Your Big Bike Upgrades to Plan For This Year

by | Jan 2, 2024 | Bike Setup, Bike, Buyer's Guide, Featured, Skills & Setup, Sports

These are the upgrades that add both a bit of bling and also some solid performance gains to your old bike.

With a new year comes a refreshed mind and a recalibration for the important things in life. You may be wanting to get out on your bike more this year but your old faithful could do with a replacement or at least a big refresh. Financially speaking, 2024 may not be the year for you to go all out and replace your whole bike but rather a time to look into some strategic upgrades, juicing up your current ride with renewed vigour in the form of a few solid upgrades.

Cover Image Credit: SRAM

We have recently discussed the upgrades that make the biggest impact on performance for the cost in this article, and that may be the place to look if you’re just wanting to squeeze a little more performance out of your current bike. Mountain bike tech has moved along significantly in the last few years and you might be wanting to keep up with the latest innovations and be reaping the benefits of these advancements. That is what we’ll be digging into here; the components that bring a level of quality to your ride. They may not be ‘bang for buck’ and might be a bit more bling. These are the upgrades you’ll plan for and cherish on your bike!

A frameset upgrade is the closest thing to new bike day

We’ll start with the big one. Mountain bike design has really progressed over the last decade and only recently is it settling down somewhat. Big changes in how we understand geometry and the bicycle system as a whole has meant that each new model year has had a lot more to offer than the last, in most cases at least.

If your frame is a couple of years old or more, you may have your eye on a new frameset that you can carry your current component spec onto. Maybe it is one of the latest long legged XC bikes like the Orbea Oiz, or a trail bike with frame storage and shorter straighter seat tube? A frame upgrade is the closest you can get to ‘new bike day’ without actually getting a new bike! And the good news is, there are plenty of discounted frame options on the market at the moment so a good search for potential options should reward you well.

Be mindful of things such as different hub standards, headtube lengths, suspension travel differences, etc when going for an upgrade so that you can account for all the necessary parts required to bring your components over.

Wheels

We all love a good set of wheels. Whether it’s the flashy hub or the bold looks of a slick carbon rim, there is just something about them that feels cool.

Whilst there is definitely a performance benefit to be gained from a good set of wheels, the cost associated with a great wheelset means that you don’t often just grab some new hoops on a whim. These are big upgrades to consider for most riders and should be well thought through.

If you’re going for carbon (offering a lighter system with potentially better engineered compliance) then you may be enticed by several of the ‘lifetime warranty’ options out there. They are often a lot more expensive as the potential replacements are built into the up-front cost but if you want peace of mind or know you’re susceptible to breakages, they can certainly be worth your while.

Alloy wheels are definitely also great options, especially for the heavy hitters who want a bombproof wheelset. The lighter alloy wheels can offer performance similar to that of carbon but are more susceptible to deforming and dents. If you’re a lighter rider and gentle on your bike, there’s no reason not to go for those if they suit your budget better.

Big Bike Upgrades To Plan For 2024
Hubs like Industry 9’s Hydra hubs bring a lot of street cred! (c) Industry 9

At the hub, you may be searching for a high engagement option to liven up your power delivery. Some of the higher engagement options out there can bring reliability issues so do your research well and read the relevant reviews. A good hub should just blend into your ride (unless you like a loud freehub) and catch your eye when you’re admiring your steed.

Upgrading to electronic shifting, or not.

This is likely a high ranking item on a lot of people’s lists. SRAM has stolen the limelight in recent years with its AXS and T-Type drivetrain / transmissions and these are most probably the bits that you want to get on your bike if you’re looking at upping your drivetrain game. Electronic shifting is really good. It is very reliable and accurate while also being as durable as (if not more than) classic cable shifting systems. Just remember to charge your batteries!

You may be on a Shimano system and concerned about swapping out for a whole new drivetrain. Rest assured, you can run a SRAM AXS shifter with a Shimano cassette and chain. Some even argue this to be the best performing combo! If you’re wanting to go electronic, we’re behind you on that one, unless your priorities are more skewed towards durability.

Big Bike Upgrades To Plan For 2024
Shimano has quietly been working on addressing the issue of durability with its LinkGlide technology. It has also opened up the possibility of automatic shifting on E-Bikes. (c) Shimano

While it might look like Shimano is out of the conversation if we’re talking about planned drivetrain upgrades, it is certainly not the case if you’re more interested in durability than lightweight bling. They have recently brought their new LinkGlide technology to the XT drivetrain, promising a 300% longer lifespan with the new cassette. The downsides are a 200 gram weight penalty, 11 speed only (11-50T) and no double-click shift on the shifter. These are small prices to pay when you consider your drivetrain could last 3 times the length of time that it normally would.

It is for you to decide then. Durability or futuristic tech. Which has more value to you?

Dropper post is a must

These handy guys have come a long way in recent years! If you haven’t got one on your mountain bike, you need to stop living in 2008.

If you’re into marathon racing and counting grams, droppers such as the Transfer SL from Fox or the Vertical Helium won’t add much weight but will unlock much more performance for you on the bike, allowing you to corners better, get more aero, and even rest your back a bit when you get a chance.

If you’re more of a gravity fan, long travel (170mm +) droppers are becoming better and more common for Trail and Enduro bikes. You’ll even find that adjustable length options are available so that you can maximise the amount of drop you get with your bike’s specific seat tube length.

Learn more about how to get the most out of your dropper post here if you’re not convinced of the idea!.

Tool carrying systems

We used to all ride with backpacks. Now we’re carrying our essentials in cargo bibs or stashing them on the bike with a few hacks or frame straps. In striving to get our tools off of our bodies and onto the bike, a whole host of companies have developed genius tool storage systems that keep your riding essentials close at hand but out of the way on the bike.

Big Bike Upgrades To Plan For 2024
One Up popularised headset tool storage with their EDC tool system. (c) One Up Components

Check out One Up’s EDC tool, Ryder’s Slyder, Giant’s Clutch systems, or the options from Wolf Tooth and Granite and pick what will work best for your setup! These aren’t necessarily a big planned upgrade but you should do a good browse of what is out there before buying to select the ideal combo to suit your needs.
If you’re looking to upgrade your brakes, cockpit, contact points and other parts not mentioned in this article, have a read here for some insight into the component upgrades that can make for the biggest performance gains on your bike. Happy riding in 2024!

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