2019 Roubaix vs 2019 Defy comfort comparison
 

If you want comfort and compliance, get a gravel bike with 38mm tires.

Both bikes are endurance road bikes and ride much the same. The difference is the way they fit your body. That is how you will know which one is the one for you. My preference is towards the Defy as my body fits it better.

42mm is the new 38mm.

:crash: I'm so behind the times!

I have not ridden either but i scoped them out before buying my Fuji Sportif.

The Giant tends to offer better value---quality per dollar, IMO. It also has the abominable "d-fuse" seat post, which means you have to buy Giant replacements. Otherwise .... flip a coin.

I had questions with tire clearance, none of which have been answered to my satisfaction.

Check this link: https://forums.roadbikereview.com/sp...ix-364327.html where the writer suggests the Roubaix might not fit 32s .... and ask Giant owners (and Giant itself) specifically about tire clearance.

If it had been me, i would have chosen the Giant ... but Fuji offers (IMO) even better value (particularly back when Performance Bike offered them on triple points weekends, but that is over.) Check out the Gran Fondo. (I won't post a link since i am not advertising ... if you are curious, google is but keystrokes away.)

The Defy has 2 new upgrades beginning this year, 2019. 1) ..Yes, the Defy will take 32c. 2) ..The seat AND the handlebars have built in suspension.

Those are 2 great upgrades. That said, the Roubaix is a nice bike as well. Discalimer.... I haven't rode either bike.

Please stop posting stuff like this. I am constantly fighting the urge to buy another bike, and you are not helping. :)

Soo sorry. The good news is I've run out of carrots. wink.

BTW, I am quite certain that the Roubaix does NOT fit 32c tires. 32c is the minimum on any bike that I would buy.

2019 Roubaix:

"the bike fits up to 32mm, says Specialized" (Bicycling)
"room for up to 32mm tyres" (Bike Radar)
"There’s bigger tyre clearance as well, up to 32mm tyres" (road:cc)

Thanks for clarifying that for me. That's awesome.

My 2017 Roubaix will comfortably fit "true" 32mm tires. My 28mm Conti GP4Ks inflate to just under 32mm on the stock DT Swiss rims (19mm internal). i think there's at least 4-5mm at the narrowest point.

Just to clarify, I think they mean a measured 32mm, rather than a nominal 32mm tire. Also consider the height of the tire. My 28mm Conti GP4K measure 32mm wide and 30mm tall - sometimes it's the fork clearance that is the problem, and the rim width can affect this (wider rims may be taller).

I have some 32mm Vittoria tires that measure 34mm wide @65psi, and I doubt these would fit my 2017 Roubaix.

Thanks for the info, @johngwheeler.

Right. And to further clarify my earlier post when I said I didn't think the Roubaix could accept 32c tires, I got that info from a local bike shop that sells them. He told me that 28c is the largest recommended tire for the Roubaix.

Just test rode both the Defy Advanced Pro 0 and Roubaix Expert over the weekend. These are upper-mid range builds with Ultegra Di2 and carbon wheels with DT Swiss internal hubs. I tried a M/L Defy and a 56 Roubaix. They handle similarly: more planted than a full race bike but still responsive and fun. I really liked both bikes. The Roubaix is very slightly longer. The Defy feels a bit stiffer on the front end and BB although that might be just my perception due to the Future Shock. They are both compliant, comfortable bikes. The Roubaix's Future Shock is noticeable on bigger hits, less so on chatter. The bikes seem to weigh about the same. The Defy's new handlebar and carry-over seatpost actually work very well. The Defy comes with tubeless 28s and can definitely fit up to 32s. The Roubaix comes with tubed 28s and can apparently fit 32s (according to the shop I went to).

The Defy is $5,575 retail, $225 less than the Roubaix. The Defy also comes with a nice Giant branded Bluetooth / ANT+ double-sided power meter. There is a $800 less expensive Roubaix without carbon wheels which the shop I went to did not have in stock. I think the Defy is overall a better deal given the build. I also think the Defy looks better, the holographic paint is cool in the sun. I don't like the look or the setup hassle of the Defy's bulky/bizarre Propel-esque "Stealth" stem. Really don't like the look of the Roubaix seatpost and bar either. The Future Shock seems a bit gimmicky to me, but people who own the bike seem to genuinely like it. The Roubaix is undeniably a great bike, you can't go wrong with either (and you shouldn't at these prices).