I know this isn’t the best place to go to be talked off this kind of ledge but I’m considering a new endurance bike. I currently ride a 2018 Giant Defy. Why? The newest bikes can run up to 32s and mine only fits 28s? I really don’t know, honestly. What do you folks recommend and why?
Thanks!
Money burning a hole in your pocket, or do you have desire to change something about the bike under you (performance, comfort, capability, etc.)?
Goals… that is what can help direct you for a potential range of options.
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Funds are available. I am interested in running larger tires for comfort. I regret buying online where fit and set up was done by me and not someone who does it as a career. Mostly because funds are available.
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buy my 2015 Domane! You can run (some) 28s! I’ll knock $1000 off what I paid!
Deal? 
Get a gravel bike. Unless you’re sure you’ll never ride gravel. They’re more versatile with very little penalty.
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Haha!! I can run 28s now! Although your deal sounds amazing!
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I’m too cheap to buy another bike until this one is beat up and worn out (will it ever?)… and to be honest am a bit torn between something like the Trek Madone (26mm tires) for aero/racing/comfort, and something like Cervelo Aspero or Domane or Diverge or … for one wide tire bike to rule them all.
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If you’re riding on garbage roads that warrant buying a new bike to run 32s over 28s, agreed with others you should just go for the gravel bike.
If it’s just general comfort with the occasional rough road, I don’t think 32s will make that much of a difference.
Geometry is a different story and should be the main reason to go for an Endurance bike, IMHO.
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Take 5-10psi out your tires … Free comfort!
Double wrap bars … cheap comfort!
Signed,
Wish I could run 28s
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garbage roads and 95+kg! Already gone the double wrapped bars, heavily padded gloves, and lower tire pressure route. Need to work on my sales skills and somehow get top dollar for this beautiful 2015 Domane with 600 series carbon that has been lovingly cared for and desperately seeking a new home…
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I moved to NM a couple of years ago and we have really rough roads. I’ve wanted a new bike ever since but I’ve been holding off. My Colnago will only take a 27mm actual size tire (truely maxed out). And the tire can’t be too tall - a 25mm GP4000 is a no go but a 25mm GP5000 is fine.
I went tubeless and I’m down to 75/80psi. But I’ve been eyeballing Tarmacs for six months as they will take a 28mm tire stretched out to 30/32mm on a wide rim.
But we are moving to Knoxville, TN soon so here’s hoping that the roads are nicer. The road riding and mountain biking looks really great there.
I also have a Crux which I use as my gravel and winter bike with up to 40mm tires.
my sister in Santa Fe and just picked up a Salsa Journeyman to deal with all the dirt roads.
I’m south of her in Las Cruces. I’m riding 43mm/40mm (f/r) tires on my Crux and it feels like not enough tire.
Three of the guys in my club have gone with the Salsa Cutthroat (basically a drop bar mtb for bike packing and adventure riding).
They run 65mm tires and when the trails get rough or sandy they just ride away from me. It’s getting frustrating! And lately all of our trails have turned to moon dust.
Even though my S-Works Crux is lighter than their Cutthroats there’s really no terrain where I can use my light weight advantage. If we were going to stay down here I’d definitely be buying a Cutthroat or something similar.
Another buddy has a 29er+ that takes 3" tires. With our moon dusty trails he is crushing everybody right now. 2" of sand doesn’t even slow him down much.
Sure I know the area… my parents and sisters were in El Paso when I was in college. Back in the day my sis wanted to impress me and organized a bike ride across the Rio Grande river into Mexico LOL. The sis in Santa Fe says riding 5 miles in all directions and its basically dirt roads. I’ve only skied NM, hope to bike there someday.
Not entirely sure about model years, but I would have thought you could push a 2018 Defy to run wider tires than 28s?
The 28s he has might already measure 30mm.
This article seems to think a Defy can take up to 32:
They measure right at 28mm and the bike won’t fit much else. This is a 2018, and was changed in 2019 to fit bigger tires
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I have the 2020 Domane SL. Not nearly as expensive as you might think if you get the SL4 like I did. Full disclosure I re-fitted it with different handlebars and an Ultegra Groupset that I had from a previous bike.
I’ve taken it out on our FSR east of Seattle, which are pretty gnarly (very rocky and technical) and done plenty of 5-6 hour road rides on it. It’s a terrific bike for everything less racing IMHO. Sometimes when I head out for a training ride (intervals and the like), I choose the Domane over my TCR. I love my TCR, but the Domane is that good. Geometry is a little tighter than a “gravel” bike, and I can run GP5000 and Riddler 37s with no issues at all. I think a Rambler 40 could fit in there.
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Seriously considering the domane. I believe the only changes for 2021 may be the color ways, but not quite sure. Thanks for the feedback!