That's a great looking bike, and the OP wants to upgrade some of the stock components. I think the important step is to consider one important question: What will these upgrades accomplish? Lots of people endeavor upgrading their bikes, and they have various reasons:
A. By upgrading my bike, I'll make it a better bike, and that better bike will be lighter, and/or faster, and/or easier to ride at the same effort B. By upgrading my bike, I will make it a more beautiful bike C. By upgrading my bike, I will show the world that I love my bike, and make my bike more unique and more "mine" D. By upgrading my bike I will change it into a more useful bike E. By upgrading my bike, I will change the bike's "personality" or identity to something closer to what I want it to be F. By upgrading my bike, I will make it into a more reliable, easier to maintain bike I'd wager most upgrade projects fall into that group of six for the most part, in terms of the "why", and the answer(s) would help people make suggestions. A secondary question is more for the person to answer themselves, and I think it can be useful. That's another form of "Why?". The first question above is mostly about the person, and the second "Why?" is entirely about the person and it has to do with motivations. That question is "Why now?". Those answers can include: 1. I'm doing it now because I am preparing for "Big Event X" on the horizon 2. I'm doing it now because I've got the money and I can't take it with me 3. I'm doing it now because I'm restless/bored, and it will be enjoyable to have a project 4. I'm doing it now because my active participation in current "Activity Y" is being held back by the bike I'd recommend to anybody garnering advice on an upgrade project to have a decent handle on both those questions. The only specific recommendation you've gotten was to replace a $30 aluminum seatpost with a $100 Nitto seatpost. That definitely fits into B. and maybe E. My main recommendation(s) if I were to make any would be to focus on C and D. My recommendation would be to make sure your bike allows you to do all the cycling things you want to do with it (D), and then make it yours, and then ride it as much as you can. Like a great new baseball glove, you'll imprint yourself onto your bike. Towards that, the biggest shortcomings of the bike in the photo are: it doesn't look like it's been ridden, and it has no bags. That bike doesn't need much in the way of upgrades. It needs bags and it needs miles. On the frivolous end of things, I love bike bling. An acquaintance gave me a skull bead on a Rivendell overnighter, and it now hangs on my saddle rail with a loop of string. I like hearing it click against my seat post. Today I noticed how it wrapped around itself on my ride: Bike Bling <https://www.flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/55336868470/in/album-72177720334209300> I like little details that individuals put on their bikes to make the bike more theirs. I'm going to make a little photo album for bike bling. Bill Lindsay El Cerrito, CA On Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 5:27:03 PM UTC-7 [email protected] wrote: > Hi Folks, I purchased a used Sam several years back and I absolutely love > it and I am interested in feedback on how to upgrade some of the stock > components. I am in my 70's and ride primarily on the road and packed > gravel, not mountain biking for sure. I don't drink fine wine or have > expensive cars but I am willing to put some resources into beautiful > components. My current components are Tektro R559 V brakes, Sugino chain > rings, Shimano deore derailleurs. Shimano bar end shifters and brake > levers. I have upgraded the seat (brooks) and the pedals (oneup). I am > moving from 45mm to 42 mm tires. Thanks so much! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/608a42ac-36b9-4753-bd81-3bba1e465c6cn%40googlegroups.com.
