Is it wrong to have 2 road bikes? - Possible what bike...

[vickster]

Many thanks everybody

@vickster - That Giant looks fab and a great deal with the price! What do you use your 2 roadie's for?

The Giant is the most used bike, commuting, pottering, cycling with friends.

The carbon Pearson is very much a sunny day bike, when I am just going out to get some Strava points, if I am not planning on stopping, no rack, don't like riding any distance with a rucksack...used the least

I also have a racked up Whyte hybrid with disc brakes - for when I want ride something different to the Giant or need a different riding position to give my knackered arms a change!

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

@samsbike - I'll have a look at the left field suggestions, cheers. (Don't think I'll go back to Genesis/Steel though)

Just had a look at my 2013 defy and if the holes you are talking about are on the bottom of the seatstay then it does have them.

How do you find your Defy? Happy with it?

@vickster - Well done Vicks!

@IncoherentJeff - Thank you and I love the 2 bikes is actually 4 but not quite 1 with 3 projects which could be 4 but are actually 1 ha ha

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

The Giant is the most used bike, commuting, pottering, cycling with friends.

The carbon Pearson is very much a sunny day bike, when I am just going out to get some Strava points, if I am not planning on stopping, no rack, don't like riding any distance with a rucksack...used the least

I also have a racked up Whyte hybrid with disc brakes - for when I want ride something different to the Giant or need a different riding position to give my knackered arms a change!

Hmmm makes a good case for keeping my MTB as that third/different bike. It has reminded me what a good bike it is the last couple of weeks whilst I sold the cx bike but I just don't get time to ride it, let alone off road which is the biggest shame of owning the bike. Probably not worth a lot on the other side of it either....

 

[vickster]

I had an MTB, bought on a whim, which I sold to fund the Whyte which is about a thousand times better for my riding! Rough roads rather than off road!

Your other option is an alu CX bike I guess!

 

[fossyant]

As mentioned by Vickster, the Ribble Winter Bikes are good. If you don't want a blue or black Ribble, most LBS and Dolan, have the exact same frame you can custom build. It's not much different from the Pearson fixed wheel frame, which is what my LBS sells under their own name and I have one. My LBS's winter bike is probably the same as the Ribble too, but in any colour you want.

Other choice is Kinesis, cracking frames.

 

[themosquitoking]

@samsbike - I'll have a look at the left field suggestions, cheers. (Don't think I'll go back to Genesis/Steel though)



How do you find your Defy? Happy with it?

I chuffing love it, one of the best things i've ever bought.

 

[samsbike]

Note that the left field choices are steel, so you may want to give them a miss.

Other choices would include - boardman and decanthlon.

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

I had an MTB, bought on a whim, which I sold to fund the Whyte which is about a thousand times better for my riding! Rough roads rather than off road!

Your other option is an alu CX bike I guess!

I guess that's the thing with my MTB for 3 years now it has served its purpose and even when I bought the recent cx bike it was with the intention that I would go off road somewhat but the truth of it is I probably wouldn't. If I detoured through the local park now I'd probably take whatever no 2 road bike I buy and pray the tyres are puncture resistant enough or just get on with it. If I have the room it'll stay but otherwise I'll sell to a new home.

Geometry wise I think the road bike option is probably the better option

@fossyant - cheers, I have thought about it and played with the options on the Ribble Sportive bike but I don't know enough about the components to know what parts to select over the default ones amd when I do tweak it slightly the price rockets! My cycling club gets a 5% discount to members at Dolan and I've looked at them too but if I went for something like that I would need to try one and after the cx mishap I would rather stick to something more mainstream...I think.

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

If I visit my LBS and try the Domane 2.0 I'm sure I would buy it but for the money I need to seriously consider the Defy 1, so I think a call about the Defy is on the cards tomorrow.

 

[vickster]

I don't think the 2012 Defy 1 has the rack lugs, the 2 and below do - Tiagra is pretty good really! That says the 1 looks much nicer, no black!

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

That's ok, it's only the mudguard mounts that I need. Does the 2012 Defy 1 (linked to previously) have those? My carbon bike is predominantly black and white though most of my kit features red so buying the 2012 Defy 1 may force me into buying a couple of blue items

I normally ride a 58cm frame but the Giant frame sizes are weird looking at the geometry which means I'd end up with the Large frame instead on the Giant so it matches my Cannondale.....

 

[vickster]

I don't think cruds need mounts, they just tie onto the forks

How tall are you - geometries are here

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/defy.1/11498/55820/#geometry

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

6"2

If you compare the L and XL on the Giant to the 58 on the Synapse it looks like the L or slightly smaller frame is closer in geometry than the bigger one

http://www.cannondale.com/gbr/2013/...ynapse-carbon-sm-5-105-compact-crankset-28426 (Click on Geo)

 

[Ajax_Gaz]

Quick update. I decided on the Defy 1 based on the fact the Geometry was very similar to my Synapse and with it's 105 components and reduced price it seemed better value against the Trek 2.0 Domane, however Ashcycles who i contacted didn't have a 2012 bike in my size.
They did offer me the 2013 at a reduced price but a friend of mine text me this morning and advised i try Edinburgh Bicycles who recently sold him a bike and they had the 2013 at the same price as the 2012. A quick call to discuss the bike, geometry, fitment and mudguards and i placed the order for the White version from Edinburgh.

Looking forward to ditching my MTB for the Giant now, thanks all for your help, esp @vickster for the help and advice with the Defy

 

[vickster]

Good stuff. Had noticed ebc have the 2013s on sale. Enjoy