Is the Giant Defy Composite 3 good first bike?

Which first road bike?

  • 2014 Giant Defy Composite

    Votes: 9 75.0%
  • 2014 Cube Peloton Race

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • Planet X Pro Carbon 105

    Votes: 2 16.7%
  • Something else, please post in thread.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    12
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AAddict

Regular
Background:

Lot's of on and off MTB'ing over the years (and still currently love MTB'ing). Last summer I fit some road tyres on my old Cube hardtail to use as a work bike for short commute. I found myself taking it out for more and more rides on road and worked my way up to 30+mile rides, though obviously not at the speeds of a real road bike. So I think I'm going to invest in a road bike for spring/summer 2015. I've been looking mainly at last years reduced models and trying to put an upper limit of £750 on the idea.

I've been considering the following bikes:

Giant Defy Composite 3 2014

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/gian...UPbS9_BLGOQvfARf9Yyyk6XRBZSA6Q5VVMaAlTh8P8HAQ

Cube Peloton Race

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...NCU8OXuf-R2ZdCfLuqdUkaApjR8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Planet X Pro Carbon 105

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FBPXSLP105/planet-x-pro-carbon-shimano-105-road-bike

I'm hoping to get something comfy as I'm the wrong side of 40, so hoping for something I can ride for decent distance rather than really 'racey'. Any advice welcome, or suggestions other than those above or comments on them 3, good or bad. Thanks in advance.
 

MikeW-71

Veteran
Location
Carlisle
:welcome:

From my experience of a Giant carbon bike, yes it would be a good choice, particularly at that price!
 
OP
OP
A

AAddict

Regular
:welcome:

From my experience of a Giant carbon bike, yes it would be a good choice, particularly at that price!

Thanks for the welcome, and reply. :thumbsup:

I think I'd trust the Giant carbon more than the Planet X carbon. Tiagra will be reliable enough compared to 105, hopefully.
 

DRM

Guru
Location
West Yorks
Santa paid an early visit to our house and left a Giant Defy 3 Composite, it's a cracking bike and the geometry is very comfortable as I too am very much the wrong side of 40, I have fitted some look keo classics and I find I can fair fly along on it, it has a Tiagra compact chainset coupled with a 30 tooth low gear, perfect for climbing, I found on my first ride I spent more time in the big ring and certainly wasn't holding traffic up, I am definitely far from fit but the bike has made me able to go further and faster than I could have thought possible, I'm really looking forward to getting out more once the ice has gone, I don't want to come off and scratch it, I say go for the Giant, you won't be disappointed, also the frame will take the ride sense ant+ speed and cadence sensor, that has a dedicated mount in the rear chainstay.
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
I had a long test ride on a 2014 Defy 3 Composite and it didn't float my boat one bit. I thought it would be marvellous, especially as I'd been riding a 2011 Defy 2 (Aluminium with Sora gearset) for 3 years. I hated it. I then tried the Planet X and loved it to bits. I did try some bikes inbetween but there was nothing to touch the PX, which is what I bought. I still love it.

At that price point the Giant is a good buy, but I would still buy the PX over it.
 
OP
OP
A

AAddict

Regular
I had a long test ride on a 2014 Defy 3 Composite and it didn't float my boat one bit. I thought it would be marvellous, especially as I'd been riding a 2011 Defy 2 (Aluminium with Sora gearset) for 3 years. I hated it. I then tried the Planet X and loved it to bits. I did try some bikes inbetween but there was nothing to touch the PX, which is what I bought. I still love it.

At that price point the Giant is a good buy, but I would still buy the PX over it.

Thanks, can I ask what made you prefer the planet X? Geometry, build?
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
Thanks, can I ask what made you prefer the planet X? Geometry, build?
For me, when I tried the composite Giant, I felt that it didn't handle as well as my aluminium Defy and it wasn't nearly as comfy even though it had the same width bars on and we sorted the saddle out to the same height etc. I whizzed it around some nice twisty roads that I know well and ride often. I was not about to cough up the best part of 1500 for a bike that wasn't as good as the bike I already had, even though it was a bit lighter and made of Carbon. That would have been buying the bike for the sake of it. I was just disappointed by the bike and was a bit upset about it really because I really thought that I would love it.
The PX was much more comfortable for me and just felt better generally so probably mostly a geometry thing. I was able to take it on a nice long test ride and I simply preferred it, so I bought one. I have not regretted it for a minute.
The fact that the Giant was a horrible colour didn't help it's cause either. I am sure that grey is moody and sexy but it's not just me. My PX roadie is a nice sky blue.

I like the PX enough that I bought a PX CX to whizz about on in the winter.
 

SteCenturion

I am your Father
Hi @AAddict

1st up, another :welcome:

I really feel like that Giant Defy Comp 3 is a no brainer. Fast, fairly light, great frame, rep & warranty from a very well respected & highly rated major player in the bike business.

I believe (though I could be wrong) that Giant frames carry a lifetime warranty, which can only be good for piece of mind.

I used to own an aluminium Giant Defy (too large so sold it) & now own a 2014 Cube Peloton Race.

The Cube is an excellent bike, very highly specced for the £££ & let down only by the welds, which don't look pretty but are probably strong.
Still, it's a lovely looking bike, light for Aluminium, comfortable & quick.

Having said all that, had I seen the price of the carbon Giant Defy Comp 3 I would definitely have gone for that instead.

Good 1st bike ? NO, Great 1st bike ? Oh YES.
 

jamin100

Guru
Location
Birmingham
As @vickster says. I have the composite 3

It's a cracking bike for the money. The tiagra gears see very positive and I have no trouble getting up the hills and believe me I'm not small!!

Upgradeitus has kicked in and I'm changing the tiagra shifters for 105s this week be purely from a cosmetic point of view as the washing lines that come out of the tiagra ones annoy me. The swap should be very cheap once I sell the tiagra shifters

Then in the spring it's time for some new wheels (probably zondas) and that will be it then... Love the bike and for what I paid it's fantastic
 
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