Here is my first all new bike in 14 years… I’ve had a lot of bikes in the last 14 years yeah, but the last time I bought a brand spanking new bike from a shop for myself was in 1996 when I was 16! Every other bike has been a hotch potch, maybe a new frame with some of my old kit on, or a 2nd hand frame with a few new bits. But never a new bike… Anyway… Here it is…

OK, it’s not going to set most peoples hearts on fire, but I like it. And as “cheap” road bikes go, it looks like it’s worth more than it cost… Also, pretty bloody light given that it’s full Tiagra, and own brand kit on an ally frame! Just fitted the computer to it, and some pedals, gonna hopefully go ride it tomorrow…

I’ve got an older version of the defy, an ocr, it’s a cracking bike. Enjoy.

That’s a lovely looking bike.
Ms Spanner has just bought a Trek 1.5 with Tiagra on it and it works superbly.
Are you going for road pedals or spd’s?

Very nice. Hope you enjoy it. 🙂

Cheers guys. I happen to think it looks good too, way better than anything else I’ve seen for the price at least!

I use crank bros pedals, last time I owned a road bike I experimented with Shimano SPD-SL’s, and good as they were, it was an expensive exercise (new shoes as well)… I’ve got some spare crank bros pedals here (Acids, with a sort of semi platform) that are going on it. I’ll ride it in muddy shoes with an offroad sole happily 😉

you should have kept the roadie i sold you all those years ago 🙂

you should have kept the roadie i sold you all those years ago

LOL yeah

BUT… I had that for 3 years, most of the time I lived near MTB trails and so rode MTB all the time. I sold it for almost what I paid you for it.

4 years since I sold the bike I had off you, I live a 40 minute drive from any offroad trails worth a mention, and am sick of not riding in the week!

I saw your other thread and was going to recommend the defy 2 as I own one, but clearly you needed no such encouragement! It has been my first road bike too and I really enjoy riding it. I’ve only changed the saddle (heavy and umm…problematic for this particular derriere) and the rear tyre (few too many punctures, it now has an unnecessarily pricey continental in it’s place). Keep an eye on the wheels as mine weren’t built particularly well. The rear one was replaced under warranty following a snapped spoke.

It’s pretty versatile – it was useful to be able to put on a rack for some light touring last summer. I would love something carbon and properly light, but all in all after a year of riding it, I’ve no complaints. It has definitely given me the road cycling bug. Enjoy!

Edit: I started with crank bros pedals and mountain bike shoes too, but now have proper road pedals and shoes with a stiffer sole. I find they make a noticeable difference on longer rides, but as you say, they’re not cheap. I suggest you see how you get on with skinny tyre’d riding before you splash the cash.

Looking Good for a road bike !
mboy – YGM

Mush, sounds like I bought it for very similar reasons to you. I looked at the hardcore race bikes in the price range, like the Boardmans, and decided I needed something a tiny bit more versatile but without being too heavy or slow.

The saddle looks like it will be the first casualty too, I’ve got a spare Charge Spoon (which I get on with OK) kicking about. Have heard the tyres aren’t the best, but will wait for them to cause me grief before replacing. Wheels I’ve heard the build can be patchy, but I’ve built my own wheels for years. Will give them a retrue after first couple of rides. Should be ok as they’re decent quality rims, spokes and hubs on their own…

WTF – you gone loco amigo?!

Can i have that washing up liquid, we’ve run out 😉

Nice bike enjoy.

nice bike – came close to getting an old one 2nd hand last year – biggest manufacturer in the world ain’t they?

don’t forget to clean your cafetiere or you’ll wish you had in the morning

Don’t worry B, it’s only for short rides when I can’t get out on the MTB. Unlike your good self, I live a 30 minute car journey from any trails sadly, otherwise I’d not bother. Fed up of only riding a bike at the weekend though, couple of short blasts per week on this should do the trick. Oh, and sold an MTB I don’t really ride to pay for it so all good.

Spent an hour or so setting it up this afternoon, getting saddle height and position correct, checking it all works etc. Off for a ride tomorrow with the local club, who I’m told are mainly a bunch of leisurely old retired guys that do it for the social side… So no doubt they’re going to burn my legs off! 😉

Just got back from a ride with the local cycling club who kindly took me along. The thought of doing 55 miles intially worried me a bit, but it turned out ok in the end. Was in need of a sausage sandwich by the time we got to the cafe 2/3 the way round, but all good otherwise.

Oh, and bike was great! Think I’m going to have to find a different saddle though, only saddles I get on with these days are SDG Bel Air’s, but one of those might look a touch odd on a road bike. Might try it to see though… The other thing is I didn’t realise how pronounced the difference between a 34 and 50T chainrings would be when you’ve got a much closer ratio casette than on a mountain bike. At times I felt like maybe I should have got a triple, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it quick enough. Always had the right gear available, just sometimes took a couple of goes to find it.

REALLY impressed with just how good modern road bike drivetrains are too, considering I was told Tiagra is the equivalent of Deore, I wasn’t really expecting all that much. Felt every bit as good as the Ultegra and Dura-Ace kit from about 8/9 years ago that I had on my only previous road bike.

I am sure you will be best of friends in no time 🙂

Dunno about best of friends, but whilst I’m not working I’m definitely going to take advantage of riding in groups as much as poss. Doubt I’d be so enthused about riding it much on my own.

Sad thing is, I’m already looking at what I should upgrade! LOL. Shimano wheels for 1/2 price on Merlin isn’t helping either… 😉

Snap thats exactly what we got my girlfriend just before christmas.

shes just done a saddle and a ‘novice size’ cassette in terms of upgrades. really happy with it though

In terms of pannier racks weve just put one on and we had to do a bit of hacking around, just a warning that the rack fouls on the brake as standard due to the placeing of the top mounting bolts. We got a longer bolt and a little section of pipe to space it out. mail me it u want a pic at some point!

oh and check the front brake cable outer, ours was cracked when we picked it up where it goes into the front brake, too much of a bend in it

Mark YGM