Is the upgrade worth it?

[rich9573]

Hi All,

So i've always done exercise and been more of a runner doing some marathons etc. At the start of this year I started to get into cycling with a friend and since i've been using my old Giant Defy 1 from 2012.

I'm always looking on the 2nd hand market as i'd love an upgrade though the engine is definitely the weak point. The longest cycle i've done is 85km and on rouvy i cycled over Grandfondo Stelvio Santini 2020 is 1hr 59. Btw i'm 5ft 7 and 70kg. Basically I'm pretty sure the Defy is good enough for me and wondered what you guys thought to stop me looking online xD. Also what do you think of this if you think i could upgrade:


View: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/154849683224351/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Ab372a550-c6f4-4e68-b242-beea8e1942b8


Thanks in advance everyone and if you have any other questions let me know.

 

[rich9573]

Sorry realised its in the wrong section and moved, please ignore

 

[Sharky]

An upgrade is only a true upgrade if it takes you nearer to that perfect bike for the type of riding that is your target.

For example, if you wanted to go touring, an upgrade would be to a bike with panniers and low gears, but if you wanted to do shorter faster rides, then a bike without panniers and higher gears would be an upgrade.

So in terms of the current bike, what are the deficiencies?

Just upgrading the wheels/tyres could be a significant upgrade. None of my bikes were expensive to buy, but haven't hesitated in spending on different wheels and kit.

 

[Drago]

It's doubtful itll make you much, if any, quicker, more comfortable, or more attractive to the opposite sex.

But it can still be worth it by that indefinable measure of feel.

Go ride it, and if it makes you smile a bit more then it was worth it.

 

[DCLane]

It's a lovely bike but ... a bit on the older side at 7 years. For £1800 and 10 speed it's over-priced imo. It's only running Fulcrum 5 wheels which are decent but at the budget end. For that money I'd be expecting something a lot newer, 11 speed Ultegra as a minimum and a carbon wheelset.

However, bikes are in short supply and we're in a demand-led Covid crisis so ...

As others have put above a £500 wheelset upgrade would make a big difference to a standard Giant Defy. And they should be transferrable to a new bike.

 

[Teamfixed]

For me it looks like more of the same... or very close indeed.
I would be looking at a second bike having a more specific reason "to be".
Be it more touring, more winter road bike, more fast tourer. Or fixed😉

 

[davidphilips]

Only my view but assuming your Defi 1 is an alloy bike if i had to buy either it would be yours. Just my view but buying a used carbon framed bike is not without risk and know i would never be %100 sure of it?

 

[si_c]

As mentioned above that is very overpriced, a good set of new wheels, solid service and new cables and bar tape will make your existing bike feel like new and cost a fraction of the above.

 

[nickyboy]

As always on these upgrade threads my advice is first to make sure you have optimal tyres. Assuming your goal is to ride faster, getting the most suitable tyres is by a long way biggest bang for your buck

What's optimal for you depends on your circumstances but a lot of enthusiastic amateur cyclists end up with Continental GP 5000s

 

[rich9573]

Hey all, thanks for the replies. Really great input and makes sense to look into upgrading the tyres then wheels instead. I was looking around and probably settle for GP5000 and some latex tubes

 

[DCLane]

@rich9573 - the biggest improvement is wheels. Try GP5000's (my son and I like them) and latex tubes, but a decent set of wheels transforms a bike.

 

[Sharky]

Hey all, thanks for the replies. Really great input and makes sense to look into upgrading the tyres then wheels instead. I was looking around and probably settle for GP5000 and some latex tubes

Having a second pair of wheels is a really good strategy. One can be fitted with heavier winter tyres and the best wheels with lighter tyres for the summer months. Saves a lot of hassle changing them every six months and the best wheels will stay cleaner.

 

[rich9573]

Trying to look around and struggling a little. Do you have any suggestions for new wheels? Currently I have the pr2 which came with the bike.

 

[T4tomo]

Trying to look around and struggling a little. Do you have any suggestions for new wheels? Currently I have the pr2 which came with the bike.

almost anything will be an upgrade, My mate has a similar Alu Defy 1, maybe a 2013/4 model, he upgraded to Fulcrum 5's and found them to be a big improvement on the stock wheels (and as DCLane points out there are a lot more expensive wheels out there than Fulcrum 5's).
He has since bought a carbon framed cube, but the defy still comes out to play in the winter.

There is with wheels, like most things cycling, a law of diminishing returns you can spend £300 and get a really good set of wheels, you can spend £500 and get a really good set of wheels that are 100g lighter and might have a slightly better hub. You can spend £1000 and they are made of carbon, have deeper rims and be 100g lighter.

You could do a lot worse than Racings 5's to be honest, there is getting less choice for factory built off the shelf rim brake wheelsets in any event.

the alternative is a set of handbuilts from such as https://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/shop/road/wheels-custom-road/
superstar, i believe the aforementioned DCLane has used / recommended them before. your £300 buys you a lot of wheel from them, with the advantage of them being easy to rebuild / replace broken spokes etc should you need to.

 

[Milkfloat]

I would hold on for a year and buy something that is more reasonably priced next year when demand has gone. That Cipollini is ta lest double the price it should be in 'normal' times.