Giant Defy 2009 (Frame Sizing)
glasgowbhoy
Posts: 1,341
Hi,
Am just about to make the move to road biking.
Using a cycle to Work Scheme.
I was looking for a raod bike with a decent spec (at least Tiagra), a road bike that would take full mudguards and at a decent price.
Was in Dales yesterday and they had a Defy 2.5 at £550 in the sale. The size was a M/L which i wasn't sure of. Sitting on the bike it seemed okay but having been on MTB's for the last 2 years have nothing to comapre against. I'm 5"10 and average build. I'm not sure if the top tube is too long for me as the sizing guide for Giant isn;t just 52/54/56. I'd be a 56 in a TREK as I tested one last year.
I think I'll go back up tonight and try and sit on a 2010 Med Defy 3 and the 2009 Defy 2.5 again. The reason I wanted the 2.5 was the better spec and the reduced price but don't want a bike that will ultimately be uncomfortable for me.
Thanks
Am just about to make the move to road biking.
Using a cycle to Work Scheme.
I was looking for a raod bike with a decent spec (at least Tiagra), a road bike that would take full mudguards and at a decent price.
Was in Dales yesterday and they had a Defy 2.5 at £550 in the sale. The size was a M/L which i wasn't sure of. Sitting on the bike it seemed okay but having been on MTB's for the last 2 years have nothing to comapre against. I'm 5"10 and average build. I'm not sure if the top tube is too long for me as the sizing guide for Giant isn;t just 52/54/56. I'd be a 56 in a TREK as I tested one last year.
I think I'll go back up tonight and try and sit on a 2010 Med Defy 3 and the 2009 Defy 2.5 again. The reason I wanted the 2.5 was the better spec and the reduced price but don't want a bike that will ultimately be uncomfortable for me.
Thanks
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Comments
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I'm 6'1" and ride a Medium 2009 Defy, the M/L might be a bit big (depends on your arms/trunk, I have relatively short arms compared to my trunk) but go and sit on a 2010 model, I don't think the geometry has changed.0
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I'm 5'8" and found the M to be too big (felt like I was stretching too far forwards), so went for the S which seems just right for me, but I've always liked compact riding positions.
Can you get out on a test ride? If so, do that as it's the only way to know for sure.
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Ride it. Giants seem to have long top tubes relative to other manufacturers for the "same size" frame. I have 2 - a L SCR2 (2008 - they didn't do a M/L in that model then) and a M/L TCR2 (2009) and I'm "only" 5'10"ish. I think the TCR is spot-on (after riding a lot) and the SCR very slightly too big (but comfy because I sit quite upright on it) But I have friends who are almost the same height who find both bikes too long. So, in conclusion, it all comes down to body shape and while M/L sounds about right for you, you really need to sit on it!0
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I got a 2.5 2009 in june this year from Dales also, I got it in a large frame and im 6'2" and it is quite a good fit for me!! I would imagine the M/L being just about right for u at 5'10" but defo try it out, you may just find the position a little more stretched out than you are used to due to your MTB back ground but you will soon adapt to it!!
great bike and for that price you would be mad not to pick it up as long as it fits!! I got the last large that they could get hold of and it cost me £675!!0 -
Thanks for all the responses.
I really like the bike it looks,great, gets great reviews and it seems a good deal price wise.
Was in Dales last night and was fitted to a Med Defy 3. It seems for 5"10 I have pretty long legs and a standard upper body. Th drop from the seat height to the top of the handlebar when my foot is at the bottom of the pedal and leg almost fully extended is about 8cm it seems 5cm should be the max. The seat did look to be pretty hight up over 6" from the top tube.
Anyway, the ML was off the shop floor as I had asked for it to be reserved and I am going round tomorrow (Sat) to get properly fitted for it and see if it is right.
Based on wha tI was told I am at the extreme edge of a M and just into ML. We'll see how it feels tomorrow once iv'e been back on the ML.
John0 -
gd stuff Glasgowbhoy, let us know how you get on 2moro!!
C'mon the hoops!!0 -
FeynmanC wrote:I'm 5'8" and found the M to be too big (felt like I was stretching too far forwards), so went for the S which seems just right for me, but I've always liked compact riding positions.
Can you get out on a test ride? If so, do that as it's the only way to know for sure.
And to throw a spanner in the works, I'm also 5'8" and found the M perfect with a longer stem - but apparently I've got monkey-arms...
Just goes to show how important it is to try them out or even better get fitted for a bike.Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...0 -
i am 5'8 and have got a medium and its very comfy0
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Again Thanks for the input.
I was back at the bike shop on Sat got the Defy 2.5 in M/L got set up in the shop.The drop form saddle to stem looked a lot less drastic than on the medium and the guy in the shop had turned the stem around. I took it for a short cycle and after about 5 mins began to feel more comfortable sitting at the edge of the hoods. I don't have wide shoulders, so, the narrower bars on the Defy won't be an issue for me.
So, all in all a good result. Very happy now that I tried out the Med frame size and set my mind at ease. Also stoked with the bike, the set up on it and the price, which with the discount at the shop and a 33% discount on cyclesheme means it's less than half the price of the £800 that a similar set up would cost me in a 2010 model.
Can't wait to start clocking up the miles!0 -
I would say the M/L would be too big for you. I have tried a 58cm Trek which was fine for me and also a M Giant which was OK but the M/L would be my ideal size. I'm 6'1 with a relatively long torso so at 5' 10" I would say that a M would be the biggest you'll need but obviously give it a try first.
PS I have a club mate who has a TCR, he is also 5' 10" and rides a medium as he would have needed to go to an 80 or 90mm stem for his ideal position on the M/L but again proportions vary so height in itself is onloy ever a starting point.0 -
Pross wrote:I would say the M/L would be too big for you. I have tried a 58cm Trek which was fine for me and also a M Giant which was OK but the M/L would be my ideal size. I'm 6'1 with a relatively long torso so at 5' 10" I would say that a M would be the biggest you'll need but obviously give it a try first.
PS I have a club mate who has a TCR, he is also 5' 10" and rides a medium as he would have needed to go to an 80 or 90mm stem for his ideal position on the M/L but again proportions vary so height in itself is onloy ever a starting point.
Cheers for the input.
The Medium did feel ok but the seat post was at it's max to get me fitted on it. I was comfortable on the M/L and think as has been said above my MTB positioning may have a lot to do with the more streched feel of a road bike I was getting initially.
I also read this on a test of the DEFY range over the weekend
"Giant pioneered the modern road bike compact, designed by Mike Burrows, although there have been tweaks over the years most notable of which is that the move to include more sizes than the original small, medium and large – in addition these days there is an extra small and a medium large. The medium has an effective top tube of 54.5cm and the medim large is pretty much a 56cm."0 -
Nice one Glagowbhoy, if your half as pleased as I am with mine then you will be over the moon with the feel and spec of the bike!! The price you paid is unbelievable for such a quality bike!!
Enjoy clocking up those miles!!0 -
zoso7 wrote:Nice one Glagowbhoy, if your half as pleased as I am with mine then you will be over the moon with the feel and spec of the bike!! The price you paid is unbelievable for such a quality bike!!
Enjoy clocking up those miles!!
Cheers mate. Hail Hail .....0 -
soveda wrote:I'm 6'1" and ride a Medium 2009 Defy, the M/L might be a bit big (depends on your arms/trunk, I have relatively short arms compared to my trunk) but go and sit on a 2010 model, I don't think the geometry has changed.
Just out of interest read this:
"As a bike seat tube length, or frame size increases so does the top tube and head tube length to keep the bike in proportion. So, if you find yourself in between sizes based on your height and inside leg length the upper body should be the deciding factor, because your reach to the bars will be affected. To help work out if you have a long or short reach you need to determine your ‘Ape Index’ this is your arm span (finger tip to finger tip) minus your height. If you have a positive 'Ape Index' (your arm span is greater than your height) then go for the larger of the two sizes. If you have a negative 'Ape Index' (your height is greater than your arm span) then go for the smaller of the two sizes. "
I have a arm span of 181cm and a height ot 178cm, so, I think I've made the right call.
Again thanks evreyone for the input.0 -
Glasgowbhoy wrote:Pross wrote:I would say the M/L would be too big for you. I have tried a 58cm Trek which was fine for me and also a M Giant which was OK but the M/L would be my ideal size. I'm 6'1 with a relatively long torso so at 5' 10" I would say that a M would be the biggest you'll need but obviously give it a try first.
PS I have a club mate who has a TCR, he is also 5' 10" and rides a medium as he would have needed to go to an 80 or 90mm stem for his ideal position on the M/L but again proportions vary so height in itself is onloy ever a starting point.
Cheers for the input.
The Medium did feel ok but the seat post was at it's max to get me fitted on it. I was comfortable on the M/L and think as has been said above my MTB positioning may have a lot to do with the more streched feel of a road bike I was getting initially.
I also read this on a test of the DEFY range over the weekend
"Giant pioneered the modern road bike compact, designed by Mike Burrows, although there have been tweaks over the years most notable of which is that the move to include more sizes than the original small, medium and large – in addition these days there is an extra small and a medium large. The medium has an effective top tube of 54.5cm and the medim large is pretty much a 56cm."
Sorry about that, I took a while to finish my post so you'd already said about your trying the bike by time I finished :oops:
I'm off to try the TCR tomorrow.0
