mojoe_24

Is it Clyde worthy? Im 340lb and I'm concerned a road bike won't be an option. I've been trying to get to a LBS to check them out but the weather has been unhelpful. I plan to test ride one to see if I like the position, but I figure I'd ask here if anyone has had experience with them.

bigfred 

Which Defy specifically are you looking at? They have 4 or 5 different models of Defy, each with its own suffix. Starting at Defy 5 thru Defy 1 with aluminum frames but differing components. Then getting into the Defy Advanced models that feature carbon frames.

The frames will probably be strong enought for your weight. The questions may revolve around which wheels the particular model is equiped with and whether the frame has clearance for 28mm tires. 23mm tires are probably too narrow for you unless you run extreme pressures that may be in excess of the rated max. I've run 25mm tires at weights as high as my max at 300, down to my current 253. 25mm may work for you or 28mm may work even better if your ultimate frame will handle them. Be aware that tires are not an exact size and they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Cheers,

chefisaac

I have a Giant Defy and bought it in July 2011 and have logged well over 2000 miles on it. I LOVEEEEEE it. I got it when I was 365 pounds so yes, it should be find for you. Now curb hopping! And be mindful of the back rim. I changed out tires to Gatorskins because bigger guys wear tires down faster plus it protects against glass. With thin tires, being a big guy and rolling over glass, factory tires suck. But you can use the factory ones until you need to switch.

I eventually broke spokes after a while in the back to I had them put on heavier and better quality spokes which were DT spokes. Cannot remember size or anything but find an OUTSTANDING place to sell you the Defy and talk with the owner or manager if you can. Sometimes the other workers do not know $hit about bikes for heavy people. Just my experience.

You will love the bike my friend!

kansastdi

Chef:
What size where your original tires and did you move up in size or not?

Reread your post. Is anyone out there using 28mm tires and over 300 lbs? over 350lbs?

Bryan

CraigB

Are you concerned about 28s being too skinny? If so, I rode 25s when I weighed 300 without any problems. Just keep pressure high.

mojoe_24

So I've been looking around at reviews and some mentioned that the Liberty line from BikesDirect has the same geometry of the Defy and they are much cheaper. What do you gusy think of this?

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/.../liberty_3.htm

chefisaac

That could work. I picked Giant because I am brand loyal and they have been great to my family for 40 plus years. Solid company.

chefisaac

I believe they were 25's but I cannot remember. I moved to 32's. Not because of weight but because of terrain. Love them.

X-LinkedRider

+1: This, in regards to reasons to buy a Giant. However. More importantly, if you REALLY don't know exactly what you are looking for, I would always recommend test riding bikes first. While the geometry may be very similar it is not the same quality frame and such.

chefisaac

+1.

vesteroid

I have a 2011 defy advanced and I believe I was told the weight limit for the frame was 300.

Of course you want to check that with your shop as I am simply working off memory.

As far as the geometry, I am comfortable on it so far. I have an Xl and it came with 25c tires. I have upgraded the stock wheels to 32 spoke deep v's with 105 hubs.

I never had any damage to my stock wheels but wanted a set more suited to my size.

I am currently 6' 5" around 230

X-LinkedRider

As mentioned above the 'advanced' are carbon frames and my guess have lower weigh limits. The Defy5,4,3, are probably all suitable well over 400 lbs. It is once again, more dependent on the wheels and the difference between 230 and 330 are very different in the bicycle world.

bigfred 

With regards to purchasing the Giant from an lbs or the other from bikesdirect: One of the things that will be of value from the lbs, if they're worth much at all, is retensioning the wheels after you've put a few miles on the bike. The stock wheels will have been machine built. Which in itself isn't a bad thing. But, after a little riding, they will require retensioning and truing. Which, if you go with the bikes direct bike, you need to factor into your cost. As well as assembly of the mailorder bike, unless you're comfortable with that.

mojoe_24

How much do they charge for that kind of stuff (trueing and such)? THe components seem much better than the Defy 5 (which is the one I'd be able to afford).

bigfred 

For the building of a mail order bike, I've heard everything from $50 to $200.

For the (re)tensioning and truing of your wheels, it should be included free of charge on a new bike purchase, for the mailorder they might charge anywhere from $20 to $50. It should really depend on whether they have a true "wheelsmith" on their staff, how long he spends on them and what their shop hourly rate is.

You should also be able to negotiate a decent tire swap on the local purchase. I know someone will chime in to say how they did "just fine and had no problems with 23's", but, you will probably be much better served by 25 or 28's(if they'll fit) with some form of punction protection. They ought to be able to take the oem tires off and include a pair of the above at a deep discount.

mojoe_24

Well, I'll have a week to decide between the two. If I end up not liking the riding position I'll most likely go with a Giant Roam 1 as I've ridden one before and I liked it. I was planning on going out today to pick one up but it decided to rain and as I'd like to test ride I figure waiting til next weekend would be best. That should work well though because the following week is my spring break and I'll have plenty of time to ride.

I guess I really have to think about the Defy vs the Liberty. For $100-200 cheaper and better components the Liberty seems like the better value, but I know that I'd take it to the shop to have them look it over as I have no experience with bikes. I plan to purchase everything else I need from the LBS so hopefully that'd help out on the pricing of trueing and such.

kansastdi

Thanks Craig my Cannondale Cx bike has 35mm tires but are not smooth but semi off road tires. Going to ride Freewheel Oklahoma and may go with a thinner road tire just not sure what size.

vesteroid

I strongly suggest going to your giant dealer and telling them you are interested in buying their bike and getting their service after the sale, but you can't simply ignore the price difference you see on bikes direct.

My dealer worked with me quite a bit on price and I believe we are both happier I bought local.

I found this conversation is much easier with the owner than an employee.

mojoe_24

Even if I got the good price on the Defy 5, the components would be of a lower quality. Is it not better to pick the bike with the better components? The Liberty 3 and Liberty X are both $600 shipped/taxed and have much better components than the 2300 which the Defy 5 would come with; the 3 comes with Tiagra parts while the X comes with Apex. I'll have to see what my local shop says though. Maybe they'll have something in my price range. I'd much prefer to buy from them, but the value seems impossible to beat from bikesdirect even if I pay a LBS to put it together.

vesteroid

It's all personal perspective, but at least for me I doubt that I as a first time rider could really tell the difference between one set of components and another (performance wise)

Also if you do really get into biking you will then decide you want another bike with ultegra comps on it so you will be upgrading anyway.

And I don't think you can discount the service of the lbs. so far mine has given me a new tube and tire because mine popped on the first ride...try that with bikes direct, and they don't mind at all taking it back in the shop and giving it the once over tune for free if I bring it in.

On top of that as a customer they are offering me 15 percent off list on other things I want to buy there.

And last they are keeping 4 guys employed locally.

I am not against Internet shopping and in fact do it myself. For instance I am shopping for bike tools and am comparing Internet prices to those of my lbs even with my discount. But for things I am going to want service on after the sale, I want to buy local.

bigfred 

Yep,to get the same components you would probably need to look a defy 2, which retails for $1100. Get a small discount off that, add in the $100 or so for a full service on the bikedirect in a couple months, plus a few bucks for the wheel tensioning and it's going to cost a few hundred more to support the bricks, mortar and staff of your local shop. That's the sad reality.

But, where are you going to turn on Saturday morning when you need a tube and water bottle?

I also shop both locally and online. It pains me, as I see a friend struggle to maintain their shop, ever relying on long hours in the maintenance shop to keep the doors open and selling few new bikes at any sort of margin. But, I can purchase a pair of new rims off the internet for less than he can get them through the distribution network. Before he's even put any margin on them.

Where/when I can I shop local. I appreciate them being there when I need them. If it's big ticket and I think they have a chance at coming "close enough", I offer them the opportunity to give me a price. On occassion I've been really surprised. Sometimes they need the cash flow or unit movement and can come close enough that I can justify buying local. Like others have suggested, if you approach the manager or owner with the right attitude, you may get both.

Personally, if I were a first time bike buyer and not particularly mechanical, I would pay $200-300 more to the local shop. Chances are , by the time you get the mailorder bike sorted, they'll end up with it anyway. And, by buying there in the first place, everyone gets to feel better about it.

As much as I wish performance bicycles were an assemble and forget it proposition, they aren't. A skilled tech can put a bicycle together, stretch cables, retension wheels, etc. and get it almost all the way there. But, they still seem to need a few miles to settle in.

Either way, I hope you enjoy your new ride and find a "love for the bike".

mojoe_24

So I just got back from t he bike shop. I tried out a Defy 2 Composite or something like that. It's way out of my price range, but they didn't have a XL in the Defy 5 so they had me try the 2 to figure out whether I liked the position or not. I didn't mind the position with my hands on the shifters or on the top bar, but once I dropped down it didn't feel comfortable, though I think it was something I would get used to. I also understand that a road bike would need much more maintenance; because of that I think I'd like to get it from the bike shop. But with the pricing difference and the fit I think I'll probably just go with a hybrid.

They let me ride the Roam 1 (which is what I originally planned on getting) and an Escape (forget which model). I found both comfortable. The Escape seemed faster and the price difference was nice. This shop is a littler further away from my house than another, but when I originally started looking at the Roam they had it for $580, they paid the tax if I paid in cash, and I got 10% off whatever else I would be later on. Today the Roam was $600 and the guy (same guy) didn't mention everything else when we were talking about the pricing of the Roam/Escape and everythign else I'd like to get. Now I'm iffy on whether I want to actually go to that shop. I have a shop less than a mile down the street from me that would have the same pricing (and last I checked the Roam was still $580). The whole reason I went to the other one was the money I'd save on tax and with the 10%.

chefisaac

mojo: Its tough to pick a shop. I go in, talk with them and find who treats me better. I have been through the process and when I found one, I treated them just as nice by bringing them food, cookies, etc. A little of that goes a long way.

Can I ask what you will be doing with the bike? Long rides? commutes, etc? For long weekend rides, I prefer my defy. I do not use the drops much at all cause of my tummy but that will change. For my commuting, I love my Roam. But not sure I could sustain a 50 mile ride on it or not. That is actually something I need to find out.

mojoe_24

Mostly it will just be commuting locally. I'd figure most of the rides being 2-3 miles with a few being longer (5-10).

chefisaac

Then it is my personal recommendation on the Roam. Unless you plan long rides on the weekends. (like 20 plus miles for example).