Giant Defy Advanced 2

thev01d
thev01d Posts: 3
edited March 2015 in Workshop
Hi, I searched the forum and was not able to find any answers two a couple of questions I have.

1) Where can I download a service manual for this bike?
2) when working on it how is it best to clamp in a work stand? I have googled and people say to clamp only by the seat post and possibly to buy a metal one to use when working on the bike; the bike comes with a D-Fuse seat post I cannot find a metal version of the same let alone even a replacement carbon one.

Thanks guys

Comments

  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Best bet with that kind of frame / seatpost is to get one of the workstands that supports the bike using the fork dropouts and the BB shell
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    Is it a 2014 model and did you buy it second hand? There are no downloadable manuals on the Giant website, I don't think they supply model specific owners manual, just the general one that is supplied with the bike when new.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I've never had a meaningful / useful service manual with a bike. If you get anything it's a generic document full of generic safety advice and warning of impending death if you do any maintenance / adjustment yourself.

    TBH there's not much in the way of routine servicing required on a modern bike beyond cleaning and lubing the drivetrain, cleaning rims and keeping an eye on tyre and brake block wear and cable tension. Bearings in the headset, BB and hubs are increasingly cartridge types which you run till they fail then replace.

    I'm part way through tarting up my summer bike in anticipation of some warm, dry weather to come. More for the love of tinkering than out of necessity.
    I've stripped and cleaned the Shimano cup & cone hubs, reassembled with new bearings / grease, and carefully adjusted them. Also took the opportunity to pick the seal out of the back of the freehub and drizzle some oil in there. Fitted new 25mm Pro 4 SC tyres. BB and the headset bearings still felt super smooth so left alone for another year. Shiny new chain, cassette and one chainring. Replaced the knackered LH shifter with an Ebay bargain. Lubed and recycled all the cables since they seemed to be in decent nick. Still need to retape the bars. Both mechs came off for a deep clean. Jockey wheels felt quite stiff, then when lubricated span more freely but both with a lot of sideways sloppiness. Since the thing's nearly 8 years old and the jockey wheel bolts have rounded I think I'll be spending another £25 on a new 105 rear mech.

    Should feel like a new bike!
  • indyjones
    indyjones Posts: 114
    I have got the 2013 Giant Defy advanced 1. So I have the aero seatpost rather than the newer D shape one. Personally I always clamp on the seat post.
    The way i look at it (and is often put forward) is that the seat posts are designed for clamping forces where as the top tube is not. Carbon fibre is isotropic so the strength is in the direction of the fibres (and it is mostly in the direction alon the top tube).

    That being said.. ..I am not sure how the clamp works of the D shaped seat post. If it is still an compression clamp then the above is fine, otherwise what keef66 said is the safer bet.

    Also I did not get anything useful service manual life with the bike. For most things youtube is your friend ;)
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    indyjones wrote:
    I have got the 2013 Giant Defy advanced 1. So I have the aero seatpost rather than the newer D shape one. Personally I always clamp on the seat post.
    The way i look at it (and is often put forward) is that the seat posts are designed for clamping forces where as the top tube is not. Carbon fibre is isotropic so the strength is in the direction of the fibres (and it is mostly in the direction alon the top tube).

    That being said.. ..I am not sure how the clamp works of the D shaped seat post. If it is still an compression clamp then the above is fine, otherwise what keef66 said is the safer bet.

    Also I did not get anything useful service manual life with the bike. For most things youtube is your friend ;)

    Yep, the top tube on my CR1-SL I can see it flatten slightly if I squeeze it top to bottom with just finger pressure. Definitely not clamping that!

    Yes, forgot to say, all my guidance comes from the Park Tool website, Sheldon Brown's pages, or as you say, YouTube. Shimano tech docs also handy for exploded diagrams of components / part numbers.
  • thev01d
    thev01d Posts: 3
    Thanks for the responses, very helpful.
    Seat post it is :)
    I shall run off and have a look at you tube now

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