Can't you just sell the Varia you have to recover some of the costs of the new one if it's a significant improvement?
Don't love the planned obsolescence of tech's business model :( But in your case upgrading does make a lot of sense. On Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 4:52:40 AM UTC-6 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: > I stand in admiration of all of the mechanical prowess on this thread. > > I can do precious little, but on Sunday I DID bring two of my Platys into > the mud room and do their sealant refresh. I’m kind of proud of myself > because I’ve got this process down to an absolute science so that I don’t > make a mess or unseat the tire. I love tubeless; I know lots of people say > it’s too much trouble, but it hasn’t been for me. I use Orange Seal > Endurance; James at Analog told me this is the way, and he has been right. > Every 5 months I add 4oz per tire and it has kept me on the road. Naysayers > will say 2 oz per tire and every couple of months, but James’ formula > works. > > This week it was announced that the new Garmin Varia has arrived. > Available tomorrow. I am so mad because I bought a Varia late last season > and had I known, I’d have waited for the current one. It is an improvement > in every way. USB-C port instead of that other dumb kind, way better > battery, range and much brighter light. I have mounts on 3 of my bikes for > that old Varia; if I want to get the new one it will be $$$ to swap all > that out. But I just might do it; the battery life and not having to bring > an extra cable would be so worth it on camping/touring trips. > > Also, I’m thinking about my second son’s college bike. My older son has > his Clem at college and absolutely loves it. He has ridden every day, even > through this heinous winter. We have a Clem H in the basement for my son, > but he dislikes it. I’m going to start planning for his bike as he will be > a senior next year. I might give him my dyno wheelset from my raspberry > Platy and get a wild ano wheelset for my Platy from Velocity. That bike > deserves more bling. You’ll think I’m crazy for giving him an expensive > dyno wheelset but I tried sending the other one with battery lights and he > lost some of them and charged NONE of them. “Mom, it’s fine, I can see > perfectly.” Why should he worry that others cannot see HIM? 🙄 > > On Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 12:23:21 PM UTC-5 [email protected] > wrote: > >> Thanks drew! Did a quick rip the other week and it feels so great. Drive >> is all recommended per James as he has just about the same set up on his >> platty and he ain’t lying. It feels great. Feels good to not give up too >> much grip on the bars shifting while going down the bumpy stuff. Plus >> having more accurate shifting is kinda nice vs playing th3 leavers a bit! >> Also I think having a clutch > rapid rise feels better. >> Forgot to list the specs incase anyone is curious >> RD - XT-M786 >> FD - XT-M786 >> Shifters right and left - XTR SL-M980 >> >> Ben R >> >> >> On Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 6:40 AM Drew Fitchette <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Ben, The Susie drive train looks awesome! I'd be lying if I said I >>> wasn't tempted to snap up your old XTR RR derailleur but I'm trying not to >>> buy things just to hoard them! >>> >>> Kesler, excuse my mistaking the tires for purple! I'm a little color >>> blind... love the gravel king limited colors. super fun! >>> >>> Mackenzy, the Bike Friday looks great! I've always been BF/Brompton >>> curious and love seeing all the builds. That things looks terribly >>> convenient! Hope the swept back cockpit is all you were hoping for! >>> >>> - Drew >>> >>> On Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 7:56:57 PM UTC-5 Mackenzy Albright wrote: >>> >>>> I've been slowly working on a bike friday pocket rocket. I just >>>> switched from drops and bar end shifters to soma oxford bars and >>>> thumbie(s). We will see how it goes. [image: >>>> PXL_20260204_005402310.jpg] >>>> >>>> On Monday, February 2, 2026 at 9:29:12 AM UTC-8 [email protected] >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Ha! The tires are "cranberry" gravel kings. I just call them pink. >>>>> The fact that they are largely covered by fenders makes them almost work, >>>>> but that bike is pushing the limit of how many colors can be in one >>>>> place. >>>>> I also have the "matcha" gravel kings on another bike, but on that one >>>>> everything is black. >>>>> >>>>> On Monday, February 2, 2026 at 12:01:40 PM UTC-5 Drew Fitchette wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Eric, love to hear that WIll built you a wheel. Let's see the Sam >>>>>> when you've got it all wired/set up! >>>>>> >>>>>> That Motobecane looks really nice James. Hope the Brifter project >>>>>> makes stoked to get out on it more. Though, a Hunq is a worthy everyday >>>>>> rider. >>>>>> >>>>>> Kesler, I like the wrap! Those purple tires are far out though! >>>>>> >>>>>> Dave the Appa looks great. Hope the weather lets up some so it can >>>>>> get out for some mileage. >>>>>> >>>>>> Bill, that sounds like quite the project to get the Legolas some new >>>>>> shoes and some extra gears. Looks great from the photos! >>>>>> >>>>>> I just finished building a rear wheel yesterday for my next project >>>>>> to realize that my front hub has thru axle end caps. A call to Bike Hub >>>>>> Store and they've got the right parts headed my way, but now I'm >>>>>> shifting >>>>>> focus to a big overhaul of my Atlantis set up. Wanting to lose my Moth >>>>>> bars >>>>>> and Motolites for something less burly and a neo retro/touring canti set >>>>>> up. The Saluki just got a NOS Nexave RR derailleur and some Suntour bar >>>>>> end >>>>>> ratcheting shifters and has been begging to get out for a ride since. >>>>>> Hoping the balmy 50 degree afternoon will give me a chance to put some >>>>>> miles on it today. >>>>>> On Monday, February 2, 2026 at 2:41:14 AM UTC-5 Bill Lindsay wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> My winter project was to convert my 1x10 Legolas into a 1x12, mainly >>>>>>> enabled by the magic of Ratio Technologies. They sell a replacement >>>>>>> 12sp >>>>>>> ratchet for my SRAM brifter, converting it from 10 clicks to 12, -AND- >>>>>>> they >>>>>>> make a replacement cage that converts my SRAM Force road rear >>>>>>> derailleur >>>>>>> into a unit that will accept a 50 tooth big cog, -AND- had a great sale >>>>>>> on >>>>>>> chainrings. I had a pair of 28 hole white industries hubs, and a stack >>>>>>> of >>>>>>> 28 hole Open pro rims, and a White Industries SRAM XD driver all in >>>>>>> stock >>>>>>> so I built up some wheels to replace my tubular wheelset, and bought a >>>>>>> Garbaruk cassette in 10-48. I finally managed to take it on its first >>>>>>> long >>>>>>> ride today, and posted photos in the February Photos thread. The new >>>>>>> drivetrain worked great. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Bill Lindsay >>>>>>> El Cerrito, CA >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 7:10:05 AM UTC-8 Drew Fitchette wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hey y’all, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Reading through Leah’s thread about winter being long and missing >>>>>>>> our bikes, I was curious to hear what y’all have in your queues for >>>>>>>> builds/projects/part swaps? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I think I’m going to try my hand at building some wheels for the >>>>>>>> first time. I ordered some Bitex Hubs and some Simworks standalone >>>>>>>> rims and >>>>>>>> have a friend at my local bike shop who’s agreed to help me with this >>>>>>>> foolish venture. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Would love to hear what the rest of you are getting up to in your >>>>>>>> shops/basements/garages while we wait out the bad weather! >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> - Drew in Atlanta >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/MKKgGZ7gAdo/unsubscribe >>> . >>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>> [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e63ee7e6-e042-4ed9-ada0-4ae8a10bec90n%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e63ee7e6-e042-4ed9-ada0-4ae8a10bec90n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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