Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 (2016)

I am very disappointed in this bike, they did not stock them at the bike shop so I bought it out of the catalogue, I had paid my deposit so I was committed, otherwise I would not have chosen this bike if I could have seen one before. Cheap plastic on all the touch points and the mechanical parts of the RS885 shifters is very poor compared to Ultegra or 105 shifters, poor feel, unresponsive and clunky, they ruin the Ultegra drive train, I can't believe that Shimano use them on Dura Ace. The disk brakes are not as effective a good rim brakes. I have had a couple of emergency breaking situations and both times I was scared the bike would not pull up in time, I never experienced that with Ultrgra rim breaks regardless of what wheel set I was using, they always stop on a dime! People tell me they will get better once they are bedded in, I hope they do! The handle bars are very high, level with the seat, I know this can be adjusted by taking out the spacers and cutting down the fork tube but it seems a very strange setup even for an endurance bike AND if it is an endurance bike why has it got those thin slicks! I get a puncture almost very ride and have switched to GP4000s. I will be replacing the plastic bar tape and seat next pay!   Less

Plastic bar tape has a cheap look and feel for a bike with a $3500 RRP, this is the major touch point so cork gel would have been the way to go. If they are saving money here you just have to wonder about the rest of the bike!

Ride sense cadence sensor is held on with cable ties and the guys at Joondalup Cycle City put them on so the cut off bit is on the outside where it catches on your socks!

It is heavy, according to the salesman this is 7000 series carbon so it should be lighter than my TREK Madone 4.7 which is 4000 series carbon.

The shifters are not Ultegra but Shimano RS685, a non-series gear and brake lever for hydraulic disk brakes, they are compatible with all group sets. Are they as good as Ultegra? Not in my opinion, they feel cheap and the shifts are not the positive, one click and your done snap of the Ultegra, I find I am having to adjust the shifts with a half click more than I did with the Ultegra.
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