Giant Defy
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Giant launched the new TCR Advanced SL in July and it's part of a 2016 range which covers everything from the super-light to the comfortable via the aerodynamic
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Simon Geschke won stage 17 of the Tour de France in the Alps on the new Giant TCR Advanced SL (Pic: Sirotti)
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Giant's Propel aero range opens with the Propel Advanced 2 at £1,299
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Giant's 2016 women's range is based around the Avail endurance frame and Envie aero frame
Giant Defy
Giant’s comfort-focused Defy series features no less than 16 bikes built around five frames, with the aluminium Defy Disc frame added to a collection already featuring the aluminium, rim brake Defy chassis and the carbon fibre, disc-ready Defy Advanced, Defy Advanced Pro and Defy Advanced SL frames.
Giant went big on disc brakes in 2015, making all carbon fibre Defy bikes only available with discs, but that left the entry-level, aluminium Defy range with rim brakes. Now there’s the option of rim or disc brakes if you want an alloy Defy.
The new alloy Defy Disc is built around a ALUXX SL frame, made from Giant’s mid-range grade of aluminium, and with the same relaxed geometry as across the rest of the entire Defy collection. There are two bikes in the range, with the Defy 2 Disc coming with Shimano Tiagra and TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes for £849, while the Defy 1 Disc gets an upgraded Shimano 105 groupset for £999.

But if you’re still content with rim brakes, there are five bikes in the regular Defy range, again built around an aluminium frame, and with prices ranging from £525 for the range-opening Defy 4 with Shimano Claris up to £999 for the Defy 0 with a Shimano 105/Ultegra mix.
Step up to carbon fibre and it’s disc brakes all the way, based around three frames, made from varying grades of carbon. Defy Advanced and Defy Advanced Pro are made from Giant’s T-700 Advanced Composite grade of carbon fibre, while the flagship Defy Advanced SL frame is made from a lighter, stiffer T-800 Advanced SL grade of the black stuff. Giant’s aim with the Defy is to create a bike which provide all-day comfort, without necessarily sacrificing too much in the weight and stiffness takes.

There are three bikes in the Defy Advanced line-up: the Defy Advanced 3 (Shimano Tiagra, TRP Spyre mechanical discs, £1,149), the Defy Advanced 2 (Shimano 105, TRP Spyre discs, £1,299) and the Defy Advanced 1 (Shimano Ultegra, TRP Spyre brakes, £1,599).
Move into the Defy Advanced Pro range and there are four bikes, all coming with hydraulic disc brakes. There’s the Defy Advanced Pro 3 (Shimano 105, £1,999), Defy Advanced Pro 2 (Shimano Ultegra, £2,299), Defy Advanced Pro 1 (Shimano Ultegra Di2, £3,249) and the Defy Advanced Pro 0 (Shimano Dura-Ace, £3,499).

The Defy Advanced SL frame is the top-of-the-range chassis in the Defy range and so is built from Giant’s ‘professional grade’ of carbon fibre. While the rest of the range uses a traditional seatpost, the Defy Advanced SL has an integrated seatpost, sharing the same D-shaped profile as other tubes on the frame in a bid to offer more flex and further improve comfort. There are only two bikes in the Defy Advanced SL range: the 1 comes with Shimano Ultegra for £3,499 and the all-singing 0 comes with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 for £5,499.
View the gallery below to see the entire Giant Defy 2016 range and pricing, or flick on to the next page to see the lightweight Giant TCR line-up.