bike ?
Get clipless if you are using normal pedals
Aerobars are bang for watts.
Find new place to ride and new people to ride with because your bike is as good as the experience it gives......
In one video GCN claims weight is no longer an issue. Then they make videos on how to make your bike lighter! 😂 this is what happens when you’re owned by your advertisers.
Yeah I did both...bought a new bike and upgraded my Carrera to be a decent winter hack.
The Carrera lost its shoddy Tourney bits and was blessed with 2nd hand 105 , groupset of the people, sourced cheaply and some amazing Shimano wheels with gatorskins, also second hand. An amazing upgrade, transformed and received a new lease of life!
The 'new' bike was actually a 2nd hand carbon TCR. Still riding it now 5 years later. Amazing bike.
Ahh, i also recommend upgrading to dura ace di2 if your a newbie, cause doing so can lighten the bike and your wallet 👍
In my country it will lighten your wallet for more than a year... :')
I really hope mechanical remains an option for a long time, and not just on entry level groupsets
Di2 is so sad. Ride a few hundred miles and then you're just stranded? Good thing bikepacking/touring isn't a thing!
@@zachschmidt7417 I know I typically charge my phone and bike computer for a ride, but the fact is I don't have to. Can't exactly get away with not charging your gears in the same way.
Campagnolo Chorus 12SP is here for you, and is now cheaper than 105 Di2
Would love to have seen a more budget upgrade approach. Eg. Change it over to 12sp, but retain the existing cranks as there is no functional difference
It's a nice video, and it's what we all dream of when we're just really sinking our teeth into cycling. But let's be real, even if this was new 105, it'd still be the price of two brand new entry level bikes just for a groupset upgrade.
If you ask me, don't upgrade your first bike. Buy another bike instead. Get yourself a gravel bike, a fast tourer, a full-sus mountain bike. Whatever it is, it'll let you explore a whole new world of cycling and it'll cost you no more than a full 105 Di2 groupset.
£1,700 will buy you a lovely new bike, or it'll buy you electronic shifting. Which would you rather?
Now not to shit on the idea of upgrading components, I fully understand it and have done so myself. But not on my first bike, not even my second bike. Doesn't matter if I have Tiagra or Dura-ace, my super light aero road bike is still gonna suck for long-distance touring or gravel riding. Maybe if I was a competitive rider it'd make more sense, but who's really that concerned about a few watts, a slightly slicker shift, a hundred grams, with their first bike?
And if you are that concerned here's an idea. Save yourself 2 grand and just go for a massive shite before you ride - Cheapest 300 grams you'll ever shed.
🤣 💩 plus never get caught short on ride
The 10 speed Sora gear set would be a big upgrade for my bike......😀
This might be controversial but I'm still all for mechanical shifting. It shocks me that Shimano eliminated that before rim brakes
The bottom bracket is also part of the group set and should be changed.
😁 I just made that progress on my Endurace CF SL7. From mechanical 105 to electronic Sram Force/Rival Etap AXS 12s with Powermeter and some other Carbon upgrades (Canyon h31/VCLS 2.0, Ergon SR pro carbon) . Before I changed the wheels set to Vision Team 35 DB. ... lovely result 😍
Removing the GTN cup is super funny!
You guys should start saying: “105, the *former* groupset of the people”
The gtn disrespect with the Cup xD
Wait a second! I just googled it in case I missed something... Sora is still 9 speed!
My 10 year old Tiagra rear derailleur lost all its tension recently. My local bike shop replaced it with a nicely polished up, 2nd hand, 10 speed Ultegra one. Gear shifts feel a lot smoother and it looks so much nicer! 😎
Some decent tyres (P Zero) and second hand Mavic Cosmic aero wheels were my best upgrades. I reckon 1mph added to my average speed, for £350 all in.
It’s impossible for 1mph to be added to your average speed just from wheels. When you add TT bars to your bike and get I a TT position that is a drastic change and even then that only adds 1.x mph. Wheels are more like 0.4mph
Nah...buy some decent Chinese carbon Wheels from LightCarbon or somebody else. Gap the expensive Chinese Companies like WinSpace, EliteWheels etc... - they are also all about maximising profit.
@@loc9588 It is absolutely possible to add 1 mph by changing wheels, tyres, and assuming hubs (since he said he changed wheels not rims). Do you know the condition of every hub in existence? No. So you cannot state it's impossible. My hubs are shot, so currently I need about 300 watts to give the same speed that I previously got with 250 watts, over a known 13km course. Therefore I would be 50 watts 'faster' if I bought my same wheels again in new condition. It's actually more impossible for 50 watts to not give me 1 mph.
@@loc9588 then no change is worth it, imagine 350 and you gain not even a km/h??
i love these upgrade/build videos
Tea bag first then water, come on GCN.
The only upgrade I need is to upgrade whatever is constantly creaking
Wheres the part 2?
I really enjoy these upgrade videos. Would have been really interesting to see them set a Baseline time with the stock bike Factory components ECT, then do the tear down and rebuild process with the new upgraded components and then do another test to compare before and after results.
Reading the comments, there are a lot of people who think that this is an absurd upgrade. It's not too late to change the plan. Put the Di2 Dura Ace on a bike that previously had 105, put the 105 on this bike, do a giveaway of the Sora groupset and wheels. Of course, after the series is made, I'm sure the Di2 will go back to Shimano, and the bike will be rebuilt to original specs. Otherwise, this makes so little sense to rebuild a brand new bike. I've only got Aluminium bikes, and they are great for me, but if I did have fancier components I'd want a tasty frame too.
This is awesome! I just purchased an entry level Canyon Ultimate SL as my first road bike and I am already thinking about what upgrading would look like. Thanks for making it easy for me!
I can sense the sarcasm but I’m not sure…it’s a joke right?😂 Having the Ultimate CF SL as a first road bike is something some people won’t ever be able to get as their ‘dream bike’. I, myself have been lucky enough to upgrade from a Endurace AL (also a great bike) to a Canyon Ultimate and I’m over the moon with it. Anything past this point and you’re surely hitting very marginal gains
@@lobi8655 No sarcasm. I have been riding a cheap 9-speed hybrid for 8 years and I will finally be able to upgrade to a mechanical 11-speed 105 groupset. Of course I would one day love to use an electronic groupset and really nice wheels so I am interested in how this video series goes.
@@AaronGoodTimes I thought the entry level ultimate came with 105? 105 is a great group set as I’m sure you’ve already heard if you watch GCN often.
Last year I made the jump to an Endurace with a 105 groupset and I absolutely loved it, still do.
I hope you enjoy the new bike🚴♂️
It's been said a billion times, but bears a few billion more. Wanna go faster? Get fitter. There is no more effective way to achieve that goal. Another issue: No doubt someone will point it out if I'm wrong, but to the best of my understanding, and from Shimano's own spec sheets, the freehub on Sora is 130mm wide, but on DuraAce 12-speed it's 142mm. How's that gonna work?
This is the one issue I am thinking of with the bike industry at the moment...Your not really going to be upgrading a disk brake bike with a new groupset from the last 2 years (you could but its unlikely) most people upgrading would have a bike from 4-5 years ago and most likely would of had a rim brake bike.
So instead of being able to get a nice shiny rim brake groupset and nice wheels most items are disk only now, so instead of upgrading parts you have to buy a whole new bike it seems. This is why I find it so odd the 105 is disk only? Upgrades for new equipment will be much harder for a lot of people the 2nd hand market is where it will have to be.
When I was looking at this, an issue I found was the older rim brake bikes have limited tire clearance. There's also the whole through axle thing to make things more complex although I think you can get hubs that work with qr and through axles.
Laughed way too hard at the GTN cup being tossed over! Especially since I found GCN after GTN 🤣
Funnier when the cup changes to a GCN Tech cup which is empty.
GTN...what the! Ahh, GCN = better tasting coffee. 😎 This is going to be good.
Please do another TT bike on a budget.
But instead of using an older dedicated TT bike platform. Use an aero road bike. Alot of us that have Aero Bikes and double duty them as TT bikes as well. So can you do a series doing a standard Aero Bike. A TT'ed Aero bike (clip ons, disk wheel etc) and a fully kitted TT bike.
Heehee, I did a theoretical list of full weight weenie-ing last years AL7 (rim) when I grabbed one, and for the princely sum of the same amount as TdF winning bikes you can get it under the UCI limit by almost half a kilogram (mechanical setup).
2nd tier stuff (Ultegra, EASTON EC70/EA90, 1250g carbon wheels) I ~think~ was 7.3kg at roughly 3x bike cost again.
I grabbed the XXL 105 (rim) version, swapped wheels off for Bontager TLRs I already had, running on 28mm and tbh it's a bloody good lil rig!
Question please.. Just how much real time performance benefits are there between the Sora and Di2. are we, as it seems being ripped off by marketing hype?
For example, I had a Felt with Claris. spent my money on a carbon bike with Ultegra 8000 and was actually underwhelmed by the performance difference.
PS. Firstly I love the video. it's fun. I think I learn more from Ollie than most people.
My question arose because if the Sora Group sets are an improved version of themselves when compared to a few years ago, due to trickle down tech, then how much better is this £3500 ish upgrade. How much is hype. I find it hard to keep up and hard to understand. It would now seem that todays 105 Group sets are now better than my Ultegra 8000. is it?? Is Sora going to out perform it by next year?
Perhaps Ollie would delve into this a little whilst doing this video. I'd be interested. Thank you.
Are you a paid professional cyclist riding for the clock against a thousand others?
If no, then why would you care for real world performance, when the subjective enjoyment matters more as a leisure cyclist.
@@87togabito I must apologise it seems, I did not realise that such a question should only be asked by paid professionals, and that a mere mug like me should not care!!! I,m only a leisure cyclist after all!!!
@@87togabito lol, that's ridiculous, then everyone should be riding a 20kg bike by your comment... Everyone can but better stuff, why would someone need to be a professional to do so? Ridiculous.
Damn, that GTN cup flick at the start was brutal
Could you post the total cost of the rebuild versus what it would cost just to upgrade to a new bike with those same components?
Cool episode I'm slowly upgrading my boardman road bike got some new DT Swiss wheels to go on new continental tyres and saving up for a better crankset really liking it.
My faithful Pinarello FP3 can't wait to be upgraded by @GCN Tech.
Best upgrades:
1 Handlebar tape
2 Seat
3 Pedals
4 Tires
5 Professional Quality fit
If it's not planned already, please include an episode with marginal gain improvements. Stuff like swapping out the stem/handlebars to be more aero, titanium axles for lightness, etc. All the little touches that may not make a huge difference by themselves until you put them all together. The little tiny bits that will make a bike feel more unique to you.
I always love seeing apex bike components on cheap and/or old frame. 🔥
Why's everyone calling this model "Endura Ace"? It's called "Endurace" as in "Endurance" and "Race". It's therefore called "Endu Race".
Other than that, I would have expected a jump to Ultegra components. I guess these are a far more likely upgrade for such a bike.
looking forward to seeing what happens to the current cable routing holes.
Wish I had my own bike. All i do is watch bike transformation videos, imagining the feeling of riding one.
A nice bit of fun. Thanks again.
Perfect timing as I’ve just got my bike and I’m already thinking about upgrades next season! Also appreciate the longer videos, some of us have patience for them and the pace is less choppy.
When can next episode be expected? 🧐
Lots of people saying that it’d be cheaper to just buy a new bike but you don’t often see di2 on AL bikes-at least from canyon. This is exactly what I’m going to do (di2 upgrade, not dura ace) with my AL grail cuz I don’t need/want a CF frame.
first thing I did when I bought my bike was swap wheels. Saved 500g and it only cost £171 due to black friday. Changed saddle for personal preference, put a carbon post on it and new tyres (wanted to go tubeless). Bonus was loosing some gramage. What you did isn't really normal. Would like to see the effect of everything you changed. Did it actually make the bike easier to ride. I noticed the difference the tyres made pretty quickly.
Entry level bike 🙈
1k pound bike is now Sora level? damn, I guess I'll stick to buying used forever since 1k could get me an 105 or Ultegra, likely on a carbon frame...
0:27 And the GTN vs GCN rivalry continues!
I'll do an upgrade as ive a dura ace group set just lying around doing nothing.
I love that Canyon decidet to sand there weldings one year after i bought my endurace al
I love upgrading my 1000€ bike with a 3.5k€ groupset, really good value.
An ‘entry’ level bike at £1,000 is still a big spend for a lot of people. I have been using a Triban 120 road bike from Decathlon (currently on sale at £350). It has Mircoshift 11x34 cassette and Shimano Tourney group set. So I would think this is an extremely entry level bike. I have been thinking whether it would be worth upgrading this bike or simply look at purchasing a new bike. Thoughts?
At last, Olly, you made very actual video. I will waiting for next episode, hope so soon.
Seems the easy option was chosen, for Ollie to have less compatibility problems, and groupset availability; choose a frame with disc brakes, and swap out the wheels.
Ride impressions before and after would be fun to know along with if there's a performance benefit to installing pro parts.
You’ve basically built my winter bike here.
But I’ve got an Emonda ALR with Zipp carbon components and wheels.
Sub £1k road race bike challenge. Full build used or new parts. Each presenter builds their own and one rider does a TT on all 3 of them. Top Gear Style!
This will quickly sort out the best 'bang for your buck' upgrades and what's available on the market, how to look and what to look out for.
0:13 down the rabbit hole we go
Ollie adds milk to his tea before he’s removed the tea bag! You’re lucky I didn’t turn off right there and then!
A normal upgrade path would’ve been more sensible tbh and Itl still be a heavy alloy frame. And what about the bars and stem and seatpost? No point sticking dura ace on and keeping those alloy heavy components
Exactly - carbon seat pin here we come
My first complete New road bike in 1984 costs $400 USD (Cannondale R400) That is the equivalent of $1150 USD in 2022. Of course, I started upgrading it as soon as I bought at, but only to mid-level components and wheels.
My road bike is 8 years old so prime for upgrades, sadly not got that sort of budget, would be good to see something a bike like the tyre/tube thing with upgrades - show different options like wheels - best budget upgrade along with the premium and something in the middle, same with saddle etc.
Perfect! I was just thinking about upgrading to better tires and latex tubes on my roadie.
I switched recently from cheap road tyres with butyl tubes to midrange tyres with latex tubes and I gotta say it was worth it
I lost 450g in total but what amazed me the most is the rolling resistance, it felt soo smooth and I even felt a difference going uphill
Better outer tyre meant also better grip and better braking performance without sacrificing rolling resistance
The only downside is the fact that latex tube looses air so quickly
If I don't ride for 3-4 days I have to inflate some air cause pressure drops down to almost zero
Tires have probably the biggest influence on ride feel. Definitely go for better tubes and tires, I was blown away by the difference they made!
Sora is 2x9 speed. Tiagra is the one with 2x10 speed.
That’s cool, but I’ve saved 908g (2.00lbs) on my entry level road bike with Ali express parts for just over US$320. Still using the stock aluminum wheels and shimano Claris. Eventually I’ll buy sensah empire 11spd for like $300 and then carbon wheels in the far future
Always love the content you guys put out learn so much from it excited to see the end result
2:29 wait sora's gone 10 sp? Is this newer sora? So tiagra gone 11 then?
Pause at 2:33 and check, the cassette does look like a 9 speed only. I too was wondering the same and checked the cassette.
Either Shimano is planning on going that route in the near future and Oille has a slip up before the official announcement.
Or, he got confused between Sora and Tiagra. 😜
it has 9 i have sora and bought my bike recently so idont think is different now, and in the video it only has 9
Soro now the group set of the people as 105 ismore expensive
Reckon he's going to spend at least £7k on upgrades...for that, I'd cut back a little on the components a bit and upgrade the frame too. Funnily the result I'm looking at looks exactly like a Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert 🤔
Where is episode 2?
Once you're done, you'll have to do a video racing against your aeroad. I would expect the aeroad to still edge it out, but upgrading a mid-range bike's groupset and wheels can be very competitive. Granted OEM manufacturers get huge volume discounts when purchasing components, so buying the best bike you can afford will almost always be better than buying a cheap bike and upgrading it. Still it's good to see what you can do with your existing bike.
Team here GTN, but damn that was great with the cup.
I have a ton of neck issues due to a compressed disc, and just got my first road bike. Besides having the proper ride height, what components should I prioritize for increased comfort on the old neck?
I made something like this also but i am in other category i have sram x4 on back transmission with rollers on ball bearlings. All my bicycle on ball bearings now. It is create huge difference.
I am happy even if some body doesn't know how it is will be not on ball bearlings.
This is the content I was waiting for!
Pedals
Tyres
Carbon seat post (comfort all the way)
GROUPSET OF THE PEOPLE
Perfect! But what about the old groupset ?? Can I get some?