HawkeyeBike

I'm looking at these two bikes to possibly purchase. I've ridden the Defy 1 but not the TCR SLR because the local bike shop doesn't carry it. Looking at the specs, it looks like these bikes are very similar as they both have the 105 group set. The TCR has narrower tires I noticed, but other than that, is there much of a difference for comfort? I assume that the TCR is lighter too. Thanks for your advice.

2702

The SLR frame is Giant's top aluminum. It is stiff, even with 28mm tires on my Giant Fastroad SLR the road is not as comfy as say Giant's lower end alloy which I have tried before and liked. The TCR will be a longer reach and lower front, less comfort depending on how flexible you are.

HawkeyeBike

Thank you.

T800CF

Giant uses 3 different alloys....

Aluxx - 6061 alloy
Aluxx SL - 6011 alloy
Aluxx SLR - 6011A alloy

sam_cyclist

As 2702 said, the Defy series has a shorter top tube and longer head tube. It makes for a more upright, and for many, a more comfortable ride. The Defy 2 and 1 are really comfortable by alu standards. They are also great values.

Unfortunately, I could never quite get comfortable on the Defy bikes. They just seem to sit too high for my taste. I went with specialized instead.

jsigone

race bike vs comfy bike....pick what suits you. Do you want to ride fast?

rpenmanparker 

They are both fast. The Defy is just more suited to very long rides like centuries and for folks that don't like so much saddle to handlebar drop.

cafzali

I for one wish Giant hadn't changed the branding on their models. Creates total confusion now because the TCR is no longer a total carbon frame, as it was until the Propel line was released. To me, it made much more sense to keep aluminum in the Defy line and carbon in the TCR line, with different model number/name variations.

jsigone

not so much saddle to bar drop equals more upright, equal more frontal wind surface aka slower than a race geometry bike which the TCR is. The perceived effort to ride both bike at over 25mph would be noticeable.

Any bike can do a century, nothing special there it's just a number and marketing tool.

NoJABWhere

Sure. I have ridden a century and a century+ with my Schwinn hybrid (all 40 lbs of it), but I wouldn't recommend it. As rpenmanparker says in the response you quoted, the Defy is just more suited for very long rides.

Canadian_giant

I road a Defy 3 for a couple years before stepping up to a TCR with a carbon frame. The Defy was too relaxed for my liking, the TCR just felt more lively. Next year, the TCR is supposed to be completely revised. Rumour has it Giant is out of 2015 carbon frames and will be introducing 2016 models this summer. The new frames are supposed to be from a new facility in Taiwan. Maybe the new TCR will be here soon??

mercator

The TCR has always been available in both aluminum and carbon versions. Defy was formerly called the OCR, also available in carbon or aluminum.
What has changed is they no longer offer the alliance frames which were carbon and aluminum.

Frreed

I just picked up a Defy 1 after riding a CAAD 8 for about 10 years. It is a bit more upright, but the difference in the head tube is about 1.5 cm. I gave up absolutely nothing as far as power transfer through the bottom bracket. It is a more compliant bike and a little less repsonsive. I only have a few rides on it, but so far the speed has actually gone up by a few tenths. Calling it a "comfy bike" is placing it in the realm of a hybrid. It is an endurance bike along the lines of the Cannondale Synapse, Specialized Roubaix and Ridley Fenix.

If it fits the rider and their style it is a fine bike.

cruffatin

I have a similar question. I'm trying to decide between TCR SLR 1 and Defy Advanced 1. One is top grade aluminium, the other is carbon, both are Ultegra, Defy has mechanical disc brakes while TCR has calipers. Which one would you choose, assuming the price is similar? It's mainly for building up fitness and hopefully some touring this fall / winter on road, provided the doc clears me for that (I'm recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery).

dim

I have a TCR full carbon .... made a few tweaks so as to be comfy for longer rides (shorter handlebar stem as the original was a bit too long for me, swapped the saddle for a Brooks C17 Cambium Carved, added Continental GP4000 II tyres in 25mm wide, and I'm flying now..... comfy for longer rides over 100km, and very fast on sprints..... I'm well pleased

Dean V

I have a TCR SLR and I like it. 25mm is the biggest tyre it will take, the Defy would take 28mm so combined with the extra compliance in the Defy frame it will be a bit softer riding on rough roads. However I am perfectly happy with the ride quality of the TCR as well.
The TCR frame is a bit longer and lower, but unless you have a rather upright, or low riding position you can probably set up either bike to exactly the same fit with the adjustment available in stem spacers and lengths.