New bike advice. .

[Steve1967]

Hi looking for my first road bike .
I am have narrowed it down to the Giant defy 2 @ £750 or 1 @ £899 or the trek 2.0 @£900.
Questions is..there is a disc brake option. Do I look at these or stay with the standard brakes?
Do I push the boat out and go for the 105 chainset on the defy 1?



Thanks in advance. .

 

[vickster]

What sort of road conditions will you be riding? If heavy traffic in poor weather, discs have a benefit. If it's a bike to be used on dry sunny weekends, v brakes are fine

In terms of choosing between the two brands, you need to try them out

If you can afford the 1, go for it or you'll be left wondering. That said the paint job on the 2 is much nicer. You could also look at the 2015 models

Go to your local Giant and Trek dealers and give them a go

 

[Steve1967]

Hi... I'll be using the bike for evening and weekend rides.....so v brakes will be OK.
I am swaying towards the defy 1 due to the 105 chainset as apposed to the 2 with the tiagra

 

[vickster]

Hi... I'll be using the bike for evening and weekend rides.....so v brakes will be OK.
I am swaying towards the defy 1 due to the 105 chainset as apposed to the 2 with the tiagra

Cool, enjoy your new bike

Where are you in the country? You may find you can get a 2015 Defy for less than the cost of the 2016 defy 2, eg Ash in east London have for £700

http://www.ashcycles.com/site/giant-defy-1-2015

Or Pauls have the 0 with Ultegra for 2015 http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5912/GIANT-DEFY-0-2015
In large, so you'd need to be over 6ft

 

[Wafer]

Unless you specifically want the extra gear with 105 I'm not sure you'll notice a difference between it and tiagra now. The current tiagra is very good, at least as good as the previous version 105 I'd say.

Not sure what the other differences are between the defy 2 and 1 but I don't think the gearset is worth £150 personally. If its brakes as well it might be, or if the 1 has a nicer colour scheme it might be

 

[vickster]

How does the hood shape compare on new tiagra versus new 105?

 

[Wafer]

Very similar, I think I prefer the new tiagra hoods to the previous 105, but there isn't a lot in it. World of difference from Sora's big cobra hoods

 

[vickster]

None of the earlier generation Shimano hoods worked for me. If I get another bike, which will likely have disc brakes, I will give new 105 and Ultegra a go to see if braking is now possible for me, especially as cross top levers won't be feasible. I don't like the new SRAM rival hoods as much as the old ones as they have changed the shape a bit

 

[Wafer]

If you didn't get on with previous 105 I don't think new is much different though I haven't riden them, just seen in lbs! New tiagra is similar in size to old 105.

Sounds like 105 hydraulics shifters are chunkier so might not be great if that's the sort of discs you're after.

Added: Jesus just spotted some misleading typos in the above so corrected!

 

[vickster]

That's a shame. It's a way off anyhow, and I'll ride a few bikes before deciding what I might want

 

[SpokeyDokey]

None of the earlier generation Shimano hoods worked for me. If I get another bike, which will likely have disc brakes, I will give new 105 and Ultegra a go to see if braking is now possible for me, especially as cross top levers won't be feasible. I don't like the new SRAM rival hoods as much as the old ones as they have changed the shape a bit

@Viickster

These are the 105 level Big S hydraulic brifters. Quite a different shape from my current regular 105's. Tried them on a Whyte Suffolk 105 Disc a week or so back and they looked a bit odd at first but I did find them comfy. They seem to be quite long but have more of a platform oeon top of the hoods than the usal ones.

http://www.probikekit.co.uk/bicycle...CP7yt4752csCFbIB0wod06IFHg&variation=11211775

 

[vickster]

I struggle with fat hoods due to hand shape and size. For example they need to be far slimmer and a different shape to the 5700 105s which I couldn't use at all effectively for braking, it's the shape of the bit that sits between thumb and forefinger that's the key

 

[Steve1967]

Thanks for the advice.....

I'm doing a deal with my LBS.
I'm buying the bike on the cycle to work scheme... so it get 32% off anyway. .so I've gone for the Defy 1.

Can't wait.
I did 45 miles on my mtb last weekend so when I do it again, next weekend when I get the bike., I should see a big drop in the time it took and hopefully a lot easier on the heart...lol

 

[JohnnyRoyal]

Thanks for the advice.....

I'm doing a deal with my LBS.
I'm buying the bike on the cycle to work scheme... so it get 32% off anyway. .so I've gone for the Defy 1.

Can't wait.
I did 45 miles on my mtb last weekend so when I do it again, next weekend when I get the bike., I should see a big drop in the time it took and hopefully a lot easier on the heart...lol

Hi How are you getting on with yr Giant Defy 1?
I am looking at getting one on CTW in the next few weeks.
Do you recommend me getting one?
Thanks
John