Help with reach ....

bristolpete

Wonder if anyone can advise on this.

I am moving to endurance geo as my days on race / uber stiff bikes are over.

I have narrowed down the bike and want a Giant Defy and await UK stock.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/defy- ... pro-2-2020

However, I am back to being confused on the size required.

My current bike a TCR has a reach figure of 38.3 which is great and a stack figure of 54.5 as a medium.

The Defy Medium Large has a reach figure lesser than the medium TCR which confuses me at 38.1. Not much, but shorter which I assume is relative to the higher stack / taller head tube / slack head tube figure.

Basically, the Medium large feels like my fit - a good fit yet I look at the giant consumer site and apparently I am smack in the middle of a medium which felt too small for me. I am 5' 9. I felt super crammed on the medium and felt that the medium large with the stem slammed better for me.

Anyone sized up on endurance geo ?

Is reach the be all and end all or is feel more important than paper fit. The suggested M/L opening fit is 5'11 - nothing like that but I do have large UK shorter inseam to body scenario

johngti

Have you tried the ML? The first defy I bought was that size and I’m just under 5’10”. If it feels comfortable I wouldn’t worry too much about size guides.

bristolpete

johngti wrote:

Have you tried the ML? The first defy I bought was that size and I’m just under 5’10”. If it feels comfortable I wouldn’t worry too much about size guides.

Yes, felt good if a little too tall.

dj58

I would not take to much notice of the Giant size chart. When I bought my 2013 year model Defy, Giant recommended a Small for 5' 7 1/2" tall and 32" Inside leg. Fortunately the shop where I bought my bike from had a Small and Medium bike to try for size. I felt to cramped on the small, to much saddle to bar drop, the Medium was much better more stack and reach, only change I have made is to move one of the 10mm stem spacers above the stem.

Go with what feels comfortable reach wise, as you say, you can always move the stem down on the steerer tube to get the bars lower. 2019 Models on, the Head Tube is 5mm shorter than previous iterations.

timothyw

bristolpete wrote:

johngti wrote:

Have you tried the ML? The first defy I bought was that size and I’m just under 5’10”. If it feels comfortable I wouldn’t worry too much about size guides.

Yes, felt good if a little too tall.

Well, looking at the Geo table the difference between the M and ML (and your current TCR) is mostly in the height.

The reach is within a cm or so on each of them, and they all come with a 10cm stem which I'm assuming hasn't been changed.

The M defy is 2cm higher at the front than your TCR. The ML is 4 cm higher.

Any other differences you felt were either a consequence of the seat not being set up in the same position (relative to the bottom bracket) on both bikes (which wouldn't necessarily be obvious), or of course differences in stem/spacer setup (which would be more obvious).

Given you tried the ML and it felt too tall, unless there is plenty scope to drop the stem I would be picking the M all day long - it's what the size guide recommends, it's the size you've been riding, and more importantly it's a lot easier to raise the front of a small bike that to drop the front of a big bike.

Speaking of which, have you looked at a stem with a bigger angle to bring up the front of your TCR? If you use this calculator (and your existing stack and reach numbers) you can calculate exactly what stem is required to match the setup between the bikes: http://yojimg.net/bike/web_tools/stem.php

vinny155

I am a ML on the Defy...M on TCR..5ft10 and a bit.

bristolpete

Thanks all. I am not looking to replicate the TCR fit. I can ride it no problem, but in the last year I have started feeling every ride so an endurance bike feels ideal and speaking to current Defy owners on the road all seem happy and the migration to disc now feels right. The ML felt better, the medium made me feel like a snail with a round back and to my mind, dropped the front to a slammed set up on a ML would be ideal as plenty of head tube. But thanks for all input.

I suppose my concern is the holy grail of reach and the M/L well within my known fit parameters.

jdee84

How about a medium with a longer stem?

bristolpete

Good call. Looking over the weekend tbh. General advice is a medium on the internet, so likely stick with that and note that hydro shifters add reach to a bike. Good looking bikes. Time to sell my TCR and my 'best wheels'. You cannot stop father time, but embrace the f**ker.