New bike, Giant Defy 2 disc

cirian75

New ride






Giant Defy 2

just needs some decent tyres now.

Camcycle1974

Sorry but Defy's are just plain ugly and far too common. They are decent bikes but I couldn't own one because of the looks and the fact that everyone and his brother has got one. I had a Defy 0 about 3 years ago but it only lasted 6 months before I got rid of it. The seat stays coming out from half way down the seat tube looks wrong which is why I don't like BMC's either. The only Giant I would contemplate is a TCR. Sorry to rain on your parade, I am sure you will get on fine with it.

tjm160

Nice one Cirian, enjoy!

I certainly enjoy mine :-)

cirian75

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Sorry but Defy's are just plain ugly and far too common. They are decent bikes but I couldn't own one because of the looks and the fact that everyone and his brother has got one. I had a Defy 0 about 3 years ago but it only lasted 6 months before I got rid of it. The seat stays coming out from half way down the seat tube looks wrong which is why I don't like BMC's either. The only Giant I would contemplate is a TCR. Sorry to rain on your parade, I am sure you will get on fine with it.

The cannondale's and specialized seem to be the common as muck premium brands where I live.

Giants are not super common here.

I tried a few gravel/adventure bikes but they felt wrong when I rode them, this, this was "wow, I like this" when I test rode it, feels spot on.

£800 was my budget and I had to have discs, 105 or 2016 tiagra.

other options was a Cannondale Synapse Alloy 105 or Evans Cycle own brand Pinnacle dolomite's

guy.spartacus

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Sorry but Defy's are just plain ugly and far too common. They are decent bikes but I couldn't own one because of the looks and the fact that everyone and his brother has got one. I had a Defy 0 about 3 years ago but it only lasted 6 months before I got rid of it. The seat stays coming out from half way down the seat tube looks wrong which is why I don't like BMC's either. The only Giant I would contemplate is a TCR. Sorry to rain on your parade, I am sure you will get on fine with it.

Charming!

SCR Pedro

Where I am, I never see other Giants on the road. Only black Canyons. The Defy has certainly come a long way since its beginning as the OCR/SCR.

father_jack

oxoman wrote:

Ps how common they are means they must be good bikes.

Not really. I see quite a few £99 full suspension bikes. Must be good bikes lol

6wheels

Ps how popular they are means they must be good bikes.

FTFY

Nice bike, toe clips equals memories.

cirian75

6wheels wrote:

Ps how popular they are means they must be good bikes.

FTFY

Nice bike, toe clips equals memories.

Already in the bin.

father_jack

You've thrown the bike in the bin but you've kept the toe straps?

Weirdo.

tim_wand

Yer I couldn't own one either! other than the one I use to own " but I couldn't own one " I 'm with CamCycle on this!

Camcycle1974

tim wand wrote:

Yer I couldn't own one either! other than the one I use to own " but I couldn't own one " I 'm with CamCycle on this!

Good point well made! I did own one for a while but whatever I did could not get comfortable on it. Not the fault of the bike, more the bloke who sold me the wrong size. I am a bit of a bike snob, that I'll admit. Giants are ten a penny round here which does put me off owning one. The sweet spot in the range is the Defy Advanced in the blue colourway. You can't argue with the success of Giant and the quality of their bikes and value they offer. Just not my cup of tea.

tjm160

Ignore the unpleasantness Cirian and enjoy your bike.

gerroffandmilkit

Camcycle1974 wrote:

tim wand wrote:

Yer I couldn't own one either! other than the one I use to own " but I couldn't own one " I 'm with CamCycle on this!

Good point well made! I did own one for a while but whatever I did could not get comfortable on it. Not the fault of the bike, more the bloke who sold me the wrong size. I am a bit of a bike snob, that I'll admit. Giants are ten a penny round here which does put me off owning one. The sweet spot in the range is the Defy Advanced in the blue colourway. You can't argue with the success of Giant and the quality of their bikes and value they offer. Just not my cup of tea.

I take it you're not fans then?

Camcycle1974

tjm160 wrote:

Ignore the unpleasantness Cirian and enjoy your bike.

Unpleasant or honest? The guy put up his bike and I expressed an opinion, I didn't intend any offence and I don't think any was taken. Giants are the Ford Mondeos of the bike world. Perfectly functional and excellent in every way they just don't excite me or make me want to go out and ride. A chacun son gout as the French would say.

sloppyschleckonds

Nice set up

How aero can you get with the handlebars higher than the saddle?

Camcycle1974

Good point. This would suggest that the frame is too big. Mine was a size too big and the bars were still lower than the saddle.

father_jack

Camcycle1974 wrote:

tjm160 wrote:

Ignore the unpleasantness Cirian and enjoy your bike.

Unpleasant or honest? The guy put up his bike and I expressed an opinion, I didn't intend any offence and I don't think any was taken. Giants are the Ford Mondeos of the bike world. Perfectly functional and excellent in every way they just don't excite me or make me want to go out and ride. A chacun son gout as the French would say.

Who cares about the badge? What is so special between a Giant alu frame, and a Bianci alu frame?

Rip off the badge off two quality bikes, what is the difference?

It is not the same as ripping off a bage on a Ford and a Ferrari.

If you want to pay 50% more for the badge go right ahead. Most likely the frame is made on the same production line anyway.

I don't care if it's a Giant, Carrera, Trek- as long as it's a quality bike

imposter2.0

Gotta agree with Father Jack here - some people don't half talk a load of bollox. Comparing bikes to cars, ffs...

Absolutely nothing wrong with Giant - good choice.

thespanishadam

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Good point. This would suggest that the frame is too big. Mine was a size too big and the bars were still lower than the saddle.

So come on... only fair to devulge what bike you currently have? If we are playing this game. I'm hoping for your sake something very exotic.. With a good saddle to bar drop of course.

father_jack

Imposter wrote:

Gotta agree with Father Jack here - some people don't half talk a load of bollox. Comparing bikes to cars, ffs...

Absolutely nothing wrong with Giant - good choice.

Just bike snobbery. So apparently a Giant in Reynolds 953 and Campagnolo Super Record is lower quality than a Bianchi with Reynolds 953 and Campagnolo Super Record

Camcycle1974

thespanishadam wrote:

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Good point. This would suggest that the frame is too big. Mine was a size too big and the bars were still lower than the saddle.

So come on... only fair to devulge what bike you currently have? If we are playing this game. I'm hoping for your sake something very exotic.. With a good saddle to bar drop of course.

Enigma Evade Ti. Probably not exotic enough being a UK company (would need to be Italian hand made Ti to be really exotic). Sadle to bar drop currently 10cm but working on flexibility Had the steerer left long on purpose to be able to adjust the fit to suit. Listen, I am sure the OP will be more than happy with his bike and it is spot on for him but you can't post something up without expecting some adverse comments. Not everyone has the same taste.

imposter2.0

I don't like Enigmas....blah blah blah, etc, etc....

Camcycle1974

Imposter wrote:

I don't like Enigmas....blah blah blah, etc, etc....

Camcycle1974

Father Jack wrote:

Camcycle1974 wrote:

tjm160 wrote:

Ignore the unpleasantness Cirian and enjoy your bike.

Unpleasant or honest? The guy put up his bike and I expressed an opinion, I didn't intend any offence and I don't think any was taken. Giants are the Ford Mondeos of the bike world. Perfectly functional and excellent in every way they just don't excite me or make me want to go out and ride. A chacun son gout as the French would say.

Who cares about the badge? What is so special between a Giant alu frame, and a Bianci alu frame?

Rip off the badge off two quality bikes, what is the difference?

It is not the same as ripping off a bage on a Ford and a Ferrari.

If you want to pay 50% more for the badge go right ahead. Most likely the frame is made on the same production line anyway.

I don't care if it's a Giant, Carrera, Trek- as long as it's a quality bike

I never said there was anything wrong with Giant. In fact they make some of the most advanced alu and carbon bikes you can buy. Personally I just find them too mainstream to contemplate owning one. Functional, yes but not going to win any beauty prizes. Of course this may be of no importance to the owner of this Giant but it is to me. I tried to like the Giant I owned but it was just plain ugly and it had to go

dj58

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Personally I just find them too mainstream to contemplate owning one. Functional, yes but not going to win any beauty prizes. Of course this may be of no importance to the owner of this Giant but it is to me. I tried to like the Giant I owned but it was just plain ugly and it had to go

In that case what possessed you to buy the 2013 Defy 0 bike you owned, wasn't your bad experience with the bike due to the fact that you had the wrong size, M/L wasn't it? I seem to recall you were quite enthusiastic about the bike at the time.

Camcycle1974

DJ58 wrote:

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Personally I just find them too mainstream to contemplate owning one. Functional, yes but not going to win any beauty prizes. Of course this may be of no importance to the owner of this Giant but it is to me. I tried to like the Giant I owned but it was just plain ugly and it had to go

In that case what possessed you to buy the 2013 Defy 0 bike you owned, wasn't your bad experience with the bike due to the fact that you had the wrong size, M/L wasn't it? I seem to recall you were quite enthusiastic about the bike at the time.

You have a good memory! Yes, I was enthusiastic about it initially but had problems with fit and with a creaky BB etc. The bike was functional but I never really loved it if you get my drift. The guy I bought it off is notorious for selling the wrong size of bike but I didn't know that at the time and it was my first bike purchase since the 1990's I was lead by him into buying the wrong size. Sure if i had been sold a M it would have been fine and become a commuting bike. Would still have bought a best bike.

dj58

Camcycle1974 wrote:

DJ58 wrote:

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Personally I just find them too mainstream to contemplate owning one. Functional, yes but not going to win any beauty prizes. Of course this may be of no importance to the owner of this Giant but it is to me. I tried to like the Giant I owned but it was just plain ugly and it had to go

In that case what possessed you to buy the 2013 Defy 0 bike you owned, wasn't your bad experience with the bike due to the fact that you had the wrong size, M/L wasn't it? I seem to recall you were quite enthusiastic about the bike at the time.

You have a good memory! Yes, I was enthusiastic about it initially but had problems with fit and with a creaky BB etc. The bike was functional but I never really loved it if you get my drift. The guy I bought it off is notorious for selling the wrong size of bike but I didn't know that at the time and it was my first bike purchase since the 1990's I was lead by him into buying the wrong size. Sure if i had been sold a M it would have been fine and become a commuting bike. Would still have bought a best bike.

OK I understand your point. How are you getting on with the Enigma Evade Ti, did you go for the 55cm and is it a big improvement over the Ribble 872 you have/had? Have you posted it up on here yet?

Camcycle1974

Hi, yes, went for the 55cm Evade. I like it a lot more than the Ribble. The Ribble was a good bike, fast and good to look at but it didn't inspire confidence going down hill. It might have been the wheels I had on it but had a couple of wheel wobbles at high speed which put me off going downhill on it. The Enigma is not as fast to accelerate but it's a lot more stable which matters more to me in my riding than out and out speed. The 872 is the best value carbon race bike out there imo and I enjoyed the limited amount of riding I did on it.