New bike time! Suggestions and ideas welcomed
tjw_78
Posts: 41
New bike time! Almost… Its my 40th next year, which sounds like a reasonable to get something shiny and new, and I’ve been prepping my family for some time that its justifies upgrading the level of bike I own.
I currently have a Giant Defy 2 (2012). It weighs just over 10kg, including pedals, cages, and a small saddle bag, and still has the original stock wheels. It cost c.£800 and was my first road bike. Its done c.4,500 miles.
So, what should I get next? I will probably keep the Defy 2 as a winter bike. My budget is probably up to £2000, but that needs to include any additions (e.g. pedals, saddle bag, cages, and maybe, if appropriate, upgrading the wheels)
I’ve got 3 kids, so I don’t have that much time to ride, so its mostly 30 – 60 mile club runs on Sunday morning, plus the odd sportive once or twice a year, plus whatever else I can squeeze in. I don’t currently commute by bike (but would if the situation allowed).
The Giant Defy Advanced 1 seems like a sensible place to start, but should I look towards something racier like the TCR? Whenever I go out for an hour by myself I do spend a fair amount of time on the drops. However, I am most happy when looking for hills. I live near-ish to the Chilterns, so they are little hills, but still quite punchy.
At the end of the day, I will need to ride a few and see what I like, and I keep my own council. However, its always interesting and often fun to get other opinions from the forum.
On a related note, this is at the front of my mind at the moment, because of all the sales going on. Is August the best time to buy from this point of view? My birthday is in April 2018, so its still some way off.
I currently have a Giant Defy 2 (2012). It weighs just over 10kg, including pedals, cages, and a small saddle bag, and still has the original stock wheels. It cost c.£800 and was my first road bike. Its done c.4,500 miles.
So, what should I get next? I will probably keep the Defy 2 as a winter bike. My budget is probably up to £2000, but that needs to include any additions (e.g. pedals, saddle bag, cages, and maybe, if appropriate, upgrading the wheels)
I’ve got 3 kids, so I don’t have that much time to ride, so its mostly 30 – 60 mile club runs on Sunday morning, plus the odd sportive once or twice a year, plus whatever else I can squeeze in. I don’t currently commute by bike (but would if the situation allowed).
The Giant Defy Advanced 1 seems like a sensible place to start, but should I look towards something racier like the TCR? Whenever I go out for an hour by myself I do spend a fair amount of time on the drops. However, I am most happy when looking for hills. I live near-ish to the Chilterns, so they are little hills, but still quite punchy.
At the end of the day, I will need to ride a few and see what I like, and I keep my own council. However, its always interesting and often fun to get other opinions from the forum.
On a related note, this is at the front of my mind at the moment, because of all the sales going on. Is August the best time to buy from this point of view? My birthday is in April 2018, so its still some way off.
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Comments
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Latest thinking, if I were to buy today, would be a Giant TCR Adv Pro 2. Better forks, better wheels, different type of bike to the one I've already got. Won't notice difference between 105 and Ultegra, and I can always upgrade that when the 105 wares out in a few years.
Wonder how many times I'll change my mind before I purchase?0 -
As it's something a bit special, how about going into a well stocked bike shop and having a browse? For a nice summer bike it doesn't have to be that sensible or rational
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Sell the Defy; the fact you've done 4500 miles in five years tells me you don't get chance to ride much, so why bother doing half your riding on an old bike? You may aswell make sure the new bike can take mudguards and then you can use it all year round.0
