CenturionIM

I have been looking to upgrade to a more "roady" bike recently for long distance commuting (18 mi one way). If I feel I get strong enough I might actually try to participate in a race. This is my second bike, so I think I am okay with a wrench and ballpark sizing. But hey, I would never say no to LBS support =)

So it came down to choosing one of these bikes:

Giant Defy 5 2012 (650 w/ tax) https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/....5/9014/48856/
Giant Defy 2 2011 (950 w/ tax) https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/....2/7307/44048/
Vent Noir 2013 (800 no tax) https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ntnoir_xii.htm
GT series 3 2012 (720 w/ tax) https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...ductId=1114748

so, should I go cheap with the Defy 5 and work on it as I go? I probably will want better shifters/derailleur on that one. Maybe wheels too. Getting the defy 2 will take care of a good chunk of that. they both ride pretty good, frames feels like real good quality. just the thumb tab shifters throws me off.
Vent Noir seems to be good value, but no LBS support =(
Just recently found the GT series 3 bike. Looks good on paper, no test ride yet though.

Second opinions, anyone?

Drew Eckhardt 

You want rack eyelets because riding a few hours a day with the junk you're likely to commute with on your back will be unpleasant (laptop, work clothes, warmer clothes, rain gear, you can get to about 15 pound). I resisted that one for a long time.

Brakes with clearance for fenders might be nice too, although since moving out of an alpine desert environment it's taken me a few years to get irritated enough about rain to do something about it (in many places it's the colder months that are wetter, so you get 45 degree rain after dark).

That gets you to something more cyclo-cross than race oriented.

jimc101

Do you want / need mudguards / fenders, if so, the Giant's are the only ones which have the option to fit them.

The Defy 5 has Sora shifters, which are a major stepdown from Tiagra (2013 Sora is much better) and the Defy 2 is probably worth the extra just for that.

Neither the Giants are 10 speed, which could give issues if upgrading to current parts as Tiagra (4600) and above are all 10 speed now, not that you won't be able to get the parts, just that any upgrading will involve a lot of additional cost.

For the others

Vent - are you ok wrenching? do you need a triple crank?

GT - looks nice, no triple triangle,

CenturionIM

yeah, pretty sure I will be a "fair weather" cyclist. The other days = public transportation lol. So fender is not necessary and I already have a spare rack. Wrenching wise, I think i am okay. just okay though. The good thing is there is a bike co-op not too far from me. Worst case, I take it in there for some help. So I think I came down to either the defy 2 or the vent noir. LBS support vs better component +150$. The only real concern with the giant though is the stock rim. are those going to hold up as well as the XRP pro?

fietsbob

what kind of abuse do you have in mind?

sbslider

Someone mentioned a rack for your gear, and you mentioned you have one, but does the bike you are picking have a place to mount it?

Cyclocross style might be more appropriate for commuting. I love mine.

canyoneagle

What is your current bike?

CenturionIM

abuse = probably not much. I'm of okay weight and not going to take this guy off road, so the common pavement hazards: potholes, rut, train tracks, rocks, debris etc. Mainly speaking about not having to true the wheel every 3 month or something.

Yeah the vent noir and defy all have rack mounts. hmm guess i'll check out some of the CX bikes. The fuji one is more expensive than the road ones though..=(

CenturionIM

oh and right now I have Moto fantom cross. It works well enough, just small issues here and there.

canyoneagle

This helps.
Non-racing CX bikes do make excellent commuters, and I'd imagine any minor issues you may be having can be dealt with pretty easily.

It seems to me that you already have a perfectly functional commuter with the ability to ride the route almost as quickly as a full-on road bike. So.... it seems that the focus on the new bike might be better aimed at your interest in competetive riding, so a bit "racier" design. You could ride your road bike on fair weather days when you want to go fast and light, and rely on your cx bike as your primary transportation machine.

With this in mind, here are some additional bikes to consider:

- The Motobecane would be my pick of the ones you listed, with the Defy 2 tight on its heels.

As you already know, Bikesdirect offers a pretty hard to beat value, with the trade off that it is mail order.
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...strada_xii.htm
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...sprint_xii.htm
Or for a perfectly functional retro-cool road racing bike: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._legacy_xi.htm

Here's a pretty good deal: https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...ODUCT.ID=32174

Your LBS options might have some prior stock (2010/2011) that they are clearing out for some savings, or perhaps keeping your eye out on the local used market.

Fit is the biggest factor - especially if you are thinking about racing. You can use any number of online self-fit tools to get a big jump start on this: https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO

All of this said, you might consider (if you have not already done so) composing a "wanting to get started training/racing" thread in the road bike subforum, as those guys would probably be able to provide additional options for you to consider.

CenturionIM

forgot to say it. thanks everyone for the replies.

The moto is okay, i just dont like the knobby tires/FD needs care frequently/top tube a tad too long for me. So I thought, hey, why not just get a different bike already.

The Defy 2 is actually on "clearance" as it's from 2011. Still cost a fortune though.

I actually have been eyeing that schwinn legacy for quite a while. Can't take my eye off the 2010 blue but that one is sold out. so beautiful. I feel like I will be very happy with it. Sadly, nobody carry them locally...one said they will order but 10% restocking if not purchased. 80$ just for a try, not worth it. and, why they no have rack mounts on such a stately steel bike! sigh...

getting a measuring tape tomorrow.

canyoneagle

28-32mm slick commuting tires would make a big difference, and would suit the bike just fine. In fact, a number of folks on these boards do very well in fast group rides on cx bikes with 25mm training tires (Continental GP series for example).

Might be a good interim step while you take some time to consider your options. A good set of tires will run $120-150.
For commuting tires, I love my Schwalbe Marathon Supremes - check out the numerous tire threads to see what others recommend.


For the FD, either something needs to be adjusted properly, you are possibly "cross-chaining" (running the chain at the opposite extremes front and back), and/or you are experiencing my primary gripe with Shimano - no micro-adjustment on the front shifter. Properly set up, this should not be too much of an issue unless you cross-chain, in which case you'll need to be aware of proper gear selection.

Personally, I'd say sit tight for a while and research/ride different bikes and start prodding the roadie subforum for some ideas while saving some money for the eventual purchase. If racing is in your blood, you'll find that the $1,000 mark is best applied to used bikes, because for new bikes, this price point is still below the price/performance "sweet spot" for the genre, and it would be easier to recoup your money by re-selling a used bike vs. taking the loss on re-selling a new bike. For $1,000-$1,300 you can find a full Carbon or lugged steel road bike with Ultegra/Force/Chorus level components, which generally do not enter the picture on new bikes under $2,000-$2,500 and offer tangible improvement in performance over Tiagra/Sora level components. The Shimano 105 / SRAM Apex level of equipment is the minimum I'd recommend for performance/race-oriented riding. While not "necessary", they offer solid entry-level performance that is likely to avoid the inevitable "upgrade-itis" that would be more likely with Sora/Tiagra.

CenturionIM

okay, just going to be wait and see mode for a while.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bik/3381022150.html

Is this a good deal?

maidenfan

The only problem I had w/a CX bike as a commuter was the short chain stays made using panniers almost impossible due to heel strike (size 14 feet).

canyoneagle

Probably a wise choice - get some slicks on the cx bike for now, save some money and do some research/learning in the mean time.
Also - do the fit calculator that I linked earlier - it will give you some guidelines that can really help you eliminate bikes that would be a poor fit.

The cx with slicks will give you a more "road-like" feel, and you could begin going on local organized club rides to get your feet wet.

Since your primary focus will be getting yourself aligned for racing, I'd suggest checking in over in the "road" subforum to get a sense for your options.

I'd skip that Allez. It's a decent bike, but not a significant enough step forward (that one is at the lower end of the Allez offerings) IMO.

idc

The GT is a straight entry-level road/race bike - no rack mounts, etc. That said, I ride a GT Series 1 to work >50% of the time. You can set it up to be quite fast and light and the frame is a very decent hydroformed "compact" Al one. That Series 3 is a little on the low-end for components for me personally but still quite good value at the current price. Just note that if you do get into racing you may well get an upgrade bug fairly quickly but find it would've been cheaper to get a better bike straight off the bat. I would not go below Tiagra generally (Sora unless it's Sora 2013 has weird shift buttons), and I prefer 105 or Ultegra (shift cables are run under the bartape instead of coming out awkwardly from the brifters).

If I was limited to fewer bikes I would look at a CX or touring model for faster commuting whilst giving more options for rack mounting, wider tires, etc.

If you are fine with bikesdirect they certainly will give you more bang components-wise for your buck.

CenturionIM

yup, i think Im just going to save up and buy a bike with 105 at least the first time around. Canyoneagle: I found this on craiglist. Is this the schwalbe marathon tire you were talking about? seems like a steal for the price. I have the 30mm tire right now. 32 should fit with the rim, right? https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/3389926420.html