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Giant Defy

What is the Giant Defy?

The foundational design goals that Giant set for the latest Defy are:

  • Comfort
  • Better pedalling efficiency
  • Better road handling
  • Less weight

It doesn’t require an aggressive riding position.

It's comfortable over road chatter and small bumps. Giant designed specific flex zones to absorb vibrations.

And the gear ratios will allow you to climb serious vertical elevation with ease.

Wider tyres (up to 38mm) allow riders to use the Defy on sooth dirt and gravel rods too, making the Defy more versatile.

More Defy Info
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There are 3 Defy Types

There are 3 different types of Defy models (from cheapest to dearest):

  • Defy Advanced
  • Defy Advanced Pro
  • Defy Advanced SL

It’s been many years since we’ve seen a Defy at the Advanced SL level.

You’ll see in the charts below that there is a significant difference in Pro and SL models.

Therefore,
if you’re after the most responsive and the lightest endurance road
bike, the Defy Advanced SL level is worth considering.

Think crazy fast sports SUV.

We'll go through all 3 types next.

You'll love the Defy if...

If you prioritise these things:

  • Comfort
  • Relaxed riding position vs. an aggressive position
  • Minimal feedback/smooth road feel over rough road surfaces
  • Stable handling through corners and high-speed descents

Ridiculously Comfortable.

OK, this is a big one.

It’s what the Defy is known for and the design ethos behind the whole platform.

So, what’s changed for 2024+ to make the Defy more comfortable?

Dropped seat stays and a new front fork design absorbs road vibrations and impacts better than the outgoing Defy.

Giant have also designed the seat post - the D-Fuse post - to flex 7mm fore and aft.

That’s huge.

This area mutes and absorbs vibrations travelling through the lower back and pelvic area.

Another huge update are the handlebars.

The bars have a unique D-shape too.

They are designed to flex up but not down.

Control is still maintained when sprinting and cornering, while absorbing impacts up through the bars.

Giant also took the opportunity during the Defy’s redesign process to accommodate wider tyres - up to 38mm.

All Defy’s come standard with a 32mm wide tyre.

Wider tyres are paired to a tubeless setup; further improving comfort and puncture protection.

Compared to the outgoing Defy, these bars deliver a massive 40% increase in compliance.

Efficiency = Stiffness-to-Weight

A way to describe efficiency is how well the frame converts your power into forward motion.

This can be summed up as a number (the stiffness-to-weight ratio).

To date, the 2024 Defy Advanced SL has the highest stiffness to weight ratio.

This means that a lot more rider energy is converted into moving forwards.

As expected, the Defy Advanced Pro comes second and the Defy Advanced is third.

It’s worth noting though that Giant has improved the stiffness-to-weight ratio on the Defy Advanced (89.3) to be slightly higher than the outgoing higher-level Defy Advanced Pro (85.6).

A featherweight.

Each frame uses up to 132 intricately shaped swatches of carbon for each frame.

This meets strict stiffness and weight parameters.

New frames weights compared to the outgoing Defy Advanced Pro frame-set (980 grams) are:

  • Defy Advanced SL - 785 grams
  • Defy Advanced Pro - 860 grams
  • Defy Advanced - 860 grams

Regarding the Defy Advanced, it’s worth noting that for the weight increase only comes from the slightly heavier fork.

The frame weight between the 2024+ Defy Advanced and Advanced Pro is the same.

The Advanced SL uses a lighter and stiffer grade of carbon. Hence, the lighter weight.

Defy Advanced. New rider weapon.

New riders or riders upgrading from a very old roadie, will appreciate the Defy Advanced.

The range starts off with the Giant Defy Advanced 2 ($3,799.00).

The Defy Advanced 2 is perfect for recreational riders who are new to
the sport of road cycling but want to begin on an affordable
(relatively speaking) performance carbon road bike with excellent gears
and brakes.

Next is the Defy Advanced 1 ($4,999.00).

This model introduces riders to Shimano’s new 105 Di2 electronic gears.

Both these Advanced level bikes use aluminium wheels.

Defy Advanced Pro. Semi-serious enthusiasts.

Levelling up, we have the Defy Advanced Pro 1 ($6,999.00).

The 2024 version came with Shimano 105 Di2 gears and no power meter.

For 2025, Giant has used SRAM Rival AXS wireless electronic gears. Plus, it comes standard with Giant’s Power Halo power meter.

Riders moving to the Defy Advanced Pro 0 2025 ($7,999.00) get the following upgrades:

  • Shimano Ultegra Di2, semi-wireless electronic gears
  • CADEX Classics tyres
  • Contact SLR D-Fuse carbon handlebar
  • Contact SLR D-Fuse carbon seat post

Both Defy Advanced Pro bikes get Giant’s latest SLR 1 carbon wheels with low-friction bearings.

These weigh in at a very light 1,442 grams (129kg system weight).
Especially considering they have a wider 22.4mm internal rim width.

This means they pair perfectly with today’s modern range of wider-style road bike tyres.

Defy Advanced SL. The best.

First, the Defy Advanced SL 1 2025.

Attentive riders will note that there’s been a +$500 increase in RRP between 2024 and 2025.

That cost increase is very reasonable considering the upgrades.

The '25 Defy Advanced SL 1 now gets:

  • The latest SRAM Force wireless electronic group set.
  • CADEX Classics tyres.
  • SRAM/QUARQ power meter, instead of Giant's Power Halo power meter.

And lastly, for 2025, the Defy Advanced SL 0 uses SRAM’s latest Red
E1 group set.

Almost everything else has remained unchanged compared to 2024.

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