What's better for Racing AND Long Distance Riding - Giant OCR 2, or Avantic Vivace ?

[Kez Deale]

Hey all...

Well after asking several questions about the OCR 3, I was told the OCR 2 will be better in the long run for me, so I went to the bike shop to talk it over....

The guy there said, that it's a good bike for Long Distance and all, and when I said "Yeah, touring and racing is fine for me".. he goes "Wait, Racing?!?!?!?!!!?!? *He closed the Giant Catalouge*" and says "That's not the bike you want...."... he told me that I'd want a Avanti Vivace Pro, as the OCR 2 is designed for comfort, and I'll be at the back of the pack pedalling my ass off, as the others are zooming away.... so yeah.... everyone here has given me great advice so far... so I thought I'd come back and ask...

My main use for this bike will be Excersise, Long Distance Riding, and maybe later on, a tiny bit of touring... but for the time I will be doing Riding around the roads, and then I will be racing with a club, and .... and I want to be able to actually train and excersise well on it, and I would like the best bike for my body..... so ... yeah... haha... in quite a predicament... again.... haha...

But the crunch line is....

The Avanti good enough for what I want... which is Long Distance Riding, Training, Excercise, and Racing..... and is it a good entry level racing bike for a noob to Road Racing and Road Cycling?...

and from peoples experiences here... is it generally a good bike??? (How many repairs have you got done on them, problems with them... e.t.c)

Sorry if I sound mixed up and all, just this is really something I've been planning for for around, 3 months now, and yeah, it still hasnt happened yet... haha... ever since I was a little tyke, I've always wanted to ride my Dads road bike, and around 3 months ago, he let me, and it was the smoothest and best ride I've ever had... and I rode it again yesterday... so it's sorta a passion of mine now... ahahahah..

Well thanks for all the help

Kez

 

[Insight Driver]

I have a Giant OCR2 which I have put over 1000 miles on so far. I have not had to do anything but clean the bike and lube the chaine a few times. Nothing has broken in spite of losing control in a turn and dropping the bike while I was clipped in.

I looked at the Avanti bike and don't see much difference in frame and components so the bottom line would be the difference in cost.

Just my two cents.

 

[Kez Deale]

Hmm... okai... but do you race???

 

[Evo]

My training buddy has a OCR2, and has had no trouble with it, even after a 1000kms or so.....two handy features I noticed is the replaceable dropout for the rear derailleur, and the third chainring for getting up those daunting hills! Especially handy if you're carrying some weight in panniers, etc (touring?!?). As for racing, the Tiagra groupset is reliable, but may not shift as well under stressful situations (ie. in a race.) If you had a few extra bucks, go for an OCR1 and get the 105 groupset. You'll probably be happier in the long run (oh, and you get carbon forks....too!!)

Hope this helps....

 

[Kez Deale]

Hmm..... okai... completely against what the shop guy said ... okai then.. keep the advice coming... I wanna know who else out there has a Vivace....

Kez

 

[Middo]

Originally posted by Kez Deale
Hmm..... okai... completely against what the shop guy said ... okai then.. keep the advice coming... I wanna know who else out there has a Vivace....

Kez

I have the vivace and it is a great bike! I put shimano R-540 wheels on it but it is standard other than that.
The ocr is not a compact frame,and do you really want to race with a triple chainring! Just get some K's into your legs and you'll be killing the hills.The 04 vivace has carbon forks but no name seat,bars and post. Also look at the specialised roubaix? it comes in different specs.Blackmans at Parramatta fixed me up and won't bull**** you,from my experience.

 

[Kez Deale]

Originally posted by Middo
I have the vivace and it is a great bike! I put shimano R-540 wheels on it but it is standard other than that.
The ocr is not a compact frame,and do you really want to race with a triple chainring! Just get some K's into your legs and you'll be killing the hills.The 04 vivace has carbon forks but no name seat,bars and post. Also look at the specialised roubaix? it comes in different specs.Blackmans at Parramatta fixed me up and won't bull**** you,from my experience.

Well then It was Mr Blackman himself who told me to get the Vivace... and if you bought it from them and say it's fine, then brilliant... just I've been told by others that it wold be preferable to race with a 105 Groupset instead of the Tiagra....

Do you race middo???

 

[johnvarenda]

I have Vivace because it would ride to more mileage....
Thanks......
.........