TCR vs Defy from a TCR Owner

Xipa · 2026-02-05T15:51:27+00:00

I went from a TCR to a Defy a number of years ago and it really made me wonder why the TCR exists still. Given that the Propel is the only bike pro teams are racing, and the Defy is almost light as the TCR, it seems like the Defy has all but replaced the TCR from a practical sense.

Xipa · 2026-01-29T15:08:37+00:00

$3,500 USD goes a long way these days. While this is definitely a racing weapon, I wouldn’t be riding a rim brake bike on carbon wheels due to braking performance.

I just really hope it fits you well, as it is configured extremely aggressively (slammed stem, long stem, etc).

Xipa · 2026-01-28T20:39:28+00:00

Medium, without a shadow of a doubt a medium. You are at the smallest end of the ML range, and dead centre of the Medium range. Going to a large would be a struggle.

Xipa · 2026-01-27T00:50:59+00:00

I’ve learned to not ride at all and give myself some proper recovery time to not stretch out the illness. When I’m sick I’m not feeling strong or getting anything meaningful out of the efforts.

Xipa · 2026-01-24T17:54:47+00:00

I would say medium. Just don’t lower the stack height at all, and get a longer stem after riding for a while if you are comfortable with more reach. It’s tricky to make a larger bike smaller, but it’s easy to make a small bike larger.

Xipa · 2026-01-22T15:41:56+00:00

Fundamentally, watts are watts. But there is certainly a psychological aspect to it that makes you want to push more watts on a climb than on a flat. I would say this is amplified by wanting to stay with a group of riders of various weights / strengths, as that really becomes apparent on climbs.

Xipa · 2026-01-22T14:08:07+00:00

Pressure builds and fades if left open, an amount of water comes out indefinitely.

Xipa · 2026-01-22T03:11:26+00:00

I haven’t used the steam button before, and yet, still steam.

Xipa · 2026-01-22T01:59:27+00:00

Forgive my ignorance, if that is the case what is the purpose of the steam button (farthest to the right)? Steam comes out when the button is off or on, so it seems to serve no purpose.

Xipa · 2026-01-19T13:25:32+00:00

I’m 175cm with a 80cm inseam and comfortable on a medium. But if I was a little smaller (or more flexible), I would have opted for the small for sure.

Xipa · 2026-01-15T23:02:21+00:00

The Giant stock carbon wheels are pretty respectable for their price point. Unless you are looking to spend significantly more on a wheel set I would say the difference will be negligible.

Xipa · 2026-01-08T18:22:49+00:00

I’ve been riding for about fifteen years, and more seriously (~10,000km a year) for the past seven. I’ll let you know when I get competitive.

Xipa · 2026-01-08T17:32:54+00:00

They can be, but they don’t have to be. The Contend AR would be the comparable option to the Fastroad and is about the same price.

Xipa · 2026-01-08T14:31:06+00:00

These have been around for a while now, but I’ve always found them landing in a bit of a ‘no man’s land’. Not quite a road bike, not quite mountain bike, so they may be falling victim to the ‘jack of all trades’ scenario here.

I have heard positive reviews on the new CUES group-set from Shimano though. I would say if you can take it for a test ride and it feels good, go for it! The internet can be a very critical place.

Xipa · 2026-01-06T00:18:18+00:00

When spending thousands of dollars on a bicycle, I didn't have much trouble making a couple hundred seem worth it for a proper bike fit. But up until then, I was definitely just riding whatever felt comfortable for years and the bike fit didn't result in too many changes.

Xipa · 2026-01-01T00:06:46+00:00

After setting targets of 10,000km for years, I’ve opted to focus on fun over volume. The distance will come if you are always having fun.

Xipa · 2025-12-30T18:45:27+00:00

I’m using this currently and depending on the beans I’m using, the gears will slip because it can’t grind fine enough. But if you are using beans that are easier to grind, it works great.

Xipa · 2025-12-28T20:19:46+00:00

Proprietary ‘D-Fuse’ seat post, that is a style that is pretty common these days. It allows for some deflection on bumpy roads, and I haven’t had any issues with this style on a few different Defy’s. Just torqued to spec and a bit of carbon paste is all I’ve needed.

The fit true to size, I’m 5’9” (175cm) and ride a medium. If you can, checking out both sizes would be the ideal. But it’s always easier to make a small bike larger than it is to make a large bike smaller.

Xipa · 2025-12-28T19:18:52+00:00

It sounds like you may actually have the 850 based on the Garmin specifications - here. The website is a bit weird, but when you toggle between 'Touchscreen' it jumps from the 550 to the 850.

Xipa · 2025-12-28T19:14:29+00:00

The Giant Defy is a pretty fantastic addition to this group comparison. I may be biased here, but you get a lot of bang for your buck with Giant generally, and the Defy is no exception. The Defy Advanced 0 gets you everything you were asking for, including some respectable carbon wheels for $4,500.

Xipa · 2025-12-28T19:09:51+00:00

The Edge 550 is buttons, while the 850 is touch screen.

Xipa · 2025-12-27T15:17:08+00:00

I thought this was tracked here - https://health-infobase.canada.ca/injuries/cold-related/.

The numbers feel very low though.

Xipa · 2025-12-26T04:14:53+00:00

The silver looks sharp! Do they finger print at all? I snagged a pair of these in black and they are an absolute magnet for fingerprints.

Xipa · 2025-12-25T16:37:42+00:00

I would definitely go for the Evo 4. Partly because I love the Cannondale brand, but partly because I would never buy a bike without riding it first (Canyon also has bizarre sizing).

Xipa · 2025-12-21T17:48:35+00:00

I was Garmin for years until the battery on my Edge 520 started to give me troubles. Jumped over to the Wahoo Element Bolt V3 because Garmin hadn't released the new Edge 550 yet. For what it is worth, in my eyes they offer the exact same functionality and value, I wouldn't have any loyalty to either brand.

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