# upgrading running gear on defy 2



## fatboysoontobeslim (21 Feb 2011)

im looking to upgrade my defy 2 purchased last year. at preset it is running on tiagra rear/front derailler with sora brakes, i havent a clue what to upgrade to. any help/advice appreciated and what would i look at spending to achieve this, also how do i know what fits my bike????? excuse my thickness but im still only just getting into this


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## Christopher (21 Feb 2011)

hi
What wheels have you got? Usually they are the most efficient starter upgrade i.e. big increase in performance for not too much ££, rather than the running gear as that can be really pricy to upgrade to lightweight componentry, like Dura-Ace say. 

As an example I have two sets of wheels for the same bike and the lightweight wheels make a huge difference to its speed and handling over the tourer/commuter wheels it usually has on it.


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## Sambu (21 Feb 2011)

i put some mavic askiums on my defy and it felt like a different bike, id recomend them!


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## 2Loose (22 Feb 2011)

Better tyres (the kendas are crap), better\lighter wheels (Mavic cxp22's are quite heavy, but very strong), after that get better brake calipers.


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## Moodyman (22 Feb 2011)

I upgraded the wheels and tyres on mine.

Will be changing the saddle too soon - starts to hurt after an hour.

Rest of the bike is spot on. Tiagra is a a very competent groupset.


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## koro (22 Feb 2011)

Fatboyslim, hope you dont mind me following andasking the same questions as yourself... 

Did you get rid of the stock Defy saddle? I replaced mine with a chargespoon, um, I am not convinced on it so far...

Reading this post with interest, I also have a Defy 2, 2010. As in the last post the consensus of opinion on these forums, is to go tyres, then wheels. I have just bought a pair of Michelin Pro Race 3, foldable... I havn`t put them on yet.. still grinning as to the apparent lack of sidewall to fit the tyre, lol. Interested to read that the Kendas are crap, I have not known any different, whats wrong with them?

The Mavic CXP22 are next on the list to change, where do they rank in the scheme of things, sub £100 or £200. I am just wandering what price range I should be looking at to feel a difference. The Mavic Askiums look good, how do you find out if there is a freewheel noise on them? Silly I know but a clicking noise from the wheels, gets on my nerve, suppose I shoud just keep pedalling.


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## koro (22 Feb 2011)

Moodyman said:


> I upgraded the wheels and tyres on mine.
> 
> Will be changing the saddle too soon - starts to hurt after an hour.
> 
> Rest of the bike is spot on. Tiagra is a a very competent groupset.




Hi, how do you find the gearchange from front small to large? The lbs kept telling me the setup was fine, under load though and it was real fight to get it to change up, I had a go at setting it up myself, I get a little bit of side rub on the derailer when on the large sprocket at the back, but changing is a lot easier. Have you any issues at all with it?


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## 2Loose (22 Feb 2011)

@Koro, by the 'Kendas are crap' comment, they are not the lightest or best rolling tyre, nor the most confidence inspiring or puncture proof but far from the worst. Perhaps I should have put 'The Kenda tyres are decidedly average (at everything)', which would be more accurate.

Good comment on the saddle, the standard one is painfull over longer distance, so that will be changed too, before I change my calipers - and I'll only change those to Tiagra as they are the only Sora part on the bike and the colour is not quite right .


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## Sambu (22 Feb 2011)

koro said:


> Fatboyslim, hope you dont mind me following andasking the same questions as yourself...
> 
> Did you get rid of the stock Defy saddle? I replaced mine with a chargespoon, um, I am not convinced on it so far...
> 
> ...



the askiums do click a bit, but i quite like that so i dont really notice it. i havent changed the saddle on mine but i want to as its a bum iller after a while saying that ive done 100+ on it and was still walking so....


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## koro (22 Feb 2011)

2Loose said:


> @Koro, by the 'Kendas are crap' comment, they are not the lightest or best rolling tyre, nor the most confidence inspiring or puncture proof but far from the worst. Perhaps I should have put 'The Kenda tyres are decidedly average (at everything)', which would be more accurate.
> 
> Good comment on the saddle, the standard one is painfull over longer distance, so that will be changed too, before I change my calipers - and I'll only change those to Tiagra as they are the only Sora part on the bike and the colour is not quite right .




Lol, I know what you mean about the colour of the Sora. A long story short I swapped the Tiagras`s on my `ex wife` Spesh. Shiny, but no other difference at all in my opinion...

I am hoping then that the Michelin 3 will be noticeable, cheers.

Oh, another thng, how many miles have you got on the standard chain. Looked after mine, well cleaned and oiled. Will get a chain checker thingy...I got around 1000 miles on it so far, I think its on its way out....i.e I can see daylight under it when I pull it from the front ring...


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## koro (22 Feb 2011)

Sambu said:


> the askiums do click a bit, but i quite like that so i dont really notice it. i havent changed the saddle on mine but i want to as its a bum iller after a while saying that ive done 100+ on it and was still walking so....




Cheers, what made you chose the Askiums in the end? Do you think they are as sturdy as the CPX.....


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## 2Loose (22 Feb 2011)

koro said:


> Oh, another thng, how many miles have you got on the standard chain. Looked after mine, well cleaned and oiled. Will get a chain checker thingy...I got around 1000 miles on it so far, I think its on its way out....i.e I can see daylight under it when I pull it from the front ring...



Currently at just over 2300 miles and it is reading about 1/16" over 12 inches, I can't see daylight under it though, but I will be replacing next week before it shafts the cassette especially now the road grit has gone. 
Winter grit has really done it no good at all, despite lots of cleaning and tender care, but that is normal.


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## Moodyman (22 Feb 2011)

koro said:


> Hi, how do you find the gearchange from front small to large? The lbs kept telling me the setup was fine, under load though and it was real fight to get it to change up, I had a go at setting it up myself, I get a little bit of side rub on the derailer when on the large sprocket at the back, but changing is a lot easier. Have you any issues at all with it?



Have no problem from small to large.

My concern is large to small. The black inner lever really needs to be pushed hard and then the shift down is very heavy and loud.

Shop, Edinburgh Bike Coop, assure me it's fine. The basic Shimano front mech on my mtb commuter is quieter and smoother than the Tiagra on the Defy.

I got two handbuilt 36-spoke wheels on Tiagra hubs and Rigida DPX Rims. Very solid and very rigid.

Being large n heavy, I didn't trust the 28-spoke rear wheel to last long.

Interesting comment re the Charge Spoon saddle. I have it on my commuter and it's lovely.

I compared the profile of that with the Giant saddle and they were near-identical - though the Spoon's rear perch was a little higher (better). 

I'm thinking of swapping the Defy saddle with the Brooks B17 on my nice weather commuter. The B17 is a little bit of a luxury for a 12-mile commute anyway.


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## 2Loose (22 Feb 2011)

My front mech changes up (small to big) fine as long as you don't load the pedals too much, but at first the black paddle lever was very stiff when changing from big to small - often quite a pronounced crack\click when it finally went. 

It is nice and smooth now though, so maybe they wear in a bit.


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## koro (22 Feb 2011)

Moodyman said:


> Have no problem from small to large.
> 
> My concern is large to small. The black inner lever really needs to be pushed hard and then the shift down is very heavy and loud.
> 
> ...




Lol, my chain drops easily and quickly onto the small inner ring..... just a bit of a fight on the return upwards journey... much like my cycling  

I suffered from numb nuts with the Defy saddle, I dont get that with the spoon. Find myself forever sliding back on it, could be more of a setup problem though...


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## 2Loose (22 Feb 2011)

koro said:


> ...
> I suffered from numb nuts with the Defy saddle, I dont get that with the spoon. Find myself forever sliding back on it, could be more of a setup problem though...



Numb nuts can normally be sorted by angling the saddle a little bit more downwards.


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## koro (22 Feb 2011)

2Loose said:


> Numb nuts can normally be sorted by angling the saddle a little bit more downwards.




Yeah, I found that out..got rid of the numb nuts on the Defy saddle, then it gave me a sore a^%e... I have started with the spoon at the same angle, but I think I will tilt it up a little to stop me sliding down it,


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## fatboysoontobeslim (22 Feb 2011)

i have left tyhe standard weels on, cant compare them as im new to cycling and this is my first road bike. are we saying then folks priot to upgrading my running gear i d be better doing the weels and tyres first???? if so what am i looking at and how much ???/ cheers


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## 2Loose (23 Feb 2011)

The biggest point is to minimise weight on anything that spins. This will make a big difference to acceleration and climbing. For example, I really noticed the difference when I saved 100g from my gear cassette, but didn't notice the extra 500g stuck on my seat after xmas.

Folding tyres are normally 50-100g lighter for the same tyre model, so well worth getting, which ever tyre you prefer. The wired Kendas are about 340g, the folding version is closer to 260g. Some tyres are heavier and have more p*ncture proofing, so tyres are a bit personal depending on their expected use. Check out a tyre thread for some other peoples opinions and make an educated decision based on that.

Same goes for the wheels. A touring wheel will often be heavier and stronger with more spokes than a commuter wheel, which is in turn heavier than a training or race wheel. Lighter doesn't always mean more expensive either, but there are diminishing returns on your cash to shave those last possible bits of rotational weight, so the lightest are a lot more than middle weight generally.


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## fatboysoontobeslim (23 Feb 2011)

im thinking of getting mavic askiums i know there entry level but they seem ok????? seen a set on e bay for 150 what about tyres? any particulat make??


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