# Keep my Giant Iguana???



## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

Hey guys, I took like a 3 year break from riding trail to adjust to being a new dad, now it's time to get back in shape

Unfortunately for me I'm pretty squishy, but I'm forcing myself a min 2 miles daily

My current ride is an 05 Giant Iguana Disc, I swapped out the tires for some city tires (kenda kwests) since I'm not ready to re-tackle any real trails yet, I've just been cruising the neighborhood

I'm not the type to just cruise slow, I want to push it a little and I'm always in the last gear 42 on the sprocket and 11 on the casette

So I went to the LBS this weekend and took a ride on a Giant Roam 1, it seems pretty comperable to my Iguana but the crankset seems more useable in the city (28/38/48) compared to my 22/32/42

Does anyone even on steep hills even use the 22???

I'm kinda torn between swapping the chainrings on my Iguana or trading it in on the Roam, swapping bikes is obviously more costly by about $200

I'm thinking overall the Iguana is a stronger bike and I do want to get back to some real trail riding, can a hybrid bike like the Roam handle it?

Thanks for the advice guys!

Here's some specs copied from BikePedia

*2011 Roam 1*

Frame & Fork 
Frame Construction TIG-welded 
Frame Tubing Material Alloy 
Fork Brand & Model SR Suntour NEX 4610, 63mm travel 
Fork Material Single 
Rear Shock Not applicable

Components 
Component Group Commuter Mix 
Brakeset Avid BB5 brakes, Tektro 3 levers 
Shift Levers SRAM X.5 
Front Derailleur Shimano Altus 
Rear Derailleur SRAM X.5 
Crankset Shimano M361, 28/38/48 teeth 
Pedals VP-992S steel cage 
Bottom Bracket Sealed cartridge 
BB Shell Width Unspecified 
Rear Cogs 8-speed, 11 - 32 teeth 
Chain KMC Z72NP 
Seatpost Giant Sport alloy, 30.9mm diameter 
Saddle Giant X-Road Sport Mens 
Handlebar Giant Sport alloy 
Handlebar Extensions Not included 
Handlebar Stem Giant Sport Alloy 
Headset Unspecified

Wheels 
Hubs Alloy 
Rims Giant Sport Road Double Wall, 32-hole 
Tires 700 x 40c Kenda Kwick 
Spoke Brand Stainless 
Spoke Nipples Unspecified

*2005 Iguana*

Frame & Fork 
Frame Construction TIG-welded 
Frame Tubing Material ALUXX aluminum 
Fork Brand & Model Marzocchi EXR, 100mm travel 
Fork Material Aluminum/magnesium, single crown 
Rear Shock Not applicable

Components 
Component Group Mountain Mix 
Brakeset Hayes HMX-2 Mechanical Disc brakes, Avid FR-5 levers 
Shift Levers Shimano Deore RapidFire SL 
Front Derailleur Shimano Alivio 
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore SGS 
Crankset TruVativ Isoflow, 22/32/42 teeth 
Pedals Steel cage w/clips & straps 
Bottom Bracket TruVativ Power Spline, 113mm spindle 
BB Shell Width 68mm English 
Rear Cogs 9-speed, 11 - 34 teeth 
Chain Shimano CN-HG53, 1/2 x 3/32" 
Seatpost Aluminum micro-adjust, 30.9mm diameter 
Saddle WTB Speed V 
Handlebar Aluminum 
Handlebar Extensions Not included 
Handlebar Stem Aluminum 31.8mm 
Headset 1 1/8" integrated sealed

Wheels 
Hubs Formula 
Rims Alex CR-18, 32-hole 
Tires Front: 26 x 2.10" Kenda Blue Groove, Rear: 26 x 2.10" Kenda Nevagal 
Spoke Brand Stainless steel, 14ga. (2.0mm) straight gauge 
Spoke Nipples Brass nipples


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## curtboroff (Sep 21, 2010)

Keep the iguana. IMO, you'll have more frustration on the trail with a hybrid than you have with your mtb in the city. You can always change rings to suit the city, and you'll save some $.

I use my 22t on every trail ride. I actually replaced the 44t w/ a bashring because I never used it and it kept getting smashed. But I also have a road bike, so my mtb is dedicated to dirt.


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

I don't think you'd be very happy with a Roam on a real trail.

Why don't you keep the Iguana for trail riding and look for a hybrid for your road riding? It doesn't really make sense to spend money on getting the Iguana set up for the road if you want it to perform on trails. Get something like the Giant Escape with a rigid fork and 48t for the road.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/escape.city/7374/44053/


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

The Roam is a hybrid. If you find road riding is where you want to take your riding, it'll suck. When you get back onto trails, it'll suck. It also has an inferior build to your Iguana.

Keep the Iguana, and get an older road bike for $200 if you want something more suited to riding athletically on the road. Late '80s and newer is new enough - you just need it to fit, and have some higher gear ratios.

I hope "always" is an exaggeration of how often you're in your highest ratio. If you have good form and you're spinning it out, that means that you're riding at around 28 mph all the time. Which would be impressive if true; otherwise you might work on cleaning up your pedaling technique and see if you can't go faster. It's easy to spin out a 26" mountain bike going down a hill, but the top gear is plenty high for everything but a maximum effort on the flats. If you want to get back on trails, go ride trails. Just try to be more efficient about it.


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## curtboroff (Sep 21, 2010)

Nashbar has some ss road bikes for $299. 
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Produc...egory_rn=202695&top_category=10000 escapeXml=


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> I hope "always" is an exaggeration of how often you're in your highest ratio. If you have good form and you're spinning it out, that means that you're riding at around 28 mph all the time. Which would be impressive if true; otherwise you might work on cleaning up your pedaling technique and see if you can't go faster. It's easy to spin out a 26" mountain bike going down a hill, but the top gear is plenty high for everything but a maximum effort on the flats. If you want to get back on trails, go ride trails. Just try to be more efficient about it.


I could be doing something wrong, I did come from BMX not so long before trail riding, I like to feel like I'm working when I ride rather than just spinning my legs, I'd have to GPS it to be sure how fast I'm going, it feels a bit like work but it's not like I'm really struggling to maintain it, I kept up with some roadies for about 1/4 mile of my route before turning off


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

MTB is an endurance sport. A fairly common cadence for riding off-road would be around 80 rpm. If you want to work when you ride, great - experiment with gear selection, though, because when you're also efficient, you do more work, get further faster, and it's a lot kinder to your knees. If you use a computer or something, you may be surprised at what happens when you shift down. I bet you find your fastest gear is actually the second or third (13t or 15t) from the highest, at least for an effort longer than 15-30 seconds.


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> MTB is an endurance sport. A fairly common cadence for riding off-road would be around 80 rpm. If you want to work when you ride, great - experiment with gear selection, though, because when you're also efficient, you do more work, get further faster, and it's a lot kinder to your knees. If you use a computer or something, you may be surprised at what happens when you shift down. I bet you find your fastest gear is actually the second or third (13t or 15t) from the highest, at least for an effort longer than 15-30 seconds.


Thanks, this gives me something to toy with, the endurance is certainly what my flabby ass is in need of 

I'll have to make/get some kinda of mount for my android or GPS


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## DrewQ1 (Jun 11, 2011)

I'm a noob and thought about purchasing my first bike. I saw one on craigs and its an iguana but i changed my mind only cause the guy converted to hydraulic brakes and thats a little too complicated for me as noob. But it did look like a nice bike.


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## Jared13 (Jun 2, 2011)

Keep the Iguana. Getting the Roam would be a downgrade in quite a few components.


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

DrewQ1 said:


> I'm a noob and thought about purchasing my first bike. I saw one on craigs and its an iguana but i changed my mind only cause the guy converted to hydraulic brakes and thats a little too complicated for me as noob. But it did look like a nice bike.


Mine has disc brakes, an upgrade worth the "complication" they are still fairly simple


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

thanks for all the info guys, you persuaded me to do some more research, I've got plenty more to play with and learn now

I measured my cadence yesterday because of the comments about efficient pedaling and I am only pedaling at like 70 RPM so I was trying to muscle it a bit more than necessary

I'm going to put my money into the iguana


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## curtboroff (Sep 21, 2010)

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Good choice my man! I'm glad that we kept you from slipping away, haha.

RIDE ON!!!


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## jjfranky123 (Jun 7, 2011)

i would have done the same


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