beginnerbiker1

Hi so I've decided for my first road bike I want a 105 group and was wondering if people had any recommendations between these three? I am considering these three after test riding a few road bikes because I have a lower back injury and do better after long rides in a more upright position. I tried the Secteur and found it decently comfortable (I tried the SRAM Apex one not the 105 that I would get). Between these 3 which would you recommend? I still have to find a Giant and Cannondale to try.

revchuck 

IMO, they're of equivalent quality, and are very similar in features. Check around with the experienced cyclists in your area and find out how the different shops treat customers before and (more importantly) after the sale. Go with the shop with the best customer service. As a new rider, you'll have a lot of questions, and you'll need a shop that will answer your questions and give good advice. If there is more than one shop with high quality service, then price can come into consideration. As a final discriminator, go with the shop that has the bike in your favorite color.

DropDeadFred

get the Venge

killarbb

buddy loves his synapse, i love my giant........ride all 3 and buy the one that feels best

baj32161

I seriously dig my Synapse 5. It is the most comfortable aluminum frame I have ever ridden. I went with the compact double and am really enjoying it. Plus it looks sharp in black.

I was looking at the same 3 bikes as you and, to be honest, I do not think you can go wrong with either. ride them all and see how they feel to you. If there is no real discernable difference, then go with the shop that treats you the .best

Cheers,

Brian J.

DropDeadFred

why would you make your user name beginnerbiker? what are you going to do in a few months or years?

Dobso

As I have a defy 1 thats what I would recommend to you, its a great bike with a very nice frame. Another bouns with the Defy is it comes with clipless pedals. Really it comes down to the feel, what you like the most and which shop gives you the best service.

Also What kind of prices are you looking at in your area? As the bikes are all nearly the same performance wise can you get one cheaper than the other?

beginnerbiker1

Yeah I will have to try all of them. I definitely feel like I am more comfortable with a more upright position so whichever of these has the more relaxed and upright geometry will please me the most I think. Anyone know which is the most relaxed out of all three of these based on looking at geo numbers?

I put down a deposit on a Trek 2.1 today to put it on hold and this place told me I would have to pay for a fitting to try and see if they can make me more comfortable on it, but I think now it is just better to get a bike with the more relaxed and upright geometry.

After taxes the Secteur Elite Apex and Synapse are around $1380 and the Defy 1 is $1300 at closeby bike shops (for Giant and Cannondale I have to drive 30 min to the bike shop that carries them...)

@DropDeadFred - i guess you're right, at least it will be sort of funny later?
@Dobso - On the site for the bike store that carries Giant, it says you have to buy pedals separately unfortunately (I do need to get some clipless...), but I am trying to look for a 2011 first because it have more 105 components on it and is a little cheaper. Bike prices are mentioned above. I'm not sure about the service since I haven't gone to these bike stores before.

FactVord

Bribery to supermod for name change, ofc

HazeT

I still don't understand why bike shops don't give a basic fit to new customers, hand out a road bike with no fitting whatsoever very likely increase the return rate due to people with back pain, knee pain and numb hands.
Try all three bikes and see which one feels more comfortable to you, probably the more comfortable one has more potential to to be fine tuned for you.
I think you should ask the shop for a bare minimum fit and come back later for a complete fit, I'm not sure if day 1 fit would be a good idea because it will take some hundred miles for you to get used to the bike and riding position. If you pay for a complete fit right now you might have to do a new one in a couple months when your core is stronger and you are more flexible, and more comfortable with riding in the drops. So a basic feet just to make sure you are good enough should be a must... they can do it in like 20-30 mins. I mean you are buying a 1300 dollars bike, they probably spend more time then that just walking around people looking for the cheapest bike they can find.

killarbb

i agree to this. when i bought my road bike they helped me on saddle height, and they mounted the cleats on my shoes. then later i went back for the basic fitting.......i spent $50 for that plus parts. i am really thinking that i want to do a more involved fitting, but i will be pissed if it is not much more involved than the basic. just rambling here i guess

revchuck 

If they're saying they'll fit you to a bike to give you the measurements so you can shop around, paying up front is reasonable. If they charge you for a basic fit on a bike you're buying from them, this is below the norm for bike shops. Almost all shops include a basic fitting as part of the purchase price.

Bosock

The best thing to do is ride all three and see what you like. Each bike will be at a slightly different place on the performance-comfort scale and you have to figure which is right for you. When family member was looking for entry level aluminum bike they thought the defy was the most comfortable ride of the lot with the Secteur and synapse comfortable but a little more racy/responsive. He also liked the felt as well and would have picked this bike if they had the right flight deck (did not like sora) ...Trek dealer was kind of a jerk so that marred the perception of the Trek alum bike. He ended up with a Specialized Allez as he is 17 and ended up liking the more aggressive frame...loves the bike and new allez frame is outstanding...has even taken it on a century with no problem. However, he is 17 and your preferences sound to be more down the relaxed geometry. As far as paying to have them adjust so you know what your looking for...almost every bike shop he, as well as I when i was looking, would give a cursory fitting to ensure we liked the bike we were riding. Pay attention during these and you will get a good idea of the key elements and positioning when you test the other bikes. If the shop doesnt take a minute to ensure you are somewhat fitted on the bike before testing it go somewhere else...they dont know how to sell a bike or just dont care.

Bacciagalupe

IMO all three of these bikes are going to ride about the same. They use the same range of components, same materials, highly similar design philosophies, and there shouldn't be any problem getting them all to the same fit.

I'd agree that this shop ought to give you a basic fit at no charge. They should also throw in a few years of basic service for free.

You may want to check Yelp and similar sites for reviews. The sites aren't perfect but are better than mere guesswork.

beginnerbiker1

Yeah unfortunately a lot of the bike stores here charge for a basic fitting. I asked and they said that it was a reduced price if I bought it with the bike. Says it on their websites too :/ A few of the stores I'm looking at charge 30-45 for a fitting with a new bike...

The only dealer around here that I know that will do it for free is a Trek/Ridley dealer but I know Trek doesn't have great touring/relaxed style options and I'm not sure about Ridley.

EnellCH

+1 on the fitting...Even if they charge $$ for it...do it. There is no way to get comfortable on a bike not properly fitted..In addition, if really a beginner, the changes you need do may seem counterintuitive at first and as such, you may adjust on your own and end up with more discomfort..

....Real comfort comes first after plenty riding to build some on your core, get a bit more flexible and stop hanging on arms/shoulders etc., chances are this take a little while and during this period, don't temper too much with the fit as it most likely won't help anyway.

Good luck!! Youll love it no matter which one you pick as long as the size/fit is for you.

EnellCH

And finally, as you do a fitting, be prepared to pay some more $$ as you are likely to end up changing parts for the right fit: stem, steeringbar, seatpost, saddle etc. to get it right and these cost some dollars depending on what you need.

lembeh

@beginnerbiker1

I buddy of mine recently got a new Spec Sectuer with SRAM Apex. Im not sure what kind of riding experience you have or what type of terrain you usually ride on but my friend absolutely loves the SRAM Apex for one particular reason. The 32t cog on his cassette. I think frame comfort wise these bikes might be very similar but with the ability to use the 32t cog in case of a disgusting climb is an asset in a hairy hilly situation. He has 2 really big cogs on that cassette to keep him spinning and not tire his legs because he has to push really hard.

SRAM's Apex used trickle down technology from its proven race groupsets and in the budget performance category its virtually hard to find on any other bike than the Spec Sectuer.

Grasschopper

The Bicycle Shop in State College, PA gives a fitting with every bike purchase over $750. My wife got a road bike this year and they spent an hour with her for the fitting doing cleat positon, saddle position (tilt, height, fore/aft), bar height and width (they put on wider bars at no cost), stem length (changed the stem at no cost) and saddle (they changed the saddle 3 times at no cost).

beginnerbiker1

OK so I rode a Giant Defy and loved it! I'm going for it, question is though if I should get the 2011 or 2012 model.

I am 6'1.5" and like a more upright position

I tried the 2012 Large frame first (which is usually too small for a guy my size and I have about 4 inches of clearance from the top tube...) and it felt quick snappy and responsive. The guy raised up my seat post a lot! I felt a little more comfortable in the Large since he couldn't change the stem on the XL to fit me at the time and without the shorter stem I felt a little bit stretched out. The guy said I looked more comfortable in the Large but could possibly be fine in the XL bike with the stem swap (2011 model).

Then I tried the XL frame in the 2011 model and it felt slower but it also had 700x25 tires instead of the 700x23 tires on the 2012 model. Do you think (assuming I could get comfortable after adjustments and stem swap) that it will feel a lot snappier and quicker like the 2011 if I put thinner tires on? The guy said the frame tubes on the 2011 bike got flattened out so that it will be stiffer, but is what I am feeling a result of mostly the tires or the frame? I know 25mm tires are also not pumped as high pressure too... I do get a 10% discount off this model which will save me a decent chunk of change but I'm not sure which one to go for...

Fitting here is free after bike purchase!

revchuck 

I don't know what caused the change in handling you felt, but it wasn't the tire size (assuming both sets were inflated correctly). I'm 6'2"/195 lbs., and I prefer the 700x25s. Were you using the same gearing for both bikes? If you used taller gearing (harder to turn the pedals) it could've made one bike feel "slower" than the other, because it was harder to accelerate.

If it were me - and it's not - I'd go for the 2011, or at least get the salesman to swap out the stem on the XL for a test ride before I made a decision.

I've never tried one, but I've heard nothing but good reports on the Defy. It sounds like it's a good shop, too.

beginnerbiker1

I'll test ride both again tomorrow with the new stem on the 2011 XL hopefully. Haha I'm not such a newbie that I don't know what gears I was using, but throughout all different gearing on the 2012 though I felt like I was in a racier bike. I could just shift my body slightly and it was respond very quickly to my movements. It was kind of what I would imagine riding an actual race car (2012) vs. a tamer sporty luxury sedan (2011). I just wasn't sure a frame could make that much of a difference to the feel for a newer rider. so I thought it was the tires.

The 2011 also has a 105 crank vs an FSA crank on the 2012 so slight downgrade there but apparently the frame is supposedly better. The 2012 bottom bracket is "press fitted" into the frame. I think it's like an external bearing but the frame kind of goes over it? I'm not that sure how that would affect it.


Yeah this bike store is actually closer and the manager was very good at explaining things and patient.
Probs picking it up tomorrow and getting a fit done, I'll let you guys know which one I choose.
The guy also recommended to start with some mountain shoes and SPD style MTB pedals because I was trying to keep cost down and I was probably not going to be doing any thing over 50miles. I might just get the accessories there but it is a little more expensive than buying pedals, shoes etc. online.

revchuck 

I'd get the shoes there - there's lots of variation in sizes; getting them there assures you that you have the right fit.

postman2010

I just purchased a 2012 Defy 1. I am a rookie at this, but the 2012 is supposed to handle vibrations a little better. I rode it. I liked it. It fit. I pulled the trigger. I felt like an idiot after shifting gears and noticing the chain rubbing the little guide thingy. I mentioned it to the salesman and got educated on something called "trim". lol

p.s. I had gotten interested in mountain biking and had ordered a matte titanium Trek Fuel EX 8. I already had a black Trek 7.5 FX ( with 37 miles on it ) and did not want two black bikes... Well, after a couple of human error type instances and ordering two BLACK EX 8s, the LBS agreed to take back my black FX and gave me a full refund towards the ( white ) Giant Defy 1. I thought that was very cool of them. Sorry to get off topic. I know the 2011s can be had a little cheaper, but the 2012 was right before my eyes and so I snagged it.