2014 Trek Domane 2.3 or Giant Defy 1

sja88

Hi,

Apologies for another which bike to buy thread, but I would really appreciate your opinions as a road bike novice.

I am primarily a mountain bike cyclist, but would like to get into road cycling to commute to work a few days a week (12 miles each way) and for weekend rides.

I am looking therefore for a comfortable (i have a bad back), beginner friendly, road biased bike, which is quick enough to make the commute as swift as possible and which can be ridden on all types of tarmac surface (my commute covers 5 miles of single track country roads with the expected potholes and cracks, 5 miles of B roads and 2 miles of A road).

Having been to my local bike shops the Giant Defy 1 and Trek Domane 2.3 (2014 model) are the two that are standing out for me at the moment, but as I am not already a road cyclist, I am struggling with knowing which feels the better of the two...

I note that the 2014 Domane 2.3 sounds like it is getting some favourable reviews:

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-trek-domane-2-3-14-48004/

Your help would be really greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Simon

keef66

Of those two I'd say go for the Domane. I have a colleague who has the 2013 Domane and reckons the 'isospeed decoupler' really does work.

markhewitt1978

If you want comfort the Domane is nearly always the winner.

Mr Dog

Both bikes are made by Giant so you can't go wrong ;-)

markhewitt1978

Mr Dog wrote:

Both bikes are made by Giant so you can't go wrong ;-)

They are? I know they all come from Taiwan anyway.

ilovegrace

Not a stand out review here http://road.cc/content/review/85900-trek-domane-23 it would be the Giant for me.
ILG

rafletcher

ilovegrace wrote:

Not a stand out review here http://road.cc/content/review/85900-trek-domane-23 it would be the Giant for me.
ILG

That's because it an alu framed Damane, so there's less compliance than with the carbon framed ones. Better to go for the 4.3 - though maybe too late to get a discounted 2013 version now, which would have been around the same price as a 2014 2.3. Consider used?

sja88

I think that review is for the 2013 model as opposed to the new 2014 model which i think has shed some weight....

kajjal

Coming from mountain biking the Domane would be a closer fit. Unless you want a stretched out heads down racing position.

t4tomo

Giant Defy, whilst a nice bike with relaxed-ish geometry, isn't in the same comfort stakes as the Domane, so if you have a dodgy back go for the Domane.

markhewitt1978

Or for even more comfort the carbon framed Domane 4.0 - IIRC it's a couple of hundred quid more and you take a hit on the groupset quality, but worth it for the frame.

sja88

Thanks for all the responses so far - really appreciated.

Looks like the Domane is front runner at the moment....anyone know how much I should be able to get a 2014 2.3 for on the cycle scheme, i am not getting quotes any less than £1200

My main other concern is the quality of the roads I will be on - i am told that a road bike will be fine on single track country roads, with the usual pot holes and cracks, as long as I am reasonably careful. If however anyone has any other views or bike suggestions on what is the right bike for the job, in the price range, then it would be really useful.

markhewitt1978

Yeah the Domane will cope well with that sort of road, having 25mm tyres and the shock absorption system. Remember that the Domane was designed to cope with racing on cobbles.

sja88

Thanks so much for the advice.

Having tried them both, I have my heart set on the Domane 2.3, but now I have a further dilemma, a shop not to far away have a 2013 model on offer at £1k, does anyone know the real difference between the 2013 and 2014 models, and is the 2014 model worth the extra money?

Thanks again,

Simon

w00dster

Hi Simon,
I have a Domane 2.0 as my winter ride. It is without doubt a comfortable ride, well, comfortable in terms of road bikes. Like you I came from a MTB background and also have a dodgy back, hence my first serious road bike being a Domane.
I can't help with the difference between the 2013 model and 2014 model unfortunately. But reading one of the earlier links this is mentioned, "While the switch from a two-piece welded seat tube to a single hydroformed section might not seem earth-shattering, the 2014 frame is 80g lighter than 2013's. That's impressive because of the unique 'Decoupler' mechanism hidden under the top tube/seat tube junction's neat rubber grommet. "
The alu frame in my opinion is very good and the isospeed decoupler on pot holed roads works a treat. I have a few bikes now (2 carbon and 1 alu), I personally find the road buzz to be less on the alu domane than on one of the carbon bikes. Buzz is still noticeable, the isospeed decoupler is not like a miracle cure, but it lessens it. That being said, I also personally find that the ride is a bit flat. Its not a lively bike, in fact I would class it as a very solid dependable bike. And as long as that is what you are after then the alu frame domane does the job extremely well.
Without wanting to come across as being flippant, I would stump up the extra £200 and get the 2014 model. But then again I am a bit of a weight weenie!! Trek have had another year to improve the isospeed decoupler, as this is a big selling point for them I would expect to see at least marginal improvements this year.
Any chance you can test ride them both?

markhewitt1978

sja88 wrote:

Thanks so much for the advice.

Having tried them both, I have my heart set on the Domane 2.3, but now I have a further dilemma, a shop not to far away have a 2013 model on offer at £1k, does anyone know the real difference between the 2013 and 2014 models, and is the 2014 model worth the extra money?

Thanks again,

Simon

I believe there was quite a change with the 2 series Domane's between 2013 and 2014 with the seat post elastomer thingy, making it similar to the carbon models.

sja88

Ok so looks like if is the Domane then it is worth going for the 2014 model.

A friend of mine who is a keen cyclist, both touring and road racing, is recommending that I go with a Dawes Galaxy for the type of use the bike will get, my criteria are listed below. As has been suggested to me, should i in fact be going for a more touring than road bike do you think?

- able to take mudguards
- comfortable enough for commuting c. 12 miles each way a couple of times a week - i have a bad back (slipped disc) so this is also a comfort consideration.
- suitable for longer weekend day trips
- quick enough to make the commute bearable
- £1200 or less
- fine on all road types - it will always be used on a mixture of single track pot holed country roads, B roads and A roads (i already have a mountain bike so not interested in any off road ability).


Thanks again!!

markhewitt1978

I'm not sure what the Dawes does in that regard but the Domane would be ideally suited for all of that too.

keef66

If you want it to take full mudguards with clearance for 25mm tyres have you considered a Genesis Equilibrium?

sja88

So taken the plunge and ordered a 2014 Domane 2.3....... hopefuly it is the right choice

Many thanks for all the advice,

Si