Brand-new Assembled Bike vs. Upgraded Giant Revel 3

[Charles500]

Hi guys, I'm planning to buy a new bike this weekend, however I'm really quite torn between which to get between these 2 builds:

Build 1 - Secondhand Upgraded Giant Revel 3
Price: 20,000


Upgrades are:

Fork - Rockshox Recon Coil Silver
Crank - Deore LX
Drivetrain - Deore 9-speed

Build 2 - Brand-new Assembled Bike (My Custom Specs)
Price: 25,400

KHS Alite 2000 (Php 5,800)
ABR Cockpit (Php 2,600)
Grip: Not sure of the brand (Php 500)
Velo Saddle (Php 400)
Carbon Spacers (Php 200)
Tires (Exterior): Maxxis (Php 1,500)
Interior (Press fit): (Php 500)
Generic Pedal (Php 200)
Fork: Suntour XCR Manual Lockout (Php 2,600)
Groupset: 2012 Alivio (Php 9,000)
Wheelset: Alex Xdlite Rims (Php 1,600)
Spokes and Nipples (Php 500)

Please advise though if there are other parts that I'm missing out on. Noob here

Between these two, would you say that building a brand new set is worth the extra 5k over the upgraded Revel 3?

Thanks in advance

[Xtyling]

My vote is for Build 1 - Secondhand Upgraded Giant Revel 3

You can use the 5000 you save for a helmet or other accessories..

*CAUTION* You will almost inevitably be infected with upgradeitis immediately after buy either bike.

Good luck!!!

[rads01]

go for the Gaint Revel !! It has better specs(since both 2012 alivio and 2010 deore are 9speed deore is better) and less hassle kasi from experience pag nagpa assemble talgang magmamahal pa un gastos mo from your said budget kasi you should have provisions for labor,extra spacers, rim tapes, tip sa mechaniko etc etc.

[karlyt0s]

go for the upgraded giant. less hassle, better components. unless hindi tama ang size para sayo

[stingTR3]

Eto ang 2 centavos ko....

Go for the build 2... doon sa Alivio, use a Deore crank instead if budget permits...

Kung nandin ko lang sa Pampanga, kunin mo nalang yung spare carbon spacers ko from King's...

[oloap23]

Sir you may want to consider Revel 1 instead of Revel 3 dagdag ka lang ng about 1.5-2k, para naka hydro brakes ka na at hindi na integrated yung brake levers at shifters... Iirc, 17k price tag nito...

Ooops, built biuke na din pala yung revel 1.. disregard na lang suggestion ko hehehe. thanks

[Charles500]

Hi guys, thanks for the comments. I was already leaning towards the Giant Revel 3, but due to a string of unforeseen circumstances, I ended up with a Specialized Hardrock Disc Int:



The specs can be found here: http://www.specializedconceptstore.c...k%20Disc%20Int

Basically the important ones are:
- Suntour XCT Coil Fork
- Tektro Novela Mechanical Disc Brakes
- Shimano Altus (8-speed) Front and Rear Derailleurs, Shimano Rapidfire Shifter

Got the whole thing for 18k.

Compared to the Giant Revel 3, this might seem like a downgrade, and is closer in spec to a Cannondale Trail 6 (which is cheaper IIRC), but these are the reasons why I went for it anyway:

- It's brand new. The Giant, despite being only 8 months old, will inevitably have its share of wear and tear, especially as it's been through several trail rides.

- The upgrades on the Revel 3 aren't a huge step up, anyway. Well actually, the Deore LX is the piece de resistance of the Giant, but the other upgrades, such as the mechanical discs and coil fork aren't too far up in terms of performance. While the Deore would have redeemed it, ultimately I decided that I could do fine with a lower-end set.

- It's my first branded bike. Before this, all I had was a mall bike which had its tires blow on me as I was simply cruising around the village. I realized that as much as I fancied having high-end parts off the bat, there was nothing wrong with an entry-level bike such as this. From a mall bike, even a Shimano Altus and mechanical Tektro brakes are already light years away in terms of performance. As the common mantra goes, "It's not the bike, it's the rider". I figured I could hone my skills as a biker with this setup first, while at the same time saving up for significant upgrades.

- I realized that in the long run, all that'll really remain is the frame. I do plan to use the bike as it is, with all it's entry-level parts, up until they eventually wear out, where I expect to have saved enough for a sizable upgrade. I do plan to upgrade the Altus to something significantly better, an SLX hopefully. I also plan to upgrade to an Epicon fork, as opposed to merely a higher-end coil-fork. Of course, there are the hydraulic brakes as well. Given that, even if I did get the Revel 3, I'd be spending an extra 2k for a second-hand bike with parts that I'll eventually replace anyway.

[Dial Tone]

Congratulations on your new bike.

When you do decide to upgrade the bike this is what I suggest you do: 1.) save money for part you want to upgrade (example: cranks), 2.) buy and install upgraded part, 3.) sell old part, 4.) with the money from the sale of the old part, add a little bit more money and buy the next upgrade part. 5.) install upgrade part and sell old part, 6.) repeat steps 3,4 and 5 until you get a higher model/higher end components and then repeat the whole process again if you want a newer bike.

Consider your bike as an investment in your health. The entry level bike you have now is a stepping stone towards a fancier bike in the future.

[Xtyling]

Congrats Charles500.

For 18K you did well. But it's your attitude that the real winner! If you use your bike often enough you will immediately see the return of investment and appreciate the wisdom in your decision. Upgrades are a part of biking. But no one should be consumed on having the most high end bike. Many readers here can testify that many people on budget bikes can out pace others on more expensive rides. For me, it's more in the mind, body (heart, lungs & legs), and soul of the rider than the actual bike that's being ridden.

Hope to see your riding on the trails in the future.

God bless!

[Sanondail]

go for crank set and a lighter fork first
and aim for XT instead of SLX, di naman ganun kalaki ang price difference sir

btw I'm using alivio 2011 groupset (crank is deore 9s), and I'm pretty satisfied with it
you don't have to spend a lot to have a nice ride ^_^

[Charles500]

Originally Posted by Xtyling

Congrats Charles500.

For 18K you did well. But it's your attitude that the real winner! If you use your bike often enough you will immediately see the return of investment and appreciate the wisdom in your decision. Upgrades are a part of biking. But no one should be consumed on having the most high end bike. Many readers here can testify that many people on budget bikes can out pace others on more expensive rides. For me, it's more in the mind, body (heart, lungs & legs), and soul of the rider than the actual bike that's being ridden.

Hope to see your riding on the trails in the future.

God bless!

Thanks for the kind words Sir Xtyling. Right now I'm trying to ride as often as I can to get a better feel of the bike and of course, to improve my skills and fitness as a biker. I agree that it's easy to get consumed by the allure of getting all high-end parts, but I'm actually having a good time even with an entry-level bike like this. Of course, I wouldn't say no to upgrades, but I've got a long way to go in terms of saving up for my next upgrade, so eto muna.

Originally Posted by Sanondail

go for crank set and a lighter fork first
and aim for XT instead of SLX, di naman ganun kalaki ang price difference sir

btw I'm using alivio 2011 groupset (crank is deore 9s), and I'm pretty satisfied with it
you don't have to spend a lot to have a nice ride ^_^

Thanks for the advise sir, though I don't really find the Deore XT very good value for money. The SLX is already a great crank set as it is, and i guess I could live with the minute difference in weight (vs. the XT), especially as the price savings with going with the SLX is almost enough to get an Epicon fork.

Right now, I'm actually fine with the Altus, despite being an entry-level product. My only gripe is that at times, shifting from 1st to 2nd gear in the front derailleur is a pain the arse, you've got to time the shift well and be gentle with the pedal for it to shift smoothly.

[stingTR3]

Sir Charles, congrats on this brand new bike....

Sure, some 2nd bikes may be good because of its components, but we may never really know how reliable they are since it has been used...

Para laang din kapag bumibili ka ng 2nd hand car, one minute when you test it, it may feel ok, but then eventually go through some underlying issues....

Bang for the buck na yan Sir, you can upgrade naman in the future...

[Charles500]

Originally Posted by stingTR3

Sir Charles, congrats on this brand new bike....

Sure, some 2nd bikes may be good because of its components, but we may never really know how reliable they are since it has been used...

Para laang din kapag bumibili ka ng 2nd hand car, one minute when you test it, it may feel ok, but then eventually go through some underlying issues....

Bang for the buck na yan Sir, you can upgrade naman in the future...

Thanks Sir!

On the topic of secondhand components though, I was actually planning to buy my upgrades secondhand, well at least for the crank set. At 19k, the SLX is just too expensive for my taste, and even the Deore at 13.5 is a tad high, which is why I'm beginning to consider going secondhand. What are your thoughts on this, anyone?

[Sanondail]

go for bnew deore groupset, it'll last a long time and will definitely get your money's worth (not to mention peace of mind knowing they're trouble free)

sa second hand kasi baka mamaya defective pala

[Boss]

better go for brand new deore gruppo sir.unless you can buy your 2ndhand option from reliable friends.drive trains po pinaka bugbog sa mga parts nang bike natin and high precision po yan mga parts na yan kaya kahit slight damage lang pedeng malaking difference na sa performance kaya better go for brand new na sir.