Need advice buying a bike, stuck between models :)

Ethnod

Hi guys,

So I could really use some help. Over the last couple of months I have been surfing the web, talking to friends, posting on boards (this one included) and talking to people shops about which bike is the right one for me. I have narrowed the options down to 2 bikes that I feel will work for me but I am now stuck and could really use some help.

The bikes are:
- Giant Defy 2

- Trek 1.2


I could really use some advice about which of these would be best for commuting/touring/fitness, which one would be more reliable and which one would be better value for money?
Any help, thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

anto164

I'd recommend you to go to a shop and have a sit on them, and have a ride if possible.

They'll both be specced similarly, and will be just as good as each other for fitness etc. As for reliability, it depends on how you ride, where you ride, and how much and how often you maintain the bike.

Ethnod

Sorry sorry guys, For giant I meant the Giant Defy 2. It was 3am here, I was tired

Ethnod

anto164 wrote:

I'd recommend you to go to a shop and have a sit on them, and have a ride if possible.

They'll both be specced similarly, and will be just as good as each other for fitness etc. As for reliability, it depends on how you ride, where you ride, and how much and how often you maintain the bike.

Sorry about that, thanks for the feedback and I hope you are willing to give me more feed back now that I am making sense

ALaPlage

anto164 wrote:

I'd recommend you to go to a shop and have a sit on them, and have a ride if possible.

They'll both be specced similarly, and will be just as good as each other for fitness etc. As for reliability, it depends on how you ride, where you ride, and how much and how often you maintain the bike.

+1 to this. Everyones different and trying the bike is the best advice to see which feels best. If they are a similar price point then you will likely find they are similarly specced and there will be no difference. Groupset wise I guess you are looking at Shimano Sora on both bikes - if you can stretch to Tiagra then that is a little easier for gear changing on the drops - 105 will give you 20 or 30 gears (dependant on triple, compact or double crankset) whereas Sora and Tiagra are 18 or 27 speed due to having a 9 speed cassette on the rear.

I started on a Boardman and then went to a Trek. For me the Trek is a great bike and I love it.

I think both these bikes will be a great start for you but only you can decide which you like best by getting a little test ride on them.

Whatever you decide do it quick and get out there and enjoy the open road.

wombar

ALaPlage is spot on, realistically it's not that important which bike you choose, as long as it's comfortable/fits you. Most bikes have the same kind of spec in a certain price bracket, so if they've both got Sora/Tiagra, they're going to be VERY similar. So similar in fact, it'll probably come down to which colour you like the best.

It's actually very difficult to buy a bad bike these days, so don't get too hung up on details. Personally I'd say get yourself down the bike shop with your credit card in hand and buy a bike.