New Bike
I am deciding to get rid of my BMC road machine force axs it has been the bike from Hell quite literally so Im going to cut my losses and get rid of it and buy something decent.
My shortlist consists if the following
Specialized Tarmac SL8 2025 Ultegra Di2
Giant TCR advanced pro 0 2025 Ultegra Di2
Giant Defy advanced pro 0 2025 Ultegra Di2
Merida Scultura 9000 2025 Ultegra Di2
I am like the Specialized because it’s light 7.2kg and because it has a threaded bottom bracket but being a race bike and my BMC is an endurance bike. I have rode an endurance road bike since 2016 after I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease so I have back issues. I have noticed the stack height on my BMC is 570 mm the Tarmac SL8 is 544 26 mm lower or around 1 inch would that really make a dramatic difference compared to my BMC ? Which bike should I get my budget is £6000.
Comments
-
Bianchi Specialisimo pro Ultegra D12
0 -
If you have disc disease than lowering by an inch may not be the best idea, that is a dramatic drop.
If you £6k to play with, the Scott Addict 10 comes with full Dura Ace Di2 and carbon wheels. Link below
It is endurance but might suit you better with the back issues. I have the 105 di2 version and it really is a great bike.
1 -
Thank you for the advice, 1 inch didn’t seem a lot to me ?
0 -
Obviously it is a personal thing but IME, that is a big drop. When raising or lowering the front end or seat height, you generally work in 5mm increments so as not to put everything out of whack by too big a change. An inch is 25mm in one go which might have quite a noticeable impact.
Spending £6k on a bike with quite a big change in geometry to what you are used to is risky. Worth noting that sitting on a bike in a shop will probably feel okay, but to really know if you can absorb the difference you'd probably need a good few weeks riding it which potentially complicates things further.
0 -
What about the Giant Defy advanced pro 0 2025 that has a stack height of 558 mm for a medium according to Giants web site which puts it smack in the middle between the Tarmac and my BMC. I had a Defy pro 0 before I bought the BMC and I got on perfectly with that bike.
1 -
If you had a Defy previously and the geom is similar on the newer version, then I'd assume you would have no issue. 1cm or so under your current BMC would be unlikely to cause any issues, and you can always play about with spacers and stem heights.
I think bike fitting is really about experience plus trial and error. As long as people don't go too crazy (local lbs told me of a guy who was 5'10 trying to insist on buying a 49cm because that's what his favourite pro rode!) then a cm here or there is usually fine for most.
1 -
The stack height on my Giant Defy that I had was 567 mm
0 -
The latest iteration of the Defy is lower and longer than the one you had previously.
For the medium frame HT is 150mm compared to 165mm though the TT is still 545mm
Stack as you say was 567mm now 558mm
Reach was 375mm now 380mm
0
