# Defy Advanced vs Defy Composite



## dagamon

For the price, these bikes are specced out very similarly. Has anyone ridden both and could tell me the what the subjective differences are?


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## Gcrosshairs

Have not ridden either but I was looking at the Defy Composite 2 for $1800 with full Apex and plan on testing it soon. 

The salesman was trying to up-sale me and showed me the Defy Comp 1 alongside the Defy Advanced 1. I found I liked the look of the cheaper Comp 1 vs the Advanced 1. Both are quality frames

The Advanced had a beefier headtube and internal routing but both were light and I could not tell the difference picking them up. Curious on how the beefed up headtube affected the ride. Maybe the Advanced is worth another $600 but I doubt it.


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## adjtogo

I chose a 2012 Advanced 1 over the composite frame. 

Here's what Giant says about the Advanced 1's frame:

Frame design
Designed to meet the dual demands of hard, fast races and long, grueling rides. Think criterium one week, Gran Fondo the next. The all-new Advanced-grade frame material balances weight, stiffness and road-smoothing comfort. The OverDrive 2 headtube offers steering precision and front-end stiffness. The PowerCore bottom bracket turns your power into positive forward motion. Add in the RideSense ANT+ sensor for wireless data transmission, and you have the ultimate package for endurance road riding.

Here's what they say about the composite frame:

With a smooth-riding, lightweight composite frameset featuring endurance-oriented geometry, the all-new Defy Composite makes the road disappear beneath you. Blending performance technologies, including the PowerCore bottom bracket and OverDrive headtube for maximum efficiency and razor-sharp handling, along with a longer wheelbase and a taller headtube for optimal endurance positioning, it goes the distance, and it goes fast.

Both are great frames. The Advanced has more features and is probably made out of lighter carbon than the composite. When you go to the Advanced series of frames, the component level is higher, therefore, the bike is more money. With the composite series, the group sets and wheels are lower level, therefore, less money.

I've been riding mine since January. I've had some minor setbacks, but all has been resolved. I also have a 2012 Bianchi Infinito. The 2012 Giant Defy Advanced is my favorite of the two. It rides much smoother and I have more "gettyup and go" on the hills with the Defy Advanced than the Infinito. 

To me, it was worth the extra money buying the Advanced 1 over the composite.


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## Sven_Nijs

Had the same dilemma when buying for my wife: At the exact same price point it was Composite with Ultegra/105 mix or Advanced with all 105. 
As a long term investment I went with the Advanced for the better frame/forks, bars, stem, saddle plus ridesense. 
Over time we can always upgrade group set parts as required but once you've settled on the frame and forks, that's it.


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## Defy

I think if an addtl $600 is not a huge deal for you, then i'd go with the advanced. It's an all new frame design with higher level carbon. On the composite they bypassed the outer layer of carbon and used paint instead. 

But at the end of the day, which ever one you buy I'm sure will be just fine. 

I test rode the 2010, 2011 & 2012 Defy advanced and of course the 2010 & 11 were the same but the 2012 felt like it was quicker when I wanted to accelerate and still was just as smooth.


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## darwinosx

The Advanced is stiffer in the front end and bottom bracket while still comfortable with very precise steering. I would go for the Advanced.


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