Hi All,
Spurred on by signing up for the Ard Rock next year, I’m on a mission to sort my fitness. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool MTBer, but in a quest to prep myself I’m about to buy a 2013 Giant Defy 4, which appears to have R500 wheels.
Intended use it trainer sessions, building endurance on the road (where I live it’s hard to find long distance challenging MTB routes on my doorstep), and work commutes.

The work commute is mostly road but there’s a bit of an XC route that takes in an old smoothish grassy bridleway, a couple of fields, and a gravel track.
In my quest to find the least appropriate bike for this commute ever (So far I’ve been riding it on a Transition Patrol…) I was wondering if, with the right tyres(although there isn’t a lot of clearance, it seems), the Defy would be OK for that sort of thing, or will I need to head the slightly longer road route? Not bothered about the distance, it’s just there’s a lot less traffic!
Like I say, I know nothing about road bikes, and even less about taking them off road…

As you said clearance is tight for anything over 25c…why not get a cyclo crosser? If you’re getting the Defy then just suck it and see!

I’ve got a 2013 Defy 1, which will be a very similar frame to yours.
I’ve ridden it on a few Canal towpaths and bridleways and it has been OK.

As you’ve already said, the biggest issue for you will be tyre clearance – I’ve run my Defy with 28mm Gatorskins but not sure how much bigger you could go.

The bike will cope with it, tyres would be my worry. But some reasonably robust 25s (Conti 4 Seasons?) and you should be OK. If it’s wet and muddy you’ll be carrying it though.

How much road does the XC bit cut off? Unless it’s loads, you may be quicker just sticking to the tarmac.

Excellent, cheers 🙂

It was the strength that was my main concern.

It doesn’t cut off that much of the route, it’s more the ‘sleepy drivers in the early morning half light on country roads’ part that I’m keen to avoid.

If I was choosing from the whole market I would be getting something with more clearance, but this is a bike from a friend for a very good price, which seems the perfect way to experiment with a more modern drop barred bike. If I don’t hate it then I’ll move on to something a bit more versatile when I’ve paid off my Patrol. Or Buy a Whyte 905 as well. And a 29er. And maybe a short travel XC bike.
n^2

I used to run 28mm Conti 4 seasons on my old 2011 defy 4 no problems. Pretty sure I could of gone bigger again.

Used to take it onto rough gravel forest tracks regularly with no problem.As onewheelgood mentioned, its gets interesting very quickly if its at all slippery and your nerves may be in tatters by the time you get back onto tarmac. In the dry no problem though.

I’ve got a Giant Defy Advanced that I have ridden offroad on a few occasions. I’m running a sturdy 28mm tyre and it’s pretty capable. Certainly wouldn’t avoid short sections of non smooth tarmac if it either looked fun or saved a longer route.

I rode the length of Wales on it in a day in September, and we took in some bridleways en route and it was fine.

Used my Defy for the Tour of Black Country and White Roads Classic it was fine. Only big problems would be mud clogging if wet.

I rode my Defy in Paris Roubaix sportive with 28c tyres, and to be honest if it can survive a 100kg fella going over 22 sections of Roubaix’s finest cobblestones then it can survive a gravel track.

As others have said, it is more the tyres, easy to fall over in mud on a road tyre and you’d want decent puncture protection.

Maybe look at something like Panaracer Gravel King or Schwalbe G-One tyres, with a bit of grip to them?

Managed to get 28c tyres with mudguards on mine.

It’ll be fine, certainly if you pick the right tyres. I use my “normal” Orbea road bike with 25mm Schwalbe One’s on the odd off-road/gravel type road and it’s fine as long as you’re careful in line choice and don’t just barrel through stuff.

Pick some good, all round tyre (Vredestein Senso Xtreme would be my suggestion), ideally a 28mm though 25mm will work and you’ll be away.

smoothish grassy bridleway, a couple of fields, and a gravel track

The last bit will be fine, but the grassy bit and potentially the fields will be horrendous is semi slicks when it’s wet

So it has to be something with grip, I don’t think the diameter is such an issue, but it would surely need some tread

I’ve a 2014 Defy 1, fitted it with 28c GP4000s but after the tyres had stretched over night these then caught on the fork crown. So just be careful what you buy 🙂

There’s always 25c Schwalbe Marathons if you’re wanting tough and are my ‘winter’ tyres.

🙂

Cheers people – I’ll get on the tyre train when I pick it up then 🙂
I’m almost excited about getting a drop barred bike. An 19 year old me would be an unhappy bunny. The 35 year old me is looking at Trainers and road SPDs.
You’ve changed Submarined, you’ve changed.

I’ve got 28c Panaracer Gravel Kings in a 2013-ish Defy 2. Couldn’t go any bigger, but they seem decent and have dealt with the old Peak District railway line tracks just fine

About the worse I’m likely to be facing is this:

EDIT: Boo, no iFrames. Corrected.

The grassy bit straight ahead or the mucky bit to the left? You’ll struggle on the grass, the only issue with the mucky bit on the left will be the fork crown clagging up with crap.

The straighty onny green lane bit.
It’ll be grand. Wet days I’ll just Endurommute my way in on the full suss. Grr.

done loads of gravel on my Tarmac, Defy, Super Six Evo and TCR

not an issue with the right tires

the wear and tear to the bike however….

Gravel is fine on something quite slick. Wet grass and mud is not