Giant Defy Advanced Review

The frames on each bike are made from Advanced-Grade carbon fibre composite. The carbon layup is designed to offer both stiffness and compliance in all the right places. The oversized bottom bracket area means that all you pedalling power is transferred straight to the road. On the other hand, the slender dropped seatstays and D-Fuse seat post give you an incredibly smooth ride on bumpy roads. This is a real standout feature on the Defy and few other bikes are as comfortable and efficient as this on rough roads.

Each bike is also equipped with a full carbon fork. Tyre clearance has been increased and there is now room for tyres up to 35mm wide. There are also mounts on the frame and fork, so you can easily fit mudguards for winter training and commuting.

Taking cues from aero bikes the internal cable routing for the brakes enters through the top tube. This makes the lines nice and clean, especially on the Advanced Pro bikes that hide the brake hoses completely through the Contact SL Stealth stem. Unlike most brands Giant manufacture their own frames. This means that Giant can offer these incredible performance machines at very reasonable prices.

There are 3 Advanced and 4 Advanced Pro models in the Defy range and it is great to see that most bikes get a full Shimano or SRAM groupset. This means that you get full Shimano 105 for under £2,000 on the Defy Advanced 2 and full Ultegra for just £250 more on the Advanced 1. At the top of the range, the Advanced Pro 0 and 1 both get wireless shifting with SRAM AXS electronic drivetrains. All bikes have a compact chainset and wide-range cassette to give you plenty of gear options for riding mixed terrain.

The Defy is disc brake specific and each bike has hydraulic disc brakes to match the drivetrain. The only exception to this is the entry-level Defy Advanced 3 that uses Giant’s Contact semi hydraulic system that combines regular mechanical levers with hydraulic callipers.

Another innovative feature of the Defy is the Contact D-fuse handlebar. This is shaped to give a little front-end compliance in a similar way to the seatpost. The Advanced Pro bikes get the carbon version which absorbs even more of the road buzz. The top-of-the-range models also get a stealthy bike computer mount that sits in front of the stem.

Like their frames, Giant make their wheels in their own factory. This means that you get great performance without paying for fancy branding. The Advanced Pro bikes all get Giant’s SLR-1 carbon disc wheels. These combine DT Swiss hub internals with Sapim Sprint spokes and a high-quality carbon fibre composite rim. These lightweight wheels are fast rolling and stiff giving you rapid acceleration and precise steering control. The wheels on all the bikes are tubeless compatible and are supplied ready set up with tubeless tyres.

Tyres on all bikes are getting wider and all the Defy’s now roll on 32c Giant Gavia Fondo 1 tyres. With a durable rubber compound in the centre and tackier rubber on the shoulders, you’ll get plenty of mileage out of these tyres without sacrificing any corner grip. Race Shield puncture protection helps to avoid flats making the Gavia Fondo tyres ideal for riding mixed terrain in variable conditions.