Giant defy 1 vs Planet X ProCarbon Shimano Ultegra Road Bike

Smithlar282
Smithlar282 Posts: 7
edited August 2013 in Road buying advice
Im looking to purchase a road bike with a price range of £1000 (no more) and have diluted my search down to a few bikes, two of which (Giant defy 1 and Planet X Pro Carbon Shimano Ultegra Road Bike) im struggling with. The defy has been rated as one of the best (if not THE best) bike for a grand but it has an aluminium frame, whilst the planet X is carbon and is a good half a kilo lighter - moreover, the planet X has shimano ultegra gears and the defy only has 105s - yet bike radar-I think-rated the defy as a better bike - sorry for the essay btw its just i dont want to spend a grand on the wrong bike - which one do you think i should go for?

Comments

  • rickeverett
    rickeverett Posts: 988
    Planet X is the better buy. Also don't always take those mag reviews 100% fir granted because they can be bias toward big names and logos. The types who think just because it has no big name printed on it its crap.. When in fact most of it is made in the same factories!
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Both get about the same rating on BRadar. Pro Carbon is the one for me because a lot of people buy alu then wish they had got carbon. I ride a Pro Carbon so obviously biased :) it is excellent vfm, very responsive and easily upgraded if you want to. The frame uses the same T700 carbon that bigger brands use and is in no way inferior as some may have you believe. I ride with someone who is quite a big fellah and he is more than happy with it. IMO you won't get better vfm.
  • night_porter
    night_porter Posts: 888
    I have a Giant Defy 1 and a Planet X Pro Carbon and they are both very good to ride. The thing that separates them is what I use them for.

    The Px is lighter and my weekend ride whereas the Giant has mudguards and a rack on it and is my daily commuter, if I didn't need to commute then I would choose the Px but if it was my only bike and I commuted then the Giant would be my preference.

    Incidentally my Giant has Tiagra and the Px has Sram Red but as they both work fine it makes no difference because they both change gear when I press the lever, end of!

    As I said before both of them ride very nice and are excellent bikes for the money.
  • Cupras
    Cupras Posts: 145
    I rode around 10 bikes before purchasing my first road bike (2014 defy) and I couldn't be happier.

    As soon as I rode the defy as I walked back into the shop rolling it in front of me I said yes please and got the bike.

    Ok its frame is aluminium and its not full 105 but its comfortable and that means I will ride it more.
    Honestly unless you ride the bike you wont know what to buy. It's no good just going for the lighter bike or the best spec unless you already know exactly what geometry suits you.

    Go out to any LBS worth going in and test ride some bikes then that will help you find out what you want.

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