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forum
Aero - Giant Vs Merida
Im saving for spring 2016...
2 bikes on my radar at the moment...
what's the general consensus about these bikes and what are the alternatives ?
Giant Propel Advanced 0
Merida Reacto 7000
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
Latest Forum Topics
Latest Comments
- marmotte27 24 min ago
"braking zone" This is about bunch riding.
- brooksby 33 min 2 sec ago
Riding in primary wouldn't stop a motorist crossing the white line to overtake: arguably, it would encourage them to cross the white line giving...
- Geordiepeddeler 6 hours 31 min ago
Cycling infrastructure does not force drivers to break the law, drivers are the reason they break the law, no one else.
- chrisonabike 6 hours 43 min ago
Ah but taking pictures of things to defy the man (avoid a fine) is righteous. Taking pictures of people to grass on them to the cops (perhaps...
- ktache 8 hours 42 min ago
Never had a Shimano QR fail on me. They just work. And the top end ones look good too....
- jaysa 9 hours 54 min ago
As a woman, this works great for me! My chain broke once, and a kind guy stopped with a chain breaker and sorted it all out for me. We stopped at a...
- andystow 10 hours 45 min ago
Same. I also have gone through a bunch of their tyres, and only the extralight disappointed (torn sidewall) but the standards are fantastic....
- chrisonabike 12 hours 42 min ago
Indeed - but it's no more inconsistent than our current road design - very often UK high streets are "for shopping" and also a busy through route....
- mike the bike 14 hours 13 min ago
If you ask the world's leading economic commentators how many people have been rescued from abject poverty by capitalism the average answer would...
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6 comments
The largest manufacturer also arguably the best value, however. . (Though both are huge companies! )
Don't underestimate the value of a good LBS and manufacturer warranty policy/ customer service. Having just broken *another* frame
, I'm once again relieved to have the shop and manufacturer handle the claim, replacement and rebuild.
Giant have lifetime warranty, Merida I think 5 years. Oh and the Propel looks awesome!
Been looking at the Transonics as well. (just online for now)
Out of the different braking layouts of the 3 I like the idea of Giants own system on the Propel... just seems to make perfect sense. A simple, slim solution hidden neatly inline with the frame.
A part of me wants to go for any brand other than the largest bike manufacturer in the world.
but... on paper and visually the Propel looks hard to beat ?
I totally agree with you; I didn't want to get something from the largest manufacturer either, but if you take that out of the equation, I couldn't find a better value bike, or one I wanted as much.
The brakes are the best non-disc brakes I have used too, never mind the elegance of the solution. Way better than under the bb.
I bought a Giant Propel Advanced 1 in April. Absolutely love it. I Everested on it in May (27 hours) and have ridden it up the Blockhaus in Italy this summer (4 hours climbing, 90 minutes descending
) so it climbs well enough and won't break you into a million pieces if you ride it for more than 30 minutes. I think it weighs 8.25 kg.
Evans are a good place to demo bikes, if you really want to try some out, but they don't stock Giant as far as I know. I tried a Fuji Transonic (aero, similar to the Propel/Reacto) which was fine, looked slightly more radical but felt harsher than the Giant. I also tried a Cannondale Supersix which again was good, but by this point it would have taken a lot to get me off the Giant.
My local Giant store would only let me try a £2.5k Propel, which was absolutely way beyond anything I have ever ridden, a stunning piece of kit. So much so, I thought long and hard about finding the way to pay for it. That version of the Propel has good wheels and makes do with 105.
The Reacto looks like it has similar drive train; I've had no real problems with the Giant wheels although they seem to be a little more prone to pinch punctures than the Campag wheels on my old bike.
Propel sounds more like what im after then if its a bit lighter.
The Propel is generally known as a bit more rounded as an aero bike as it's generally lighter and stiffer for climbing than others.
The merida is known as a full on aero bike, so does lose some points on frame weight.
However as anyone who knows will tell you, that's only part of the story, where can you buy from, service, support, most important the fit of these bikes will be different.