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Yeah, there’s a bit of thing
Yeah, there’s a bit of thing about shorter cranks in general. I think potentially like most things (oval chainrings) it’s quite rider-specific. As you said so much of bike fit wisdom is based on race rather than real-world fit. Guy who did my recent one is an ex-Pro Conti and national team rider and he was very adaptable – takes the view that speed comes with comfort, not slamming and stretching everything. First thing he did was shorten me up 20mm on saddle position. He also said that the current gravel vogue is leading to 10mm being shaved off the typical stem length which is great for control but will end up giving people back issues if they do long road rides. He’s also expecting shoulder and neck issues if people use flared bars for longer rides if they’ve been used to road bars.
178cm so by rights I should
178cm so by rights I should be riding 172.5mm cranks. But 165s were recommended by a fitter 5 years ago, and by a different fitter this year. I’ve got reduced hip flexion from an old injury (an OTB moment involving loose wheel nuts and a Raleigh Grifter c. 1982). I find them better for hills, I’m more able to get over the top of the stroke with them. Fitter noticed that at my preferred saddle height I was getting a lot of knee splaying on standard length cranks. Should note that I run my saddle lower than average for my height too – I’ve got a pretty narrow fit window as an unfit 52yo and I’m particularly sensitive to saddle height. 9 hours a day at a desk doesn’t help with the back pain either.
Good point about position for
Good point about position for winter riding, I too am less dynamic on the bike in winter months.
As far as the drivetrain goes the Domane is probably slightly better specced now. New chain and cassette and it’s an Ultegra R8000/105 5800 mashup compared to Tiagra 4600 on the old Defy. Same brakes, rotors and wheels/tyres. Oh and the cranks are the same because I run 165s so I swapped them over when I sold the Defy.
This thread has been an interesting read over the past few days, I think I’m ultimately going to put it down to a combination of factors – weather, health, a drop in fitness and frame differences.
I’ve had fast/comfortable ally bikes in the past – Triban 3 and a Merida CX bike spring to mind – but there’s just something about this Domane frame that makes it dull and lifeless. It’s a lovely bit of kit and probably the best engineered bike I’ve owned – utterly silent even with full mudguards installed – but it just doesn’t put a smile on my face. Of course Trek market it as an entry-level road bike and so perhaps I should expect it to be like that, otherwise they wouldn’t have the opportunity to upsell riders. I guess I’ve been a bit spoilt by riding “boutique” frames and very high quality carbon frames like the Defy.
What this all means is a return to a Defy in the spring I think. If I was just commuting on it I’d put up with it but cycling for me now is leisure, and leisure should be fun and enjoyable. If only Giant had better colour schemes.
This is exactly how I’d
This is exactly how I’d describe the feeling I get on the Domane. I have a feeling it’s because it doesn’t leap away under effort changes, I don’t get the same feeling of a kick as I did on the Defy. It’s like that feeling when you’re not yet quite on top of a big gear.
Well, a bit faster on today’s
Well, a bit faster on today’s identical ride, but still 1mph average off the Defy times. I did make a minor fit adjustment (10mm shorter stem) which made a big difference to hand and lower back comfort.
Thanks Ian. Definitely not
Thanks Ian. Definitely not the wheels/tyres as I’m still using the summer wheels I used on the Defy. Bearings still surprisingly good considering they have minimal sealing (Fulcrum DB4s). I’m feeling more beaten up by the Domane compared to the Defy despite having transferred the position over almost exactly so I guess that just goes to show how all that D-Fuse stuff really does make a difference.
It’s a good point – for a
It’s a good point – for a time during the bug I had a resting heart rate of 90bpm (usually low 60s) and a temp of 39.6C. But the bike “felt slow” before that.
I recognise this about steel.
I recognise this about steel. I had a Fairlight Faran, specifically as a tourer/commuter, for a number of years, and that was like your Spa Audax, wafted along steadily but there was no point in stamping on it. My “fast” bike at the time was a Bowman Layhams (stainless steel) and that fair clipped along, really stiff with sharp handling. But the Defy was in a different league to these two, despite being heavier than the Layhams (rim brakes, lightweight wheels).
I think in the spring I’ll go back to a Defy or Revolt, one of the newer models which has proper mudguard mounts and clearance for 32s (in the case of the Defy)
God’s Waiting Room plus
God’s Waiting Room plus tourist-central is not a safe mix. It’s like the New Forest but with gators rather than ponies.
On one visit I saw a driver crash a rental car within 500 yards of the airport terminal in Tampa. First intersection, decided to Links Fahren and hit oncoming vehicle.
Good overview here of legal
Good overview here of legal rights when buying online and using Paypal as a payment processors
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/PayPal-Section75/
Well, it’s pretty much pan
Well, it’s pretty much pan flat and heavily planned, so I doubt you’ll find much interesting to ride. Maybe have a look on Komoot for routes or Strava for segments.
Thanks, it’s a good point
Thanks, it’s a good point about the stock wheels. Whilst it’s nice to build light as a heavy rider I prefer 32H rims, particularly if it’s going to see light gravel, which is likely for this new build.
The aim is to run 32mm year round because that should let me run around 75psi tubeless. I’m aiming for comfort and adaptability here rather than outright speed, hence why I’m leaning towards a Revolt.
Thanks, very useful.
Thanks, very useful.
Will likely build a frameset as Giant sell the Revolt that way (but not the Defy, which is annoying) so component/tyre choice isn’t too much of a concern. I ran my old Defy on 28mm GP4000s – which came up almost 32mm wide on Fulcrum Racing DB4s. Clearance was bordering on unsafe! Have got a mix of 6800/5800/R7000/R8000 components to build it up, just flat mount calipers needed.
Yep, the Giant RGX guards have sliding/adaptable mounts to work with both horizontal and vertical mounting points. You don’t get full coverage at the rear – I think there’s a mount just above front mech – but that’s not too much of an issue.
I’m sure we had this debate
I’m sure we had this debate when Shimano invented indexed gearing and then dual control shifters but the difference for me is that those things were making things easier, not harder. I’ve run Di2 and tubeless, rim and disc, in both hydro and cable forms. I’ve had frames with external, partly internal, and fully internal routing. I’ve had clutched and unclutched mechs. I’ve done 1x and dealt with various flavours of BB.
For me, I like the simplicity of cable-operated everything, with external cabling. My winter hack did a couple of thousand miles of commuting in all weathers and I never had to change cables, brake blocks, etc. I even prefer TRP Spyres to road hydros and once set up correctly they offer enough power to haul up my considerable bulk on a descent. So the moar hydro, moar electronics, moar integration fashion doesn’t even make sense from a practical perspective to me.
In comparison, when I ran Di2 I remember the rear mech lost contact with the brains of the system, which necessitated removing the crank to get at the B junction box buried in the BB area. That was a good couple of hours work.
Similarly, as a heavy rider, I find that road tubeless doesn’t work for me. I still need to ride high pressures (80psi) and despite paying attention to sealant quality and quantity I’ve never had a puncture seal properly. Maybe I’m just unlucky living in the flinty goodness of chalky Hampshire.
What all these innovations really do is make work for the LBS and money for the bike manufacturers. We’re at the point where cars got to in the early 2000s where suddenly they weren’t maintainable with home tools and a Haynes manual. I remember my 2003 Golf needing the front bumper removing to replace a headlight bulb, that’s a bit like the major job replacing headset bearings on a bike with integrated routing has become. Ten mins plus an allen key vs a couple of hours and an internal routing kit.
As a home mechanic who also works on other peoples bikes I don’t mind the complexity because it generates business, but I can’t say I enjoy fettling a modern bike as much as I do one that’s cable everything.
Squirrel that managed to run
Squirrel that managed to run between the wheels on a fast descent, any contact would have been fatal for said squirrel and likely have put me in hospital.
A couple of years ago I had an OTB moment at high speed on my MTB due to a dozy dog owner letting her lab run off the lead (we’ll gloss over the fact it was ground nesting bird season and there were signs everywhere asking them to keep dogs on leads). Owner: “Oh, I’m really sorry, he chases bikes and won’t come when called”.
If I’d hit it I’d have killed it, as it was I was really lucky to get away with cuts and bruises. Looking at my bars and brakes I clearly went fully over, not out of the side door. Couldn’t move for what felt like ages but probably only a couple of minutes. Owner just sauntered off after her dog after she’d checked I could move.
Many, many years ago I had the front wheel of my Grifter work loose, also on a steep hill. No helmets of course, I had a bus behind me and missed hitting my head on the kerb by inches based on where I ended up. It was on that lovely pink chipseal they used in the ’70s. Bruised and grazed from head to toe.
