BIKES

Tech Sub-£1k alloy sports bikes
Giant
Defy 3 £699
The original compact alloy
frame tweaked for 2014
What Giant doesn’t know about
aluminium road bikes probably
isn’t worth knowing. And
though the Defy 3 might be found
towards the bottom of the Taiwanese bike
manufacturer’s range, its core is an
impressive Giant compact road frame.
Frameset
Giant created the first ‘compact’ road
frame — i.e. one with a sloping top tube
— in 1997, and 17 years later, the Defy’s
basic frame shape hasn’t changed a
whole lot. There has been some
refinement; most interesting on this
2014 model is the selection of squaresided
tube profiles. Visually, they’re a
little less pleasing than round tubes, but
the overall finish is very good.
Suggesting the Defy could be a quick
commuter as well as an all-out speed
machine, the frame’s lack of on-trend
niceties such as internal cable routing is
offset by rear rack mounts. And like the
other bikes on test, carbon forks help
take the sting out of the front end.
Components
One of the first things you notice once
aboard the Defy is how quickly and
keenly it responds to efforts. Helping
matters is the excellent Shimano Sora
gearset, with a compact chainset and a
cassette that features a whopping,
hill-friendly, 32-tooth biggest sprocket.
Sora might offer only nine speeds on the
rear cassette, and it might not be the
plushest Shimano kit, but there’s a
rather charming reliability about it.
Rather less reassuring is the sight of
unmarked brakes. However, the stoppers
fitted here are actually Tektro R312
calipers and, though not as powerful as
top-end brakes, they perform rather well.
Wheels
Giant’s own-brand wheels are normally
some of the very best available in this
area of the market — the Giant P-Elite C
wheelset on the Defy 1 we tested earlier
in the year upheld that reputation for
silky smoothness. However, the S-Elite C
hoops here seemed to exhibit just a hint
of friction at the hubs. Better were
Giant’s own-brand S-R4 tyres, which
hung on well in corners.
Riding
From the saddle, the Defy 3 is a
supremely positive affair. It reacts well
Specification
Frameset: Aluminium
frame, carbon fork
Gears: Shimano Sora
11-32t
Brakes: Tektro R312
Chainset: Shimano
Sora compact
Wheels: Giant S-Elite C
Tyres: Giant S-R4 25c
Bar: Giant Sport
aluminium
Stem: Giant Sport
aluminium
Saddle: Giant
Performance Road
Seatpost: Giant Sport
aluminium
Size range: 43, 46.5,
50, 53.5, 55.5, 58.5cm
Weight: 9.5kg/20.9lb
Size tested: 55.5cm
Contact: www.
giant-bicycles.com
to power input, it gets up to speed
eagerly, and with those sympathetic
gear ratios, it’s also a fine climber. You
might expect the ride to be a little on
the firm side, and it is, but only by a
little. Road buzz is dealt with well, but
more substantial bumps do get through.
Consequently, rare mid-corner
bumps can unsettle control slightly, but
in most other scenarios you’ll reach your
personal limits long before you reach
the end of the frame’s abilities. In twists
and turns, the overall control is superb
— the Defy corners very ably. In fact, it’s
a very enjoyable and exciting bike to
ride, combining the chance for thrills
with a reassuring underlying security.
SPECIFICATION LEVEL
BUILD QUALITY
ROAD HANDLING
RIDE COMFORT
VALUE FOR MONEY
OVERALL RATING
18/20
18/20
19/20
17/20
18/20
90/100
Unbranded
brakes don’t
disappoint
Shimano Sora
chainset is
glitch-free
ADVICE
Sizing up
The beauty of compact frames is
that they have a wider range of fit
than traditional, level top tube
bikes. That also means that if you
want a more lively, stiffer bike, pick
a slightly smaller frame size and fit
a longer stem. Whereas, if you
want comfort, go larger.
48 CYCLING ACTIVE SEPTEMBER 2014