5 cheap upgrades to make your old bike new again

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• Getting an old bike back into reliable riding shape doesn't always have to be a price-gouging nightmare — as long as you know what to upgrade.
• Any dust-collecting bike can ride like new again by focusing on five key upgrades: tires, grips, a seat, a dropper post, and pedals.
• We tested gear from each of those categories to find which would make for the best improvements, in terms of both price and quality.

Maintaining a bike can get expensive. From replacing tires to upgrading components, investing in two-wheeled transportation can sometimes do a number on your wallet. It doesn't always have to, though.

With a little TLC and a few inexpensive new parts, anyone can make an older bike feel like they just pulled it off the shelf. So, no matter if you want to get it back into singletrack riding shape, convert it into a commuter, or fashion a bike path rambler out of it, a few simple add-ons is all it takes to get that dust-collector rolling along again.

Where to start

Before starting in on your bike's makeover, you'll first want to take it in for a necessary check-up to make sure it doesn't have any serious or expensive mechanical issues. If possible, bring it into a local bike shop — many of which are considered essential businesses and are still open — and have them advise what work the bike needs.

Some of the most common issues an old bike may run into is needing a drive train cleaning and a replacement of brake pads and cables. If there's a larger fix that needs to be made, and it seems likely to run you several hundred dollars, consider if getting the work done is worth the investment at all. Even upgrades and tune-ups in the range of $500 might cost less than a brand-new bike but we understand that that much money isn't exactly considered cheap.

What to upgrade

After giving it a proper tune-up, now you can get to the actual upgrades. The five areas that are the easiest, cheapest, and most impactful to improve are the tires, grips, seat, dropper post, and pedals.

These have the ability to dramatically alter the look, feel, and ride experience, and go a long way in giving any older bike a renewed purpose. To help narrow down the increasingly large pool of what's available, we tested a range of products from each of the above-mentioned categories to bring you our favorites.

Here are the best cheap upgrades to make your old bike new again:

• Give it some new tires: Vittoria Barzo Tires
• Tack on some fresh grips: Ergon Bike GA2 Grip
• Install a modern seat: Specialized Power Comp with Mimic
• Embrace the benefits of a dropper post: PNW Components Cascade Dropper Post
• Upgrade to a set of real pedals: Supacaz Smash DH Pedals

Read the original article on Insider