Hii ya‘ll I inherited this 2010 KTM bicycle from my father who never used it. I will use it for commuting and also plan on using it to do maybe 2-3 rides for fun. What would you upgrade to make it more practical and more enjoyable to ride, without needing to spend a kidney? I will for sure add a light, new pedals since they are broke, a mud guard and maybe a rack so I can carry stuff like groceries.
Thanks for helping me out 🙂
by FamousButterfly2871
9 Comments
Nothing more probably.
That’s pretty much all you need to do. It’s a decent spec run around.
Tires and a tuneup beyond what you’ve shared. If commuting, something really durable with a little bit of channeling for water, perhaps.
everything
I’ve learned the hard way to upgrade nothing until you know you’re good with contact points (saddle, bars/grips, pedals)…assuming there’s nothing broken that needs to first be replaced for basic functionality. Ride it several times to make sure those contact point parts are good, and if not, upgrade those first. You can have the best bike in the world with the most expensive parts and it won’t mean spit if it hurts your ass, hands, or feet.
For what you describe, wouldn’t touch a thing. Deore is going to shift great, so just make sure the drivetrain (chain and cassette) are not too worn. If they are, that will affect shifting performance and those two things are always expensive to replace together.
If they are worn now (you can tell when it stops shifting gears smoothly under pressure when pedaling), get them both replace, and from then on replace the chain at least once a year. That might seem like a lot to do, but spending 30 bucks to replace a chain often will help your cassette from wearing out and will cost you less in the long run.
Bigger tires (more volume) may help with comfort. Other than that, great looking commuter. 🤙
Does it fit you well? That should always be the first question. Saddle height should be adjusted so you still have a slight bend in the knee when the pedal is at its lowest in rotation. Once that is adjusted then check reach. Do the bars feel too far or too close? For commuting you probably will want a more relaxed reach with the bars a little closer and more upright. If you can get the bike as is in comfortable positions, then no need to change any of those components. If you want to change reach for more comfort, then changes in stem, bars or both can get you dialed in.
The other additions you listed make complete sense for turning it into more of a commuter.
Larger high end slick street tires with less rolling resistance will make a surprising impact on how easy it is to pedal.
Not the cheapest upgrade but a rigid fork would make the bike lighter and more efficient. The suspension fork adds a little comfort but a lot of weight