Which will be better all rounder.

[MikeW-71]

The new giants that I was looking are carbon, according to giant they are worlds apart to ride, I ride in groups at fast paces and do sportives ,

The first road bike I bought was an alloy Defy. A year later I bought a carbon Defy because I was loving cycling so much.

The carbon bike does ride better, more responsive, stiffer, but without losing any comfort, and nearly 2kg lighter. Giant have a point there. But if you get a lot of road buzz, you might simply have the tyres a bit too hard, particularly the front.

There's nothing wrong with an alloy Defy, and switching to a carbon one will not gain you 2mph or something, the speed difference is small at a non-racing level.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Provided its not an absolute anvil then its ridiculous to worry about a bikes weight until you've shed every superfluous ounce yourself.

The bikes you cite are all well regarded machines. Go ride them, buy the one you like best. After all, you wouldn't spend 1.6 large on a car without driving it first, or a TV without watch on it.

In fact most people do buy a telly without actually watching it. You pop into eg Currys and you're watching example sets in their full HD and you don't usually spend half an hour checking out the effectiveness of the remote, system config, what the display is like at the distance you'll be watching it from with a normal signal etc. BB

 

[fossyant]

You are the engine, not the bike, remember that. You are best getting another bike that will do something different, e.g. an MTB.