[AndyH01]

An opportunity has come up locally to me , that I think is a good deal and want it. Just need to convince the Mrs.
Main purpose is daily commute 7 mile each way as a replacement to my stolen bike. I want something a bit sportier.

2019 Giant Defy advance pro 2 – carbon frame, stock carbon wheels, ultegra mechanical shifting with hydraulic disc brake, plus a seperate pair of Hunt 50mm carbon wheels fully set up. £2300 all in ?
Bike appeared immaculate, slight scuffs on bar tape and could do with rewrapping.
One owner from new, appears genuine seller mutual acquaintances, into their bikes and more gravel , just ordered themselves a new Giant Revolt.
Heart says go for it , head says not as practical or versitile commuter but it’s something I’d want to ride than have to

Topic

[jaysa]

Second this. I ride 60mm rims

Second this. I ride 60mm rims and weigh 62kg. Correcting any slight sideways push becomes instinctive, like twitching past potholes and lumpy patches of tarmac.

[AndyH01]

Thanks, yeah been looking at
Thanks, yeah been looking at the Boardmans, just have an intch for a bling carbon summer bike.
Absolutely has to be hydraulic disc.
Happy with 105 over ultegra but nothing less than 195 or equivalent.
The Boardmans just look a bit blocky
I’m not sure of their availability but a lot I’ve been looking at are limited/no stock ..I think can get better second hand over new with rising costs, inflation and stick issues etc

[AndyH01]

I’m leaning towards this too.
I’m leaning towards this too. Some comments have put a bit of a downer on it if it is overpriced. I tried £2k with argument could get the other local ish defy (preferred coulorway) with alloy wheels at £1600 (already negotiated) plus his hunt wheels for £400 which they rejected bike on own £1900 wants sell extra wheels with bike for £2300 as help it sell and another pair of same hunts wheels come up for £600…
By time I’ve drove there and back to look at the others then potentially drive back to collect and drive back.. , time , petrol would’ve spent £100 or so or risk it for a biscuit and buy without seeing and pay £50+ postage etc …

[AndyH01]

My old bike was 11spd ultegra
My old bike was 11spd ultegra with over 2k miles no issues . Whilst I trust them good shout to take a chain gauge with me. As I say, there was evidence of other bikes being used and apparently the Defy only been out in the dry and used the gravel in the main. Funnily enough, they’re selling the Defy to fund the revolt, which I probably be better off with!
The 2019 model does have hidden eyelets for full guards , apparently same frame as the new version that’ll take 35mm+ tyres
Again my “old” Mason had hunt wheels as standard albeit alloy with 32mm tubeless GOnes no issues whatsoever…

[AndyH01]

Yes as I say, stock carbon
Yes as I say, stock carbon wheels as it’s the pro version plus a seperate pair of the Hunts 50mm carbon wheels…
Stock wheels be set with winter/light gravel tyres and leave hunts with the slicks ..bike in it’s own with stick carbon wheels £1900… There’s another one also local ish but alloy wheels only at £1650 …
Spoke to this guy with 2 sets of carbon wheels, they want approx £600 for the hunts on own as I tried saying £2k all in on basis I could get the alloy wheels Defy for £1600 n his wheels for £400.. don’t need 2 sets of carbon wheels one be training/bad weather plus nice summer race

[AndyH01]

The issue I see it going via
The issue I see it going via cycle to work scheme in s I’m limited to having to buy through the PAYE scheme which generally means buying new from retailer and can’t take wages below minimum wage or limited to the £1k ish.
With inflation as it is and stock availability buying new is a rip off less for more money these days

[mattw]

Can you get something new

Can you get something new through the tax-subsidised employment scheme?

Last time I looked it was possible to buy one quite regularly. Perhaps that has changed, or is only priced fro plebs like me !

[wycombewheeler]

espressodan wrote:

espressodan wrote:

I’m assuming that this comes with two sets of wheels? If it only comes with 50mm, budget for a pair of lower profile rims. 50mm in wind is not fun.

it’s fine once you are used to it. my summer bike has 60mm rims, my winter bike has 45mm rims. I never consider the wind when choosing which bike to ride only whether hte roads are wet or likely to become wet, and whether i need to carry more stuff than pockets.

disclaimer – I weigh over 80kgs, I might think differently if I weighed 60kg

[espressodan]

I’m assuming that this comes
I’m assuming that this comes with two sets of wheels?

If it only comes with 50mm, budget for a pair of lower profile rims. 50mm in wind is not fun.

[IanMSpencer]

Get a chain gauge on the

Get a chain gauge on the chain. If the chain is extremely worn out, you can find yourself with new cassette and chain rings due to severe wear. Shiny bikes are not always well maintained bikes. Chains on 11 speed may only be good for a couple of thousand miles and some riders still don’t seem to be aware of them being wearing parts.

Love my 2017 Defy. There is reasonable tyre clearance so you can get decent sized tyres, but if you want to go the mudguard route you will be limited – not possible to fit traditional guards on mine, not sure if they put a mount point at the top of  the fork by 2019.

Really, if it is a bit of a commute but really looking for an excuse to get out in the better weather, it’s a happy bike. 

Hunt wheels – nothing special – I have a pair that I’m happy with, but a mate had problems with the build of his, and reckons they’d used the wrong sized spokes so they creaked and came loose. Basically foreign built wheels brought in by the lorry load. Mine new were about £600 for a gravel carbon pair. I’m not keen on deep rims due to cross wind handling and it’s not like I am a pro with a choice of wheels to match weather, mine are for the Revolt to swap between winter road (Hunt carbon) and offroad (original Giant alloy). The Defy carbon wheels are better I reckon, so I am not sure what the Hunt give you – take them and sell on?

[Rendel Harris]

£1900 is better though I

£1900 is better though I would say still pricey. Are you absolutely set on carbon wheels and Ultegra? If you are, great, I’m only asking because if it’s mainly for a seven mile commute carbon wheels aren’t really going to make any difference and in terms of groupset, between self and Mrs H we have Ultegra, 105, Tiagra and Claris, apart from the fact that the Ultegra is Di2 (which I enjoy but don’t find essential) you’d be really hard pushed to tell the difference between them in terms of changes and braking. If you were prepared to accept 105 and alloy rims (still hydro disc) you could get a beautiful new bike for less than your second hand budget, e.g. https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Boardman-SLR-8-9-Carbon-Disc-2023-Road-Bike_228748.htm?sku=746987&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Road%20bikes&utm_content=Boardman&gclid=CjwKCAiAzp6eBhByEiwA_gGq5EIm_U3ILGz_xLexowQVTh9xiSODflv3PtP5gE9yuvyPi5xnCsB-choCBG8QAvD_BwE

This is the bike that road.cc called, in its Tiagra rim brake version, “Really impressive road bike that’s built around a corker of a frameset”, for £1750.

Entirely up to you of course, good luck whatever you choose!

[Ride On]

Its reduced because they were
Its reduced because they were asking too much.

You have a lot of choice for that budget.

[peted76]

I’d have a defy in a

I’d have a defy in a heartbeat, never hear anything bad about them and a very popular bike near me. The wheels are probbaly overkill for what you want.. but I say if you can afford it, go for it, you’ll be getting a great bike which you’ll enjoy riding. 

And to be justify it further.. you might get a slightly better deal on another bike..  but if you know this is in great condition, for the sake of a hundred or maybe two hundred quid is it really worth the risk in buying an ‘unknown’ condition bike from the interwebs. You could end up having to replace £100 or £200 worth of bits and the hassle that comes with. 

[AndyH01]

They’ve already come down,
They’ve already come down, advertised at £2500 iirc reduced to £2400 negotiated their best price to £2300 with the 2sets or best he’d do with just the stock carbon wheels £1900 …
Recently serviced from same bike shop he got it from and ordered the Revolt from so hopefully bar the bar tape should be all good

[AndyH01]

I guess it’s because this one
I guess it’s because this one is so local whereas some of the ones on eBay I’ve seen are too far away to view, older 5+yes and no paperwork.
This one is 2019 only been used in the dry , saw evidence of their other gravel bike (Carvelo) that they use more with original receipt from local bike shop ..
£1900 for bike and stock wheels only or the £2300 with the Hunts (he got a god deal on them from same shop , his dad is painter and decorator and does the bike shop and owners homes so they’re mates sorta thing so the story goes)

That Scot does look reasonable but no stock until at least March and grx600 .

Another local ish (20 miles away) selling similar Giant Defy advance 2 same bike just with alloy wheels sounds similar condition wants £1650 ….

There’s also a Trek checkpoint sl5 105 alloy wheels similar age condition £1700

[Author]

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