Giant Contend, a new line of aluminum road bikes
2017 Giant Contend SL Disc
The 2017 Giant Contend SL 1 is an aluminum bike built with the company's ALUXX SL process. Up front, it has a hybrid composite fork.
The 2017 Giant Contend SL Disc 1 features flat-mount disc brakes.
The 2017 Giant Contend 1 features rim brakes, an ALUXX frame and a 27.2-mm diameter seatpost.
Recently, Giant launched its new line of aluminum road bikes called Contend. The range includes three machines: Contend SL Disc, Contend SL and Contend.
The Taiwan-based company is known for its wide range of bikes, from carbon-fibre WorldTour machines to solid commuters. In the field of composite bikes, it’s one of the few companies that controls every step of the carbon-fibre production process. Despite Giant’s expertise in carbon, it’s also no stranger to aluminum. The 13th element has been turned into frames for years by what the company calls its ALUXX Aluminum Technology, which is used on bikes from the race-oriented TCR to cross country-focused Anthem. Each Contend in the new line is built through the ALUXX system.
Giant says the Contend bikes have an endurance geometry: less aggressive than a race rig and more comfortable for a rider who hasn’t yet developed the racer’s flexibility. Still, the Condents aren’t cruisers. The company says each bike has “quick and agile riding characteristics.” They look like just the bikes for your first forays into big rides or big efforts at the races.
Giant Contend SL Disc
At the top of Contend line is the SL Disc, made with the second-tier ALUXX process, called ALUXX SL. The fork is an Advanced-grade hybrid composite. Under the saddle is the D-Fuse seatpost. It first appeared on the 2014 TCX cyclocross bike, allowing for more flex in the seatpost to manage vibrations sent up through the frame. The frame itself also has technologies seen on other Giant bikes. The OverDrive steerer uses an 1 1/8″ top and an 1 1/4″ bottom bearing, which keep things stiff at the head tube and keep the steering crisp. The MegaDrive down tube carries that stiffness down to the bottom bracket.
The frame also comes with integrated rack and fender mounts if you want to commute or load up for multi-day rides.
Of course, the “disc” in the name of the bike refers the rotors that are slowed by flat-mount calipers.
Contend SL/Contend
The Contend SL and Contend have many of the features of the Contend SL Disc, but rely on rim brakes to scrub the speed. The Contend is made with Giant’s ALUXX process, which sits below ALUXX SL. It also has a 27.2-mm diameter seatpost instead of the D-Fuse.
