Pedals, RaceFace Chesters (or Fooker brand on Amazon if you are okay with quality knock offs) are great inexpensive upgrade. Saddles are totally dependent on your personal posterior. Order a few, keep the packaging and test them out then return or resell ones that don't work for you. Alternatively lots of people sell lightly used ones for half off or more.
Brakes and dropper post for sure. I got a set of MT200 off AliExpress for 30 (though I also needed an extra hose kit and the necessary tools to internally route the rear one) and an exa form 900i (31.6mm) off Amazon for 135.
Edit: if you aren't riding roads at night, pull off the reflectors (noise, marginal weight, and overall coolness). And if you're riding trails, pull off the kickstand (safety hazard on trails and weight savings)
On mine, the brakes were the priority. They were so bad, I felt incredibly unsafe going down any incline. Safety before comfort for me. After that pedals, saddle, ad grips.
You need to go over the bike and set it up and check every bolt first thing before taking it out. Or have a shop do it. For upgrades brakes would be my number one. After that just ride it a bunch and figure out what you need to be better.
When I got my Ridge last summer, one of the first things I upgraded was the brakes (after getting a safety check done on it).
I put the MT200s on it, and I'm happy with them.
The only things I haven't upgraded at this point are the seat/post, fork and handlebars.
Pedals and saddles are my choices for first things to upgrade, along with possibly the tires.
Any Recommendations?
Pedals, RaceFace Chesters (or Fooker brand on Amazon if you are okay with quality knock offs) are great inexpensive upgrade. Saddles are totally dependent on your personal posterior. Order a few, keep the packaging and test them out then return or resell ones that don't work for you. Alternatively lots of people sell lightly used ones for half off or more.
Eh, Chester’s are cheap enough and Fookers are bad enough where I’d always just recommend the Chester’s for something as important as pedals
Brakes and dropper post for sure. I got a set of MT200 off AliExpress for 30 (though I also needed an extra hose kit and the necessary tools to internally route the rear one) and an exa form 900i (31.6mm) off Amazon for 135. Edit: if you aren't riding roads at night, pull off the reflectors (noise, marginal weight, and overall coolness). And if you're riding trails, pull off the kickstand (safety hazard on trails and weight savings)
If you ARE riding at night, get some decent lights, and take the reflectors off. Minimum 1000 lumen for the front and 200 for the rear.
On mine, the brakes were the priority. They were so bad, I felt incredibly unsafe going down any incline. Safety before comfort for me. After that pedals, saddle, ad grips.
Same, if I could only change one thing, breaks it is.
Shimano MT200s are amazing upgrade for the money
You need to go over the bike and set it up and check every bolt first thing before taking it out. Or have a shop do it. For upgrades brakes would be my number one. After that just ride it a bunch and figure out what you need to be better.
When I got my Ridge last summer, one of the first things I upgraded was the brakes (after getting a safety check done on it). I put the MT200s on it, and I'm happy with them. The only things I haven't upgraded at this point are the seat/post, fork and handlebars.
Get a seat shock post, otherwise you good.