07-13-2013, 12:04 AM
I'm a complete and total noob when it comes to bike repair (I've changed some intertubes and adjusted some breaks but not much beyond that), but am pretty mechanically inclined. I want to replace most of the major components on my 2009 Diamondback Sorrento (http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2009&Brand=Diamondback&Model=Sorrento&Type=bike#.UeDHRvlwrzw). It was used heavily for 3 and a half years between 2009 and June 2012. In June 2012 I was having a lot of issues with the chain jumping off the gears when I shifted. The local bike shop, having fixed a less extreme version of the issue six months earlier, told me I'd need to replace at least the rear derailer and cassette. But that month I moved further away from campus and began commuting with my car. I've now moved again and would like to start biking again, but in the last year the bike has been neglected, gathered a lot of rust, etc. What I want to replace is both derailleurs both sets of gears (cassette and crank? i believe is the terminology), as well as the Shifters (including break paddles) and all the cables. What I need help with is choosing parts. Does it make sense to just buy new versions of what came on the bike originally? Are there upgrades I can make at a reasonable price? What parts should I be spending a majority of my budget on? Are there certain parts that simply won't work with my bike? Am I out of my mind for trying to swap out all of this stuff? I would like to do the whole project myself and hopefully spend between $100 and $150 dollars to get all the pieces. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.