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BUYER'S GUIDE
2021 Giant road bikes Nov 20202021 Giant road bikes - explore the complete range with our guide
Giant has a huge lineup of bikes and components covering all areas of cycling. Giant road bikes range from £749 to £9,999 so there's something for pretty much every budget.
The vast number of Giant road bike models might seem daunting at first but the range is structured logically so it’s easy to work out the best choice for you.
One quick tip before we start is that the word 'Advanced' in a model name means that the frame is carbon fibre.
All of Giant's road bikes feature groupsets from Shimano and SRAM. The lower the number included in a bike name the higher the quality of the components. The TCR Advanced Pro Disc 1 has a higher spec than the TCR Advanced Pro Disc 2, for example, and the TCR Advanced Pro 0 Disc has a higher level again.
Giant also has a women’s brand called Liv that offers an impressively large range.
This article refers to the range that Giant/Liv distributes in the UK, not to models available in other regions.
TCR Advanced range
The TCR Advanced models are performance road bikes that are designed to be lightweight, stiff and agile, roughly the equivalent of a Trek Emonda or Specialized Tarmac.
Giant has given the TCR bikes a major redesign for the 2021 model year, saying that they are now lighter, stiffer than ever before, with the top-level Advanced SL models offering the highest stiffness-to-weight ratio in their class. Giant also says that the TCRs have been aero-optimised for the first time.
The main idea behind the redesign is that the TCR climbs as well as ever while being faster to descend and sprint.
All the TCR models are made from carbon fibre (of differing grades), and they come in race geometries.
There are three different levels. Starting at the top, these are TCR Advanced SL, TCR Advanced Pro and TCR Advanced.
> Giant launches 2021 TCR Advanced – the “fastest TCR ever”
TCR Advanced SL
In developing the top-end TCR Advanced SL Disc, Giant set out to create a stiffness-to-weight ratio higher than that of three key rivals, the Specialized S-Works Tarmac Disc, Trek Emonda SLR Disc, and Cervelo R5 Disc. It says that it achieved this, although both the Specialized and the Trek have since been updated.
"A high stiffness-to-weight ratio is a hallmark of the TCR," says Giant. "To retain this critical advantage, new cutting-edge composite materials, laser-cut composite swatches and advanced robotic layup techniques have been used to create best-in-class torsional and pedalling stiffness, giving it a livelier ride quality, explosive acceleration and improved climbing efficiency."
Giant claims a frame weight of 765g for the 2021 TCR Advanced SL Disc, down from 818g previously, and other savings on things like the clamp for the integrated seatpost and the painted finish. Giant gives a frameset weight (painted frame, painted uncut fork, integrated seatpost, seat clamp, front and rear derailleur hangers) of 1,265g.
Part of the TCR Advanced SL's stiffness-to-weight gain is said to be down to an upgrade in materials. Whereas 30% of the carbon-fibre used is Toray T800, as before, the remaining 70% is a new higher modulus filament that's stiffer and lighter.
Giant has incorporated aerodynamic features on its TCR for the first time to minimised drag. Giant says that its tests demonstrate that the new TCR is significantly quicker than the previous version, saving 34secs over 40km (25 miles) at 200 watts of pedalling power.
Two TCR Advanced SL bikes are available in the UK, each of them with disc brakes.
We reviewed the top-level TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc (above, £9,999) here on road.cc and said that it put in a stunning performance.
“The Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc's understated looks disguise a stunningly good performance,” we said. “This lightweight bike is hugely responsive and handles precisely. Add in aero features and excellent components and it's a real winner.”
> Read our Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc review
This model is built up with a SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset, including a Quarq power meter, and excellent wheels from Giant’s Cadex brand.
The Advanced SL 1 Disc (£7,499) features SRAM’s next-level-down Force eTap AXS groupset, also with a power meter.
If you wanted a rim brake version, you’d need to buy the frameset and build it up yourself.
Buy if:You’re after a lightweight and stiff race bike and you’re willing to pay a significant amount of money.
TCR Advanced Pro
The TCR Advanced Pro’s frame is made from Toray T700 carbon fibre but in many ways it is similar to the TCR Advanced SL (above). The Advanced Pro Disc's tube shapes are mostly identical to those of the SL, for example. The head tube, down tube and fork all feature the same new tube profiles – truncated aerofoils that are designed to reduce drag at a wide range of yaw angles.
There are noticeable differences, though. Most obviously, the Advanced Pro has a seatpost that slots into the seat tube whereas the Advanced SL has an integrated seatpost, and the seatstay yoke is slightly lower on the Advanced Pro.
According to Giant's own figures, the Advanced Pro's pedalling stiffness (at the bottom bracket) is 88% that of the Advanced SL's. The torsional stiffness is 92%, and the lateral stiffness at the fork is 79%.
There are three TCR Advanced Pro disc brake models and one rim brake model for 2021, the top-level option being the TCR Advanced Pro 0 Disc at £5,199. This one comes with Shimano’s excellent Ultegra Di2 groupset, complete with Giant’s PowerPro power meter.
We reviewed the £4,199 TCR Advanced Pro 1 Disc (above), built up with the non-electronic version of Ultegra, and also a power meter. We described it as a lively and efficient road bike that puts in an exceptional all-round performance. As well as the frameset and groupset, we were especially impressed by the excellent Giant SLR-1 42 Carbon Disc wheels.
> Read our review of the Giant TCR Advanced Pro 1 Disc.
This bike is also available in a rim brake build for £3,699.
The most affordable of the disc models is the TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc at £3,499. This one is built up with a Shimano 105 groupset (without a power meter).
Buy if:You’re performance minded and prioritise frame stiffness.
TCR Advanced
The TCR Advanced (without an SL or Pro suffix) has also been updated for 2021 with aerodynamic tube shaping, and an aero Variant seat post.
The TCR Advanced uses the same grade of composite as the TCR Advanced Pro, but the fork steerer is narrower, fitting inside a 1 1/8in upper headset bearing and a 1 1/4in lower bearing. Giant calls this its OverDrive system, while the Advanced Pro and Advanced SL are an OverDrive 2 design with a 1 1/4in upper bearing and a 1 1/2in lower bearing for increased front end stiffness.
Like the other TCRs, the Advanced is built to Giant’s Compact Road Design. Essentially, this means that the top tube slopes downwards along its length and the frame triangles are smaller than usual. Giant says that this makes for a lighter, stiffer and smoother ride.
We wouldn’t say the Compact Road Design is inherently better than a traditional configuration, but some people do prefer it, especially because it gives you a lower standover height and a lot of exposed seatpost to soak up vibrations from the road.
The TCR Advanced 3 is available only with disc brakes (£2,099) – Shimano Tiagra hydraulic disc brakes.
Step up a level to the Shimano 105-equipped TCR Advanced 2 and you get the choice of either rim brakes (above, £1,999) or disc brakes (£2,299).
The TCR Advanced 1 is fitted with Shimano Ultegra components and is disc brake only (£2,599).
Buy if:You’re looking for a high performance bike with reasonably accessible pricing.
Propel range
Although the TCR bikes (above) now incorporate tubing shaped for aerodynamics, the Propels are the true aero road bikes in Giant’s range. In that sense, they’re competitors to the Trek Madone, for instance, the Merida Reacto and the Canyon Aeroad.
Giant added disc brakes to the Propel Advanced lineup in 2018, claiming that the flagship model, the Propel Advanced SL Disc, has the highest stiffness-to-weight ratio of any bike in its class and a lower drag coefficient at a wider range of yaw angles than the rim brake Propel.
“One of the key breakthroughs is a new truncated ellipse airfoil shape – a design that lowers drag at a wider range of wind angles than traditional teardrop frame tubing,” says Giant. “Engineers also found that, with proper integration, a disc-brake design can actually improve aero performance compared to rim-brake configurations.”
All Propels are built around carbon-fibre frames, although the grade of carbon varies across the range. You also get aero wheelsets on nearly all models.
Propel Advanced SL
The Propel Advanced SL’s frame tubes have been designed with aerodynamics in mind, so you get a very deep down tube and a seat tube that’s cut away around the leading edge of the rear wheel – both features common to many other aero road bikes.
There’s only one Propel Advanced SL in the UK range, the £6,499 Propel Advanced SL1 Disc (above), made from Giant’s Advanced SL-grade composite and featuring an integrated seatpost. This model is built up with a SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset with hydraulic disc brakes and a power meter. The wheels are Giant’s SLR 1 Carbon Discs.
Buy if: You're after a high-quality aero road bike with a SRAM groupset and power meter.
Propel Advanced Pro
The Propel Advanced Pro is made from Giant’s Advanced grade composite – a level lower than Advanced SL – and comes with a separate seatpost rather than an integrated design.
It is available in two different builds. The Shimano Ultegra Di2-equipped Propel Advanced Pro 0 Disc (above, £5,699) comes with a Giant Power Pro power meter and Giant SLR 1 Carbon Disc wheels (42mm deep front rim, 65mm deep rear rim).
The Giant Propel Advanced Pro 1 Disc is virtually the same bike except that it’s built up with the mechanical version of Shimano Ultegra, and it’s a lot cheaper at £4,499.
Buy if:You're looking for an aero road bike with a proven frame and disc brakes.
Propel Advanced
The Propel Advanced is made from the same grade of carbon fibre as the Propel Advanced Pro (above) but the headset system is OverDrive rather than Overdrive 2, meaning that the bearings are slightly narrower. The Propel Advanced fork also comes with an alloy steerer rather than being a full-carbon design. The Propel Advanced bikes aren’t fitted with power meters.
The Propel Advanced 2 Disc (above, £2,699) comes with Shimano’s mid-level 105 groupset while the Propel Advanced 1 Disc (£3,499) is a Shimano Ultegra bike.
> Here’s our review of the Giant Propel Advanced Disc.
The only rim brake model in the entire Propel range is the Propel Advanced 2 (above, £1,999) with linear pull brakes, the front one hidden behind the fork legs. It has a Shimano 105 build and a Giant P-A2 wheelset with shallow rims, whereas the higher level bikes all have deeper section rims.
Buy if:You're after aerodynamic efficiency and don’t require a power meter.
Defy range
The Defy is the carbon fibre endurance/sportive entry in the Giant road bike lineup, designed to be comfortable over long distances while still providing plenty of speed.
A Defy has a shorter top tube than an equivalent TCR, for example, and a taller head tube to put you into a ride position that’s a bit more relaxed and back-friendly. Specialized takes a similar approach with its Roubaix bikes, Cannondale offers its Synapse range, and many other brands have their equivalents. All Defy bikes have disc brakes.
Giant redesigned its Defy bikes for 2019, the latest models coming with clearance for 32mm tyres, and tubeless tyres fitted as standard. The bikes also get D-Fuse handlebars that, like the existing D-Fuse seatposts, are designed to allow a small amount of movement to absorb shock and vibrations.
> Find out more about the Giant Defy design here.
Defy Advanced Pro
The Defy Advanced Pro bikes are built around frames and forks made of Giant's Advanced Grade carbon composite. The most affordable model is the Defy Advanced Pro 3 (£3,299). This one has Shimano’s highly rated 105 groupset and an aluminium Contact SL D-Fuse handlebar.
Pay £3,999 for the Defy Advanced Pro 2 and you'll get an upgrade to Shimano Ultegra.
The Defy Advanced Pro 1 (above, £5,499) switches to a SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset with wireless electronic shifting.
> Read our first ride report on the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0.
Buy if:You prioritise comfort and want the assurance of hydraulic disc brakes.
Defy Advanced
The three Defy Advanced models use the same frame as the Defy Advanced Pro (above) but the full-carbon fork has an OverDrive steerer, turning on 1 1/8in and 1 1/4in bearings rather than the 1 1/4in and 1 1/2in bearings of the Defy Advanced Pro.
The Defy Advanced 3 (above, £2,099) has Shimano’s fourth tier Tiagra components – great stuff that benefits from technology that has trickled down from higher level groupsets.
> Check out our review of the 2017 Giant Defy Advanced 3.
We’d still be tempted to pay £200 extra for the Defy Advanced 2 (£2,299) with Shimano 105 equipment, though.
The Defy Advanced 1 (£2,499) is equipped with a Shimano Ultegra groupset.
> Read our Shimano Tiagra 4700 First Ride review here.
Buy if:You want a bike for comfortably racking up the miles.
Contend
The aluminium-framed Contend models are built to geometries that are similar to those of the carbon fibre Defy bikes (above) and they also come with tapered head tubes and steerers for accurate steering, and slim seatposts that are designed to damp vibration. You get mudguard mounts too.
There are three flavours of Contend: Contend, Contend SL and Contend AR.
The Contend (with no suffix) is rim brake only, the Contend SL is available with either rim brakes or disc brakes, and the Contend AR is an exclusively disc brake platform.
If you don’t want to spend too much money, the mudguard-compatible Contend 2 (above) is just £749, equipped with a reliable Shimano Claris 8-speed groupset and Tektro rim brakes.
> Check out our complete guide to Shimano’s road bike groupsets.
The £949 Contend 1 sees a step up to 9-speed Shimano Sora.
If you're a fan of lightweight aluminium-framed bikes, then the Contend SL models are well worth a look. When we reviewed the Contend SL1 (above, £1,249) we called it a "balanced and assured aluminium endurance bike equally suited to long rides at pace and commuter pothole-bashing".
"The Giant Contend SL 1 is an absolutely spot-on all-day ride," we said. "It's a comfortable and versatile sportive/endurance bike with a dependable feel that encourages you to keep going and just do those extra few miles."
> Read our review of the Giant Contend SL 1.
There are two hydraulic disc brake Contend SL models too, the Contend SL 2 Disc (£1,449) with Shimano Tiagra components and the Contend SL 1 Disc (above, £1,649) with next-level-up Shimano 105.
The Contend AR uses a similar ALUXX SL-Grade aluminium frame and full-carbon fork but with far greater tyre clearance. Whereas the Contend SL bikes come with 28mm tyres and have space for a maximum size of 34mm, the Contend ARs are fitted with 32mm tyres and have space for 40mm. The idea of the larger tyres is to offer all-road/backroad/rough road capability.
The most affordable model is the Contend AR 4 at £999 which comes equipped with a Shimano Claris groupset and mechanical (cable operated) disc brakes.
The £1,099 Contend AR 3 (above) steps up a level to Shimano Sora and the AR 2 (£1,349) is a grade higher again with Shimano Tiagra. Each of these bikes still has mechanical disc brakes.
If you want hydraulic disc brakes you need to go up to the Contend AR 1 which is Shimano 105 throughout. It looks good value at £1,799.
Buy if: You want the comfort of an endurance road bike and you’re happy with an aluminium frame
Revolt range
Giant has a large range of Revolt gravel bikes – nine models for 2021. There are three aluminium models (starting at £1,199), four carbon-fibre Advanced models (starting at £2,199), and two higher level carbon-fibre Advanced Pro models (starting at £4,899, the Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 1 pictured above).
TCX range
TCX is Giant’s cyclocross range, containing an aluminium frame and two carbon fibre complete bikes (it's the TCX Advanced Pro 2 pictured above).
> Go to off.road.cc to take a look at the TCX bikes.
Liv Enviliv range
The designed-for-women Enviliv (formerly called Envie) bikes are branded Liv rather than Giant, and they’re essentially women’s versions of Propels, with an adjusted frame geometry (shorter top tubes, most notably) and women’s saddles.
All of the Enviliv 2021 models available in the UK use the Pro platform (which is Giant/Liv’s middle level of three), and have disc brakes.
The most affordable model is the £3,899 Enviliv Advanced Pro 2 Disc with a dependable Shimano 105 groupset and Giant’s SLR 2 Aero Disc wheels (42mm deep front rim, 65mm deep rear rim).
Go for the Enviliv Advanced Pro 1 Disc (£4,699) and you get Giant’s Power Pro power meter as well as an upgrade to Shimano Ultegra components and Giant SLR 1 Aero wheels.
The Enviliv Advanced Pro 0 Disc (above, £5,699) is a very similar bike but it gets the Di2 version of Shimano Ultegra (with electronic shifting).
Buy if:You want an aero road bike in a women’s-specific geometry.
Liv Langma range
Langma is a range of women’s-specific carbon-framed road race bikes, designed to be lightweight and efficient. They all feature hydraulic disc brakes.
The Langma Advanced 3 Disc (£2,099) comes with a Shimano Tiagra groupset while the Langma Advanced 2 Disc (below, £2,299) steps up to Shimano 105 components.
The Langma Advanced 1 Disc (£2,599) is a Shimano Ultegra build and so is the Langma Advanced 1+ Disc (£2,999), although it gets an upgrade from Giant’s P-R2 Disc alloy wheels to the carbon SLR 2 42 Disc WheelSystem, and an Ultegra rather than a non-series chains.
The Langma Advanced Pro bikes use the same Advanced Grade composite but get a slightly different headset system and a full-carbon fork rather than one with an aluminium steerer. The most affordable model is the Langma Advanced Pro 2 Disc (£3,499) with a Shimano 105 groupset.
The Langma Advanced Pro 1 Disc (£4,199) gets a Shimano Ultegra groupset and a Giant Power Pro power meter, while the top-level Langma Advanced Pro 0 Disc is equipped with Ultegra in its Di2 electronic format.
Buy if:You want a women’s-specific carbon-framed road race bike that's designed to be lightweight and efficient.
Liv Avail range
The Liv Avail bikes are pretty much women’s versions of the Giant Defys and Contends. It’s a large range containing nine different models, covering both carbon fibre Advanced and Advanced Pro models as well as aluminium-framed bikes.
There are six aluminium Avails, two of them with rim brakes and the other four with discs. The cheapest model is the £649 Avail 2 with a Shimano Claris groupset.
The four Avail AR models come fitted with 32mm tyres rather than the usual 28s, and they have enough clearance for 40mm, the idea being to smooth over rough backroads.
The Avail AR 4 (above) is the most affordable model at £999. This one has a Shimano Claris groupset and mechanical disc brakes from Tektro.
You have to go all the way up to the top-level Avail AR 1 (£1,799) if you want hydraulic disc brakes. This one has a Shimano 105 groupset and tubeless wheels/tyres.
There are three carbon Avails, kicking off with the Shimano 105-equipped Avail Advanced 2 at £2,299.
The Avail Advanced 1 is £2,499. The extra £200 gets you an upgrade to Shimano Ultegra.
The top-level bike in the range is the Avail Advanced Pro 2 at £3,899. Like the Avail Advanced 1, it comes with a Shimano Ultegra groupset although it gets a big upgrade with Giant’s excellent SLR 2 42 Disc WheelSystem.
Buy if: You’re after an endurance road bike that’s made especially for women.
Liv Devote range
Liv has just entered the gravel bike market with its new women-specific Devote series. There are both aluminium and carbon-framed bikes in the range, designed for everything from gravel racing to expedition riding.
The Devote bikes come with flat mount disc brakes and are compatible with mudguards and racks. They have internal cable routing and feature three water bottle mounts on all frame sizes. In addition, the Devote Advanced platform is compatible with a 30.9mm dropper seatpost.
The Devote Advanced line-up features an Advanced-Grade composite frame and fork that is said to be tuned specifically for women with a geometry that is "shaped around worldwide female-only dimensional data".
"Applying this data, [we optimise] weight distribution on the bike which puts the rider in the best position to maximise power and efficiency," says Liv.
The handlebar and seatpost are designed to smooth the ride, and all models have clearance for 45mm-wide tyres.
The Devote Advanced 2 (£2,199) features a Shimano GRX groupset (a mix of GRX-400, GRX-600 and GRX-800) with a double chainset from Praxis.
> Go to our complete guide to Shimano’s GRX groupsets.
The Devote Advanced 1 (above, £2,699) also uses Shimano GRX components but it is a 1x system (with just a single chainring) and it comes with a Giant’s own dropper seatpost so you can adjust your saddle height on the fly.
The £4,999 Devote Advanced Pro is a very different build with a SRAM Force eTap AXS components – so you get wireless electronic shifting – and Giant CXR-2 Carbon Disc wheels.
The aluminium-framed Devotes are built to a similar geometry although the standover heights are marginally lower (by 5mm). They also feature Liv's Advanced-Grade Composite fork.
The cheaper of the two models is the Devote 2 (above, £1,199) with a Shimano Sora groupset and Tektro mechanical disc brakes.
If you can run to £1,49 for the Devote 1 you’ll be rewarded with a Shimano GRX RX-400 groupset, including hydraulic disc brakes.
Buy if:You’re after a women’s-specific bike for gravel and/or adventure
2021 Giant road bikes and also the Liv range
Click on the model name to go to the relevant bike on Giant's website, click on the price to go to a retailer.
| Model | Bike type | Frame material | Groupset | Brakes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCR | |||||
| TCR Advanced 2 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Rim | £1,999 |
| TCR Advanced 3 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Tiagra | Disc | £2,099 |
| TCR Advanced 2 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £2,299 |
| TCR Advanced 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £2,599 |
| TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £3,499 |
| TCR Advanced Pro 1 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Rim | £3,699 |
| TCR Advanced Pro 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £4,199 |
| TCR Advanced Pro 0 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra Di2 | Disc | £5,199 |
| TCR Advanced SL 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | SRAM Force eTap AXS | Disc | £7,499 |
| TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | SRAM Red eTap AXS | Disc | £9,999 |
| Propel | |||||
| Propel Advanced 2 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Rim | £2,199 |
| Propel Advanced 2 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £2,699 |
| Propel Advanced 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £3,499 |
| Propel Advanced Pro 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £4,499 |
| Propel Advanced Pro 0 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra Di2 | Disc | £5,699 |
| Propel Advanced SL 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | SRAM Force eTap AXS | Disc | £6,499 |
| Defy | |||||
| Defy Advanced 3 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Tiagra | Disc | £2,099 |
| Defy Advanced 2 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £2,299 |
| Defy Advanced 1 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £2,499 |
| Defy Advanced Pro 3 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £3,299 |
| Defy Advanced Pro 2 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £3,999 |
| Defy Advanced Pro 1 | Road | Carbon fibre | SRAM Force eTap AXS | Disc | £5,499 |
| Contend | |||||
| Contend 2 | Road | Aluminium | Shimano Claris | Rim | £749 |
| Contend 1 | Road | Aluminium | Shimano Sora | Rim | £949 |
| Contend AR 4 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano Claris | Disc | £999 |
| Contend AR 3 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano Sora | Disc | £1,099 |
| Contend AR 2 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano Tiagra | Disc | £1,349 |
| Contend AR 1 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano 105 | Disc | £1,799 |
| Contend SL 1 | Road | Aluminium | Shimano 105 | Rim | £1,249 |
| Contend SL 2 Disc | Road | Aluminium | Shimano Tiagra | Disc | £1,449 |
| Contend SL 1 Disc | Road | Aluminium | Shimano 105 | Disc | £1,649 |
| Revolt | |||||
| Revolt 2 | Gravel | Aluminium | Shimano Sora | Disc | £1,199 |
| Revolt 1 | Gravel | Aluminium | Shimano GRX 400 | Disc | £1,499 |
| Revolt 0 | Gravel | Aluminium | Shimano GRX 400, 600, 800 | Disc | £1,799 |
| Revolt Advanced 3 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 400 | Disc | £2,199 |
| Revolt Advanced 2 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 400, 600, 800 | Disc | £2,399 |
| Revolt Advanced 1 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 400, 600, 800 | Disc | £2,399 |
| Revolt Advanced 0 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 800 | Disc | £3,499 |
| Revolt Advanced Pro 1 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 800 | Disc | £4,899 |
| Revolt Advanced Pro 0 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | SRAM Force eTap AXS | Disc | £4,999 |
| TCX | |||||
| TCX Advanced Pro 2 | Cyclocross | Carbon fibre | SRAM Apex | Disc | £2,699 |
| TCX Advanced Pro 1 | Cyclocross | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 800 | Disc | £3,799 |
| Liv Enviliv | |||||
| Enviliv Advanced Pro 2 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £3,899 |
| Enviliv Advanced Pro 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £4,699 |
| Enviliv Advanced Pro 0 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra Di2 | Disc | £5,699 |
| Liv Langma | |||||
| Liv Langma Advanced 3 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Tiagra | Disc | £2,099 |
| Liv Langma Advanced 2 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £2,299 |
| Liv Langma Advanced 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £2,599 |
| Liv Langma Advanced 1+ Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £2,999 |
| Langma Advanced Pro 2 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £3,499 |
| Langma Advanced Pro 1 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £4,199 |
| Langma Advanced Pro 0 Disc | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra Di2 | Disc | £5,199 |
| Liv Avail | |||||
| Liv Avail 2 | Road | Aluminium | Shimano Claris | Rim | £749 |
| Liv Avail 1 | Road | Aluminium | Shimano Sora | Rim | £949 |
| Liv Avail AR 4 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano Claris | Disc | £999 |
| Liv Avail AR 3 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano Sora | Disc | £1,099 |
| Liv Avail AR 2 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano Tiagra | Disc | £1,349 |
| Liv Avail AR 1 | All road | Aluminium | Shimano 105 | Disc | £1,799 |
| Liv Avail Advanced 2 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano 105 | Disc | £2,299 |
| Liv Avail Advanced 1 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £2,499 |
| Liv Avail Advanced Pro 2 | Road | Carbon fibre | Shimano Ultegra | Disc | £3,899 |
| Liv Devote | |||||
| Liv Devote 2 | Gravel | Aluminium | Shimano Sora | Disc | £1,199 |
| Liv Devote 1 | Gravel | Aluminium | Shimano GRX 400 | Disc | £1,499 |
| Liv Devote Advanced 2 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 400, 600, 800 | Disc | £2,399 |
| Liv Devote Advanced 1 | Gravel | Carbon fibre | Shimano GRX 400, 800 | Disc | £2,399 |
| Liv Devote Advanced Pro | Gravel | Carbon fibre | SRAM Force eTap AXS | Disc | £4,999 |
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Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
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19 comments
I've never owned one, but have a soft-spot for Giant and the Propel looks comfortable and fast: they are what they are, Taiwanese, quality and value - as opposed to Taiwanese and pretending to be Italian.... and charging a pretence premium.
TdF Giant TCR looks the same
I've just realised I had downloaded a copy of the PDF for the Giant TCR Advanced Pro 2 (2020 model), if the road.cc team want to have a sneak preview? It's still not on Giant's websites, I think someone hit a publish button when they shouldn't have.
Spoiler alert, only the saddle cover and stem appear to have changed, that and the bright metallic lime green frame colour
Probably not but still keeping my fingers crossed.
Here is the pic btw:
https://www.google.com/search?q=giant+tcr+advanced+pro+2020&client=firef...
Some early release 2020 models were listed last week... The exact bike I've been eyeing up seems to be the main/flagship model, TCR Advanced Pro 2. It's metallic Lime, which I quite like as most TCR offerings have been just black with boring decals, but the link no longer works:
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-tcr-advanced-pro-2020
I was slightly surprised and disappointed that it still appears to be the same frame, in fact entirely the same bike with different paint job as I had unearthed a rumour that the frame would change, although possibly not visually. 5th year using same frame, they were originally due to update after 3 years as I understood it due to their development cycles.
Not long till July, when we'll find out whether the pro's are riding a new TCR or not.
Has anyone noticed the £1500 difference between Ultegra mechanical and Di2 (disc) on the Pro1 / Pro 2 & SL 2 / SL 1? That seems huge, given that in the shops, the difference between Ultegra R8020 (mechanical and R8070 (Di2) is less than £500.
What’s going on? What are the other differences between the Pro 0/ 1 & SL 1 / 2 that make up the price difference? These are not described in the article..
Is the difference in finishing kit really going to make up the remaining £1000 difference?
The pro 0 models come with a power meter. Kind of annoying you can't just have the DI2 for a grand less eh.
Thanks! I found that in the more detailed specs on the Giant web site. Still a pretty steep increase, for something that probably costs less than £1000 to buy separately and fit yourself.
I like Di2 (have it on another bike that I bougth at a big discount), but not at these prices! If I were buying, I would wati for the prices to drop when the new 2020 season bikes arrive
36/52 chainset the only real let-down for me. Easy enough to change but I'd have to budget for it and go through the hassle of swapping to 34/50, but I guess it gives a chance to choose your crank length and/integrate power meter (apparently coming soon to Giant).
The carbon wheels seem pretty good, so less need to upgrade compared to most bikes.
Loved the baby blue frame colour on the 2017(?) model! Otherwise colourschemes are basically black with some highlights, bit boring.
Hoping to be amazed by a new TCR around September 2020.
TCR Advanced range...
All have the ANT+ wheelspeed and cadence sensor ability, quite aero as it's hidden in the chainstay, only standard model does not include sensor. I love this feature.
SL, Pro and standard models have 3 different grades of stem, saddle, and handlebar. Carbon handlebar and stem on SL. Small weight differences between each but it all adds up.
Steerer tube is oddly oversized, so kinda need a Giant stem on these models. There is an adaptor so you can use Giant stem on normal sized steerers.
Fork has alloy steerer on standard model, others full carbon, SL slightly lighter, better carbon.
The frames are similar but use different grades of carbon for weight difference, otherwise essentially perform the same, notwithstanding the SL with incorporated seattube.
Finishing kit grade differences probably extend to their other bikes.
If I hadn't snapped my Achilles in January I'd probably have (unnecessarily) bought last year's TCR Advanced Pro 1, a terrific bargain at £1600!
Is it me or do the handlebars on the Defy Advanced Pro look too short? If you tilted the bar upwards there wouldn’t be much to hold onto when on the drops.
Can anyone speak to the quality of the carbon fiber used in the Advanced SL 0 frame compared to other top carbon fiber frames from Italian frame builders like Pinarello, Bianchi, American builders like Trek and Cannondale, and all the other top brands, is this frame as good of a quality carbon fiber prodiuct as the others that are priced significantly more?
Giant are the largest manufacturer of performance bikes in the world, they make frames for many other brands in thier factories.
Pinarello, Bianchi, Trek, Specalized, Cannondale all outsource some or all of their bikes to far eastern factories, I'm quite sure some of those will be to Giant.
Regarding the top end SL0, it was ridden to victory by Sunweb in last years Giro and it's rare you'll find a bad review of any Giant bike.
If anything, Giant bikes are considered a souless choice of a bike, but if you think that a Bianchi Specialissima is made by the same people using the same techniquies, then Bianchi (as example) are left with just history and hyperbole.
Great bikes.. Bloody awful paint/graphics. The propel advanced sl 1 disc looks like a toy with flame stickers on it. Surely I'm not the only one thinking that their graphics team are letting the side down?
I have just moved into a tcr advanced disc 2 from a defy pro. I am astonished by how comfortable the whole bike is despite the more aggressive set up in the stock wheels and tyres for this 54y old body. 80 miles yesterday. It rides wonderfully when pootling but give it some power and it tracks as if on rails but responds immediately to rider input to get around potholes etc. I expect further improvement when I migrate my Hunt 4 season wheels shod with tubeless Ones. I thought I would miss ultegra as on my defy but 105 hydro is even better than the 5800 on my commuter, especially the brakes. It could be set up but then set up by the same person. I cannot wait to put some deep section wheels on next year and see how it rides.
Always had a bit of a soft-spot for Giant frames: they are what they are, Taiwanese, value and quality - as opposed to Taiwanese and pretending to be Italian.... that said, the variations on these bikes is making my head spin.
I don't understand why they've gone with the weird mechanical to hydraulic converters either. I was all set to buy something from the Giant Defy Advanced (not Pro) range for 2018 but those have put me right off. Also they don't even have full Ultegra in that range, just an Ultegra/105 mix-and-match (ok, I know there's not that much difference between those two ranges).
I'm guessing that it's to do with the price of hyrdaulic road shifters - the Conduct brakes are fitted to the cheaper models, perhaps the margins are thinner there. Hope, amongst others, have had short span cable-to-hydraulic convertors for years now and they seem to get good reviews as a reasonable compromise - so the tech is not without some merit. I'm still somewhat bemused by the difference in price between fully hydraulic road and MTB setups e.g. you can get a very good, complete off-road setup for less than the price of a single Ultegra hydro-STI...
OK, I'm still a bit of a disc-brakes-on-road-bikes naysayer, but was prepared to be persuaded this year by the Giant Defys, I like the paint jobs, the geometry, and the general spec (and also that they're available in plenty of shops near me).
But what's with the weird spec? Surely those mechanical to hydraulic convertors are just a work around, why on earth would you spec from new? Seems like the worst of both worlds (still got cables to work with, but still need bleeding?) plus the extra weight and clutter of the convertor box.
I'd reserve judgement on the own brand callipers as I seem to remember Giant's own brand brakes had some nicely thought out features, but still, it seems like a step in the wrong direction to tempt luddites like me off the fence. Is this an indication of cost pressures on manufacturers, or is there a scarcity of Shimano disc brakes in the industry, that a massive company like Giant needs to mix'n'match like this?
Anyway, I doubt Giant need to worry about the 0.005% of people like me in the UK looking for endurance geometry but with no discs, so I'll just look forward to the arrival of my new Rose Xeon which I ordered instead : )