Specialized Ruby Sport or Giant Liv Avail Advanced 1 ??

[wheely woman]

Hi All,
Just joined, I've been road cycling now for just over a year and I'm currently upgrading my road bike: a basic btwin 500se.
I need opinions on these 2 bikes please.....

https://www.mcconveycycles.com/bikes-10/race-women/ruby-sport.html
https://www.mcconveycycles.com/bikes-10/race-women/liv-avail-advanced-1.html

I prefer the look of the Specialized, but I like the spec on the Liv .... also disc brakes? Better than rim or not? More or less maintenance/ ease of tube changing/wheel removal/wheel re-loading????

Help !

 

[Kajjal]

I would test ride both to see which you prefer. The giant has better gearing and brakes but the 105 on the Ruby works very well. Choose the bike that feels right and makes you want to ride it.

The disc brakes on the giant are good quality cable disc brakes which are not as good as hydraulic disc brakes but work well. There are no issues removing wheels with disc brakes as long as you put the same wheel back in. If you put a different wheel in a slight adjustment can be needed. Overall disc brakes are more powerful, require less effort and have better modulation / feel. They are also not affected by the wet.

 

[wheely woman]

Thanks Kajjal, I have no experience of disc brakes myself - the thing that attracts me is that I don't have a lot of strength in my hands to pull on the brake levers - was thinking disc may be the way to go for me.

 

[jefmcg]

Thanks Kajjal, I have no experience of disc brakes myself - the thing that attracts me is that I don't have a lot of strength in my hands to pull on the brake levers - was thinking disc may be the way to go for me.

Test rides!

 

[velovoice]

Test rides! Bikes can't be chosen "on paper".
Have fun!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Well, on looks alone the Giant wins hands down for me. The Giant looks thoroughly modern and downright gorgeous and the Spesh looks like a plain old frump.

Disc's are the way to go. Rim brakes will be dead as a dodo on new bikes* within a few years - same thing happened with MTB's yonks back. Work much better in the wet too.

* And they'll all have thru axles too.

 

[srw]

Well, on looks alone the Giant wins hands down for me. The Giant looks thoroughly modern and downright gorgeous and the Spesh looks like a plain old frump.

Disc's are the way to go. Rim brakes will be dead as a dodo on new bikes* within a few years - same thing happened with MTB's yonks back. Work much better in the wet too.

* And they'll all have thru axles too.

Lookswise that's exactly the opposite to what Mrs W concluded.

And I'm not convinced you're right about discs. Until they're allowed in the pro peleton they will be a niche option on road bikes, and even after that there will be so many bikes still around with rim brakes that they'll last for ages. Discs are also a lot more fiddly to inspect and change pads on, and are less forgiving of misadjustment (in my relatively limited experience). There are also still 1001 different disc standards. Maybe when a standard emerges?

 

[vickster]

Apparently you can't fit cross lever brakes with discs which might offer a solution for the OP

Neither bike does it for me aesthetically. However, the OP should get some test rides and make a decision from there. She may also find braking easier from the slimmer 105/Ultegra hoods as compared to the rather chunky Claris/Sora on the triban

 

[wheely woman]

So many opinions!

 

[srw]

So many opinions!

One which counts...

Test rides!

 

[vickster]

So many opinions!

Which is why you need to try the bikes out and decide for yourself...go with the one that makes you smile most it is likely neither bike will be bad, but one will be right

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Lookswise that's exactly the opposite to what Mrs W concluded.

And I'm not convinced you're right about discs. Until they're allowed in the pro peleton they will be a niche option on road bikes, and even after that there will be so many bikes still around with rim brakes that they'll last for ages. Discs are also a lot more fiddly to inspect and change pads on, and are less forgiving of misadjustment (in my relatively limited experience). There are also still 1001 different disc standards. Maybe when a standard emerges?

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...n-light-to-disc-brakes-for-2016-season-201949

Hardly a niche option - loads in the stores. Have a filter for road bikes with disc brakes on eg Evans.

Of course there will still be loads of rim brake bikes around but in the shops in a few years time I'd bet there won't be many available new.

Discs are super simple to set up and they need very little maintenance - based on a good number of years of me using them on MTB'

What are all these different disc standards you mention?

Some elements in the road world seem to forget that discs are pretty much old hat and the technology is well proven. Even the road bike orientated offerings have been rapidly honed eg flat mount is here and thru axles are appearing.

 

[Kajjal]

As long as you buy good quality disc brakes they require minimal maintenance once worn in. On my mountain bike i service them each spring ready for the season ahead which takes no time at all. On my road bike after a few rides i adjusted the discs a little to stop rub and improve performance, they have been fine every since. My wife refuses to buy a bike now without good disc brakes but choose what you prefer.

 

[Sundie]

Hi All,
Just joined, I've been road cycling now for just over a year and I'm currently upgrading my road bike: a basic btwin 500se.
I need opinions on these 2 bikes please.....

https://www.mcconveycycles.com/bikes-10/race-women/ruby-sport.html
https://www.mcconveycycles.com/bikes-10/race-women/liv-avail-advanced-1.html

I prefer the look of the Specialized, but I like the spec on the Liv .... also disc brakes? Better than rim or not? More or less maintenance/ ease of tube changing/wheel removal/wheel re-loading????

Help !

Hi - Just wondering which bike you wound up getting and if you were happy with it. Thanks! Geri S

 

[alecstilleyedye]

Apparently you can't fit cross lever brakes with discs which might offer a solution for the OP

Neither bike does it for me aesthetically. However, the OP should get some test rides and make a decision from there. She may also find braking easier from the slimmer 105/Ultegra hoods as compared to the rather chunky Claris/Sora on the triban

you can have cross levers with disc brakes. i have them on my boardman cx comp and they're perfect for the commute...