Ok so to me these seem like the same exact frame, its just the components are the difference. The thing is they are both the same price?

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/....3/7307/44049/

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...omp20_gold.htm

the BD bike seems really to be the defy 1. or the BD equal to the giants 3 would be the the liberty1.

the question i have is, i would really like to give my LBS my money, but if what i have read here and been told by others, 105 is waaaay better than sora/2300. Is it just better to go the safe LBS route with lesser parts and the triple ring?

geometry chart would certainly lead one to believe that it's the exact same frame.

as for 2300/Sora vs 105... yeah... 8 speed vs 10 speed... I'd go the BD route. I had a Sora bike and it served me well, I liked the set up but the 105 is just nicer. Shifts smooter, faster, etc and having 2 extra cogs is nice. (I now have 105...)

$:$ you're getting more bike for your money, as is usually the case with BD. Even if you factor in the cost of having it assembled (you can DIY with basic tools and know-how) and the cost of getting it dialed in, you couldn't get a 105 bike at your LBS for the same total cost.

Fit would be a problem with a mail order bike, so would waranty issues and any service or adjustment. However 105 is better than tiagra/sora/2300.
So, I guess it depends.

Do you know if it will fit you if you go bd? Fit is key. If it doesnt fit you wont ride it long.

definitely go for the BD 105 option, much more bike for the money

I have ridden on that BD bike before(same frame different components). I didn't like it, it felt too "spongy" and unresponsive.
Out of those two I would choose the BD bike, but I think you should look around a little bit more. You will be able to find a better bike for the price.

:

For fit i tested the M/L and it felt big so the LBS said M would be best. but it was a quick "fit" as i was waiting for my new wheel to be trued.

I would prefer the the LBS option as my wrenching skill are below decent and flying down a hill or sprinting i traffic would need for me to carry an extra pair of undies in my seatbag. I also like Giants lifetime warranty which the way i ride may be beneficial.

its just the money pincher i am i like that BD gives 105 and from a quick look a better wheelset.

I may just save up more and go with a 105 at the LBS, just seems like the smarter move even fiscally smarter move for the long haul.

thanks guys for the input.

I own the BD Liberty 1 and it is a fine bike. Those who say it is a 'spongy' frame must be more sensitive than I. The geometry is nice and aside from the crank, the frame and components are worth the money. Careful of size though - I am 6'1"/33"-ish inseam and I sized down to 53.5cm frame.

EDIT: I converted this bike to a flat bar road bike this weekend for my son at college, and it is a blast to ride, even with flat bars.

I own the BD Motobecane Immortal Force and love it. I had some initial issues that I had to straighten out ( had to file the rear dropout channels a bit as the axle wasn't fitting through) and the shift housing did not function reliably (replaced the Jagwire crap with Dura-Ace). I have 2500 miles on it and love it.

Why do you think they're the same frames? If you look closely, there are a couple things that appear different, including: cable stops in different locations (headtube versus downtube); Defy has a braze on FD, BD's FD is clamp on; Defy appears to have a rack mount. Then there's the welds...maybe it's the white paint on the Defy but they appear much better than the Gravity.

Same geometry <> same frame.

I'm of the opinion that most frames are more than adequate, but that a better groupset improves the overall experience of the ride. It's the part of the bike-rider interface you interact with the most, aside from the saddle. Maybe I'm just more sensitive to crappy shifting and braking performance, but on my old Trek with Tiagra and a triple, there was always something that wouldn't work quite right. Function was OK, little things were just annoying and distracting, and got my attention way to often.

I would say if you're reasonably sure of the fit, go the BD route. Don't let the assembly scare you off, there isn't that much to it, especially on their road bikes. You'll need to learn how to adjust the headset and derailers and maybe brakes, the park tool website has great articles that cover all of this and more. I didn't need any special tools, just a metric set of allen wrenches. Even if you have to pay for assembly and regular service, you still come out ahead. 105 group will get you very close to the very best performance wise, even if it's a bit heavier. I've never ridden the sora group, but have the MTB equivalent on my old MTB and there's no comparison to my new bike (SLX group, which would be the MTB equivalent of 105).
Or save your pennies and watch for year end sales at your LBSs but I'd rather be riding if it were me

dstrong,

they may not be the same frame. the geometry and the way the seat stays intersect with the seat tube is a unique thing i have seen with the giant defy's and from pics only share that with the gravity's.

Maybe BD buys the bad welds that dont pass QC from giant at a discount? that could be the reason for the difference your seeing?

but like reshp1 idea, i think i am just going to save some more $$$ and pick up a 105 at the LBS's year end or winter sale. it just sucks to wait that long but my 80's road bike is good, for now

Fyi, year end sales will be happening in the next few weeks because the model year from 2011 to 2012 is currently underway. So keep an eye out now because if you wait until fall, you will most likely be SOL because the mid to lower end bikes pretty much fly out the door once prices are dropped.

thank you eippo1 for the tip! i will def keep my head on a swivel for deals.

my fav LBS has a GT series 5 on sale for $499 i am so tempted to just buy. but i just felt so comfortable on a spec roubaix, cann Synapse and giant defy that i dont want to skimp out on the GT and always know the comfort of the other three and regret cheaping out.

I've been eyeing up a couple of bikes on BD. Yesterday I noticed some clicking coming from the left side of my Allez I bought from the LBS just over a year ago. I couldn't find the cause so I stopped in on my way home from work to have them take a look. The shop owner pulled off my pedal and found that wasn't it. He removed the crank, tightened the BB, and put it back together. Just for fun, he tuned my derailleurs and re-lubed the cassette/chain. He took it for a 2 minute ride and came back in and gave it to me and said, "you're all set."

No cost, no hassle, and all done in about 10 minutes. I'm guessing that it wouldn't have been that pleasant of an experience if it didn't have his shop's sticker on it. That made up my mind about where I'm buying my next bike, and no offense to Bikesdirect, but it will be at his shop even if a similarly equipped bike costs me a few hundred more.

Just something to think about when comparing prices!

+1

bengreen,

awesome story, +1 on buying at the LBS and thats the route i have decided on going. Piece of mind is worth a extra bucks.

I would agree - I do some of my own wrenching but it is nice to have the LBS support for some things. If you can justify spending a bit more you should be able to get into 105 territory for $1000 -$1100 at the LBS - maybe do that since you WON'T be paying a shop to tune up your BD bike.

I have a very similar story to Bengreen79. Noticed some ticking and some racket from the RD on climbs and have been back to the shop with it 3 times...I am two weeks away from the 1 year. He's tweaked the RD and as of today is going to tighten the BB and replace a chain. The chain is $15 more than purchasing on-line and I could easily replace it myself but with the local support it is hard to object. Seems a small price to pay. The mechanic even shows me how to do things for myself.

Neither.

Step up and get a Trek 2.3, with full 105, a bomb-proof frame, and decent post, stem, wheel combo.

You'll be happy for years to come.

yikes, thats double the budget!!!!!

but being i am a fair guy i guess it deserves a test ride for comparison purposes.

I have a GT series2 and it is a fine bike... flip the stem up and it is quite comfy to me at 42 with herniated discs in my back... no problems going 20+ miles and not so much as an ache...

Worth noting that I had my BD bike shipped directly to an LBS...they unpacked and built it for something like $60 and have happily tweaked it for free twice in the year since (the headset needed a tightening after a few days and the FD need adjusting after a long car trip this summer). Certainly, a great deal right at your LBS is hard to beat though, given that you can test ride the actual bike.