OK...my first "real" road bike. I'm graduating from my flat bar 6061 aluminum frame Ibex flat bar road bike. I test rode a Giant Defy 1 (which I really liked except the triple), a 2008 58 cm Scott CR1 Team (which I really wanted to like more than I did - it was just too big), a Trek 1.2 (I was interested in the 2.3 but they didn't have any built up in my size) and the Defy Alliance. I wasn't planning on walking out with a bike today. But I ended up liking the ride so much I bought it. I rode my Ibex to the bike shop (12 mi.) and took each of the bikes for a 6 mi. test ride. Then I got fitted, had the slap some Speedplay zeros on and rode home on my new bike. So I managed to get 49 miles in today
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First off, all of the bikes were a VAST improvement over my former ride. I couldn't believe what a difference the rides were compared to my Ibex. WOW! I have to say, I liked both of the Giants better than the other bikes I rode. Of course the Scott was too big. The Defy Alliance corners like a demon. I couldn't believe the difference. In my not THAT informed opinion, it out preformed all of the bikes I tested. The ride was smooth and resonsive. Especially compared to my Ibex.
I'm really excited to get the drop bars. It was nice to get down out of the wind a little more on the ride home. Especially considering I was riding into it all the way home. It didn't take me too long to get used to the integrated shifters (first time I ever used them). Just a few mis-shifts on the way home. Plus I had to work out not engaging the breaks when I shifted
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I really like this bike. I was thinking about trying a CAAD9 5 before buying, but I just enjoyed this ride so much I couldn't resist. The guys at the bike shop were great and they really seemed impressed with the Giants this year. In fact at least one of them was waiting on a new one to come in for himself.
$1,600 for the bike. They gave me a set of blue (matches the bike) Speedplay Zeros (stainless) that were sitting around opened for $135 and a couple of bottle cages. Plus tax
Specs...
frame Alliance Composite/Aluminum Technology
fork Advanced-Grade Composite, Alloy OverDrive Steerer
handlebar Giant Alloy Anatomic Bend, 31.8
stem Giant Alloy 4-bolt
seatpost Giant Composite, 27.2
saddle Giant Performance Road, Men's
pedals Crank Brothers Smarty
shifters Shimano 105
front derailleur Shimano 105
rear derailleur Shimano 105
brakes Tektro R530 Dual Pivot
brake levers Shimano 105
cassette Shimano 105 12/27, 10-speed
chain Shimano 105
cranks FSA Gossamer MegaExo, 34/50
bb FSA Mega Exo, External
rims Mavic CXP22
hubs Formula sealed Cartridge Bearing 24/28h
spokes SAPIM Race, 14/15g
tires Michelin Speedium 2, 700x25 Folding
And the Picture. I know flip it (maybe later) and dork disk (I have an aversion to wrecking my new wheel if something goes wrong)
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