Giant Defy 1 disc 2016?

IamPlod
IamPlod Posts: 23
edited August 2016 in Road buying advice
I'm looking to buy my first road bike and took a Cannondale Synapse 105 for a test ride earlier. It was nice enough but I did notice some "cranking" noise as I peddled up an incline.
I've been looking at the Giant Defy 1 disc and wondered if anyone had any thoughts/experience with this bike?
Which of the two would suit me best?

Comments

  • wotnoshoeseh
    wotnoshoeseh Posts: 531
    Bit of an impossible question to answer that - only you can answer that one...
    Test ride the Giant too..

    As has been said before elsewhere on these forums...
      Make sure it fits. Make sure it is appropriate to the type of riding you are going to be doing - for example; do you want or need to fit mudguards?- both these bikes are aimed at the sportive type market; so geometry is not so "head down; a$$ up", as the race versions of the Giant and Cannonade range (TCR and CAAD/SuperSix) respectively. Pick the one you like the looks of most and that you will want to ride.
    Hope this helps.
  • bikegangster
    bikegangster Posts: 98
    The Defy is a nice bike. Got it from Rutland last month for eight hundred. Can't speak for the Synapse as I know nothing about it nor did I ever touched it.

    I bought this Defy for a list of reasons; mudguard mounts, disc brakes (rims/cantilevers bore me), fast ride (probably slower than a purpose built race bike), eleven speed drive train. I use the bike for commuting.

    Again its a nice bike, I find it more fun to ried than my old hybrid bike. A damn agile bike.

    -The eleven speed system allows greater flexibility than ten speed and below. Eleven and ten speeds allow future upgrades to Ultegra or Dura Ace, well I think. Upgrades aren't possible with nine speeds and below.

    -The TRP Spyre brakes don't have that much braking power as I thought. Braking power is sufficient anyway and your rotor blades will last longer as both brake pads are gonna get pulled at the same time and will not bend the rotor. Plus the calipers are the lightest ones out there.

    -The wheels have aero properties which is nice, nearly 3cm deep rim. So far I don't have a problem with it. People on the internet moan its too heavy and rubbish.

    -I don't like the cassette on the bike, 32 teeth is too big for me. I can climb the steepest hills on my 23 teeth. Maybe because I'm small and only weigh 64 kgs. I'm gonna swap the cassette for a 25-12.

    -I already got a puncture in the rear wheel, probably because I misused the bike, ha ha ha! Riding it on grass, over tree roots, patches of pebbles, uneven roads and other surfaces, jumping on and off curbs. Front tyre is fine. I'm about to order a Michelin Pro Four Endurance 28c tyre, hopefully its more tolerant to how I ride.

    -I'm currently looking for mudguards for it. Or the correct bolt size rather. Finding the correct screws/bolts is a pain in the ass to match the holes. I just bought the Giant Metro Speed Shield and the screws provided don't fit. I didn't bother buying the Defy's guards as they only fit non-disc Defy models. I bought the Metro which is meant for the Fast Road and the Rapid thinking it might work but obviously don't work cuz the screws are too big.

    EDIT:

    -Screws actually do fit. Its the paint that is preventing me to screw it in so you have to screw the bolt in a little then out again and repeat to remove paint from the thread.

    -The rear Metro guard fits nicely, but you'll have to remove the lower bottle cage bolt so the rubber band can wrap round the seat tube. Only problem is you'll have to buy a bridge seperately. I got it from https://www.evanscycles.com/sks-mudguar ... e-00119436 P35 size. Then I'm gonna have some fun bending the new bridge to fit between the seat-stay and wrap it round the rear fender.

    -The front Metro guard don't fit at all. You'll have to sandpaper the front side of the fender so it can fit in better between the forks so you can create space between it and the wheel. If you don't sand it, its gonna rub against the top part of the wheel. Might as well cut the front bit off! Secondly the stays provided are too short. You'll have to buy a pair of adequately sized stays separately. I'm gonna go here and buy it there. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-VERY- ... 6lO0zCHlJg

    Wow what a hassle. I half-regret buying a Metro guard for the Defy.

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