entry level bike -- most of money goes towards wheelset and frame?

dealer guy said that the price difference in entry level bikes, and also the
items that one should look at most carefully is the wheelset, frame, and
forks. this is because the other items such as pedals, derailleurs, brakes,
etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.

is this true? i think the wheelset part is, because rims, hubs, and tires
together are quite costly. what about bottom bracket and crank?


well i guess what im really asking is which components should one focus on
when purchasing a new bike?

"tsp" wrote:

dealer guy said that the price difference in entry level bikes, and also
the
items that one should look at most carefully is the wheelset, frame, and
forks. this is because the other items such as pedals, derailleurs,
brakes,
etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.

is this true? i think the wheelset part is, because rims, hubs, and tires
together are quite costly. what about bottom bracket and crank?


well i guess what im really asking is which components should one focus on
when purchasing a new bike?

I'd focus primarily on the overall fit and suitablity of the bike to your
intended use. The frame and wheels are definitely the most important items.
But I disagree that upgrading the other stuff is cheap. Buying a bike with
the expectation of upgrading components a year or two later is not smart.
Nor is it necessary to have Dura Ace or Record level components, IMHO. (I
assume you're talking road bike.)

Art Harris

"tsp" wrote in message
...
dealer guy said that the price difference in entry level bikes, and also
the
items that one should look at most carefully is the wheelset, frame, and
forks. this is because the other items such as pedals, derailleurs,
brakes,
etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.

is this true? i think the wheelset part is, because rims, hubs, and tires
together are quite costly. what about bottom bracket and crank?


well i guess what im really asking is which components should one focus on
when purchasing a new bike?

Crank, yes. And the frame/fork/wheelset too. Bottom brackets are't that
expensive to begin with, and most cartridge bottom brakets are already quite
OK to begin with. Also, keep in mind that when you upgrade the hub or the
rim, you will have to have the wheel relaced at the same time, which is not
very cost effective if you want good wheel-building.

A little off-the-point, but keep in mind the bike fit too. This is very
important. If the frame is of the wrong size, there is little you can do
about it.

The Real Lee Casey

this is because the other items such as pedals, derailleurs, brakes,
etc, are all relatively cheap upgrades.

yes, parts such as those are cheap upgrades (unless you want to go clipless
which is an investment). what will get you is the labor involved in
replacing those parts. you can get a set of ultegra (very very nice)
derailleurs for about $75 from anonymous online retailler but it will
probably cost you as much to get it installed at an LBS. that is because
installation also includes adjustment. adjustment equals time. time equals
money.
Alfred