Merida Ride Alloy 94 or Defy Composite 3

RyC
RyC Posts: 25
edited June 2014 in Road buying advice
Hi All

Would really appreciate some advise, Looking at these 2 Bikes as my first Road Bike through my Employers Cycle to Work Scheme, We are Limited to Using Cycle Solutions hence the limited choice.
Cant Really find any reviews and my dont want to be bothering my local Bike shops going in for test rides etc with no intention of making a purchase, as i use them for work on my MTB. I know its not the best idea, but i already know my size.
the Two i am looking at are the.
Merida Ride Alloy 94 Team
http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p64953/Merida ... -Bike.aspx
Giant Defy Composite 3
http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p66379/Giant- ... -Bike.aspx

So would really appreciate any opinions and even better if anyboby as any personal experience

Thanks

Comments

  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    I've just ordered a defy comp 3. Been riding a defy 1 for a while, upgraded from a 4. As much as I love the aluminium defy, there's always been a nagging thought that I should have just gone for carbon. Probably won't make a whole lot of difference to anything but I feel happy about picking it up in a couple of weeks. If you have the cash, go for the one you think you'll be happy with and if the Merida is it, forget about composite. They'll both be excellent bikes anyway!
  • RyC
    RyC Posts: 25
    Thanks, the price isn't a problem at there's only £100 in it, merida was my first pick as I could get some other bits, helmet saddle bag etc but wondering if the defy is a frame worth upgrading over time or have
    The merida for a few years and have a complete new bike when everything is 11 speed if not electric!
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    For me the frame is worth upgrading. It'll be changed to 105 pretty much throughout after the 6 week service and when that wears out 11speed ultegra should be cheaper so that's the next step up. But YMMV!
  • RyC
    RyC Posts: 25
    Thats what i was thinking of doing, as i hate the look of tiagra shifters. Just a Shame they have none of the Lime ones in stock as that one looks damn nice!
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    Well, like I say, get the Merida and you might be incredibly content and never regret the decision. Or you might suffer from the same issue as me and, while you love the aluminium bike, there will always be that niggly doubt about whether you should have gone carbon :)
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    johngti,

    As you will be in the ideal position to do so, will you be posting an appraisal of the differences in ride quality between the Defy Aluxx SL and Defy Composite bikes?
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    DJ58 wrote:
    johngti,

    As you will be in the ideal position to do so, will you be posting an appraisal of the differences in ride quality between the Defy Aluxx SL and Defy Composite bikes?

    More than happy to! It won't be for a few weeks yet mind (and I'm getting a medium which is what I think I should have had the first time around) - Greenwich council believe in making us wait for our cyclescheme certificates...

    Time to open a book on the outcome maybe.

    1 - much nicer, smoother, better acceleration
    2 - difficult to spot the difference
    3 - worse. Much worse.

    (I'd like to say my money is on 1 but I suspect it'll mostly be 2!)
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    Thanks John, will look forward to reading your views when posted.
  • RyC
    RyC Posts: 25
    Look forward to reading it
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    DJ58 wrote:
    Thanks John, will look forward to reading your views when posted.

    Picked up the new bike last night and had some fun swapping the shifters to 105 (left the Tiagra mechs and chain set for now). All up weight is 9.5kg so probably about 200-300g lighter than the defy 1 - really not much in it!

    First impressions after a 10 mile ride into work are that my first guess was right. Ultimately, it probably made a difference of 0.5-1mph so nothing major. Where it did feel very different was in terms of smoothness and comfort. I should point out that there's a sizing difference too (new one is medium, defy 1 is M/L but against that bear in mind that the defy 1 has an 80mm stem compared to 100mm on the comp 3 so a very similar reach) and the position I found myself riding in could account for the better average speed.

    In terms of ride quality, its a big difference. On smooth tarmac, the difference is slight but on anything a bit rougher the carbon wins hands down. There's a stretch of road up a 2-3% incline on the route which I properly rattle over on the defy 1 (to the point where it makes me slow down its that uncomfortable) but on the comp 3 its significantly smoother and keeping the power down is a lot easier. Not night and day but late dusk and spring morning! The comp 3 just feels more planted (could be down to the size being a better fit for me) and it absolutely does respond more positively to pedal input. I found it a whole lot easier to push harder and increase my speed smoothly. On the defy 1, there's a bit of a hesitation before it responds whereas it feels instant on the comp 3.

    Overall, I'd say that if you're making the choice, you'd love either but carbon just swings it for me. The comp 3 is one hell of a bike for the money and when I get round to swapping over the rest of the parts to a full 105 group set, the weight will be closer to 9kg, not that its especially heavy now!
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    Shouldn't you be working?
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    Tetley10 wrote:
    Shouldn't you be working?

    I am - sixth form students revising for mechanics exam means I can educate the good folk on BR ;)

    Shouldn't YOU be working?
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    Think you should have gone for a TCR. I hear they're well fast ;)
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    More educating than you do normally then ;)
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    Tetley10 wrote:
    Think you should have gone for a TCR. I hear they're well fast ;)

    Yeah but I know a proper git who has one and if I had the same bike I'd have no excuse for being slower than him other than being old and decrepit.
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    Tetley10 wrote:
    More educating than you do normally then ;)

    One of my students has just taught me something about maths - quite impressed!!
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Buy the one that fits. Ride qulaity can be sofrted out with tyre changes and adjusting tyre pressures.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    Buy the one that fits. Ride qulaity can be sofrted out with tyre changes and adjusting tyre pressures.

    I've seen that said on here before and never questioned it but...

    The defy 1 has continental 24mm tyres fitted and I've run them at pressures from around 85psi up to 110 psi (average). The defy composite has the standard giant pr3 tyres fitted at quite a high pressure (not checked yet, will do before a big ride tomorrow) and is still more comfortable over the nastier surfaces than the defy 1. My understanding is that the continental tyres are superior to the giant tyres so it seems to hold the advantage. The sweet spot for pressure in the contis seems to be around 90-95 on the front and 100 at the back (I weigh between 80 and 85kg depending on...stuff).

    So while I accept that you can improve the ride by adjusting tyre pressures etc, having a good frame under you does seem to make a difference. And the defy composite frame certainly seems good to me!
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    johngti wrote:
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    Buy the one that fits. Ride qulaity can be sofrted out with tyre changes and adjusting tyre pressures.

    I've seen that said on here before and never questioned it but...

    The defy 1 has continental 24mm tyres fitted and I've run them at pressures from around 85psi up to 110 psi (average). The defy composite has the standard giant pr3 tyres fitted at quite a high pressure (not checked yet, will do before a big ride tomorrow) and is still more comfortable over the nastier surfaces than the defy 1. My understanding is that the continental tyres are superior to the giant tyres so it seems to hold the advantage. The sweet spot for pressure in the contis seems to be around 90-95 on the front and 100 at the back (I weigh between 80 and 85kg depending on...stuff).

    So while I accept that you can improve the ride by adjusting tyre pressures etc, having a good frame under you does seem to make a difference. And the defy composite frame certainly seems good to me!

    Johngti,

    Interesting read. The Giant PR-3 tyres have a wire bead and a low TPI, so won't be as nice a ride as your conti's, they are 25mm though. What is the difference between the wheels on Defy 1 and Comp 3?
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    In theory they're the same wheels. The Conti 24mm come up a little bigger so not a lot of difference to the pr3
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    One thing that's not the same is the gearing. Previously ran 50-36 with an 11-28 cassette. Now got a 50-34 and 12-30 cassette. Really appreciated the 34/30 gearing on the steep stuff this morning as my legs cramped up! Pleasant change to be able to sit and spin.

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