Opinions, new bike - Giant Revolt 2

gandroid

Hi there,

I hope I'm in the right forum. I am not particularly au-fait with much of the jargon attached with bikes and I would appreciate some feedback or opinions about a bike I am looking at. It's a Giant Revolt 2 (2015). It's around €1k and I would be getting it on BTW scheme.

The spec is here:

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/revolt.2/19228/77319/#overview

I was very taken with how it looks although I saw some others on a forum disagree with this completely (such is the way I guess! )

I was looking at this bike in a shop last week and tried it out and I liked it. I only tested it cycling around a big car park near the shop and I found it fairly comfortable and nice to handle.

I liked the all round aspect to it and that the tyres looked sturdy and would be suitable for some rougher roads/terrain. I don't intend going too mad or go off roading it on any mountain trails or anything but some of the pure road bikes (especially wheels & tyres) looked quite flimsy to me and I think if I am just doing road cycling or a long touring race/cycle then I can put other tyres on it....does this seem reasonable?

I can't seem to find the weight anywhere despite a few searches. Any advice would be appreciated...

I am hoping to do some road cycling mainly in the summer evenings and at weekends. I have never done any road cylcing or races before. I may consider some beginner adventure races this year also but I suppose a road bike is more suitable for them rather than a cross (which I think this is).

Some people/friends have said that I would be better off getting a straightforward road bike. Most of my prior experience has been on mountain bikes.

Any feedback / advice / alternative suggestions welcome...

Thanks.

G.

Fian

I am not much of an expert but i will put my oar in and i am sure others will also advise.

The tyres will slow you on the roads. A 25/700c tyre will be much better unless you plan off roading. There is a noticeable performance difference. I know where you are coming from in terms of the slim tyres, but really they are just as stable on road in all circumstances except maybe turning sharply in the wet.

If you are looking for a bike to go on longish cycles on the road you should just get a road bike imo. If you are considering racing this is not the ideal bike for it.

I am a big fan of disc brakes personally. I much prefer the disc brakes on my (hybrid) commuter to the rim brakes on my road bike.

Lumen

I have owned a few bikes like this.

It probably weighs about 10.5kg.

The joy of road cycling comes from speed and delicate handling. This will feel heavy, slow and clumsy compared to a proper road bike. It is therefore a bad road bike.

Off-road it will be fine.

Really depends on whether the off-road element is enough to make up for the poor on-road feel.

Daroxtar

I was half thinking about getting one last year. Any review I've read about these bikes say they are fine on the road and good fun on gravel/ forestry/ canal towpaths. If you pick up a set of road tyres you'll fly along faster on the road, spare tyres are a lot cheaper than a spare bike.

If you like it then go for it.

If you decide you want to get a road bike down the line then you have your Winter bike/ Commuter sorted already

gandroid

Any opinions how how the Giant I was looking at (Revolt 2 - mentioned in opening msg above) compares to this Boardman CX
http://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/boardman-cx-team-bike