My mate has a Specialized Sirrus Sport and on his last ride out the chain snapped.
I went round to have a look and it’s worn out, he needs a new chain, rear cassette, chain rings and BB.

It’s currently running
Shimano Sora, 9-speed, 11-34t cassette
KMC X9, 9-speed
48-32 chainrings (not sure which model)
BSA for 24mm spindle BB (from the Conceptstore website)

He said he wants to upgrade it but I’m not familiar with road chainsets, and looking online there’s loads.
Any suggestions as to what would we should replace it with?

Isn’t the sirrus a hybrid?

Anyway when he says he wants an “upgrade” what does he actually mean?

More gears, fewer gears, lower gears, higher gears, snappier shifting, less weight, shinier parts, etc, etc…

Get him to define what an “upgrade” is in his mind.

Then tell him how much a straightforward repair/replacement of the bits he’s already spangled will be and see what his appetite for spending more will be…

Also if the chainrings/cassette/chain were knackered it may well be worth adding jockey wheels and a fresh cable set to the shopping list.

As for the original question, yes there’s still loads of 9 speed Shimano stuff about (mostly below Deore/Tiagra level) and the good news is it’s all mostly compatible whether labelled as MTB, Road or Touring.

For simplicity sake if you’re sticking to 9 speed steer clear of anything labeled as 10 speed, some older road 10 speed stuff used the same cable pull as 9 speed. But Shimano managed the transition to higher cable pull beautifully and the internet was full of confused punters Tring to get their new 4700 derailleur to work with their old 4600 series levers. If in doubt give it a swerve.

There’s generally still a fair amount of 9 speed stuff still available, I’d just replace chain/cassette/BB with like for like unless you particularly want to spend more money. Chain rings can be pricey, sometimes cheaper to buy a whole new crankset, that said i have found some of the Stronglight ones good value, I purchased from Spa Cycles.

I wouldn’t bother really. Not much help I know.
Have a look at decathlon for 9 speed stuff

I bought two of https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHIMANO-CASSETTE-HG400-speed-12-36/dp/B00LGLYYRM/ref=sr_1_3 the other day for my Voodoo Marasa. Using original 11-34 currently, 11 rarely gets any use and 34 gets used up my 0.2 mile 125 foot “wall” that peaks at ~13.5%, I won’t complain at an easier gear after work on nastier days. Also going to try bike on turbo as an alternative for me and maybe see if my better half can use really easy gears for some long Covid rehab.

Got a KMC X9 to fit at same time, on my 3×9 http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/chain_length/chainlengthcalc.html says 114 links, so no cutting, super easy!

It’s a hybrid, yep. By upgrade he’s looking to just lose a bit of weight that’s all, he’s happy with the gear ratios and is also happy to spend a bit more to get something slightly better than the Sora. The jockey wheels looked okay to me.
I wasn’t sure at first if the gear ratios on a road cassette would be different from a mtb one but on looking further I can see that the Sora HG400 11-34 has the same ratios as an XT M770 11-34, so I can stick one of those on for him and save 100+g.
thanks.

Tyres would be my advice, so of the ones they come with weigh a ton.

There are some posh 9 speed sram blocks from back in the day. Really light

But surely replacing like for like is the best option unless he is very light and is using the bike in some way that I can’t imagine. Carrying it over a bridge as part of his commute?

As above tyres can save weight but more importantly improve ride depending on the starting point

Save weight and increase comfort by carbon post and bars. If not tubeless, go latex tubes. Folding bead, narrower tyres, lighter and more aero (especially on front wheel).

A posher cassette could well be a worthwhile option, I’ve got a couple of SRAM PG970 in 11-34 on some of my bikes that are pretty light and we’re going cheap, it’s worth shopping about. As others have said tyres are probably the easiest way to shed weight from a bike.

Is it some flavour of FSA ‘Omega’ chainset he’s got?

You might save some weight by going for a Sora HT2 chainset to match the rest of the drivetrain, but I don’t think they do 48/32 like the one you said was on there, hence the gearing ratios would get a shade harder…

It might make sense to just replace rings/BB if you can get them for a sensible price. It’s worth establishing the specific parts already fitted…

A lighter, comfier seat post is a worthwhile spend too, dunno about carbon bars if he’s a bit lacking in mechanical sympathy(?), but lighter alloy ones are possibly an option, probably helps to know what’s on there to start with.

It’s probably diminishing returns from there on, if he wants a lighter fancier mech you’re probably into looking for used/NOS XT(?) For not much weight saving.

I’ve just done this for my OH’s older hardtail.
Worth looking at St John St cycles for older parts.replaced chain rings based on crankset model number (fc-m510 cranks was able to use fc-m530 rings as same teeth and bcd)
Had bought a triple crankset (for sq taper bb) from tredz that seemed like a good match, but it was a nasty pressed thing with fixed chain rings, and at least 500g heavier than what was already on it. And required a different bb axle width so that didn’t seem like a good deal in the end.

For 9 speed cassettes – there are enough out there I think. bought one from merlin recently, but sjs should also have some.

Using that same kmc 9 speed chain, so keep doing that.
Worth spending time looking, and if any qs give the boys at sjs a ring, they know what’s what, and what works w what.

Just reread your post – so adding this –
When you say you’re replacing bb, are you going like for like? Or moving to HT2? That gives you more options of modern cranksets.merlin probably have deals on cranksets, you could get a 10speed one that would work w 9 speed chain and cassette.

If you’re replacing chain and cassette, I would replace the jockey wheels, particularly if the chain was worn out as you say. Will likely save some shifting headaches.

To add to my previous post, it transpires that chainring to crankset spider compatability is not just about bcd.
Have just bought 3 chainrings from the same shimano series, the big and little fit fine, but the middle ring has slightly different shoulder sizes, so doesn’t fit.
Frustrating and a little puzzling.
Vagaries of trying keep old school gear running