I'm getting my first road bike and I am pretty much sold on this bike. I should be picking it up today, but I'm getting cold feet about a few things.
I want a bike that I will be happy with for years to come. I want a bike that is racy and handles well and accelerates well. I don't want to be in a posture where I'm kissing pavement, but I do want to be in a race position.
The other bike I have been looking at is the Cannondale Synapse. Both, the Synapse and Defy were comfortable and fit well. I had looked at a Caad9 5 and found the riding position to be very aggressive and would probably be uncomfortable over longer hauls. I want to be able to ride centuries on a racy bike and be comfortable.
Am I looking at a bicycle that I shouldn't be considering, given what I'm looking for? I want this to be a bike I can be happy with as an experienced rider.
Well, here's a follow-up. I went to pick up the Giant Defy 1 and while at the LBS, I just decided I wasn't "feeling it." For some reason, I had just lost enthusiasm for the bike.
Today, I went back to Performance Bike and picked up a 2010 Schwinn Paramount 7 for $1199. It retailed at $1999. It was on sale for $1399, then I got an email about an online-only offer of an additional $200 off Schwinn or Scattante bikes. I called Performance and they said they'd honor the deal in-store.
I'd say $1199 for a full-carbon bike was a pretty good deal. 😎
