Hi all, considering a Giant

Lambretta_Special

Hi, been lurking a while and decided to join.
I have a british eagle mountain bike I have owned for about 15 years as well as an old Raleigh pursuit.
I haven't been biking for the last 2 ish years (haven't rode the pursuit for many years)

recently I bought new tyres ( continental double fighter 11 ) for the mtb and from aldi a pair of shoes, light weatherproof jacket and a saddle tool bag among other bits.

been out a couple of times on the local cycle path and the tyres are much better than the old knobblies and coupled with pedal clips made for a better ride.

I really enjoyed being out on a bike again and more so with the tyres etc.
my sole aim is to get out and enjoy a ride whilst getting fit.

I was looking at getting a new road bike and considered the Carrera zelos.
at £270 it seemed a decent bike for my needs and a fair price but, I have been to my local bike shop and am now considering a Giant defy 5, seems to get a lot of praise for an entry level bike but at £450 is slightly dearer.

What do you think ?

dj58

If you can stretch your budget have a look at the Defy 4, it has a carbon fork and will dampen more of the road vibrations through the handle bars, that's not to say that the Defy 5 will be bad. There are quite a few bods on here who find the Defy a comfortable ride, including myself.

Lambretta_Special

Thanks DF ,
the bike shop owner did mention the 4 and the advantage of carbon forks.
is there a big difference ? maybe they should start to fit shaped forks again like the old bikes lol

I cant remember the price difference between the two, £100 to £130 I think,
is there any other differences ?

I don't want to go too mad on price just in case I cant get on with the drop bars/arse up position any more due to my advancing years hahaha.

dork_knight

Just noticed the following pop up in my news feed... just to throw something else in the mix;
http://road.cc/content/review/116333-bt ... -road-bike

dj58

The Defy geometry is an endurance type, longer head tube/higher handle bar position, though adjustable by repositioning the stem and changing the position of the stem spacers, so not really a ars* up head down position unless you slam, (put the stem in it's lower setting on the steerer tube), the stem.

Have a look at the Giant website, shows the detailed differences between all the Defy model range from 0 to 5.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... ifications

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... ifications

Lambretta_Special

Thanks dark Knight. The bearing collapsing on that one has put me off . Giant seem to be well built long lasting.
also the nearest decathlon is quite a way for me and tbh I would prefer to support my local shop.

thanks again dj. Looks like its the carbon forks and frame colour is the only difference between 4 and 5.
Blue or white for the 4 and only council grey for the 5 lol

10% off so an extra £90 ( £540 ) hmmm its creeping up from £270

If the carbon forks make a big difference in comfort through the handlebars then I am steering towards the 4
( excuse the pun )

Schoie81

Lambretta - got myself a Defy 5 last year and I love it. Never even been on a road bike before last summer and now I've done 1500 miles on it so far. I've had no problems with it all, don't have to do much 'tinkering' to get it running like a dream so I'd recommend it. I couldn't stretch my budget to the 4 (I convinced the missus a road bike was a good idea by saying it'd cost around £300, so the Defy 5 was £200 over budget!!), but the only thing I wish was different on mine is the thumb shifters on the gears - don't know if you'll lose these by going for the spec on the Defy 4 but in my opinion its worth it if you do.

I did some reading around and quite a lot of reviews mentioned how good Giant's frames are, which was one of my reasons for picking the Defy. I've had a Giant MTB for 3 years which I've done 2,500 miles on and other than a new chain, haven't had any problems with that either.

markhewitt1978

Definitely go for the carbon fork if you can run to it. A bit like the way a MTB has suspension the carbon fork allows a bit more flex smoothing out the vibrations in the road surface without affecting your speed.

Lambretta_Special

Talking to a bloke in work tonight who's been riding many of his 60 years and he had a defy 3 .
He said it was the only bike he had owned which caused tingling in his fingers after a long ride
He fitted gel tape or something under the bar tape but still suffered.
Otherwise he said it was a fantastic bike and he has owned some .

Ok I know its just one bloke etc .
I'll have a think . Not in a rush at the moment.
I might ask to try the two to see if the carbon make much difference to me.
Thanks for the input all

dj58

Ask the old Timer at work what size tyres he was using and at what pressure he was running them. His Defy 3 will have had a carbon fork, so if he had gel wrapped/taped the bars and he was still suffering road buzz, it could have been due to his tyre/pressure combo.

I would not let that put you off the bike, is you bike shop going to let you test ride the bikes?

I use a 25mm wide tyre and latex tubes and run them at an appropriate pressure for my weight that gives me a degree of comfort/control/speed. I've not experienced any discomfort through the hands/fingers on long rides.

Lambretta_Special

Thanks dj.
No it hasn't put me off the defy per se.
im just wondering if a 4 rather than a 5 would be worth the extra due to the amount of miles etc that i would do.
Lets say - two 15 mile rides a week. Ok I realise there is a possibility this may increase.

theres also a possibility of less due to my work pattern and I'm currently nursing a recurring shoulder injury.


the forks/handle bar buzz is of interest to me though as I have Dupuytren's contracture



Interestingly you mention tyre pressure etc. The "old timer" as you so eloquently put it (lol)
mentioned that although giant advertise the bike as being mudguard compatible, he bought giant mudguards from the same dealer as the bike, they wouldn't fit and as he got no joy from the dealer he complained to Giant.
Giant apparently instructed the dealer to sort it out and when the bike was returned the tyres had been changed from 25's to 23's .
im sure he said he was getting finger buzz before this but will check

dj58

Lambretta,

Tricky one as to which is the best model to go for in relation to your medical condition. The general consensus with an aluminium framed bike is to go with the carbon fork if you can afford to. Your work colleague may just have been unfortunate in that he suffered from road buzz with his Defy, presumably that's why he got rid of it?

Now to the mudguards, the Defy specific one are listed as for use with 23 & 25mm tyres, I asked this question at the shop I purchased my bike from. I have a set of the Giant mudguards, they are not the full type, due to the lack of clearance under the fork crown/brake caliper and rear brake caliper, they have a cut out section where the mounting bracket fits.

I've not fitted mine, because I decided not use the bike over the winter, have another bike with full mudguards I can use. I will fit them soon though just to satisfy my curiosity. There are a few posts on BR about these prematurely failing at the rear guard top mounting bracket. Looking at them I think they are a compromise and a bit of an after thought on Giants part IMO. though better than nothing if you ride all year round.

And there's the rub, If it's you only bike and you are going to be using it in all weathers, you may want to look at another make/model that will take full mudguards 25-28mm tyres?

Have a read through this thread as the OP asked the same question re. the Defy mudguards, and ended up going for a different bike.

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12969907

Lambretta_Special

Thanks again dj,
No its not my only bike. I am currently using my mtb with road tyres and have a Raleigh pursuit in need of new tyres.
I mentioned the mudguards as his tyres were changed to 23's . I think it was a 3.5 defy not a 3 .
anyway from what you have said i think its probable he has suffered through the narrower tyres and over pressure.
I will speak to him again.

I won't be fitting guards, my plan is to fit them to my mtb to use in inclement weather.
I have just noticed a defy 2 , 2011 model with little use sell locally on ebay for £425 so thats another route a will consider.

Talking of mudgaurds theres a defy 3 currently on ebay fitted with full guards and a back rack

dj58

Lambretta,

If you are not fitting mudguards, then I'd say "happy days" and you could possibly fit 28mm tyres, I'm sure I've read on here someone uses 28mm Conti tyres on their Defy. Also that Michelin Pro 4 25mm tyres come up nearer to 28mm, so both good for comfort. If you can find a good second hand bike locally then you may get a better spec for your money and the carbon fork.

Lambretta_Special

Good call thanks again dj
Called at the shop today to have a look. Can get the 4 for £540 and m324 pedals for another £30.
So I'm going to leave it a few weeks maybe 2 month .
In the mean time i will keep my eyes peeled for a decent 2 or 3 , 2nd hand .
if I buy new I will probably leave the flat pedals/straps on
then make my mind up over m324, m530 or m520 pedals with brackets

meagain

FWIW, I reckon that carbon forks do make sufficient difference to justify the price hike.

Also, if you live in a heavily populated area (more for sale and able to view) and have some confidence in knowing what you want, then second hand is THE way to go. The first buyer loses 20% as they wheel it out of the shop/take it from the box - you can spend that margin on the next model up! Ebay obviously - but don't rule out gumtree, just be cautious. And of course Classifieds on here.

I've had 5 or 6 Giants, mtbs and tarmac, and always considered them top vfm.

Good luck.

Lambretta_Special

Thanks meagain. Dj, schoie and markhewitt . ( had a mate with that name in school ) , had convinced me for the carbon forks and you have confirmed it
Been in pain with my shoulder for the last week which is double worse as ive been itching to get out for a ride
Starting physio again in a week but hopefully it eases off before then.

I will post up what I get when I do. ( giant 4 , 3 , or 2 )

thanks for the advice all

Ringpeace

Lambretta_Special wrote:

Hi, been lurking a while and decided to join.
I have a british eagle mountain bike I have owned for about 15 years as well as an old Raleigh pursuit.
I haven't been biking for the last 2 ish years (haven't rode the pursuit for many years)

recently I bought new tyres ( continental double fighter 11 ) for the mtb and from aldi a pair of shoes, light weatherproof jacket and a saddle tool bag among other bits.

been out a couple of times on the local cycle path and the tyres are much better than the old knobblies and coupled with pedal clips made for a better ride.

I really enjoyed being out on a bike again and more so with the tyres etc.
my sole aim is to get out and enjoy a ride whilst getting fit.

I was looking at getting a new road bike and considered the Carrera zelos.
at £270 it seemed a decent bike for my needs and a fair price but, I have been to my local bike shop and am now considering a Giant defy 5, seems to get a lot of praise for an entry level bike but at £450 is slightly dearer.

What do you think ?

Just stick with the BE and stop making your posts so long?

Just a suggestion.....zZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz...............

Lambretta_Special

Ringpeace wrote:

Just stick with the BE and stop making your posts so long?

Just a suggestion.....zZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz...............

Thanks for the advice
Dont read my posts in future.
Theres some for you

Schoie81

Lambretta - going back to the 'finger buzz' - I have to say that I do get this, but I'm not convinced its the fault of the Defy, but rather a fault with me! It's not long rides that causes it for me, but any ride that makes me tired, so I also suffer on shorter rides with lots of climbing, and particularly right after a tough climb. For that reason I believe this is caused by one of two things (or maybe a combination of both) a) me gripping the bars too tightly, and b) when I get tired, putting too much of my bodyweight through my arms onto the bars. I know I grip too tightly most of the time, its something I'm working on solving!!

riccardoej

I purchased my first Road bike 2 weeks ago, after a lot of consideration went for the Defy 4. Very happy with it.
Everyone I spoke with said to leave the Defy 5 and go for the 4.

markhewitt1978

Lambretta_Special wrote:

markhewitt . ( had a mate with that name in school )

If you went to school in Gateshead it might be me

Lambretta_Special

No mark but spent a lot of time in S/Shields

Anyway thanks for all the replies. I haven't been able to log in on my phone so I dug the laptop out, (must be this beta)
still looking for a defy, no rush, my back/shoulder is better for now so hope to get back out riding after my holiday.

looking at 2nd hand I have decided to widen my search to other models including triban as was suggested and boardman.

because of my back I need something endurance as dj58 said "not ar$e up
ideally my shoulders need to be dropped and back rather than outstretched.

cookeeemonster

Lambretta_Special wrote:

Ringpeace wrote:

Just stick with the BE and stop making your posts so long?

Just a suggestion.....zZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz...............

Thanks for the advice
Dont read my posts in future.
Theres some for you

Not everyones a complete d*ck on here...just some

Had a couple of lammy specials in my time too...plus some Vespas...believe me, bicycles are better at keeping the weight off in your advancing years (and the giants are pretty well regarded if you didn't already know...I of course, opted for a more expensive but less value for money italian bike )

Lambretta_Special

hi cookee ive got a GP and a t5 vespa too lol .
i'm still reading replies on my phone but have to log in on my pc hence the delay
I read this thread
viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=12976014
and I am seriously considering the felt z100 at £411 . I know its Claris rather than sora on the f95 but I want a endurance bike and I think I will set my budget at 400 and stick to it, (ok 411 lol.)
im not going to get hung up on mechs and sora v 105 etc etc, but the felt z100 has carbon fork as suggested and endurance.
if I buy a decent bike for 400 and it gets plenty of use I don't mind going out next year and spending a grand on one

still looking on ebay for a 2nd hand bargain and have my mtb to drag round for now,
maybe I will get a good deal in the autumn sales and spend £600 then

thanks

Lambretta_Special

ok the sales have started but I am hesitant on the giant sizes , M or M/L ???

I know its been done to death zzzz but the M is all that's left in stock,
I am about 5'9" to 5'10" and about 31" 32" inside leg, finger tip to finger tip about 6'1"

a bit vague I know lol but will a M be ok ??

sorry to drag an already flogged to death question up,

romastino

Lambretta_Special wrote:

ok the sales have started but I am hesitant on the giant sizes , M or M/L ???

I know its been done to death zzzz but the M is all that's left in stock,
I am about 5'9" to 5'10" and about 31" 32" inside leg, finger tip to finger tip about 6'1"

a bit vague I know lol but will a M be ok ??

sorry to drag an already flogged to death question up,

Hi mate

I got a defy in m/l and i'm 5ft 11 , and it's perfect for me as i set it up out the box.
The lad in tredz recommended the medium but the m/l just felt right, mine has been back in twice in 13 days 1st to get a service on saturday gone as gears were slipping and chain was coming off, and when i took it for a spin yesterday a small part on the brakes snapped (metal fatigue or over torqued ) anyway its back with them and i think there going to swap it for a 3 for me it was a 5 as it's the same price now, quite scary if you got no front brake.

dj58

Hi Lambretta,

You may well be O.K. with a Medium frame Defy, if you thought it was to cramped you could fit a longer stem, the medium Defy has a 100mm long stem. It depends on your reach really and how high you want your handle bars to be. One thing to bear in mind is if you do decide to fit a longer stem you may need to lengthen the control cables as well, depends on how much slack there is in the O.E. set up.

Have a look at these two links to the Giant website, explains the geometry for the Defy range.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/tec ... design/57/

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... /#geometry

The two measurements you are interested in are Top Tube and Head Tube length, it is a pity that they don't include the stem length in the geometry table as you could then work out the reach to the bars.

Also have a read of this thread. viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12975686

Just a thought, can't you go back to your LBS and sit on one and try for size, assuming they have one in stock?

bobmcstuff

I am 5'8" and a little bit with ~31" inseam and ride a Medium framed Defy 2 which fits me very well, I would think you should get on OK with it (and as mentioned you can always change out the stem). I think you might be bordering on needing an M/L though IMHO, if you're closer to 5'10", I think it would be better if you could try one for size.

Lambretta_Special

DJ58 wrote:

The Defy geometry is an endurance type, longer head tube/higher handle bar position, though adjustable by repositioning the stem and changing the position of the stem spacers, so not really a ars* up head down position unless you slam, (put the stem in it's lower setting on the steerer tube), the stem.

Have a look at the Giant website, shows the detailed differences between all the Defy model range from 0 to 5.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... ifications

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... ifications

Thanks to everyone who replied especially you DJ58. I have learned a lot especially your advice on endurance relaxed geometry which I knew nothing about till you mentioned it , and carbon forks etc,
I found cycle surgery have a sale on atm and a shop 9 miles away so I popped and tried them for size, no medium but he said the M/L was fine for me and I might be cramped on a M,
so I put a deposit on a Defy 2 at £639

just over my maximum budget but I got 9 month 0% finance to take the sting away lol
and I couldn't resist the tiagra

dj58

Lambretta,

You're welcome, that's a good saving on the Defy 2, enjoy your new bike when you eventually get it