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2018 Giant Roam 2

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2018 Giant Roam 2

Old 04-08-19, 06:46 PM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by hokiefyd
An interesting side observation: the axle-to-crown length of the 63mm 700c fork on the Roam is nearly identical to that of my 80mm 27.5" fork on my mountain bike. I reckon that, using the slightly smaller 27.5" tire profile on the Roam, I could one day move to swapping for a really nice 80mm or 100mm air fork designed for a 27.5" mountain bike. It'd probably be easier to find, and less expensive, than upgrading to a premium 63mm "trekking" fork.

How do you think you would go with a rigid fork?
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Old 04-08-19, 06:55 PM
  #52  
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Can someone tell me what year this Roam 2 is and is this a good buy???

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/bik...861515689.html
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Old 04-08-19, 07:34 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by ColonelSanders
How do you think you would go with a rigid fork?
I aired the tires down to 20 psi front and 35 psi rear the other day and rode a bunch of gravel, with the front fork locked, and it was really comfortable. Way more comfortable than the 29x2" Schwalbe Hurricanes at similar pressures. I don't want to go on and on about these Vittoria Mezcal tires, but they seem to be the real deal, at least for me. They scoot along really well on pavement and are really supple (on pavement, I ride them closer to 30 psi front and 45 psi rear). I think I am going to swap these Vittorias over to the new wheels and run the Continental X-Kings I'm getting as part of the package on my MTB wheels. They're a little more aggressive than I'd probably pick, but if I wear them down on the MTB or don't like them, I can buy another set of the Vittorias.

But anyway, I could go with a Surly Karate Monkey fork or similar. Or a suspension corrected carbon fork. I never quite found true comfort in rigid with the 29" wheels, but I'm really liking this 27.5" package.
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Old 04-08-19, 09:03 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by hokiefyd
I aired the tires down to 20 psi front and 35 psi rear the other day and rode a bunch of gravel, with the front fork locked, and it was really comfortable. Way more comfortable than the 29x2" Schwalbe Hurricanes at similar pressures. I don't want to go on and on about these Vittoria Mezcal tires, but they seem to be the real deal, at least for me. They scoot along really well on pavement and are really supple (on pavement, I ride them closer to 30 psi front and 45 psi rear). I think I am going to swap these Vittorias over to the new wheels and run the Continental X-Kings I'm getting as part of the package on my MTB wheels. They're a little more aggressive than I'd probably pick, but if I wear them down on the MTB or don't like them, I can buy another set of the Vittorias.

But anyway, I could go with a Surly Karate Monkey fork or similar. Or a suspension corrected carbon fork. I never quite found true comfort in rigid with the 29" wheels, but I'm really liking this 27.5" package.

The Vittoria Mezcal's got a great review here too.


https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...ezcal-tnt-2017
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Old 04-09-19, 05:22 AM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by ColonelSanders
The Vittoria Mezcal's got a great review here too.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...ezcal-tnt-2017
Yeah, they seem very nice on the road, but they also stick really well on dirt and hard pack. Compared with the cheap Chinese tires that came on my MTB, the Vittorias stick like glue off road. I noticed an immediate improvements. Maybe the Continental X-Kings will be just as good.

Originally Posted by Armyguy1914
Can someone tell me what year this Roam 2 is and is this a good buy???

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/bik...861515689.html
It's hard to tell the year, but it looks like a great buy for $300, and equipped very much like a current Roam 2 is. 3x drivetrain (it looks like an 8-speed cassette on the back), NEX fork with lockout, and Tektro hydraulic brakes. Based on the tires (which pre-date the CrossCuts used on more current models), I'd say this is a 2014 or 2015 or thereabouts. It looks to be in great condition -- they didn't even remove the factory sticks (yellow warning label on the handlebar or front derailleur alignment sticker). It looks like a small or medium frame...if it fits, I'd buy that up; you probably won't find a better deal on one.
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Old 04-09-19, 05:42 AM
  #56  
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Looks like a 9 speed.

It's hard to tell the year, but it looks like a great buy for $300, and equipped very much like a current Roam 2 is. 3x drivetrain (it looks like an 8-speed cassette on the back), NEX fork with lockout, and Tektro hydraulic brakes. Based on the tires (which pre-date the CrossCuts used on more current models), I'd say this is a 2014 or 2015 or thereabouts. It looks to be in great condition -- they didn't even remove the factory sticks (yellow warning label on the handlebar or front derailleur alignment sticker). It looks like a small or medium frame...if it fits, I'd buy that up; you probably won't find a better deal on one.[/QUOTE]


Well I think its a 9 speed cassette on the rear. I couldnt really tell. Current Roam has 3 x 9 and when you move up the Roam 2 you get the 3 x 9 . Maybe i can talk them down a little bit??
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Old 04-10-19, 05:44 PM
  #57  
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Well, after receiving the new wheels, I decided to use them on my Roam. They're pretty nice wheels, at least relative to what I've had in the past. They're fully eyelet'ed and the hubs have cartridge bearings. They're WTB SX19 rims on Novatec hubs...pretty "basic" original equipment on more mid-level bikes from what I understand. I decided to use these on the Roam, the bike I ride the most of my two main bikes. So I swapped the Vittoria Mezcals over to these wheels and I'll use the tires that came with these on my MTB's wheels (they're Continental X-King 2.2s). After drilling these out for Schrader valves, I mounted the tires with new tubes and I couldn't be happier with them. They spin buttery smooth and are pretty danged true. I may adjust a few spots here or there after riding them for 10 or 20 miles.

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Old 05-24-19, 05:35 PM
  #58  
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I said in my last post that I'd put the Continental X-King tires on my MTB's wheels, and I did. Not long thereafter, I nearly wiped out on a section of trail that I can blast through on the Mezcals, and I lost confidence quickly in that OEM Continental rubber. So I wanted the Mezcals back on my MTB, and needed a replacement set of tires for the Roam. I'd been eyeing these Vittoria Terreno Drys for a while, and I kept going back and forth on trying these or buying another pair of the Mezcals I know I like. Well, I found a deal on these from Chain Reaction a month or so ago, so I popped on a pair, in 47-584 (labeled 650B x 47). They actually measure about 49mm on these 19mm internal width wheels.

Man, are these guys fast! They have a true slick tread on them and that rubber compound is really grippy. I can stand up on hills off road and the back tire just pushes. The little hexagon-shaped treads on the shoulders are actually ramped, and Vittoria say that's to help with cornering and braking. I can't say it doesn't work. These are the 120 tpi versions, with the anthracite sidewalls. They're designed for tubeless, but I have tubes in them. These have about 50 miles on them, and the rubber flashing is still evident down the center of each tire. I'm running 25 psi front, 40 psi rear, and I weigh 240 pounds.

If you're a wide tire kind of person, I highly recommend this tire for general purpose riding (Vittoria make them in a few 700c sizes as well). They certainly won't be good for muddy stuff, but I think they're right for nigh on everything else. The Mezcals are definitely tackier on looser surfaces, but that's more evident when they're pushed, and these roll well on nearly every surface I've tried them on. They excel on the stuff you see in these pictures -- off road hardpack/gravel.





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Old 05-24-19, 05:41 PM
  #59  
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One more comment -- one of the things I like best about them is, on smooth pavement, they're completely silenzioso! You'll hear the grain of the pavement, of course, if it's a rougher road. But most MUPs around here are in pretty good shape, with smooth asphalt, and you really can't hear these things at all. Most tires, especially ones this size (usually with patterned tread), will have at least some tread noise to them, but these are pretty stealth, a real joy to ride.
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Old 06-22-19, 06:52 AM
  #60  
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Flat bar to Drop bar

Is it possible to change my flat bar to drop bar in my Roam 2?
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Old 07-10-19, 05:19 PM
  #61  
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Beautiful bike.
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Old 07-10-19, 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Pabloski
Is it possible to change my flat bar to drop bar in my Roam 2?
It is, but it would require a lot of parts changes. I'd suggest starting a new thread in the Hybrids section or even in the Bike Mechanics section for such advice -- there are a lot of variables at play.
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Old 07-10-19, 07:56 PM
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Originally Posted by hokiefyd
It is, but it would require a lot of parts changes. I'd suggest starting a new thread in the Hybrids section or even in the Bike Mechanics section for such advice -- there are a lot of variables at play.
Thank you!
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Old 04-10-20, 09:30 PM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by Roamer2
Nice bike!

The tires are more dirt-oriented than my 2015 Roam 2 (& slightly thinner). The rest appears very similar....including the HLO fork.

Oddly enough, Giant "specs" for my year lists preload adjustment. 2018 does not. Perhaps they hid that feature to make the Roam 1 more appealing?

Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have. Mine sees frequent duty on moderate single-track MTB trails & the hydro brakes/suspension fork really help. 50+ mile greenway rides are common, too. I really find this to be a great Dual Sport "best of both worlds" ride that doesn't break the bank.

Seriously considering one tomorrow. I was going to ask if it was okay on moderate trails. It seems the mountain bikers say it needs to be more mountain bike for mountain biking and the road bikers think it needs to be at least a gravel bike. I wanted it for both lol. Just to vary my workouts.
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Old 04-11-20, 07:32 AM
  #65  
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Originally Posted by paulriccio
Seriously considering one tomorrow. I was going to ask if it was okay on moderate trails. It seems the mountain bikers say it needs to be more mountain bike for mountain biking and the road bikers think it needs to be at least a gravel bike. I wanted it for both lol. Just to vary my workouts.
It's "okay". The relatively small tires (38mm) means you'll need to keep them inflated pretty high to avoid pinch flats and rocks and roots. The Roam's frame will accept up to about 2" tires (about 50mm), and that definitely helps. If you plan on larger tires, remember that will also increase your stand-over height, so keep that in mind when choosing a size. You may consider something a little more on the "mountain bike" range...something like a Giant Talon, Trek Marlin, etc. These bikes are designed with clearance for much larger tires, and have forks and frame geometries a little better suited to trails.
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