Take one specialised carbon stumpjumper, £4500. Find its not really the bike want so before anything is even worn out, upgrade the **** out of it by swopping forks, rear shock and the wheelset and some other more minor bits & bobs to add £4286.98 to the price, total cost now £8786.98 😯
I know we all indulge in a bit of upgrade nuttery to get what we want but this surely takes it to a new level…unless you know better 😉

It’s probably not that ridiculous if you really want a stumpy given that full builds are good value compared to Specialized’s frame only prices. Many here have done something similar to get the spec they want then sold the old bits on the classifieds to recoup the costs.

Surely they’re getting bits chucked at them to test and review, they probably don’t get much choice,
Or am I missing something as I never buy it?

Well, its not a cheap bike to start with and if I was paying that much for a bike and then spent nearly as much again to get it to where i wanted i would be thinking i’d picked the wrong bike.
You’d be better off buying the bog standard and upgrading that.

They don’t pay for their bike bits you know.

😉

What godzilla said. Take a breath and go ride your bike.

None of the “long term tests” are realistic – not even STW!
Buy a bike – “maybe” change the odd bit as and when it breaks/wears/etc or if you actually find it doesn’t suit AFTER using it for some time.
We all know they get the stuff sent to them FOC so yes stick it on, try it and report IF it makes a good/bad difference.
You know – like actually happens in here….

All the bits they change will be parts that get an individual review in a later mag. How else are they meant to test parts?

This great value bike (£3k plus) is just ripe for upgrading

Always makes me smile!!!

I don’t know if this counts but anyway…
I bought a 2006 Trek Top Fuel 110 carbon ( remember those?) £4k’s worth at the time.
Since then it has had:
Three new frames- to a 2008 Top Fuel 9.8 when the first broke, then a 2009 Top Fuel 9.9SL when the 9.8 broke, and when that one also broke three months laterit became a litespeed Kitsuma frame 🙂 (Trek carbon and I didn’t seem to get on very well)
I have upgraded the brakes from XTR M960 STI’s to XT M785 ( believe me that’s an upgrade)
I have upgraded the rear mech from XTR M960 RapidRise to a conventional M970
I have upgraded to a Dropper post
I have upgraded the forks from Fox F80 to Rockshox Reba 120 RLT
I have upgraded the bars from Richey Carbon 660 mm wide to Easton Haven 711’s

I dare not think how much that lot cost over the last 8 years of my long term test

The wheels are the same, so is the saddle and the nice Trek chainstay protector. Oh, and the seat clamp

Edit:
It is still a fantastic bike