Fuji Newest 2.0 vs Giant OCR3

Hi everyone,

I'm new to road bikes and new to this forum. Need a quick answer as to which bike you think is better, and in what way?

Originally I was sold on the Giant OCR 3, but then I was introduced to the Fuji Newest 2.0. They are both the same price, but;

* Fuji has brakes on the handlebar as well as the levers.
* The Fuji has Tiagra rear deraileur, whereas Giant has Sora all the way.
* The Fuji has Continental Sport tyres whereas Giant has Michellin Dynamic
* Giant has Truvativ crank

Both have carbon composite forks, both are same speed gearing.

On paper it would look as though the Fuji has slightly better components, but people keep telling me the Giant OCR 3 is better, any reason why?

The brakes on the handlebars are no big deal. Some like em some don't. Once you get used to riding you won't use them.

Tiagra and Sora aren't much different.

Tires...pretty similar.

Really...the honest answer is simply ride both of them. The choice will be obvious...it always is.

People research bikes the wrong way...they look at catalogs and internet sites researching..and that has it's place...but the real deal...when all else is equal is simply to ride em both. One bike will simply feel better to you than the other one.

I was happy to see this thread as I was pretty much comparing the same 2 bikes! Bill makes a very good point in that you should definitely ride both. For me the Fuji's felt 100% better, but that's me... you need to ride them to see what's best for you... it's excellent advise.

I also agree with you tho, that it seems like the Fuji is a great overall value... perhaps even moreso than the OCR3. Also, I read review after review of people complaining about the adjustable stem on the OCR3. The one on the Fuji does not have the offending adjustment from the front that makes noise... I talked to a LBS guy about this. I wasn't able to find much in the way of online reviews of the Newest 2.0. I guess maybe Fuji is not the flavor of the day? I did however, talk to several people that absolutely love them, and after riding them... I'm thinking I could love it as well. If I had the money... well I might be looking at a Cannondale or a Trek Pilot, but then I'd be looking at 1G, and it's a tough bullet to bite right now.

I'm curious, what prices did you find? The best price I found on the OCR3 was $550, and on the Newest 2.0 $600. I'm thinking prices might still come down some as winter approaches... but I'd like to get a bike for a century that happens in just a couple of weeks, and there's still plenty of great fall weather riding that I'd like to take advantage of on a sport/road bike instead of spinning my old Specialized MTB on the road.

Let me know how you make out, I'll keep you updated as well.

Thanks,
Neil

Hi everyone!

First i'd like to thank you all for your opinions & responses, they were very helpful.

To answer some earlier quips/questions;

I ended up road testing both the GIANT & FUJI bikes. The Fuji was definitely more comfortable on my butt!! I think that was mainly attributed to the wider & more cushioned seat. The idea of the brakes being on the top bar as well as the curves I thought was a great idea, but surely enough, i've gotten used to it now.

I ended up going with the GIANT OCR3. The ride is less comfortable on my butt, i've been walking around all day with a sore bum, so much so that it hurts planting my butt back on the bike again, I had to almost stand riding on the way to the gym!

Okay, so it hurts. BUT... riding the GIANT, it definitely 'felt' more lighter, zippy & responsive! Although the Fuji had a more comfy seat & carbon composite forks (like the GIANT), the GIANT seemed to smooth out the bumps a little better too. It's a good frame.

Closely examining the two, it appears the build quality & parts on the GIANT appear to be better in my opinion (metal vs. plastic bits, cabling, etc.)

It is true what someone said earlier in this post, the difference that the better rear derailuer & rims on the FUJI make is quite marginal.

I ended up paying $900 AUD for mine, the price couldnt go any lower as I purchased it on interest free finance terms.

Now to look for places & people to ride with!!!

Congrats....I agree the Giant is an excellent frame and makes for a very comfortable ride.

As for the saddle goes....well that is a common issue. I have changed mine twice and I think I finally have found what works for me and that is a Terry Fly.

Most bike shops have a policy where you can try a saddle for a few days and if it isn't right you can swap it out. Very few bikes that I have seen come with a decent saddle...even the ones that feel cushy can change dramatically after a few miles.

Good luck and enjoy your new bike.

The seat can make a huge difference. It's a matter of getting the seat positioned right... find that "sweet spot" in terms of tilt angle and position fore & aft.

I bougth one of these...

http://www.deanwoods.com.au/store/prod1059.htm

It's a good seat... looks like a racing seat, but is surprisingly good in comfort. Today, I spent about 2.5 hours of hard pedalling on it, and the seat never caused me any dramas.

Highly recommended! :-)