Klaista2k

I'm looking at purchasing a hybrid bike for primarily fitness.

How do these bikes compare overall?

They are pretty close in price so I'm wondering which I should go with?

Thanks in advance!

mcours2006

It's a toss up. Trek is a double vs the triple on the Giant. Do you see a need for a triple? Trek likely lighter too with SRAM vs Shimano.

Go with the one that has your favourite colour.

jase33

I like Giant bikes and considered the Roam 0 when I bought my bike but ultimately chose the DS 4 because of the internal cable routing, remote lockout on the fork and tubeless ready rims.

If you have not ridden them I suggest you do so. They were both comfortable to me but had their differences.

Klaista2k

What's your opinion on the triple vs the double? I'm a beginner so I don't really know myself

Will the triple be easier for climbing hills?

ColonelSanders

Not in this instance.


The second chainring of the crank on the Trek is only 28T, whereas the small chainring of the Giant is 26T, they both have as their biggest cog at the back a 36, so the difference isn't worth arguing about.


They are both great bikes, so buy which ever one appeals to you more after a testride, also taking into account which one you like the look of better too.


Price is probably the biggest difference between these two bikes.

Klaista2k

The Trek DS 4 is priced at $1149 and the Roam 0 is $1099 so they are close in price.

What are you thoughts on the Giant Roam 1?

Would it be a good bike to get or do you think it's worth spending more and getting the DS 4 or the Roam 0?

FM1178

These are all great bikes you are pondering. As far as the Roam 1 vs the Roam 0. You are looking at marginally better components. SLX vs Deore (for the RD). Better crankset. 3x on both bikes. Living in FL, I don't have much use for a triple front crank with as flat as it is around here. I put a 1x on my Giant Toughroad. Brakes on the 0 are a little better also. I really like the hollow tech bracket on the Roam 0. Makes upgrading (if you choose to do so) down the road much easier. If you are the kind of person who is going to ride it stock then I doubt most persons would feel a significant difference between the Roam 0 and Roam 1. The DS4 is a fine machine also. Comparable to the Roam 0. Thinking that might be my next bike as I have a friend that wants to buy my Toughroad. In the US, we don't have access to a Roam 0. You won't go wrong with any of the bikes you are looking at. You can never buy too much bike, but you can certainly not buy enough bike. Test ride, them all. The Trek may fit you better than the Roam or vice versa and make your decision easy. Happy hunting.

mcours2006

You'll have a higher top gear and lower bottom gear on the Giant, and therefore more versatile for varied terrain...However, if you are not a strong rider you won't really get into the top gear for long either, even on longer descents. Pedaling at 90 rpm your top speed will be 33 mph, and at 120 rpm, you can top out at 44 mph--a pretty scary speed. There's lots of overlap in the gearing, which to me seems redundant. You're just carrying extra weight.

So from a gearing point of view I'd take the double on the Trek.

hokiefyd 

Yeah, I really don't know why triples with 48T large cogs are so common on bikes such as these. Most users will NEVER be able to make much use of that large ring. One of my Treks has a 28-38-48, and I hardly ever use the large ring. One of my other Treks has a 22-32-42, and I use the large ring regularly on that one.

The Roam 0 has a 26-36-48 triple. I'd much rather see them use a 42T large ring in this situation. The Trek's double is a 28-42, which should be pretty flexible for most riders. Once you use up most of the cassette on the small chain ring, you're ready for the larger cassette cogs with the big chain ring.

If I bought the Roam 0, I might think about replacing the big chain ring. The Trek would probably be fine for me out of the box.

ColonelSanders

What country are you in?

I can see that the American price for a DS4 is $1149, but they don't sell the Roam 0 in the USA this year.

When I look at the Canadian Trek website, I see the DS4 is $1,495CAD and the Roam 0 on the Giant Canada site is $1,099CAD, so a difference of approx $400CAD.

The Roam 1 on the Canadian Giant site is $959CAD, so is the Roam 0 worth an extra $140CAD?

I certainly think it is, mainly for the External Bottom Bracket crankset that comes on the Roam 1, in addition to the following:

Higher grade of Fork, Shifters, Brakes, Rear Derailleur, Rims and a carbon seatpost on the Roam 0(though that may not be a benefit)

MRT2

But you probably don't much use the small ring on the older bike. I have a 26 - 36 - 48 triple on my bike and I use all three chainrings. The middle chainring gets used the most on flats and with leisurely riding. The small chainring on longer or steeper hills. And the big chainring for faster group rides, going downhill, or if I catch a tailwind on a long flat stretch of road.

If I had to go to a double, I would probably be fine with a 28 - 42, or even a 28 - 40. So in a nutshell, IMO the difference in this case between the Giant and the Trek is a wash.

fietsbob

Test ride them both , then decide.

mcours2006

You do faster group rides on a hybrid with front suspension? ...because those are the bikes OP is contemplating.

MRT2

No, mine is more of a light touring bike. I guess you are right. The big ring on a triple is kind of superfluous on a dual sport.

jase33

When I changed the crankset on my DS 4 I started with a 36t chain ring on a 1X11 setup. It just wasn't right. I now have a single 42t chain ring and it is the sweet spot for my riding. Long rides with nothing too steep or kinda steep but short climbs. I more than lead my friends who usually ride mountain bikes and I keep in the lower third of my road bike group (they give me funny looks and high fives at the same time).

MRT2

So long as I have a low gear of 1:1 I am fine.

hokiefyd 

I think riding style has a lot to do with it. I definitely spin rather than mash.

I use the 22T chain ring about half the time on my 750. We have a number of short-but-steep climbs (out of stream valleys, for example) and I use the 22T ring for that. I prefer something shorter than 1:1 as a climbing gear. A 28/28 doesn't really cut it for me (with 700c wheels and tires). One of my bikes has a 32/28 climbing gear (a 1.14:1 ratio), which is acceptable. My 750 has a 28/22 climbing gear, which is better at 1.27:1.

(My measure of a good climbing ratio is something with which I can stay seated and spin up the hill.)

Like you, I'm often on the middle ring in the front. Especially with my 750 and its 32T middle ring. Less so on my Verve with its 38T middle ring, but I'm still in it a lot. I never use the Verve's 48T big ring, only because I pretty much top out on the middle ring at about 12/38 (about 0.32:1), and I don't use ratios any taller than that. I do use the 750's 42T big ring some, and 13/42 is about the same ratio, so I can use almost the entire cassette on its 42T ring.

Remember, these are both hybrids, with upright seating positions that are not aerodynamic. The seating position alone makes a larger ring less useful and a smaller ring more useful (with slacker seat tube angles, etc). Trek fitted most of its MultiTrack bikes in the '90s with a 28/38/48, but the 750 got a 22/32/42, presumably because it's the bike most likely used for loaded touring. At 235 pounds riding, I'm likely at the weight that a fit tourer would be with gear, so I do "loaded touring" whenever I ride!

hokiefyd 

With the Trek's cassette gearing, a 28-42 double would be just fine for me, or even a 28-40 as you say. A 36/28 climbing gear is a 1.29:1 ratio, which is very near to my 750's 1.27:1, with which I'm very satisfied. The Giant's 48T ring would just be wasted on me, so I guess I'd prefer to have the more compact double. In terms of climbing gearing, though, yes, it's about a wash.

Klaista2k

I'm in the USA.

Ah OK I must have been looking at the Canadian price for the ROAM 0.

Since they don't sell the Roam 0 in the US my choices are probably between the DS 4 and Roam 1.

Which do you think I should go with? Is the DS 4 worth the extra money?

jase33

My personal opinion...of those three options, scratch off the Crosstrail Elite.

badger1

If it were me, in the States, I'd wait for the 2018 Roam 1: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/roam-1-disc-2018

Why? Significantly improved fork vs. the 2017 Roam 1. Makes the bike more directly competitive with the DS4, still at a lower cost.

End of the day, though, they will fit slightly differently so you really need to try to ride both to get a clear sense which you prefer. No amount of yakking by others on here can tell you which you will prefer. You should also try, if you can, the '17 Crosstrail Elite -- different geometry again -- different fit/feel. Another very good bike in its class.

Components are a wash; all three have decent stuff on 'em -- and components are easy to change as they wear out. You're stuck with the frame/geometry once you buy

hokiefyd 

I don't recommend buying bikes based on their spec sheets (but rather by fit and feel), but there is something I thought I'd mention. The Roam uses 28-hole Giant hubs, whereas the DS uses either 32- or 36-hole Shimano hubs. Regardless of your weight, more spokes equal a stronger wheel (albeit heavier). The more you weigh, the more important that becomes.

Other than spoke count, they're very similar bikes. Ride them both and choose based on emotional response ("wow, I really LIKE this one"). Mechanically, they're both very high quality pieces.

Klaista2k

Can you explain?

Klaista2k

Do you know when the 2018 Roam 1 comes out?

I don't wanna wait too long to buy my bike!

Klaista2k

So regarding the hubs the DS can support more weight because of stronger wheels?