The Two Bicycles of Varonha.

Evans' own is pretty nice.

Genetic Flare Silicone tape is great value for money.

Saving up to get BB7 SL on my Elephants, I missed the light feel of decent disc brakes.

Yeah, went with the Spesh phat, just roubaix with the gel pads, which do take quite a bit of the shock out of the ride.
Getting ready to build up the Defy on Friday night. Few jobs to do, put cowbells on, plt stem, race face n/w ring, de sticker the rims and fit the gravel kings. Brother in law is coming down Sunday, so a ride is on the cards.

What are you taking off the Elephant? Thought you were fully behind hylex or hy/rd a few months ago?

Reckon SL are worth the money over regular BB7? My bb7s are pretty much dead, trying to decide how to replace them...

I'm fully behind Hylex/HY/RD, I just like the simpicity of the BB7 and the light action required to modulated it (very akin to cantilevers with the spring set to as loose as possible).

It has arrived. And so has the flu. So for now, a glass of whisky and looking at my new bike will have to do.
Pleasantly surprised to find spyre -c calipers, as the bumph on Giant's site has it down as alloy calipers. Hopefully I'll be better by Friday to start tinkering.
Love new bike day.

Well, that was a frustrating Friday building session. Still got one pedal stuck on the old bike, stripped the thread on the rear skewer, seized chainring bolts, and torn bartape. Other than that, it went well.
Off to lbs in a bit for skewer, bolts and ass saver rear guard (temporary measure, until the new sks raceblade xl are available).
Pics tomorrow when I go on a test ride.

Wonderful. Just fookin perfect!

Day One is back on the market , will stick some pics in classifieds later.
150 posted frameset ( hope headset/seat collar).
A719 on XT centrelock disc hubs 10spd 11-28 cassette. 125 posted.

Not much will be happening to the Giant now, apart from getting a bloody good riding every day.
Thoughts after first full week:
It's not a looker, but does everything I want it to. Was a little apprehensive about buying another alu frame (after having had a very harsh riding spesh allez), worries dissipated on first ride. Giant really have got the marketing right on the Defy disc, it really is an all day rider, very comfortable, with just enough zing to make it fun to ride.
The details:
Glad I got the 28mm gravel kings, lightish, with grip that seems to go on forever.
The D fuse seatpost really does work, deflects slightly and takes the harshness out of any rough stuff encountered.
If you can cope with the looks, I can highly recommend it for an all day road bike, superb handling and so so comfortable. And an absolute bargain, especially as I paid well under rrp, the joys of being a loyal customer at my lbs I guess.
Merry crimble all. Peace n love. Jon

Hooray! Merry Christmas, everyone!

I like this feel-good end to the year.

Day One now sold.

Giant looks great..

Absolutely loving it. Fits me very well, rides so well. Only thing I can find fault with is that plenty of room out back for 32mm, but fork is quite tight vertically. But running 28mm gravel kings is working out very well for me.

Spoken with a couple of companies this morning about respraying my Defy. If anybody has photoshop skills and the time, could you mock up my bike in orange, or the other options charcoal grey or some sort of army green.

Open Paves fitted. Thankfully without the green stripe. I really hope they are a quality tyre and quite puncture resistant, because I may as well not carry a pump, tube, and tyre lever. There is no way these are coming off at the roadside, if I puncture, I'll be on foot, 1 1/2 hours to fit 2 tyres! Look nice though.

don 't worry, they're flexible tyres, so after a couple of days/weeks riding, the tyres will become easier to removed.

It's just stiff the first time.

(BTW, they're very good at puncture resisting, but only if you don't go overboard with the pressure).

What going on with the front derailleur housing?

What front derailleur?

@edscoble, talk pressures to me. I'm about 73kgs, ran the gravel kings at 70psi front, 75psi rear. Similar for these?

Have a look here:

1 Attachment

Cheers. Looks like about 65/75psi. So I wasn't a million miles away.

that graph needs to continue quite a bit beyond for me to be able to get a reading..

weightists!

It's weight per wheel mate.

Still looking for bb7 sl? PM if so

Haha, it's per wheel, as pointed out. So unless you're in the 140s it's not weightist. @jontea they're just ballpark figures obvs. I find I usually go a bit higher than that chart because I like how it feels.