What does the Features of New TCR Defy look like?

Giant has just updated its endurance road bike Defy, which is fully internally routed, lighter and has a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio.

Reduce weight and increase stiffness

Entering the era of disc brakes, the unavoidable topic is weight reduction. Although Defy may not appear in top competitions now, for ordinary users, bikes that are lighter and have a certain stiffness are easier to ride, so the new generation Defy continues to lose weight and increase stiffness.

Giant officially announced the stiffness data of the frame this time, using the test standard established by the German Tour magazine with an M-size frame. Compared with the previous generation Defy Advanced Pro, Defy Advanced SL has an 8.9% increase in transmission stiffness.

The new generation Defy Adv level frame weight has also dropped to 860 grams, which is lighter than the previous generation. The top Defy Adv SL frame weight is only 785 grams, and the front fork is only 345 grams. If the front fork is cut off, The weight is estimated to be only about 320 grams, which is very light.

Compared to the overall weight of the frameset

Let’s start with the frame. Each Defy frame is hand-built at Giant’s own composite manufacturing facility to meet specific targets for key factors such as vertical compliance. At the rear of the bike, dropped seatstays absorb road shock and vibration from the rear wheel to the rider. At the front, a newly designed fork made from Giant’s Advanced SL or Advanced composite (depending on the series) absorbs impacts transmitted upward through the front wheel.

Defy Advanced SL frameset: 228.4 grams lighter than the 2023 Defy Advanced Pro.

New Defy Advanced Pro frameset: 153.4 grams lighter than the 2023 Defy Advanced Pro.

New Defy Advanced frameset: 117.4 grams lighter than the 2023 Defy Advanced Pro.

The new generation of Defy comprehensively improves stiffness, stiffness-to-weight ratio, and reduces weight.

D-Fuse technology is a technology developed by Giant to improve riding comfort. Its name comes from the "D" shaped cross-sectional structure. This technology is mainly used on bicycle seat tubes and handlebars.

Compared to traditional round seat posts, the D-Fuse seat post has a flat “D” shaped cross-section. This design allows the seat tube to be more flexible in the vertical direction, thereby absorbing more road vibration and improving riding comfort.

Giant also brings us the new D-Fuse seat post and Contact SLR/SL D-Fuse handlebar this time.

The new bent handlebar has a better ergonomic design and shorter reach. The lower handlebar also has an 8-degree outward design, which is more in line with the orientation of comfortable and endurance long-distance riding. Unfortunately, this bar only offers a minimum width of 40cm, which is still too wide for many users.

The tire volume of the new Defy has been increased to 38mm, and whether it can be used for geared tires needs further verification. The top-level frame is equipped with a CADEX 36 wheelset with an inner width of 22.4mm and a hookless 36mm frame.

It adopts the same internal pedal type similar to Propel, and uses new stems according to different levels of bikes - Contact SLR AeroLight, Contact SL AeroLight or Contact AeroLight (aluminum alloy).

Geometry

The geometric diagram of this generation of Defy is shown above. The chainstay length of the entire series is 420mm, which also marks its endurance orientation. Some riders asked about the necessity of buying TCR when Defy is so light. The answer is geometry. Geometry determines the riding experience of a bike to a large extent. For example, the chainstay length of all TCR series is 405mm, which will accelerate the bike very quickly. A 420mm bike like Defy will look like it has a tail. The same, the advantage is stability.

It is worth noting that the height of the new generation Defy is lower than that of the previous generation, and it is suitable for a wider range of people.

However, Stack and Reach are a bit more radical than the previous generation, but overall they are still in line with the comfortable positioning of endurance.