Giant Defy Advanced Pro 1 › The most affordable bike on test comes out on top
WINNER
This is a pretty striking test, featuring six of the most exciting new bikes for 2019. That five of them happen to be aero road bikes shows that particular trend has no intention of abating, and they’re all disc-braked, highlighting where road bikes are heading.
Choosing a winner isn’t easy, as every bike here has incredible merits and we’d feel privileged to own any of them. Cannondale’s first strike at an aero bike is a brilliant achievement. It’s seriously fast and battles through the wind with ease; it handles like its legendary Evo race bike; but it’s carrying a few more grams than we’d have liked in this specification.
Orbea’s Orca Aero Disc is a razorsharp handling bike with a light, reactive front end. It’ll excite you and help you hit PBs all day every day, but does ride firmer than some with its stiff, narrow wheels.
Trek’s Madone is stunning – we’ve never ridden a bike this fast, nimble and smooth. It fully deserves all the accolades coming its way, but the £10,000 price is tough to swallow.
Cervélo’s new S5 combines radical looks and thinking in a bike that covers ground with ease. It reacts to steering inputs like a classic race bike and rolls smoothly over rough surfaces. Specialized’s Venge Pro is basically an S-Works light, with 90 per cent of the performance of the bike Sagan keeps winning on for less cash, but compared to its rivals you could argue it’s lower specced.
That just leaves the Giant Defy, which proves that endurance bikes don’t have to be boring. The clever carbon manipulation, luxurious ride and considered design add up to a bike that replaces a category leader with a lighter, faster, superior bike that won’t break the bank. So, the Defy comes out on top, but every bike here is a stunner. You will need deep pockets, but you won’t be