Giant Defy or Giant Rapid

[MarkF]

I am just about to buy my first "proper" road bike, I'd pretty much made up my mind and within my £500 budget, I'd settled on a Giant Defy 3.5. Went to my LBS today to measure up and have a car park test ride, everything was going great till I spotted a Giant Rapid.

The only negatives with the Defy was my awkwardness with the bars/riding position, I've only ever really used hybrids with flat bars. Spotting and hopping on the Giant Rapid had everything feeling "normal" for me. I have a Dawes Discovery 501, love it, it's set up for rough towpath riding and touring, it's my workhorse, my new bike will be for fun (I hope), day rides, 40 miles blasts to skipton and back, that sort of thing. Anybody had a Rapid? Any advice on which to go for? Any help much appreciated.

 

[Norm]

Were you riding the Defy on the drops, hoods or tops? My guess, from reading the above, is that you were riding round a tight car park on the drops, which might just possibly be the worst possible combination. Drops are there for the times that you need them, not for riding circuits round a car park. You need a longer ride than a car park test, and if your LBS don't offer it, get a different LBS.

My experience was that riding a bike with drop bars on the road quickly became the natural feel. I spend probably 75% of my time on the hoods, from where I have all the control and feel that I need. I spend probably 20% of the time on the tops, mostly to have a second position to stop pressure points. I spend the remaining 5% on the drops, mostly when riding into the wind but, for that 5%, the drops are invaluable.

Even riding on the hoods is more efficient than riding on flat, as the hands are turned to a more natural angle and the bars are narrower (generalisations here, I don't know the relative measures for the Defy and Rapid) giving both a better position to counter air resistance and more comfort.

If you have only ever used flat bars, then it's not too surprising that drops feel different. If you will be riding on the road, it's pretty obvious that the transition to drops will be asking your body to get used to new positions but, IMO, it's worth doing it.

You don't say whether you are keeping the Discovery. My opinion would be to keep the Dawes and get a road bike. You'll have two different bikes, each with an obvious purpose which complement each other very well.

Then you'll need a hard tail, then a folder...

 

[MarkF]

Thanks Norm, I needed that push. I am being lazy & going for what is comfortable with the Rapid and you are right, 2 "different" bikes would be better than a newer lighter version of the Discovery. I will go and have another, longer ride on the Defy this weekend.

Long story but my Discovery is stuck in Barcelona till I get time to go back for it, that will be my future dedicated towpath/touring bike, my new one will be or fun.

I have already (being bikeless for 2 weeks) bought a MTB for winter and have my eyes peeled for a Dahon.

 

[DaveyB1981]

As a Defy 3.5 owner (with an MTB "on the side"), I would definately go for the Defy! I now find the bar far more comfortable over distance than on my FSR, which i never thought I would say! Took about 2 rides to get used to it and then it was great!

Let us know how you get on


Dave

 

[Norm]

As a Defy 3.5 owner (with an MTB "on the side"), I would definately go for the Defy! ! I now find the bar far more comfortable over distance...

That was certainly my experience too, I was even looking at a Defy but my local Giant dealer didn't do test rides, so I took the advice I posted above and went down the road to a Spesh dealer who let me take the bike out for as long as I wanted.

 

[fatboysoontobeslim]

i just purchased a giant defy 2 and am very pleased with it, like you ive never rode a racer before and was apprehensive, however i dont think ill ever change back to flat bar now, the good thing about the drops is you can have youre hands in three possitions, on the flat bar on the top, by the brakes and on the drop. i would probably say most of the time there by the brakes and its as comfortable as a flatbar, as for on the drops these i use rarely but again you get used to it, go for the defy ive found mine reliable.

 

[lesley_x]

I bought a Giant hybrid because it felt 'natural'.

2 weeks later I wanted a road bike and 2 months later I bought one.

Would never look back now. In the end I felt limited by the hybrid.