It’s worth noting that since it was launched in
2009, the Defy’s geometry has remained pretty much the same as it was
almost a decade ago.
Given the Defy is the brand’s best-selling road platform, the Contend holds its roots in a bike with a serious pedigree.
With
this, it’s no surprise that the Contend rides quite similar to the
Defy. With a slightly shorter rear-end and a 72.5-degree head angle in a
size Medium, it’s a tad more lively diving into corners at speed, but
the handling is stable and confidence-inspiring and not twitchy or
unnerving.
The Giant Connect bars have a nice compact drop
With a relatively short reach (377mm) and tall 165mm head tube, the
Contend puts the rider into an upright position meaning you don’t need
to be a yoga master to have the flexibility to reach the drops.
With
the front end being only half a degree shallower than Giant’s racing
platforms the TCR and the Propel, there is still plenty of weight over
the front
wheel, and it doesn't feel like you're driving a boat as some less aggressive bikes do.
The
frame itself is made from Giant ALUXX butted aluminium, and the brand
has always believed the smaller triangles create a stiffer frame, while
using less material to shed unwanted weight — Giant calls this 'Compact
Road Design'.
In addition to the shorter chainstays, the Contend
also has slightly dropped seatstays, which creates a stiff pedalling
platform and allows the seat tube some additional flex for added
compliance.
The slightly dropped chainstays allow the seat tube to flex a bit
The Contend hasn't got the beefy bottom bracket area many of its
carbon brethren do, but whether it was wrenching on the bars at the top
of a steep climb, sprinting for a light, or powering into a headwind
seated I couldn't detect any flex in the frame. This is quite an
achievement given there are bikes that cost twice as much that you can’t
say the same thing about.
At the front, there is a
hybrid
composite fork meaning the fork legs are carbon and the steer tube is
alloy — the steerer is also tapered, which translates to a stiffer front
end and more precise handling.
On smooth roads, the Contend feels
connected to the road, but doesn’t feel dead, as can happen with some
bikes in this category. When the road surface deteriorates, the
combination of a stiff frame and all-alloy components makes the ride a
bit harsh through the touch points.
There's a Sora derailleur at the back
Spinning the gears is
Shimano’s
Sora R300 9-speed drivetrain. The biggest difference (other than the
updated aesthetic) is the shifters route the cable under the bar tape.
When compared to the higher end Shimano levers there is a bit of play in
the shifter but achieving accurate shifts is no issue. And, with an
11-32 at the back and compact 34/50 chainrings at the front there is
plenty of range to get you up steep climbs.
The Contend rolls on Giant’s own SR-3 rims and 25c S-R4
tires.
The alloy wheels are 17 wide between the tire bead and support the 25c
rubber nicely, and the tires provide decent grip and not too much
rolling resistance either.
Kudos to Giant for not specing uber-cheap tires, whose compound is more akin to plastic than rubber.
Giant
did, however, save a bit of coin with the unlabeled Tektro TK-R312
Giant Specific, Dual Pivot brakes. They don’t provide the same level of
braking power and modulation as their Shimano brethren but they still
get the job done.
The unbranded Tektro brakes don't offer quite the same modulation as their Shimano counterparts
With all manner of rack and fender mounts, Giant’s Contend will serve
well a daily commuter and for your weekend adventures too. It’s not
likely to be found at the top of your local crit’s podium, but that’s
not quite its intended use.
Priced $860 the Contend performs well above its price tag.
For
new riders or those looking for a daily commuter, the performance and
the price on offer with the Contend are hard to pass up.
By
Colin Levitch
