wolverine1972

I'm looking into buying a hybrid bike for riding on both paved and unpaved trails. I am looking into the Giant Roam 2 and the Trek DS2. I read that the components are better on Giants than Trek for the same price. The Giant is about $30 less. Any advice?

jase33

I wouldn't say that the parts are better but that they will operate fundamentally the same. I suggest you test ride each of them and get the one you like best. Both are very good bikes.

wolverine1972

I was reading that the Trek has Tektro brakes and the Giant has Shimano brakes. Does that make a difference? From what I read people were saying Shimano brakes are better.

jase33

At the level of component they are putting on those bikes you would not really notice any difference. They will both do what they were designed to do, stop the bike. People that say one is better than the other and cannot provide a means to qualify the statement are in my opinion simply brand loyal. If you are comparing the low/mid range Tektro to high end Shimano it's no comparison.

My Trek DS4 came with Shimano brakes and I hated the feel of them because of what I was used to. I swapped them out with Shimano XT's I had and prefer the feel and modulation of them. Did I need them? No. The original brakes worked just fine.

When someone tells you one thing is better than another ask why. If they cant tell you they don't know. If it is personal preference you should count it as such.

1911bg

I bought a DS 2 3 weeks ago today and I just turned over 300 miles on it.So far the bike has been perfect in everyway.

BiciMan

First of all, my theory is that Giant makes most if not all bicycles.


More to the point, I own a DS and am partial to it in this category where I shopped a lot a few years ago. But these two bikes you're considering are nearly identical component-wise. I strongly endorse riding them both. The DS has DuoTrap compatibility even at this price point, which I value, but you may not. To me, that's the only real distinguishing factor. Much More importantly: the DS2 black is The best color. Enjoy your riding and you'll enjoy the bike that feels best to you on the first ride.

hokiefyd 

As others have noted, the bikes are very, VERY similar. The $30 difference is peanuts, really. Do you like the color of the Giant or Trek better? Do you like the feel of the Giant or Trek better? Make your decision based first on fit and then on finish (color choices, etc). The components are all very similar, and both bikes will serve you for many thousands of miles.

finch204

I think the Giant Roam2 looks better than the Trek DS2, both the lines and the colors, but of course that is subjective. The DS2 comes with a Bontrager Blendr stem though, which is a plus if you already have Bontrager headlights like me. The Blendr stem can also be used to mount other accessories, like bike computers and action cams.

1911bg

You can't look much better than this.

finch204

Like I said, looks are subjective. The front suspension fork on the Trek DS looks like it protrudes forward, like it was an aftermarket add-on. It breaks the flow of the lines of the frame. While the front suspension fork on the Giant Roam2 looks like it just belongs, like it was designed to be part of the whole bike design. Again, subjective.

hokiefyd 

I dunno -- I think all suspension forks look a little goofy.

finch204

You can see from the Roam2 side profile that its fork protrudes forward less. Keeps the frame lines a little more cohesive. At least that's what I like about it in terms of looks.

Blingnjkbling

What didn't you like about the the brakes on the DS 4?

I test rode the DS 4 and the thought the brakes were pretty impressive.

Blingnjkbling

Just curious but is that the same shade of red as this Trek DS bike?

jase33

Yes. That is the same Trek Viper Red. You can see it better in the pics @1911bg posted in THIS thread.

Blingnjkbling

Looks a little darker to me but maybe it's because of the sunlight.

jase33

Yeah, it's just the lighting in the photo.

rubm

A week ago I was debating between the Giant Roam 2 and the Trek DS2. I ended up getting the blue Roam 2 as it seemed better like a better value bike. I have gone to some trails and done road as well, performance is great. I tired some MTB trails as well but of course had to be very careful and not go too fast.

Blingnjkbling

Maybe you should have just got a mountain bike!

Any regrets?

coominya

Yes, just take your time. You'll be riding it for years in all likelihood, so after a month or two the extra money will be irrelevant.

I bought a Daiwa spinning reel today, I haven't bought a rod or reel in 30 years and wanted this one to be decent. Interestingly Shimano make all manner of fishing reels and tackle, I didn't know that. Anyway after days or research on the web the choice boiled down to one for $110 and one called a saltist for $300. The cheaper one would have no doubt done the job but the other one was a full aluminium body with some nice technology built it. I have learnt from experience that we buy things like phones and bikes and whatnot and keep them for years, sometimes decades, so I said, what's an extra $190 spread out over 10 or 20 years.

rubm

A mountain bike would have been great for all kinds of trails, however I would have had to compromise on road biking then. Some days I like riding trails and some days I just want to go for a long road ride. This is my first bike in over 15 years! Maybe next summer I will consider getting an entry level Mountain bike (Giant Talon maybe) if I find my self wanting to do more advanced trails.

ColonelSanders

That Viper Red is a glorious colour.

Blingnjkbling

Yes it is.

So is the matte black version of the DS 2.

Trek made the DS 2 look absolutely fantastic this year.

Doctor Morbius

I have a 2011 Roam 2 so I'm a bit biased. However, that red Trek looks rather fetching!

side_FX

I think the DS bikes would look better with black forks rather than going with the same color as the rest of the bike. I also dig the little mud cover on the Giant. The Ds looks more road worthy, while the Roam looks more mountain bike-ish. The good news is they both look good, so pick whatever floats your boat and don't over analyze it!