Giant carbon?

[tch]

Anyone ever ride a Giant Defy Advanced? I've been thinking about checking out a consumer-grade, non-custom carbon frame and I have the opportunity to pick one of these up really cheap. The specs would fit me; anyone got thoughts about this vs. say, Spec. Roubaix or Cannondale Synapse? Bicycling mag has good things to say, but so do they about every bike they "test".

[esldude]

Have not ridden one myself. One fellow who sold me a Look 585 said the new Giant he had was more of a rocket ship. Stiffer, and more efficient though he liked the Look for comfort on longer rides and thought it more stable or confidence inspiring on high speed descent (though that might be because he had the Look for a few years). Basically he seemed to think the Look was more all around good, the Giant better for racing, climbing and crits. I think he had more than 10,000 miles on the Look maybe lots more.

The Giant was a more brutish looking bike to me. Though it likely was shaped for strength and some aero considerations. It certainly looked to have a good finish and build visually. So if you like the ride I don't doubt it a good bike.

BTW, not experienced with more than a few carbon bikes. The Look to me is pretty efficient feeling though not quite as super efficient as a couple others I have ridden. Better than say an older Trek carbon bike not equal to a Carbon 928 Bianchi. It is however supple and quiet in a hard to describe way. It might be less stiff though I actually find no evidence of it. It just seems appropriately supple over rougher surfaces. A somewhat unique feel in my limited experience. A Trek carbon bike at least from a few years ago feels a bit dead lacking in some road feel, yet the Look is more comfortable with much more road feel ridden over the same roads. A pretty nice combination.

[Fixed]

I never heard anyone say bad things about a look frame :)
Cheers

[false_Aest]

I like them lots.
I like Giant.

They look like they came from Cybertron but they handle well. Feel good underneath.
I wasn't especially impressed with a synapse. Nothing wrong about em just nothing stellar either.
Maybe I was just impressed with the Giant cuz... well its a Giant and expected more out of a C-Dale.

[fourflys]

Giant's are hard to beat, fiscally speaking... the parts spec they get on the bike for the price is amazing... as far as the carbon... well, they roll their own (and lots of others) so I'm going to guess they know what they're doing... it may be blasphemous to say this, but I'm not sure buying a Giant carbon is all that removed from buying a handbuilt production run steel bike... both makers make their own to their specifications with no middleman...