26" folding moutain bike bicycle MTB adult men Shimano
Advice on upgrading my bike?
I have a women's Huffy 314 bike for commuting to and from work on rainy days b/c I installed fenders on it. I usually ride a road bike, so the weight and performance difference is quite noticeable. I plan to ride the Huffy when I go to grad school at UC Davis, but want to make some upgrades to make it a more comfortable and efficient ride.
First is that I have stem mounted shifters. What must I do to change the system to indexed shifting? The handlebar is that of a cruiser; would I have to get a drop handlebar to accomodate whatever I'd need for the new shifting system? What about the other parts of the drive train, like the rear derailler and cassette? How much should I expect to pay if I take it to my LBS? I don't think I have the ability nor the tools to do this all myself.
Next, brakes. The bike has single pivot side-pull brakes and they SUCK. I plan to get new tires and wheels of the same size, 26 x 1 3/8, so what can I consider when looking for new brakes?
Last is the seat and seat post. The seat's comfy but isn't waterproof. Do seat posts come in various lengths? I need one that is slightly longer than the current one (sorry, don't know it's measurement at the moment).
I think that's it. I plan to install a rack and foldable baskets when I start school next year.
Thanks!
heres a suggestion hopefully you have a walmart close by go there get one with grip shift in a model you like it will com with better brakes better gears and shimano derailers for under $200 you can get a daul suspension for about $119 with grip shift and linear brakes which will be cheaper than the up grades your asking about plus you get a great warranty
hope this helps and yes seat post come in different lengths
hope i helped
Sorry, the Huffy is not worth upgrading. The amount of money you want to spend would be better off spent on a new hybrid bike. You could get a nice Forge hybrid that will accept fenders and racks and will be more efficient then the Huffy ever would.
http://www.forgebikes.com/road.asp
Bob A is right. The upgrades you propose would cost almost as much as a complete bike, and if your Huffy is an older model, the rear wheel spacing might not be wide enough to install new wheels needed to upgrade to an indexed shifting system. Your old bike is probably fine as it is for short runs around the neibourhood, but to have the features you want you should shop for a suitable bike. If money is an issue, a good tune up might be all you need to have done. Looking at your post, you mention that your bike has 26×1 3/8 tires, does it also have steel rims? Steel rims could explain the poor braking, if that is what you have.
hybrids suck! for what you;ll spend on up-grdz on a bike not worth it you could get a new mtn bike from a shop. it’ll be lighter, better parts and new.
I also agree with Bob A … it’s not worth sinking that kind of money in upgrades on a Huffy. Sell it and put the money into your new solution. Do you know what your situation at grad school will be? Length of ride, terrain you will be riding, storage situation, all weather use, other uses … ie weekend road rides or trail rides? Are you planning on taking your road bike to school too, or will the daily rider be your only one?
I’ll assume you will only take one bike, outside security will be a prime concern, that you come from a roadie background so possibility for weekend group rides and you don’t plan on jumping lots of curbs or taking shortcuts down stairs.
I would look for a mid 90′s decent cro-mo steel road frame with 8-9 spd indexed shifting, (down tube or bar ends would be fine and cheaper). Drop bars and dual pivot brakes. Eyelets for fenders and/or rack would be plus. No low spoke wheels to attract thieves and get out of true, std 32 spokes with quality rims/ hubs would be perfect. Consider a shorter, higher angled up stem for a more relaxed position for short around campus trips. Consider a rattle can repaint to make it less attractive to thieves. Try to stay away from the name euro brands for the same reason. There were some nice Japanese frames from Bridgestone, Fuji in that era. Also early steel Treks. I think you could find something like that in good rideable condition in the $300 range or even less if you luck out at a garage sale. If you are not comfortable making these evaluations on your own hit up your local bike club I’m sure someone with experience would be glad to help. Or wait to get on campus and seek out a bike coop. Either way I would go 2 locks, a U lock and at least 6′ cable. Consider taking the quick releases off and going with bolted axles.