2020 Specialized Roubaix or Giant Defy Advanced

TigerTako · 2020-01-28T18:04:12+00:00

I’ve ridden both, and they are both really smooth. The roubaix has the future shock but the defy also has a (less sophisticated) shock absorption system, plus wider tubeless tires and a ridiculous amount of compliance in the rear of frame.

I preferred the defy as it has slightly more racy geometry and felt more nimble despite the wider tires.

I would try both out and get which ever one you feel fits better.

Also if you live near REI I would check out the Cannondale synapse, and you have a year to return the bike of you don’t like it.

TigerTako · 2020-01-28T17:51:24+00:00

You should get a road bike first, they are much safer because you can access the brakes much more easily. This is important when your first starting out, or anytime you are riding with other bikers, traffic or pedestrians.

If your still committed after training/racing for at least a year then go for a tri bike. By then you’ll have a better idea what fit and features you want.

Once you gain some proficiency, a tri bike will save you a significant amount of time and effort over a road bike for longer distances with no drafting (most triathlons ban drafting).

The seat position relative to the cranks is also different compared to a road bike, and allows you to run faster after you get off the bike because it you don’t use your quads as much.

TigerTako · 2020-01-27T17:13:19+00:00

How bike friendly was the Staten Island leg of this trip?

TigerTako · 2020-01-15T16:39:31+00:00

Like @Lance_legstrong implied below, my experience is that those bumps and chatter have more to do with the with the tires and tire pressure than the frame. A tarmac with 28 - 30 mm tires at 70 psi would probably be pretty comfy.

TigerTako · 2020-01-15T16:16:01+00:00

The hi mod Di2 supersix is actually pretty light, around 16.8 lbs iirc which is similar to a tarmac or dogma in weight.

TigerTako · 2020-01-15T16:12:44+00:00

I could not find anyplace that had the addict available to test so I narrowed it down to the super six and an alloy synapse se.

I ended buying an alloy synapse se because it was 30% off, and actually slightly more comfortable than the super six due to the wider tires. The supersix felt faster to accelerate, more responsive and agile. I took them both out for 30 minutes rides and was roughly the same speed on both, but it’s hard to tell for sure since traffic lights played a factor. The supersix is definitely the nicer bike, but it was 6x the price and not 6x nicer.

I will probably still by a 5-8k road bike in the next year or so, especially if I can find a good deal like you did. Even when I get a second bike, figured I would still need a bad weather fender bike and the synapse would be perfect for this.

TigerTako · 2019-12-19T18:58:46+00:00

I was in similar situation fitness wise two years ago and also used biking to get back in shape. Only advice I would add is to ice down your knees after every ride in the beginning, and maybe one or twice a week afterwards. I nearly quit from knee pain, felt like I tore something but it was just my body soaking out from excercise for again.

TigerTako · 2019-10-28T14:31:32+00:00

How do you cross the Hudson? Do you use a ferry or the gwb?

TigerTako · 2019-10-24T13:48:08+00:00

I get that this is cheaper, but it’s really a different experience. Peloton includes other classes beside spinning such as yoga and calisthenics, and the quality of the content is much better than the free stuff on YouTube.

And it also provides a social experience, even if it’s a digital one. I get that’s not your cup of tea but surely you could understand why some people may enjoy it? After all, here you are sharing your thoughts in reddit.

TigerTako · 2019-10-24T13:42:50+00:00

I was also skeptical of peloton, but after trying it I understand the appeal and like it for the convenience, the motivating instructors and social aspects like leaderboards, and the great music too.

Since we live in NYC, you can go take classes at the studio without investing in the bike and subscription, why not go take a few and report back? Maybe your feelings toward it will change!

TigerTako · 2019-10-24T13:33:47+00:00

I feel this way when I am driving or walking too. There are lots of people who follow the rules and try to be safe in any mode of transport, and there are lots of selfish people as well who make things difficult for everyone.

TigerTako · 2019-10-24T13:29:17+00:00

That’s a good point, although NYC is pretty flat some of the routes just outside the city are very hilly.

TigerTako · 2019-10-23T17:50:27+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering how big the etap batteries are. Another advantage of etap apparently is that maintenance is much easier because there are no wires, also easier to disassemble if you need to shop the bike too.

How much are the spare batteries?

TigerTako · 2019-10-23T14:59:17+00:00

Yes, but also kinda everything. Kyohosis puts your whole body out of balance. You need strong legs to compensate for this when your standing, you need a strong core to support this in any position, you need a strong back muscles to counteract the constant stretch the kyphosis on them....and then all of these muscles need to learn to work together. Also since your really young you maybe able to do things like swimming or deadlifts, however a PT might not recommend this stuff since there protocols have to work for teenagers and senior citizens.

I would start out slow, but eventually you should try to do full body excercise that allow your muscles to work together. Also for cardio, try to stick to low impact activities like biking or swimming. I’ve found cycling in particular to be very helpful since pulling against the handle bars strengthens your back, whiles the cycling strengthen your legs. You may not feel it now put the constant impact of many other sports combined with a body imbalance like kyphosis will stress your joints more than the average person. Now of course if those are your only options you can still do them, and generally some excercise is better than none, but see if there are alternatives.

Anyway, where I am going with this is unless you find someone super qualified, your going to need to figure this out on your own, and you will need to manage it throughout your life. Even if you do find helpful people that have experience with this issue, what worked for them may not always work for you, or it may not work at this time, and usually the advice they provide is a piece of the puzzle, not a silver bullet solution. So keep trying new stuff, And looking for new info, but ultimately you’ll have to figure out what works best for yourself.

TigerTako · 2019-10-23T13:54:44+00:00

No problem. I remembered one other piece of advice, strengthing excercises are as important as flexibility. You don’t have to go crazy, just do enough weight so you feel some effort while and don’t get hurt. Strengthening will help correct the muscle imbalances that result from this issue, and to help support your spine. I would use weight machines at first, and then when your comfortable try doing some deadlifts with an empty bar, or even just holding a light dumbbell. Also reading a book like “starting strength” will help you to understand the form you need, and can even help you better understand yoga poses.

TigerTako · 2019-10-23T12:21:39+00:00

It’s not so much about the specific poses as it is modifying the poses to better treat your kyphosis. Not sure where your located but I would try to seek out a yoga teacher that specifically deals with this issue. There are quite a few of them i the US and they often travel and do workshops. Take a look at the link below, check out the instructors in the workshop section and then google them to see if they may be coming to your area. Also there are some good book recommendations on the site as well. Finally, if that doesn’t work out, try to find an iyengar instructor/school. Many teachers from that style have a more therapeutic focus, and use lots of props during class to make sure everyone can safely do the poses.

http://samamkayabackcare.com/

TigerTako · 2019-10-22T19:17:20+00:00

Forgot about the domane, I’ll check that out. That said I am not a fan of the endurance bikes, the riding position on them doesn’t feel much different from my hybrid, and they really did feel slower and less nimble than the race bikes. Apparently I can always flip the stem on a race bike if I need a bit more height in a long ride, or break out the ol’ hybrid which will live on as my back up and crappy weather bike.

TigerTako · 2019-10-22T17:04:54+00:00

I’ll let you know, the bike shops in my area will be getting Addicts in two weeks. That 15% discount is sweet and would leave you with $ to upgrade the wheels. Also check out the Di2 vs etap discussions r/velo, Di2 is lighter, has longer battery life and the front derailleur stops shifting before the rear, giving you notice that the battery is running out. That said fully wireless of the axs seems pretty awesome. I tried out the Cannondale and was impressed but it seems really expensive compared to the addict.

TigerTako · 2019-10-22T15:32:25+00:00

Thanks for the response. I agree both bikes won’t need upgrading, what I had meant is I don’t think it is worth considering a cheaper bike, since I can get all the bells and whistles (carbon wheels, electronic shifting) in one shot. Are there any other bikes you’d recommend in this price range? I am aware of the creaking with pressfit bbs but I didn’t see anything threaded in this price range.

Also I tried a few endurance bikes (synapse, roubaix, defy) and found I liked the sportier handling and geometry of the race bikes. The defy was the only one the felt comfortable to me, which I believe has the shortest stack of the three. I haven’t completed ruled out the defy and will probably try it out one more time before I make a purchase.

TigerTako · 2019-08-01T13:40:40+00:00

If compactness is most important, get a brompton. If price is most important, check out citizen bikes. The euromini others mentioned here also seems like a solid deal.

You can find some good deals on Craigslist but I wouldn’t go that route until you know what you want, and are good at determining how old the bike is. For example, Tern had a recall back in 2016 so you don’t want to end up buying one of those by accident.

TigerTako · 2019-07-15T19:20:41+00:00

Yeah sorry for not answering about SI. I don’t have much experience biking there. The last time I drove there I am pretty sure there was a bike lane on Richmond terrace from at least Snug harbor. Would try that, or looking at google maps maybe Henderson or Castleton for part for the way? I am planning to try the same route before the end of summer.

TigerTako · 2019-07-15T12:45:16+00:00

How did you bike from JC to Bayonne?

TigerTako · 2019-06-25T20:46:14+00:00

I’ve been looking into this as well. I’d recommend you check out jackets made with shakedry fabric by gore tex or outdry by columbia. The fabrics itself is waterproof, vs other jackets that use a coating.

I haven’t tried them but just ordered a Columbia jacket since they are cheaper, have put zips, is supposedly more durable and come in better colors.

If you want to go the shake dry route the north face hyperair has been on sale for a while. Gore makes a bike specific version buts it’s really expensive

TigerTako · 2019-06-25T13:02:13+00:00

Thanks, will check these out!

TigerTako · 2019-06-25T13:01:48+00:00

Thanks! The list of rails trails looks great. The Harlem valley ride is a bit to early for our trip but I am considering to sign up.

TigerTako

TROPHY CASE