Cyclist
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: The best Giant road bike in 2024
Giant’s three road bike ranges cover the whole spectrum of road riding. The TCR is the classic lightweight race bike with a history going back to 1997 and its then-radical compact frame geometry. It’s now in its tenth generation and, as you’d expect, is stiffer, lighter, more integrated and more aero than ever.
Giant also sells the Propel, its aero bike. The latest generation has gone on a diet, making it close in weight to the TCR. It’s also less aggressively stiff and aero at the rear, adding a dose of compliance to a bike category that historically has not been known for its ride quality.
Finally, there’s the Defy endurance bike. As with the TCR, the latest generation is more integrated and more aero. Its top spec has lost a significant amount of weight too.
Then there are the three different carbon grades – Giant calls these Advanced Composite – available for each bike and a range of specs for each, making for a wide range of options and prices if you’re looking for the best Giant road bike for you.
So we’ll lay out all the Giant road bikes available in the UK, with prices and key spec details. We’ll finish up by telling you how to choose between the Giant Propel, TCR and Defy.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: Key features at a glance
Giant Propel
- Three frame grades: Advanced SL, Advanced Pro and Advanced
- Aero bike has shed weight in its latest iteration
- Two piece, adjustable aero cockpit
- Seatmast on SL grade bikes
Giant TCR
- The original compact geometry all-round race bike
- Increasingly aero and now with front end integration
- Same cockpit as the Propel
- Three frame grades
- Seatmast on SL grade bikes
Giant Defy
- Endurance geometry with aero features and integrated cockpit
- Seatpost rather than seatmast on all three frame grades
- D-Fuse bar, stem and seatpost claimed to add compliance
- Wider 32mm tyres and 35mm tyre clearance
- Mudguard ready
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: frame grades
All three of Giant’s road bike ranges are available with three frame grades: Advanced SL, Advanced Pro and Advanced.
Confusingly, the pros don’t ride the Advanced Pro bikes, they ride the Advanced SL.
The top spec SL grade frames in the Propel and TCR (but not the Defy) have an integrated seatmast, rather than a conventional seatpost. Giant says that this saves weight, makes the bike more aero and increases compliance.
It also reduces adjustability and could make it difficult to sell a bike on to a taller rider. Fortunately, there’s 45mm of height adjustability to Giant’s saddle clamp, which provides some scope to fit different riders, once the seatmast has been cut to your size.
Seatmasts were popular on higher spec bikes a decade or so ago, but Giant is the only mainstream brand to continue to offer them, with others abandoning them due to their limitations.
While the Pro and standard grade frames are made from Advanced composite (ie, carbon fibre), the SL frames use a higher grade SL carbon, saving yet more weight.
On the higher spec SL and Pro level bikes, the fork is made of Giant’s Advanced SL grade carbon fibre, while the Advanced grade bikes have an Advanced grade fork fitted.
All Giant’s road bike range now uses its OverDrive Aero steerer. This has a D-shaped profile, which Giant says makes it more aerodynamic, while it supports full internal cabling.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: geometry
The basic geometry of the Propel and TCR bikes is the same, with the same stack and reach, wheelbase and other numbers for both. There’s a slight difference in trail, which is longer by just over a millimetre in the TCR. The main difference is in standover, which is much lower in the TCR due to its sloping geometry than the Propel with its horizontal top tube.
As you’d expect, the endurance geometry of the Defy is different. In the ML size bike, for example, the 1,010mm wheelbase is 19mm longer than the 991mm of the TCR, the 577mm stack is 15mm greater than the 562mm for the TCR and the 384mm reach is 9mm shorter than the TCR’s 393mm. Head tube angle is half a degree slacker too, at 72.5 degrees, and the head tube is 10mm longer.
Giant’s geometry is consistent across frame grades within each bike – except for the SL Propel and TCR’s supersized seat tubes.
The full range of sizes for each Giant road bike stretches from XS in six sizes to XL. Giant says that they’re suitable for riders from 157cm to 199cm in height. Not all sizes are available in all specs in every geography worldwide, so if you are at the top or bottom of the rider size range, you may find that you need to make a compromise on spec to get the optimum fit.
The Defy has fittings for mudguards, unlike the Propel and TCR ranges.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: weight
Giant doesn’t specify weights for its bikes. But we’ve reviewed the top spec of each bike, so we can provide an indication of how much each weighs.
We weighed the Giant Defy Advanced SL 0 at 6.9kg in a size M/L. The Propel Advanced SL 0 in the same size weighs an identical 6.9kg, an impressive achievement for an aero bike. We’ve yet to review the new TCR, but the top spec of the previous generation bike weighed 6.7kg when we reviewed it in 2020.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: bars and stem
While many bike brands, including Canyon, are now fitting one-piece bar/stems to their high spec bikes, Giant has gone the other way, with its separate Contact SLR bar and Contact Aerolight stem fitted to its Propel and TCR bikes.
This increases the range of adjustability and makes swapping out for optimum fitment easier. The design still provides front-end integration and internal cable routing though, a feature that was absent from the previous generation of the TCR, lower specs of the older Propel and the previous model Defy.
The Defy shares the Contact Aerolight stem, but has D-shaped Contact D-Fuse handlebars at various grade levels across the spec range. These are claimed to help absorb road vibration and shocks, for a smoother ride.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: groupsets
Giant’s road bikes come equipped either with Shimano or SRAM groupsets. SRAM specs all have electronic 12-speed AXS groupsets at Red, Force or Rival level. Shimano specs also offer 12-speed electronic shifting: Dura-Ace, Ultegra or 105 Di2.
In addition, there’s an Advanced Pro 2 and Advanced 2 spec available for the TCR and Defy and an Advanced 2 for the Propel, all fitted with a mechanical Shimano 105 12-speed groupset.
The Shimano-equipped Propel and TCR bikes have a 52/36t semi-compact crankset and most SRAM specs have the equivalent 48/35t. The Defy range swaps to a 50/34t compact crankset or the 45/33t SRAM equivalent, providing lower gearing to suit endurance riders.
Higher spec Giant road bikes are equipped with a power meter. SRAM specs mostly use the brand’s in-series power meters, double sided for Red and Force, single sided for Rival.
Higher Shimano specs are mostly equipped with Giant’s own power meters, largely the Power Pro double sided design.
The lower specs of both Shimano and SRAM equipped bikes are sold without a power meter.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: wheels and tyres
Giant fits Cadex wheels and tyres to its highest spec bikes. These include carbon spokes and use Giant’s patented Dynamic Balanced Lacing system, where the leading and trailing spokes have slightly different lengths. Giant claims that this leads to spoke tension balancing out when riding and a stiffer, more responsive wheel.
Lower down the specs, there are Giant wheels. The majority are carbon, with a deep section, again with Dynamic Balanced Lacing, while lowest spec bikes get alloys.
Both Giant and Cadex’s carbon wheels have hookless rims and are supplied ready set up tubeless.
Tyre clearance for the Propel is 30mm, for the latest TCR it’s 33mm and for the Defy 38mm. The Propel is fitted with Cadex or Giant branded tyres in 25mm width, for the TCR this increases to 28mm (or 25mm on rims which provide an effective width to 28mm), while the Defy increases tyre width to 32mm.
Many of the Giant and Cadex wheels are sold as a WheelSystem, with Giant claiming that they’re designed to work together for optimum handling and aerodynamics.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: pricing
There’s a wide spread of prices available across all three Giant road bike ranges. While in each case top spec bikes exceed £10,000, the entry level bike for each is priced below £3,000, even if only by £1 in the case of the Propel.
Giant still has some sizes available in its older model bikes and offers reductions on these. In some cases, there may be previous year’s stock of current model bikes available with a discount as well. That may just mean a different frame colour, with the spec the same as for the current year’s bike.
As with sizing, what’s available where varies worldwide.
Giant Contend
Sitting below Giant’s premium carbon bikes, the alloy Contend range is a more affordable route into Giant’s road bikes.
Billed as an all-rounder by Giant, the Contend is offered in a range of specs at prices from £749 up to £1,899. There are two frame grades, Contend and Contend SL. Both are equipped with a carbon fork. While higher spec bikes are disc brake-equipped, the lower priced bikes have rim brakes.
Giant also sells the Contend AR. Signifying all-road, the three bike specs are fitted with 32mm tyres rather than 28mm to help you to head onto mixed surfaces more easily.
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: ranges compared
Next, we’ll run through the entire ranges for each of Giant’s road bikes, from the most expensive to the entry spec for each, with a brief spec run-down.
Giant doesn’t quote weights for its bikes, but we’ve reviewed all the models in their top specs, although not the newest generation TCR (yet). All have remarkably similar weights: 6.8 or 6.9kg, so with Giant, unlike many brands, there’s little or no weight penalty for going aero.
Giant Propel bike range
Giant Propel Advanced SL
The Propel Advanced SL range consists of two specs, both with the same Advanced SL grade composite frame. This has a seatmast, rather than a conventional seatpost, with a topper that can be adjusted by 45mm once the seatmast has been cut, offering a certain amount of adjustability.
The Propel Advanced SL is also available as a frameset for £3,799.
Giant Propel Advanced SL 0
Top of the Propel range is the Propel Advanced SL 0, which we reviewed soon after launch in 2022. It’s equipped with wheels from Cadex, Giant’s performance brand and other premium components.
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Shimano Dura-Ace double sided
- Wheels: Cadex 50 Ultra Disc
- Price: £11,999
Giant Propel Advanced SL 1
The Propel Advanced SL 1 has the same grade frame material as the Advanced SL 0, just with a lower spec groupset and wheels.
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Cadex 50 Disc
- Price: £8,999
Giant Propel Advanced Pro
The Propel Advanced Pro frame is made from Giant’s Advanced grade composite, although it has the same Advanced SL grade carbon fork as its pricier peers. It swaps out the seatmast of the SL frameset for an aero seatpost with conventional adjustment.
Giant sells the Propel Advanced Pro as a frameset for £2,199.
Giant Propel Advanced Pro 0
The Advanced Pro 0 swaps from Cadex wheels to Giant, although they’re still carbon and fitted with 25mm Cadex tyres.
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 50 Carbon Disc
- Price: £6,299
Giant Propel Advanced Pro 1
The Advanced Pro 1’s SRAM Rival groupset is a popular mid-priced choice and is supplied with the in-series single-sided power meter. It has the same Giant SLR 1 wheelset as the 0 spec.
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS 48/35t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Rival single sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 50 Carbon Disc
- Price: £5,499
Giant Propel Advanced
As with the two higher grade carbon framesets, the Propel Advanced is available at two spec levels, in its case 1 and 2. It swaps out the Advanced SL carbon fork for Advanced grade carbon.
Giant Propel Advanced 1
The Advanced 1 is equipped with a SRAM Rival groupset, without a power meter. It still gets 50mm deep Giant carbon wheels, although they’re the SLR 2 version rather than the SLR 1 on the Advanced Pro bikes.
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS 48/35t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant SLR 2 50 Carbon Disc
- Price: £4,499
Giant Propel Advanced 2
Giant’s entry-level Propel model is equipped with a 12-speed mechanical Shimano 105 groupset and Giant alloy wheels.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant P-A2 Disc alloy
- Price: £2,999
Giant TCR bike range
The most recent Giant road bike to receive a make-over was the TCR, in March 2024. The main new feature is front end integration with hidden cable runs through the same aero bars and stems as used for the Propel.
Giant TCR Advanced SL
As with the Propel, Giant offers its TCR Advanced SL frame with premium components and prices to match. But whereas the Propel Advanced SL is Shimano-only, there are parallel SRAM options for the TCR Advanced SL, so there are four specs rather than the Propel’s two.
Again similar to the Propel Advanced SL, the bikes at this level have an integrated seatmast with a height-adjustable topper, rather than a standard seatpost.
There’s a frameset only option, priced at £2,899 in raw carbon or £2,999 in Giant-AlUla team blue.
Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 DA
The Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 carries the same pricetag as the top spec Propel. It’s equipped with Cadex’s latest 40 Max Disc wheel system with 28mm Cadex tyres.
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Shimano Dura-Ace double sided
- Wheels: Cadex 40 Max Disc
- Price: £11,999
Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Red
Giant also sells the top spec TCR Advanced SL 0 for the same price with the updated SRAM Red AXS groupset and the same Cadex 40 Max Disc wheels.
- Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 48/35t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Red double sided
- Wheels: Cadex 40 Max Disc
- Price: £11,999
Giant TCR Advanced SL 1 AXS
The next spec down the range has a SRAM Force AXS groupset with a power meter and swaps out the wheels for Giant ones, still with carbon spokes and Dynamic Balanced Lacing.
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS 46/33t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Force double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 0 40 Carbon Disc
- Price: £8,999
Giant TCR Advanced SL 1
Finally, there’s a Shimano Ultegra spec, with a Giant power meter and the same Giant SLR 0 40 wheels.
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 0 40 Carbon Disc
- Price: £8,799
Giant TCR Advanced Pro
The TCR Advanced Pro loses the integrated seatmast of the Advanced SL. As usual, specs are designed to make the bikes more affordable for the non-pro rider. The Pro range retains the same Advanced SL grade fork as the SL bike.
There’s a choice of five specs with Shimano or SRAM 12-speed groupsets and all the bikes are equipped with Giant SLR 40 carbon wheels.
Giant TCR Advanced Pro 0 AXS
The Pro AXS is equipped with SRAM Force AXS groupset with power meter and keeps the same Giant SLR 0 wheels as the Advanced SL 1 AXS, while shaving over £2,000 off that bike’s price.
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS 46/33t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Force double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 0 40 Carbon Disc
- Price: £6,699
Giant TCR Advanced Pro 0 Di2
There’s a comparable price decrease for the Ultegra-equipped Pro model from the SL framed bike too.
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 0 40 Carbon Disc
- Price: £6,499
Giant TCR Advanced Pro 1 AXS
The Pro 1 models move one tier down the groupset pecking order. In the case of the Pro 1 AXS, that means SRAM Rival. The wheelset also drops down a spec level.
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS 48/35t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Halo spider based
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 40 Carbon Disc
- Price: £4,999
Giant TCR Advanced Pro 1 Di2
The Pro 1 Di2 spec swaps to Shimano 105 Di2 from Ultegra electronic shifting and includes a Giant power meter.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 40 Carbon Disc
- Price: £4,899
Giant TCR Advanced Pro 2
Finally, the TCR Advanced Pro 2 has a 12-speed Shimano 105 groupset with a Giant Power Pro power meter. Although it’s the only Pro-level bike with mechanical shifting, it retains the same Giant SLR 1 wheels as the Pro 1 specs.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 40 Carbon Disc
- Price: £3,999
Giant TCR Advanced
The final card in Giant’s TCR hand is the Advanced level bike range. This swaps to an Advanced grade fork from the SL and Pro ranges’ Advanced SL grade.
The Advanced range follows the same pattern of increasingly affordable specs. All but the TCR Advanced 2 offer electronic shifting and only the lower two of the four specs have alloy wheels rather than carbon.
Giant TCR Advanced 0 AXS
The Advanced 0 AXS model is equipped with a Rival groupset, although without a power meter. There’s also a decrease in rim depth for the carbon wheels to 36mm from 40mm, although still with Giant’s Dynamic Balanced Lacing.
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS 48/35t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant SLR 2 36 Carbon Disc
- Price: £3,799
Giant TCR Advanced 0 Di2
The Advanced 0 Di2 has a Shimano 105 Di2 groupset, but not a power meter. It shares the Giant SLR 2 36 carbon wheels of the AXS variant.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant SLR 2 36 Carbon Disc
- Price: £3,699
Giant TCR Advanced 1
Swapping from Giant carbon wheels to alloy ones saves you £500 from the price of the Advanced 0 Di2; otherwise its spec remains the same.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant P-R2 Disc alloy
- Price: £3,199
Giant TCR Advanced 2
The Advanced 2 bike swaps to mechanical 105 12-speed shifting, but otherwise shares the spec of the Advanced 1 bike.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 52/36t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant P-R2 Disc alloy
- Price: £2,699
Giant Defy bike range
There are familiar themes to the Defy endurance bikes: three frame specs, two fork grades and integrated cabling. The SL grade frame is new to the Defy, the previous generation stopping at the Pro frame grade, and results in a claimed 228g reduction in frame weight.
There’s no frameset-only option.
Giant Defy Advanced SL
The Giant Defy Advanced SL frame differs from the Propel and TCR Advanced SL in having a separate seatpost rather than a seatmast, despite Giant claiming that the seatmast increases frame compliance in its highest grade frames for the other two lines.
Two models are available.
Giant Defy Advanced SL 0
Giant specs its top Defy model with SRAM Red AXS, but rather than the semi-compact 48/35t on the TCR and Propel, the 46/33t is equivalent to a compact. It’s paired with a 10-36t cassette for a wide gear spread.
- Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 46/33t 12-speed
- Power meter: SRAM Red double sided
- Wheels: Cadex 36 Disc
- Price: £11,499
Giant Defy Advanced SL 1
The Defy SL 1 is equipped with a compact Shimano Ultegra groupset with a power meter and swaps down from Cadex to Giant branded wheels.
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 50/34t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 36 Carbon Disc
- Price: £8,499
Giant Defy Advanced Pro
Step down to the Pro level bike and Advanced grade composite is used, in place of Advanced SL, although the Advanced SL grade fork is continued.
Three models are available.
Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0
Although the Defy Advanced Pro has an Advanced grade frame, rather than Advanced SL carbon, it otherwise retains the same spec as the SL 1 above.
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 50/34t 12-speed
- Power meter: Giant Power Pro double sided
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 36 Carbon Disc
- Price: £5,999
Giant Defy Advanced Pro 1
Another step down the range sees Ultegra swapped out for 105 Di2. The bike loses its power meter too.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 50/34t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant SLR 1 36 Carbon Disc
- Price: £4,599
Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2
Finally, the Advanced Pro 2 has a mechanical Shimano 105 12-speed groupset and a downspec of the Giant carbon wheels.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 50/34t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant SLR 2 36 Carbon Disc
- Price: £3,499
Giant Defy Advanced
Giant sells its Defy Advanced in four models, again starting with electronic options from SRAM and Shimano, while its entry-level spec is the only Giant carbon road bike to be fitted with 10-speed Tiagra. All bikes come with alloy wheels, rather than carbon.
Giant Defy Advanced 0
The Defy Advanced 0 has a SRAM Rival compact-equivalent 46/33t groupset with a 10-36t cassette.
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS 46/33t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant P-R2 Disc alloy
- Price: £3,299
Giant Defy Advanced 1
The 1 spec has 105 Di2 electronic shifting with a 50/34t compact crankset and 11-36t cassette.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 50/34t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant P-R2 Disc alloy
- Price: £3,199
Giant Defy Advanced 2
As with the TCR, the Advanced 2 bike has a mechanical 105 12-speed groupset, but otherwise shares the spec of the Advanced 1 bike. Its price dips below £3,000.
- Groupset: Shimano 105 50/34t 12-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant P-R2 Disc alloy
- Price: £2,699
Giant Defy Advanced 3
Giant’s entry-level Defy is 10-speed and has a lower spec alloy wheelset than the rest of the Defy Advanced range.
- Groupset: Shimano Tiagra 50/34t 10-speed
- Power meter: None
- Wheels: Giant S-R2 Disc alloy
- Price: £2,299
Giant Propel vs TCR vs Defy: which should you choose?
The choice between the Giant Propel and Giant TCR is largely down to how aero you want to be; in other respects, the bikes are quite similar: same geometry, same spec and component choices.
There’s likely to be a marginal weight advantage to the TCR, although with the latest Propel having thinned out it isn’t going to be that great for a similar spec. The prices of the two bikes are similar too for similar specs across the range.
The Propel’s ride and, with the same components fitted, its ease of maintenance and adjustment aren’t out of line with the TCR either.
The Propel’s 25mm tyres feel a little narrow by modern standards, even for an aero bike. Canyon, for example, fits a 25mm at the front but a 28mm at the rear of its Aeroad. There’s room in the Propel to up that to 28mm, but that’s bettered by the TCR’s 33mm if you want to shield yourself more from the road surface when you make a tyre upgrade.
Don’t rule out the Defy. Although on paper it’s designed for the endurance rider, when tech editor Sam Challis reviewed the Defy Advanced SL 0, he found that it still had ‘many of the hallmarks of a race bike in a package that is far better suited to normal riders and the roads they ride on’, concluding that the Defy ‘is one of the best designs you’ll find to prove that race bikes can and perhaps should be consigned strictly to those who race, as the Defy is an excellent option for every other circumstance out on the road’.
Read our reviews of the Giant Propel and Giant Defy for our ride impressions and our news piece on the 2024 TCR for more detail.
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