Giant defy advanced 2

[tdcadillac]

Hello All
is this bike a good bike for training and once a year race?
I never bought a bike before! I only used spinning bike before. I learned alot from great member in this site and looking forward to keep learning to buy the right bike
cheers

 

[dabac]

The bike biz today is very homogenous. Similar money buys you comparable bikes regardless of what it says on the frame. The sales pitch is the usual mix of unverifiable statements and opinions masquerading as facts.
But it has the right stuff. Thru-axles, discs. 105 is a perfectly decent group. I’d be happy to ride it:
Only thing I’d change is the cassette. A 34 big on a double crank? You’d need some serious climbs to need that. And an 11 smallest isn’t the most useful of gears either on that kind of bike.

 

[tdcadillac]

The bike biz today is very homogenous. Similar money buys you comparable bikes regardless of what it says on the frame. The sales pitch is the usual mix of unverifiable statements and opinions masquerading as facts.
But it has the right stuff. Thru-axles, discs. 105 is a perfectly decent group. I’d be happy to ride it:
Only thing I’d change is the cassette. A 34 big on a double crank? You’d need some serious climbs to need that. And an 11 smallest isn’t the most useful of gears either on that kind of bike.

i was under the impression that 105 has standard components in the group? am I a wrong and even in the 105 there is variery of components?

 

[GravelKing]

Hey there! You're absolutely right that Shimano 105 has a variety of components within the group. While it offers standard components for road biking, it's worth noting that gravel riding requires a different approach. Gravel-specific components like wider gear ratios, disc brakes, and robust wheelsets elevate the experience on unpredictable terrain. So, if gravel riding is your jam, it might be worth exploring specialized gravel groupsets like Shimano GRX. Happy riding!