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TCR, Defy or Gravel Bike?

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  • August 29, 2017 at 4:46 pm #27573
    beigemaster

    Ok, I know that’s a weird subject title- but hopefully its got your attention.

    My current bike set up is a Giant Defy Disc (alu) which I call my “posh/summer/fast/sportive bike” and a flat bar Hoy City bike which I call my “winter/gravel/commuter/sh1t weather bike- which is ok for about 100km rides but anything over  that gets a bit uncomfortable due to the lack of multi hand positions that the drop bar offers.

    Mrs Beigemaster is happy for me to get a new bike on a C2W scheme (so near the £1000 budget), but on a “one in one out” policy (so one bike has to be sold off), so here are the options I’m considering of which I would value everyone’s opinion- especially those who may own some of the bikes I mention.

     

    1.Sell the city bike (hopefully could pocket £300 for it given I’ve upgraded a few bits and maintained it well), replace it with a cheapish Gravel/All road bike- something like this Norco Explore, should be great for commuting as well as long winter miles where speed isn’t such an issue.

    https://www.evanscycles.com/norco-search-a-sora-2017-adventure-road-bike-EV277745

    The upside of this is, in addition, I could ask the lovely chaps at Evans- “oh, would you mind if I used the rest of the voucher to buy a 4iiii/stages power meter as an accessory” (not sure how moral this would be but certainly an option)

     

    2.Sell the city bike and replace it with a fast, probably non disc light-weight carbon Summer/Strava segment hunter- i.e A TCR Advanced 1/2 (either Tiagra or 105, 2017 models are all going pretty cheap right now) and convert the Defy (which is currently still mint since it its on the trainer in Winter) into the winter/commuter? This would leave no money for a power meter or any other potential upgrades

     

    3.Sell the Defy (hopefully given it’s still pretty mint I could get close to the £600 mark, although it is a gamble) and put it towards a TCR- would save the most money but then would lose having a Sportive bike for longer rides.

     

    Here’s where I’d appreciate some advice

    – Is the TCR REALLY that much faster over the Defy? For context, my PR over a 50km TT bumpy course is about 20.8 miles an hour, my only 10 mile TT attempt on a similar course was a 27 minute 16 (22 mph). My question is should I just slam my stem, buy some lighter or more aero hoops and train harder with a new power meter (see option 1)? A set of Hunt’s 4 Seasons would easily save over 0.5 KG for a  not that much extra money.

    -Is the TCR REALLY that much less comfortable than the Defy? I do like to do the occasional 100 mile Sportive or long A to B across country ride, and the Defy has been brilliant- can the TCR match this? I’m 31 so not quite into the MAMIL category of rider (well, not physically) so still have a bit of flexibility.

    -Does anyone know how much the TCR Tigra and 105’s weigh? Again, I think the defy disc is around the higher end of 9kg (9.7 or there abouts probably), can you really notice a couple of KG lost on the bike? (I’ve already shed a fair amount of weight off my body before people make this suggestion). Don’t really want to go all in on a top end spend/new bike if all I do is save a kg if you don’t really notice. Is the 105 worth the extra money over the Tiagra? (I have 105 on the Defy, but never used Tiagra- but it looks great!)

    Any advice would be much appreciated- especially keen on those who have ridden/owned either TCRs or Defys. 

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  • August 30, 2017 at 3:47 pm #901057
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    peted76

    I’m on my second TCR now..

    I’m on my second TCR now..  If you can do 20mph on your own for 30miles (as per your TT record), then I’d suggest that slamming your stem and getting a bit more aero would be the most efficient way of going faster if that’s what you want to do.

    The stock wheels on everything up to the top level giant bikes are dogshite, you’ll get an instant hit upgrading those.

    I’d ditch the power meter idea, you’ll have far more fun with a better bike/parts upgrade than you would if you pay money to constantly felt anxious about your power output… I think the advice above to get a PM before a better bike is ludicrous. I train on HR which costs £50 for a strap, after a while you can just feel what’s going on accurately enough. Now I only use my HR monitor to ratify what I already know OR if I’m doing a roller session. I’d like a PM don’t get me wrong but it’s a ‘luxury item’.. I already know I struggle to keep up with my mates on a climb, and I monitor my HR for TT’s.

    However saying that, you can very cheaply put a set of drop bars on your hoy (£20) and you’ll instantly have your gravel/endurance bike right there.. so getting a racy TCR and owning a do it all gravel/commute is closer to covering all the bases in my humble opinion. 

    I ride my TCR wherever and over whatever most of the time (tubeless tyres), I have no issues with comfort, however I can ‘see’ where I’d be a bit more comfortable if I was a little more upright (defy style).  But that comfort would be offset by being a bit slower (less aero). 

    Compromises at every turn..  I don’t envy your decision.

    August 30, 2017 at 1:47 pm #901055
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    Charlie-CarbsAndCycling

    TCR compared to my old
    TCR compared to my old aluminium bike saved me around 20 seoncds up a 5min climb for same power. SO not much in it
    Power meter literally saved me minutes up the same climb as i went from 4w/kg FTP to 5w/kg FTP in about 1 year. Power meter helps you even if you dont do much training as it helps you pace so much better. If i were you , definitely get a power meter first, then save and try and get a tcr/nicer bike. But power meters are such an incredible tool long term.
    You wouldnt go to the gym and pick up random weights, you would build up slowly looking at the masses of the weights. Its the same with a power meter, you can finally see what effort you are putting in, not just blindly guessing on feel.

    August 30, 2017 at 1:13 pm #901053
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    Jimthebikeguy.com

    I kind of get what you are
    I kind of get what you are saying. I did similar, and flogged everything and bought a gt grade. I use it as my road bike knowing that it is 95% as quick as an actual roadbike, but now i can basically go everywhere.

    August 30, 2017 at 12:22 pm #901051
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    alansmurphy

    Not ridden them but if you

    Not ridden them but if you can get some studded 28’s or even tubeless 28’s to run at lower pressures then the current posh could certainly be winterised – the (C2W plus Hoy sale) may even allow for summer and winter wheels on this. With the right tyres, pressures, mudguards you don’t really have to go to 32’s for comfort.

     

    Then look at Carbon for your posh bike, we keep seeming to be recommending Cannondale’s at around the 1k mark – 105 or above is easily within the budget.

     

    Power meters – meh! Everyone i know who has one is far less talented than the price and benefit dictates. We surely have enough information at our digital fingertips to know how hard we’re working and if we’re improving (and the current indoor will allow you to do so). Otherwise your legs will know 🙂 Especially at the price brackets you’re talking, why spend half the value of your bike (plus) on something to tell you how you’re riding it?

     

    As for the naughtiness, cyclescheme seems to now even offer an accessories only option so really not too naughty. I’m deciding between a Smart Trainer and wheel upgrade for the summer bike and the Cannondal Slate Apex (just because it looks cool)…

    August 30, 2017 at 12:10 pm #901049
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    beigemaster

     

     

    “How about option 2. and get rid of the Hoy? ‘Winterise’ your Defy – including fitting cyclocross tyres for gravel-ish rides? The  position on a TCR is not so extreme. When I’m on my winter bike I can struggle to keep up with my younger ride buddies on their Defys. When the sun is out so too is my TCR composite and the playing field is levelled.”

    Good idea in principle, shame the Defy would strugle to get anything more than 30mm, even my 28’s are tighter than I thought they’d be. Have you ridden any longer rides on the TCR out of interest, as in anything over 100km?

     

    My current City/Hoy bike with a pair of CX tyres on it is awesome for light trail/gravel usage, just not so good on anything longer than 100K, which I do like to do occasionally even in winter. 

     

    Surprised that people wouldn’t suggest investing in a Power Meter, I do have a Smart Trainer that delivers a power output, which serves a purpose for indoor training for the sake of consistency, but obviously can’t translate it to the road/real world. 

     

    Again, anyone ridden both TCR and Defy and can really offer an unbiased comparison with what they’re like to live with? I know a lot of cycling journalists will say one is more “Exciting” and “Lively”, but the same journalist will claim to notice the difference of 50grams difference in a wheel set, but maybe I’m getting more cynical in my old age? 

     

     

    August 30, 2017 at 7:15 am #901047
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    DoctorFish
    kevvjj wrote:
    Sell the city bike. Get a gravel/endurance/cx bike (e.g GT grade). It will open up a whole new world of cycling opportunities. There’s some fantastic riding when the tramac finishes…

     

    Yep, this.  I really enjoy my Pinnacle Arkose.  I’m rubbish at riding it off road when things get a bit lumpy or rutted, but I really enjoy the gravel roads and firebreak paths through the woods and it makes a great winter bike with mudguards, and I’ve fitted a rack for longer rides/carrying ability.  It replaces a Dawes Galaxy and I don’t regret making the change for a moment.  My other bike is a Canyon Endurace which is getting less use now.

    I would opt for adding more money to the pot for the gravel bike and not bother with a power meter though.  Unless you are very serious about your hobby they still seem very expensive to me for what should really be a rather simple piece of apparatus.

    August 30, 2017 at 6:18 am #901045
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    Anonymous

    Sell the city bike. Get a

    Sell the city bike. Get a gravel/endurance/cx bike (e.g GT grade). It will open up a whole new world of cycling opportunities. There’s some fantastic riding when the tramac finishes…

    August 29, 2017 at 5:57 pm #901043
    0
    Woldsman

    I can’t decide either. 

    I can’t decide either.  Hmmm…

    Sell the Defy and do all your road riding on the TCR. But then you don’t have a winter bike for quick, lengthy road rides. 

    How about option 2. and get rid of the Hoy? ‘Winterise’ your Defy – including fitting cyclocross tyres for gravel-ish rides? The  position on a TCR is not so extreme. When I’m on my winter bike I can struggle to keep up with my younger ride buddies on their Defys. When the sun is out so too is my TCR composite and the playing field is levelled. 

    Buy the best TCR Advanced you can get and try to recoup some money by flogging the Hoy to spend on other goodies. But don’t waste that money on a power meter. 

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