Giant or Trek?

Ride both and see what fits better.

Don't let a compact double scare you.  A compact double will cover almost the same range of gears that a triple will.  A personally like a double better because of the narrower Q factor (the space between your feet), and the shifting always seems better.

arent all the frames made in the same factories in china at this point?

If the shifting is horrible your bike might need a tune-up.

I agree with DA on the compact double!  That said what type of area do you ride in?  Do you really need a triple?  My guess would be NO that the double would have you covered...

Most of my training would be on flat course. Not very hilly. However, further north and/or west in the state the terrain can get pretty steep. Both tech guys I have talked to suggest the double. Problem with testing outside right now is 12-14in. of snow. But I do agree that I should ride both first.

Fit is going to be key. I have a Giant OCR 2 road bike that I bought used a few years back. What got me interested in the Giant was that, unlike other manufacturers, their frames come in small, medium, and large (there may be an XS and XL, but you get the idea). Giant then allowed the rider to fiddle with the seat and handlebar positions to adjust the fit. The result was that this system made it easier to get a good fit. I ride a medium, and I've read reviews from guys as short as 5'6" to as tall as 6'1" who were able to get a good fit on their Giants. I'm 5'8" and really like the fit. Just something to think about.

As for the crank, my bike came with a triple and I personally feel better knowing that I have the extra range of gears. Then again, I ride in fairly hilly areas. However, I will say that I rarely use the smallest "granny gear" on the crank. In fact, I don't recall ever having used it.

Get the one that fits! The fit is very different between the Trek and the Giant.... the Giant has a longer reach, which is great if most of your length comes from the torso. Traditionally, Giant has combined the long reach with low stack, which is good if you are flexible.

Trek on the other hand is almost the exact opposite, shorter reach and higher stack.

Looking at the price of these bikes, you should be able to get a much better deal if you are willing to go used... Tiagra is pretty low end stuff and although it will work, there's a noticeable difference if you just step up to 105 instead.. much crisper shifting.

One thing to keep in mind that slightly more weight puts more stress on the brakes... both these bikes really skimp on the brakes... replacing them with 105's will make a big difference.

All in all... the one that fits will be a good bike, but you can do better if you go used (basically, you can probably get the same bike but with Shimano 105 for the same money as these would be)

Giant is the largest frame manufacturer in the world. But if I remember correctly, they are not making Trek's frames.

ETA: I was wrong, as of 2009 Trek was getting some of their frames from Giant's factory. This isn't saying their frames are the same as Giant. The factories produce to the specs and quality standards provided by the customer (in this case Trek).

Link http://www.bicycleretailer.com/downloads/US%20factory%20chart%2010-...

Edited by graceful_dave 2011-02-07 7:22 AM

That is not the bike, it's an adjustment issue. How long have yo owned it? When was the last time it was serviced?

Budget is a concern. Most of you agree that the compact double is better choice. I also agree comfort will be key. So does giant offer easier adjustment for fit vs. trek?

Have owned it for 18 months, bought from LBS and have had them look at it twice. Based on the responses I am going to take it to a different shop and see what they can do.

Ease of adjustment will be the same.  The Defy line is Giant's more upright positioned line, so it should be plenty comfortable.  I started on a bike very similar to this (mine was a giant OCRC3, from before they renamed it Defy), and I liked it quite a bit.  You'll be very happy with either bike.

Kinesis i believe is the company i was thinking of.  frame specs will all be different, but they are mostly made in the same place 

Edited by jsklarz 2011-02-08 5:09 AM

I went through the same thing almost a year ago and went with the Defy 2 Compact.  I have had no problems with the Defy and have throughly enjoyed it and do not regret my choice.  As far as the double goes, I am not a very strong rider and have never needed anything more, even with some decent hills from time to time. 

I own and train on the Trek, but have rented the Giant for a couple races and vacations. I now actively seek the Giant out when I'm out of town and need to rent. I like it soooo much better. Probably just a personal preference, though.

A little bit off topic but have you looked at Bikesdirect.  You could get much more bike for $ there.  I am on my 3rd bike over 5 years from them.  They have all been awesome!!

I have put a couple of thousand miles on my 2009 Giant Defy 2 and I love it . It has a triple and I've only used the small ring once . I'm considering swapping it out for a standard double . But that's me . The best advice I can offer is thoroughly test ride every bike you are interested in . When you find it, you'll know





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