rbloem

Hey guys, I have a flat bar road bike and am itching to invest in buying a drop bar bike like the Giant Defy 1 or Defy 1 composite"carbon"w/105's. My Giant Rapid 1 is aluminum with carbon forks. It was $1150 CND. Am I crazy to start looking at a different bike? I have had my Rapid for 2 years now. I was just wondering if you guys go through lots of road bikes in your life? Its seems to me that if you get a good carbon bike with good specs it should last you for years, but like everything there is something new around the corner. Anyways the bottom line is should I plan for a road bike in a year or two, or keep what I have? Thanks.

TrojanHorse

What don't you like about your current bike? What would a more traditional road bike get you that you lack now?

As for your other question, I'd recommend testing both out to see if you can tell or care about the difference.

I personally tend to keep the same bike for about 10 years or so and I know some people like to upgrade relentlessly. There's no right or wrong way, it just depends on what makes you feel good about hopping on and going for a ride. Maybe your Rapid would be a good bike to keep in addition to a regular road bike for just tooling around.

rbloem

I think a drop bar bike may allow me to go further distance with less effort. Plus the lighter weight would be good as well, but the Giant Rapid is a great bike. Those road bikes look friggin cool though!

milkbaby

The Defy Composite is a full carbon frame, just a different, less expensive grade of carbon from the Defy Advanced, and the Defy (no suffix) is an aluminum frame. Test ride them, and if you can't tell any difference and want to save money, buy the least expensive one.

Some people really dig the bike side of cycling and get new bikes all the time. I've had one (the same) road bike from 1984 to 2009 before I got a second one. Even a not so great bike can last a long time depending on how you ride it.

The drop bars will give you more hand positions than a flat bar, and you will typically be able to get your body positioning more aero to ride faster. Try it, you might like it. But if you don't like it, no big deal. The vast majority of bikes in the world are not drop bar equipped.

NYgreyrider

Well said.

I got a Giant Defy Advanced 3 a couple years back. When I ordered it from my LBS it was on back order so they let me borrow a Giant Defy while I was waiting. I was training for a century at the time so I put a lot of miles on that borrowed bike (I was training with the shop owner so it's not like I was abusing their generosity). I have been very happy with the Advance but if I were to be totally honest with myself I'd have to admit I would have been just as happy with the bike they lent me. I probably spent more then I needed to because I wanted the coolest newest thing. I'm sure that a lot of riders would be able to tell the difference between the carbon and the aluminum and more importantly take advantage of the differences but I am not one of them. What I mean by that is obviously I can tell the difference in weight but as far as ride quality the difference back then was lost on me and I'm a big guy so a few pounds of bike doesn't matter to me. If I were you I would ride them both and be honest with yourself. If you really can't tell the difference save the money and get the aluminum one.

prA4wAr

i just recently purchased a defy last week as my road first bike and i am more then happy with my purchase. i had test driven trek, specialized and cannondale and elected for the defy over all of them. it was the right price point and one i can grow into with upgrades as i progress in the sport. i have put over 175 miles on it in the last week and minus a little saddle soreness, i have no real complaints on long rides.

dolbydj 

Hi Rbloem,
I have posted about my 2012 Giant Composite 3 https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Defy+composite
And also have a 2007 Giant FCR 3 which is similar to the Rapid. Although I really like the Defy for what it is, I ride and commute with the FCR ten times more often in and around downtown. I am always apprehensive to use clipless on city streets, worried about theft, and enjoy the comfort of fatter tires.
The Defy is an excellent bike if you plan on doing more riding and going faster. The price won't break the bank and Giant makes their own carbon with full warranties.

a1penguin

I you really like your bike, keep it ride it. The people who haunt the 41 are bike-a-holics. Most have multiple bikes. Real people own one bike. If you are happy with your bike, you don't need another. Keep your money or spend it on something different. Road bikes can last for years. Why do you think you need a new bike? If you are someone who has to have a new car every two years, then you may need a new bike every two years :-) OTOH, if you decide you want to start racing, or climb mountains, your flat bar bike isn't going to be the best tool for the job.

pgjackson

The answer is yes.

marley mission

buy old bikes off craigslist - then you can hoard a whole bunch and not feel so bad - a guy i know does this

Igo

I had a Defy and found myself commuting a lot with it. It ended up with racks and trunks and lights. Soon my Defy was a very slick commuter, but is was no longer a slick road bike.
The Defy was stolen. I decided I wanted a commuter and a separate road bike. GREAT decision. Now I have a hybrid much like yours with rack, trunk, bags and light and I use it to bounce off curbs, take lunch and cloths to work and put on the bus rack when I explore or run errands in town. I also now have an even slicker road bike than my Defy. When I say slicker I mean that I chose a more aggressive geometry for this bike because my other bike is now a hybrid and I wanted the differences between the two bikes. As well as the Giant Escape for commuting, I have a Trek 2.1 Apex with nothing but a small tool kit and water bottles on it. I use it for recreation riding on the challenging national recreation trails that are close by. I look at having the two bikes as like having a pick-up truck and a sports car. Two totally different purposes.
Put a rack and some 28C tires on that Rapid and its the perfect commuter then got get the slickest Defy your money will permit and keep it light and clean. Just a thought.

TrojanHorse

Somebody evict this person from the 41.

roccobike

OP, if you are OK with the $$$ go for the Composite with 105 equipment. I went with the predecesor, Giant OCR-C and I'm not trading up for a new bike. Actually updated the old Giant to DA/Ultegra mix.