Buying my first road bike

That first bike, the btwin is a good bike. I ran into the guys from btwin a few weeks ago when I was in Spain. I did not know of the brand but I got to see their full line up, talk to their engineers and even meet a junior development team they sponsor. They are a legit company.

They will go head to head with Giant (your 2nd option) but I think they are trying to provide more bang for the buck.

Personally I would not hesitate to buy the first bike.

The 105 drivetrain on the B'Twin is considerably better than the Claris set on the Giant. If it was one group set difference, I'd say get whichever one you like better. But we're talking three steps up the ladder, and three more gears on the rear cassette....plus better shifting quality. That weighs heavily in the B'Twin's favor.

I know Giant's been around a long time, but BTwin seems to be more than just some half- effort by a department store to sling some bikes. I don't know about that specific model, but I've seen many B'Twin's getting very good reviews from the cycling press, usually being cited for offering exceptional value for the price.

Edited by gary p 2018-03-30 3:40 PM