Sloth
Senior Member
I am now seriously looking at a Giant Fastroad Advanced.
The frame looks good and the geometry appears to suit me also, (although in M or M/L I'm not 100% sure yet).
Also, although my level of ability will be well exceeded by these bikes, I would like to build in some 'future proofing' so I am not dissatisfied with the bike next year etc. as I improve and end up regretting not getting something better when I had the money. Eventually perhaps but not for a few years at least.
I am on the fence between a road biased set up (Shimano 105 2x11 - 34/50+11/34) and a gravel/hybrid 1x11 set up (Deore 5100 42+11/51).
For my style of riding (fitness only) and where I'll be riding (B roads/country lanes) I'm wondering if I will benefit more from the hill climbing low ratios of the 1x11, especially the super low 51t rear gear.
I'm not into speed racing or club/road racing etc, just keeping fit, trying to get up hills without having to get off and push and to not be 'spinning' along the flats or less steep decents on hills! I'm fine with resting my legs downhill on occasions though!
Anyway, why the 'Advanced'? Well it's a little lighter than the standard Fastroad SL1, has better spec and rims etc, but mainly because the frame will absorb shocks better and looks pretty darn nice as well!
So the dilema?
Well, I can get a new Advanced 2 within 2 weeks or so and have it adapted to a 1x11 Deore 5100 42+11/51, for around £1,700 - ride away.
That includes for the LBS keeping the Tiagra gear the bike comes with, and offsetting some of the cost against the new parts and workshop time etc.
or...
I can just order an Advanced 1 (around 8 weeks delivery) and keep it as standard, with the 105 34/50+11/34. This would cost around the same or a little less (£1,665) with a 10% discount.
or...
I can order the Advanced 2 and just keep it as standard on the 2x10 2x11 - 34/50+11/34 Tiagra set up.
Which would I find best for fitness and getting up hills?
Would the 1x11 be noticably better up hills? or will it spin out too much?
Will the 105 be noticably better than the Tiagra (smoothness/accuracy) and will it's 2x11 be noticably easier up hills than the Tiagra's 2x10?
Is it worth paying the extra for the 2x11 105 on the A1 over the Tiagra 2x10 on the A2 if I were sticking to the factory standard set ups?
Will (regardless of the groupset) simply having a better, lighter bike be much easier up hills than my previous 14kg Deore 3x9 27 speed MTB?
Of course, the A1 looks amazing in the blue but the A2 is no ugly duckling either.
Perhaps these dilemmas may seem daft to some more experienced cyclists, but as I'd be spending well north of £1k, up to £1,700 I really want to be sure.
The frame looks good and the geometry appears to suit me also, (although in M or M/L I'm not 100% sure yet).
Also, although my level of ability will be well exceeded by these bikes, I would like to build in some 'future proofing' so I am not dissatisfied with the bike next year etc. as I improve and end up regretting not getting something better when I had the money. Eventually perhaps but not for a few years at least.
I am on the fence between a road biased set up (Shimano 105 2x11 - 34/50+11/34) and a gravel/hybrid 1x11 set up (Deore 5100 42+11/51).
For my style of riding (fitness only) and where I'll be riding (B roads/country lanes) I'm wondering if I will benefit more from the hill climbing low ratios of the 1x11, especially the super low 51t rear gear.
I'm not into speed racing or club/road racing etc, just keeping fit, trying to get up hills without having to get off and push and to not be 'spinning' along the flats or less steep decents on hills! I'm fine with resting my legs downhill on occasions though!
Anyway, why the 'Advanced'? Well it's a little lighter than the standard Fastroad SL1, has better spec and rims etc, but mainly because the frame will absorb shocks better and looks pretty darn nice as well!
So the dilema?
Well, I can get a new Advanced 2 within 2 weeks or so and have it adapted to a 1x11 Deore 5100 42+11/51, for around £1,700 - ride away.
That includes for the LBS keeping the Tiagra gear the bike comes with, and offsetting some of the cost against the new parts and workshop time etc.
or...
I can just order an Advanced 1 (around 8 weeks delivery) and keep it as standard, with the 105 34/50+11/34. This would cost around the same or a little less (£1,665) with a 10% discount.
or...
I can order the Advanced 2 and just keep it as standard on the 2x10 2x11 - 34/50+11/34 Tiagra set up.
Which would I find best for fitness and getting up hills?
Would the 1x11 be noticably better up hills? or will it spin out too much?
Will the 105 be noticably better than the Tiagra (smoothness/accuracy) and will it's 2x11 be noticably easier up hills than the Tiagra's 2x10?
Is it worth paying the extra for the 2x11 105 on the A1 over the Tiagra 2x10 on the A2 if I were sticking to the factory standard set ups?
Will (regardless of the groupset) simply having a better, lighter bike be much easier up hills than my previous 14kg Deore 3x9 27 speed MTB?
Of course, the A1 looks amazing in the blue but the A2 is no ugly duckling either.
Perhaps these dilemmas may seem daft to some more experienced cyclists, but as I'd be spending well north of £1k, up to £1,700 I really want to be sure.
