Giant Defy Advanced 1 (2025)

Giant Defy Advanced 1 (2025)

We're assuming you arrived here because you want to know more about the Giant Defy Advanced 1.

Good.

Because this is not a Copy and Paste from the Giant Bikes website with buzz words like efficiency, power transfer, Over Drive 2…

They don't explain much do they?

This preview is different.

We'll explain the Defy Advanced 1 in a little more detail; who should consider it, why and how it does what it does and a bit more about the components.

What is the Giant Defy Advanced 1?

Giant designed the Defy Advanced 1 as a comfortable and stable road bike that uses a carbon-fibre frame.

We call bikes like the Defy, Endurance road bikes.

Side note:

Anytime you see the word "Advanced" being used in a model name, it uses a carbon-fibre frame.

The Defy Advanced 1 is the most affordable build with performance-grade components and electronic gears. Below this (the Defy Advanced 2) you get mechanical gears.

Who should consider the Defy Advanced 1?

Riders who are either:

Buying their first carbon-fibre road bike (or first road bike) and want something that is easy and comfortable to ride.

• Upgrading from an old aluminium road bike.
• Want the most affordable Defy road bike with electronic gears.

What's so good about the Defy Advanced 1?

3 words.

Handling. Ergonomics. Comfort.

Let us start with handling.

Two standout characteristics of the Defy's handling are its remarkable calmness and stability.

Without going into Bike Nerd mode, this has to do with the Defy's steering angle and wheelbase.

The steering's calmness delivers confidence through high-speed turns and rough road surfaces.

And the longer wheelbase (that is, overall length of the Defy) creates a solid platform in between the wheels.

This stable platform stops the Defy from being bounced over the road's surface and gives it a road-hugging feel at high speeds.

Ergonomics are designed in such a way that almost anyone can get on the Defy Advanced 1 and be comfortable.

In the past, many road bikes forced riders to adopt a race position.

This is aerodynamic but it's not comfortable (or more importantly, sustainable) for new or recreational riders over the length of a bike ride.

The Defy Advanced 1 places riders in a relaxed riding position.

The ergonomics are such that they don't place excessive strain through the arms, upper body and lower back.

A proper bike fit is still crucial. 

But, all else being equal, the demands on the rider's body are less on the Defy Advanced 1.

The Defy Advanced 1 is built for comfort. It was a key consideration during the recent redesign.

Giant built specific flex-zones into the Defy to absorb road chatter and isolate the rider from harsh road vibrations.

Flat and thin seat-stays act like springs. The flat top-tube does much the same.

Giant's D-shaped seat post (called D-Fuse) flexes much more than a circular seat does. Further enhancing comfort through the pelvis and lower back regions.

And Giant applied the D-Fuse concept to the handlebars.

The new bars flex up to 40% more than a round bar - in the downward direction only.

When pulling up during sprints or climbing, the new D-Fuse bar remains stiff to maintain control.

The new Defy comes standard with 33.5mm wide tyres and can accommodate up to 38mm tyres.

Not only do the wider tyres add comfort, they make the Defy Advanced 1 versatile.

Because it's not restricted to just perfectly smooth roads.

It can handle rough tarmac, country roads and smooth gravel roads with ease.

The Defy Advanced 1 Build

In the Defy Advanced range, this is the most affordable build with electronic gears. So we'll start here.

The Advanced 1 uses the latest Shimano 105 Di2 (Digital Integrated Intelligence) components.

105 Di2 is 3rd tier. A level up is Ultegra Di2 and then Dura-Ace Di2.

All Di2 components are 12-speed which means they use 12 back gears paired to 2 front gears.

Left and right hand side shift levers each have 2 buttons. One button is used to shift into an easier gear, the other shifts into a harder gear. 

The 105 Di2 system lets riders choose between 3 modes; Manual, Semi-Synchronised and Full-Synchronised.

In Manual mode, riders get full control. The Di2 system has no input, so there's no automation happening.

Semi-Synchro mode automatically shifts the rear gears when you shift the front gear. Shifting just the front results in your cadence (or pedalling smoothness) being interrupted.

To compensate, the system shifts 2 gears to minimise any interruption to your cadence.

Full-Synchro mode adjusts the front and back gears - at the same time. At some point (usually pre-defined via the app) when you're shifting through the rear gears, the system will shift the front gear.

There's a little less mental effort involved in this mode. And most of the time you don't need to shift the front gears at all; your attention is on shifting the rear gears.

Another reason why the Defy Advanced 1 is so suitable for new riders is the gear ratios.

The front and rear gear ratios on this build deliver the widest gear range ever designed by Shimano for road bikes.

Meaning, you'll have an easier time on the climbs.

Next, the wheels.

Giant's P-R2 alloy wheelset rolls on sealed bearings. It's designed to be robust, durable and a good workhorse wheel package.

The P-R2's are tubeless; there's no tubes inside the tyres.

If you're not familiar with tubeless:

Instead of a tube, there's a liquid sealant.

When you get a puncture, the sealant will plug the damage and you can continue riding.

Some punctures can be stubborn and won't seal. And in this situation, you would use a tubeless tyre plug.