Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
- Defy The Odds
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Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby Defy The Odds » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:42 am
I currently ride a 2013 Giant Defy Composite 2 with SRAM Apex. The bike has been great and I love it but who really needs an excuse to upgrade or N+1 right ?
The Defy has been fitted to me, and is considerably more aggressive then when I first bought it. Stem slammed, stem length increased by 20mm to 110mm, saddle height increased and Fulcrum Racing Quattro's.
So I'm keen to hear your recommendations on some bikes in my budget.
Do I keep with the endurance geometry and more race orientated like say, a Tarmac or Propel ?
So many options.
I test rode a BMC RoadMachine a while back and liked it but don't want to get a bike that more or less feels like the defy.
Thoughts? Suggestions ?
- 10speedsemiracer
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby 10speedsemiracer » Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:01 am
- tomee
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby tomee » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:52 am
Even the regular evo disc is on sale.
check bike exchange for sales. I believe Trek and cycles galleria also have specials on atm.
Best head into stores and give them a ride
- Mububban
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby Mububban » Wed Jan 17, 2018 11:26 am
And my Contend (very similar geometry to Defy) with its stem slammed is only a few mm off the TCR in its most upright position. So I don't think you'd have any problems moving between frame styles.
- g-boaf
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby g-boaf » Wed Jan 17, 2018 11:59 am
I love the TCR Advanced SL - mine are both from 2013/2014, and they are built as top end race bikes. Neither is in original as purchased configuration, they are both heavily customised. And for that reason, I wouldn't be going for any new bikes soon, none of them are better.Defy The Odds wrote:So after lots of to-ing and to-ing and working out finances the day has come where I can finally afford to upgrade.
I currently ride a 2013 Giant Defy Composite 2 with SRAM Apex. The bike has been great and I love it but who really needs an excuse to upgrade or N+1 right ?
The Defy has been fitted to me, and is considerably more aggressive then when I first bought it. Stem slammed, stem length increased by 20mm to 110mm, saddle height increased and Fulcrum Racing Quattro's.
So I'm keen to hear your recommendations on some bikes in my budget.
Do I keep with the endurance geometry and more race orientated like say, a Tarmac or Propel ?
So many options.
I test rode a BMC RoadMachine a while back and liked it but don't want to get a bike that more or less feels like the defy.
Thoughts? Suggestions ?
Cervelo R5 is also nice if you can find one from a few years ago, that will be cheaper.
However, have you thought about building up a project bike? Get a top level frameset like a Canyon Aeroad (a beautiful thing) and then acquiring the parts to build it up over time? You can then get the bike exactly how you want it. It's more special when you've built it yourself too.
On the topic of mechanical Dura Ace mentioned above, yeah it's not fancy electronic stuff, but it shifts beautifully, so crisp and fast, and it is also very light.
I'd also recommend contacting Drapac Cannondale pro cycling team (Slipstream Sports LLC):
https://www.shopslipstreamsports.com/bi ... team-bikes
They are very reliable and easy to deal with in regards to buying bikes. They occasionally have new unused framesets/bikes for sale at very good prices. Even though they haven't got anything listed at the moment, no harm in dropping them an email, they usually reply very quickly.
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby vosadrian » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:45 pm
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby fat and old » Wed Jan 17, 2018 4:07 pm
like thisg-boaf wrote:
Cervelo R5 is also nice if you can find one from a few years ago, that will be cheaper.
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /103036005
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /102974008
Lot of bike for the $$, and I reckon they'd go cheaper. You may want to slam the stem, they have a tall H/T.
The canyons do seem like great value too. Was my pick until I checked the Curves.
Oh, crap. Out of your budget....soz. Canyon then, or TCR.
- Defy The Odds
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby Defy The Odds » Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:57 pm
I really like the look of Cannondale's, particularly the CAAD and the Supersix Evo, however have heard multiple reports of annoying creaking bottom brackets and people repeatedly taking the bike back to the dealer/local bike shop to have it fixed or looked at. This would drive me insane to be honest. Are they really this bad?
Building a bike is probably out of my budget to be honest. I remember doing some sums a while back and the cost would be more than buying a complete bike. I understand the satisfaction of built not bought, but I also have to stay within my budget. I've done well convincing the minister of finance to get this far !
The Canyon Aeroad does look quite nice.
I weighed my Defy the other day, it is an XS frame and so with plastic bottle cages, garmin out front mount, and Fulcrum Racing Quattro's (heavy bastards) it came in at just under 8.3kg which is not exactly lightweight. I could probably shave off around 3-400 grams off the wheels and then perhaps another 200 or so off the bar and stem but not going to bother. I want the next bike to be much lighter, climb better and just outright faster.
Wouldnt the Cervelo R3 be similar to the Defy? Endurance geometry and all ?
NOTE: I am considering a bike that can take minimum of 28's, possibly 30's or even 32's. I ride some pretty ordinary Melbourne suburbs and the wider tyres wouldn't go astray... consideration at this point. My Defy currently doesn't go wider than 25
Here are some of the bikes I have an interest in, wouldnt mind opinons on these (and others that sound suitable):
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /102821952
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /102948172
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /102971399
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /103213988
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /102911722
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /103100493
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /102999293
Seeing as I am spending quite a bit (for me anyways), I wouldn't mind something a little different rather than your run-of-the-mill Giant. Nothing wrong with Giant in fact I love my Defy, but I guess something a little different, perhaps more "exotic" for lack of a better word.
Sorry for the long winded post
- 10speedsemiracer
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby 10speedsemiracer » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:16 pm
How about a nice tasty Bianchi.
Carbon, Ultegra, seems to be the geometry you're looking for and comes in your size, although I can't vouch for 28mm tyres as some end up being small on the rim, some not so much. So a 28mm Vittoria Rubino may fit where a 28mm Conti GP may not, etc:
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/road- ... /103130233
- 10speedsemiracer
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby 10speedsemiracer » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:44 pm
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 25&t=96988
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby fat and old » Wed Jan 17, 2018 9:32 pm
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby Arbuckle23 » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:05 pm
- rodneycc
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby rodneycc » Sat Jan 20, 2018 10:07 am
Should be able to wangle down at least another $500.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mernda/o ... 1147476808?
Been listed quite a long time though...but you never know.
2013 Lynskey Helix;2013 XACD Ti Di2
2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL
- Defy The Odds
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Re: Upgrade Time - Best Bike Under $4.5k
Postby Defy The Odds » Sun Jan 21, 2018 2:23 am
Cheers mate! Good spot that !rodneycc wrote:Saw this one and thought of you mate...
Should be able to wangle down at least another $500.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mernda/o ... 1147476808?
Been listed quite a long time though...but you never know.
They want to sell minus the wheels so another good wheeler will set me back a further grand.... will probably give them a buzz and have a look at it.
Thanks again
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