GIANT CONTEND:
Best Road Bike Under R10-K + Avalanche Estrada, Trek Roscoe
II wish this bike had been available five years ago when I was at university, working part-time to pay the rent and buy a road bike; it would have made my life so much simpler. Instead of worrying about the validity of an 'AWESOME DEAL' on Gumtree, which I did for weeks, I could have gone straight to my local bike shop, bought a new bike, and saved thousands of bucks.
Testing this bike was a daily reminder that price doesn’t always determine quality. Five years ago I paid double the cost of the Contend 3 for a bike that was less comfortable and not quite as lively.
Sure, a 16-speed Claris group, Tektro rim brakes and an aluminium fork aren’t going to make this bike a favourite for the Giant-sponsored CCC WorldTour race team; but this set-up is plenty capable for a lot of riders.
I took the Contend 3 on some of my favourite climbs, then my
favourite descents, and the frame felt as stiff and comfortable as other aluminium road bikes I’ve ridden that are literally twice the price. The geometry places you in a relatively upright position, which made riding near tempo and spinning uphill feel less taxing than it does on racier models, and it was surprisingly compliant when I exceeded 35km/h.
On rough roads, the Contend does a better job of damping vibration than a lot of low-cost bikes, which made me feel more stable because I wasn’t bouncing around as much. And with less high-frequency vibration shaking my hands and arms, I could relax more; it felt like I had more energy towards the end of longer adventures.
The Contend has a cost-saving 8-speed cassette (more expensive bikes have 9- or 10-speed options, and the best have 11 or 12), but there’s a wide spread of gears, from 11 to 34. Paired with a 50/34 compact chainring, the set-up gives you an easy-enough option to spin over most hills, so you can tackle more challenging routes.
You can feel the bike’s weight when climbing, but it never seems an unfair burden, given the price and the pleasing ride. This bike isn’t intended for people who prioritise low weight, anyway; it’s made for cyclists who want to explore their roads and cycle lanes atop a road bike that doesn’t make non-cyclists’ jaws drop when they learn how much it costs.
It’s a lower-priced aluminium bike designed for a roadie who wants to do great rides all week, not work 80 hours just to be able to afford a more expensive steed. And for the cyclist who wants to spin casually one afternoon, ride comfortably during a gran fondo, and vie for a Strava KOM on an organised group ride – all on the same bike.
If I had R10k budgeted to buy a bike, I’d buy this bike. Then I’d go on a lot of rides, and get more than my money’s worth. –