Upgrading the Trek
One aspect of cycling that is especially appealing to me (from an engineering point of view) is the constant progression of technology in the various components and materials. For instance, my Rockhopper has a steel frame with a seven-speed cassette, twist-grip shifters, cantilever brakes, and a rigid fork with a threaded headset. My Trek, on the other hand, has an aluminum frame with an eight-speed cassette, index shifting, v-brakes, and a basic coil suspension fork with a threadless headset. The Trek is 11 years younger than the Specialized and the difference in the component spec reflects that. However, I wanted to upgrade the bike further with some more modern technology.
A summary of the upgrades: new disc-specific wheels, Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes, a RockShox Recon 351 fork, and an aluminum Easton handlebar to replace my current steel bar. I ordered all the parts from Jenson USA, including the fork which was a great deal because it was an OE part removed from a previously-assembled bike. I also picked up a new cassette for the old rim-brake wheels so I can have a set of road wheels as well as mountain wheels for the Rockhopper. The upgrades will leave only the shifters/brake levers and drivetrain as original on the Trek, and I’d eventually like to upgrade those components to 9-speed next. As for right now, I’ve got a bit of wrenching to do to install these new parts before I can get back out to Sugar Bottom.



