I bought a cheap 2nd hand 2013 Defy 4 at Christmas as an experiment and have got on with it really well. I promised myself that if I stuck with it for 1k then I’d buy something better that doesn’t need new wheels, BB, chain, cables, and whatever else is creaking.
After 6 months I’m basically there, so I guess time to new bike shop.

I really like the Defy, but my experience of road bikes is limited to, err, my Defy.
So, requirements:
– Up to £1.5k, if less then I’d be very happy
– I want discs. I’m an MTBer. I want discs. Full hydro if possible.
– I’d like a carbon bike for no real reason.
– ‘Endurance’ type geometry. I can barely touch my knees, let alone my toes.
– Comfortable. I’m really impressed with that aspect of my bike.
– Looks nice. For this reason I’m ruling out all GTs.
– Guard mounts. (seems to rule out Endurace)
– I’m a scrawny git, so no worries about weight limits.

It’ll be my only road bike, ridden all year round, mainly for fitness to transfer to my MTB. Will potentially be used for commuting, but kept somewhere secure. Only really do 40/50 mile max at the mo but steadily increasing. I don’t race, I don’t do sportives, I don’t do club riding. I don’t need a 1.5k bike, but I’d like something nice, and the carbon/disc thing seems to indicate 1.5 as a starting point…

The current winner is, err, the 2017 Defy 3, which does all the above for 50 quid over my budget.
Obviously I won’t buy anything until the sales start kicking in..!

So, over to you.

Post deleted – as you’ve already spotted what I was going to suggest..

Buy the Giant – but accept it will be compromised. (wheels might be crap)

stick with what you know works. If the Defy fits and is comfy, get another Defy ! The 17 one will feel a lot ‘nicer’ and will fit the same. I went from a 2012 one (Composite 1) to a 2016 model last year (Advanced Pro 2) . My son is on a 2016 Defy 5. Great at doing what it says on the time 🙂

I got a Giant Contend SL1 as a winter bike in January, its not carbon, but for the money its brilliant.

The 2017 Defy 3 is 1549(C2W contribution, man maths…), Carbon, and comes with discs, and I imagine in the next month or so will drop in price as the next year’s bikes come out (I’m not a fool, I’m not paying full price for a bike at this time of year! 😀 )
Endurace ticks all boxes and is 105 equipped as well. It certainly seems doable 🙂
I can also get 10% off at Evans if that helps :)u,

I know it’s a lot of asks, but it’s a very difficult thing for me to admit to myself I want a ‘nice’ road bike, and not just to spend it on MTB bits, so I need to justify it in ‘heart’ terms, rather than head…

EDIT: FreeAgent, that was in reply to you, I’ll leave it here so I can justify my irrationality!

I had a Defy, now have Spec. Roubaix disc, Defy was the nicer riding bike, Roubaix is comfy for all day long riding but a bit soulless.

Worth considering Cannondale Synapse as well or Scott Solace if within budget

Datum 20
Not ridden one I hasten to add but lots of people rave about them, have my eye on one as my next road bike. No experience of Tredz either, so useless recommendation really! Possibly not as well specced as Giant?

Datum is lovely, very firm when running high pressures, but you wont be. I think they designed it as a stiff race bike with big clearance, comfort comes from the tyres so it needs good ones but it means its quick and comfy. Has the advantage of taking guards easily too.

By ‘eck that Datum is a good looking steed… 😮

EDIT: But by ‘eck, it’s not light! 🙁

Sometimes geometry can change over time. Especially over 4 years. You may want to have a test ride first!

I looked at Defy and Synapse and settled on a Synapse. It was close run. Worth looking at if you’re intent on looking, but I’m also of the ‘if it ain’t broke’ mindset.

I got a Giant Contend SL1 as a winter bike in January, its not carbon, but for the money its brilliant.

Got one last autumn, put 3000 miles on it, changed the saddle for my preferred model and have recently had to fit new rear pads and new tyres (Giant OE seemed to cut up badly) but that’s it. Really nicely finished alloy frame which looks like carbon. The seatpost gives so much flex (my summer bike is really stiff) I spent the first week thinking I’d got a rear flat.

Giant have just renamed the alloy Defys as Contends as they’d ended up with a bewildering range of Defys.

I’d agree on waiting ’til the 2018 range has been released, and either getting one if the improvements are worth it to you, or getting a then-reduced 2017 model (Munqe-Chick has been told to wait for the ’18s by a friend who is a Giant dealer, but that may be that there are more developments around the Liv range).

I’d also suggest a new Defy is the first choice, but chuck the Cube Attain into the mix.

I’ve got a Jamis Renegade, that meets your criteria, not sure what prices are like for then now but mine was a bargain.

Hang on another month or two and see what the end of season sales bring within your budget!

In also have a 2013 Defy. It sits with guards and is used as my winter/turbo/backup/commute bike.

I thought about moving on last year but instead bought a 105 groupset at £299 in the merlin sales plus some new cables.

Still got it, still ride it. Great bike and in wouldnt hesitate to buy another.

Stating the obvious but do a demo

I demoed the much vaunted spesh roubaix a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely hated it.

Attain better but seems I prefer twitchy race bikes 😉

New Allez with 105 for £1k then spend £300 a set of Fulcrum Quattros with GP4000s from Merlin.

edit: sorry I appear to have ignored your list, this is still what you want though.

Cheers all 🙂
Demos are already booked, I just know very little about road bikes so not sure what to Demo! I’ve got a Defy Advanced from the LBS booked for early August.
Hence also why I’m asking around now, so I’m ready to pounce when the sales start, as I’m average in every way, so likely will have to be quick to get a good deal on my size.

I’d spend the money and upgrade my current one, but I’m 5’10, and it’s a M/L, and TBH I think it’s a smidge too big. Also, I’d quite like a new bike. 😀

I tried to speed this all up by riding it into the side of a German car last week, but foolishly forgot that turn of the century Mercs are terribly badly made, so it barely left a scratch on my bike.

Willburt: Nope, I appreciate your input, TBH it’s the sort of reply I’d smash out.

^^^ same height as you and I’m, on a M. Long back, short legs, so have a 110mm stem on it. Fits like a glove.

End of season Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc, such a joy to ride the cat4 hills on on the South Downs on my £900 bargaintastic 2016 version over the last few weeks.

5’10” here with ~32.5″ cycling inseam, the 58cm fits me great with my relatively long torso and gives a very high front end stack of 610mm, with a reach of 388mm.

http://www.cube.eu/uk/2017/road-triathlon/attain/cube-attain-gtc-pro-disc-greynflashgreen-2017/

5’10 here and on a medium Contend (aka Defy), and slap bang in the middle of the recommended height range for the medium. ML too long for me.

Have a carbon 2013 Ultegra Defy; bought a Datum 20 as a N+1 in March from Rutland. The Datum on stock wheels was only maybe 5 mins slower over 23.5 miles with 750 metres of climbing. i stuck some Hunt wheels on and then its nearly as fast on road with 28mm tires. Regular even-more-reduced prices @ Rutland that would make some Hunt wheels a decent upgrade

You can’t go wrong with a Defy. I have an alloy Defy 5 running with old Ultegra 10 speed (replaced Sora) and a Ritchey carbon fork and Ksyrium wheels. It started stock and is a great ride. I also have a bling Dura Ace Defy SL which I road raced only last week. Everything in between is just different flavours of very good. If in doubt about size, size down. I’m 179 cm and ride a M with a 120 mm stem.

The Synapse (and Specialised Roubaix) has a huge headtube by comparison with the Defy, very much more comfort-orientated and quite different to the CAAD10. Th Defy is much more similar to the TCR (had one of those too), and the Propel (my usual race bike), with slightly slacker head angle geometry.

very high front end stack of 610mm

😯

the medium Contend/Defys are ~560, the M/L are ~580. That Cube is huge.

I tried both the Defy and the Datum and bought the Datum, I wanted to be able to run wide tires and the Defy will only take 28mm tires,no regrets with my choice

Has anyone got any weights for the Defy advanced range? Giant don’t publish them, LBS can’t help.

Trying not to drop one/many of my requirements as there are some cracking bikes in the Canyon sale. Carbon and disk for my budget seems to be a big ask, even with sales kicking in.

Boardman SLR Endurance Disc? The version with Ultegra is %1999 list but they have some deals on at the moment so might be do-able cheaper than that. I’ve gone for the 9.4 version that’s got Di2 and hydro discs and was available for £2.5K for an ex-demo bike. The equivalent spec Roubaix was about £1700 more expensive.

I’d spend the money and upgrade my current one, but I’m 5’10, and it’s a M/L, and TBH I think it’s a smidge too big. Also, I’d quite like a new bike.

I’m also 5’10” and the M Defy fits me really well.
I think it is easier to tweak the fit on a smaller frame, than one which is a bit on the big side.

Has anyone got any weights for the Defy advanced range? Giant don’t publish them, LBS can’t help.

No, but last time I looked you had to buy the Advanced Pro models to get the carbon steerer fork, rather than then heavier alu steerer.

That and the extra weight of discs means it will not be light by road bike standards.

But it might still feel light enough to you, coming from your bike.

Probably worth making the trip to a decent Giant dealer. My LBS Winstanleys have a load of them on the shopfloor.

I’ve been to my local Giant dealer and they’re dead helpful. It felt OK but not significantly lighter than mine. It’s not what I’m making buying decisions based on, but it’s nice to have a frame of reference when researching other ones 🙂

If only bloody Canyon saw fit to stick guard mounts on their bikes I’d be sorely tempted by this, even though it was non disc:
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/2016/endurace-cf-8-0.html

i bought a 2016 Advanced, as i wanted discs, stripped it, put a nice spec on it, but by god its a dull bike, didn’t get on with at all, was coming off a ‘dale superset high-mod, just felt dead and dull, no snap, no excitement

sold it

i want to upload my photo

You’re not after a M/L are you? I just saw Giant Blackpool have an Advanced Pro 1 with £1k off.

was coming off a ‘dale superset high-mod, just felt dead and dull, no snap, no excitement

I know what you mean. I didn’t think my old Defy Advanced (non disc) was terrible, but as you said – just no excitement or urgency about it ever.

Back on a more flighty Scott CR1 SL now and loving it.

And by contrast, my M Defy SL is a joy to ride and race, particularly over the Surrey lanes. Not quite as fast as my Propel, but handling is excellent. Thrashed it on Wednesday night (along with myself) in a vets race, and it wasn’t the bike that was lacking. Now I must replace that rear shifter on the Propel this weekend, but to be honest, there isn’t a huge amount in it when the wheels are swapped over.

It’s not as urgent as my Propel. But it is half a kilo lighter and stiffer too. I would imagine there’s quite a difference to the CR1 though.

[nice bike pressed into race duties]

Thanks Chakaping – unfortunately I’m definitely an M – my current M/L is just too big.

TBH I rate comfort over excitement, so I don’t know if I’d really notice the fdifference with something that doesn’t set the world alight.

However, Canyon sale has thrown a curveball. 2, in fact.
Closest to my original brief, https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/endurace/endurace-cf-sl-disc-8-0.html
8.5kg, Discs, 105, cheap wheels, Endurance Geometry.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/ultimate/ultimate-cf-sl-9-0.html
7KG, Ultegra, decent wheels, but calipers. I think I really want discs. More aggressive geo though (although not by much, although -25mm in stack may be a bit too much for me)

I think I’m being drawn in by the Endurace, especially as I can’t touch my toes. Both seem stonking value though, and both look great to me. (although the Endurace edges it in that realm)

(and yes, I know that neither have guard mounts, details….)

Does anyone want to tell me that either of these are a silly idea (ignoring historic customer service issues, I’m fully aware of these.)

Given that you rate comfort then it is hard to see past a Defy….

Looking at the posts on this thread, there are lots of folk, self included, who rate the Defy and only 1 who didn’t…

How much riding in the wet will you be doing? If the answer is not much, clip on guards will probably do fine.

That Endurace looks awesome.

If I had more cash floating about I’d be tempted by the Ultimate myself.

The plan (how close to reality it is may be in question) is to use it to commute once or twice a week, all year round.

Ianc: Yup, it’s a good point, however, the Defy appears to be a fair chunk portlier, and lower equipped, plus my heart likes the Canyon offerings quite a bit more 😀

Can the defy and endurace not take full guards?

Defy can,Endurace doesn’t have mounts.

What mounts are there on the Defy? The ’16 Defy theoretically has mounts for Giant’s own guards but they no longer sell them because they were damaging frames. It’s the one thing my Defy fails on – clip on guards are never good. The mounts on the Cube Attain looks like they’ll work well (Katie has one) but it’s surprisingly heavy.

I like my 16 Advanced Pro. Came from an old, early, Spec Roubaix and it was a hell of a lot stiffer. In an XL the Roubaix flexed a lot at both the BB and headtube. When i was shopping around and looking at Geometry there’s fair bit of variation in ‘endurance’ bikes. Longer headtubes mean the same position with stem slammed as with a few spacers under the stem on a racier bike.

Different manfs do “comfort” in different ways but I’m sure tyres make more difference than anything else.

Having ridden discs on a roadbike for 6 months or so they’re good but they dont feel nearly as essential as they do on off road (unless you’re doing a lot of riding in the wet).