Entry Level bike + £1500 Upgrades - Was It Really Worth It?

Published at : 23 Dec 2025

After the backlash from upgrading an entry-level bike, we decided to reverse engineer the upgrades to see which ones made the biggest difference in speed. We compare the fully upgraded setup, the stock bike, a tire/tube-only upgrade, and a $6,000-plus pro bike on a challenging test loop. The results prove that tyres and inner tubes are the most cost-effective performance upgrade you can make, saving you a whopping 56 seconds on our test loop!

Chapters: ⏱️
00:00 - The Upgrade Backlash
00:19 - Recap: The Fast Group Ride
01:15 - The Upgrades We Tested
01:27 - The Four Test Setups
02:00 - The Headline Results
03:06 - Handlebar Aerodynamics & Savings
03:35 - Ranking The Performance Upgrades
04:21 - The 6-Minute Estimation Caveats
05:25 - Rolling Resistance vs. Weight
06:41 - Weight Savings Breakdown
08:06 - Could I Have Kept Up?

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What's the single most cost-effective upgrade you've made to your bike that actually delivered a noticeable difference? Let us know your go-to recommendations below! 👇

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