New Bike - Maiden Voyage!!

[zoso7]

Eventually picked up my new Giant Defy 2.5 last night and took it for its first ride. I haven't been on a bike in about 10-12 yrs but splashed the cash for this machine to get me back into it.

Did a route of about 13miles which took me about 57mins and the route contains quite a few climbs that where taking their toll due to my long period out of the saddle but i still reckon thats a decent time considering I've never ridden a road bike before and I had to get used to it. My legs felt like jelly when I first got off it.

Comments about the bike:
I cant believe how fast it is, the turn of pace when you drop a few gears is phenomenal. It felt really twitchy when I first set off but by the end I felt a lot more stable and confident. The bike feels really smooth and efficient at putting the power down, it is also very stiff and you can feel every little imperfection in the road.

Overall, I know its early days but my experience so far has been fantastic and I am delighted with my purchase.

 

[Randochap]

it is also very stiff and you can feel every little imperfection in the road.

Generally, the Defy c/w 25mm tyres, right?

What kind of pressure do you have in them?

Hope you continue to thrill riding your new bike. Cycling is addictive!

 

[zoso7]

Yeah it came with 25's, I think the pressure is up about 120ish, I asked the shop to pump them upto the limit which on the tyre says 125psi. I wouldn't say that the ride is particularly uncomfortable I think this is just largely due to not riding in soo long!!

Would you recommend having them a little softer to smooth out the ride a little?! I assume that as long as i dont let them down too much then the difference on speed would be negligible?!

 

[Globalti]

Drop them to 100 and see how they feel.

 

[Randochap]

Would you recommend having them a little softer to smooth out the ride a little?! I assume that as long as i dont let them down too much then the difference on speed would be negligible?!

Yes. Unless you are very heavy, there's no reason to pump them up to the max. Try 100 psi in the back and 90 front.

Pumping tyres up too hard, slows you down, due to the bumpiness you're feeling. That's the tyre losing contact w/ the road. This translates into loss of forward motion.

Here's the Michelin guide and, if you are new to fixing flats, here's some tips.

 

[zoso7]

Thanks, thats helpful info!!

 

[HJ]

Eventually picked up my new Giant Defy 2.5 last night and took it for its first ride. I haven't been on a bike in about 10-12 yrs but splashed the cash for this machine to get me back into it...

The bike feels really smooth and efficient at putting the power down, it is also very stiff and you can feel every little imperfection in the road...

The Giant Defy 2.5 has an aluminum frame and aluminum frames have a reputation for giving a "harsh" ride. If you want to reduce the road buzz then I would suggest that you could fit a carbon seat post (I have found the Specialized S-Works Pavé SL to be very good) and carbon forks. These changes will also help to lighten your bike, but will also lighten your wallet...