Cycling News — 2021

04 DECEMBER 2020 With daylight dwindling in the fall season of the Northern Hemisphere, Singletracks.com published a roundup review of this year’s top light systems for night riding. Their list of 12 includes two models in the Giant Recon series: the Recon HL 1800 and the Recon HL 800. Tester Brian Gerow named the Recon HL 1800 the “Best trail and commuter combo,” claiming that it “is a bright beam at a reasonable price that spreads its light to the sides well, making it an ideal handlebar floodlight.” Gerow was impressed with the HL 1800’s Smart Mode feature, writing: “The light stands out from the...

12 NOVEMBER 2020 Road.cc published a feature on the year’s best sportive bikes and included two Giant selections on its list of 19. Editors highlighted the Defy range and the Contend range as bikes they recommend “for long, fast endurance rides.” Describing the criteria for road.cc’s selections, tester David Arthur wrote: “Sportive bikes—also known as endurance bikes—are ‘softer,’ more comfortable versions of race-oriented road bikes. They have slightly more relaxed handling, frames tuned to smooth the ride and capacity for wider tyres along with a less stretched-out riding position.” The Defy and Contend ranges include a wide variety of models and price points. Road.cc claims both...

11 NOVEMBER 2020 Bicycling Magazine selected the Contend road bike for a feature story titled “The Best Road Bikes You Can Buy Right Now.” Editors named the Contend 3 model the “Best for New Riders.” “Giant’s entry-level road bikes have consistently amazed us with their performance and smooth ride,” claimed Bicycling’s test team. “The newest generation Contend is a little sharper handling without losing its less aggressive riding position. And it still offers superb performance that far exceeds expectations.” Test editors Matt Jacobs and Gabriel Lodge wrote a full review of the Contend 3 last year, stating: “I can plainly say that this frame is on...

04 NOVEMBER 2020 Road.cc published a review of the new TCR Advanced Pro Disc, claiming that the road racing machine boasts “exceptional all-round performance” and is “well worth the money.” Editors gave it a nearly perfect 4.5-star ranking. Road.cc tester Mat Brett reported on some of the key features and technologies of the TCR Advanced Pro Disc, including its new tube shaping used to achieve a perfect balance of stiffness, aerodynamic efficiency, and a smooth ride quality. “You immediately notice the Advanced Pro Disc’s tube shapes,” Brett wrote. “The head tube, down tube and fork all feature truncated aerofoils that are designed, Giant says, to...

03 NOVEMBER 2020 Bicycling Magazine highlighted the new TCR Advanced SL Disc in a feature on its website titled “The Best Road Bikes You Can Buy Right Now.” Editors named the TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc, the flagship model of the new TCR range, the “Best New Race Bike.” “Giant’s premier race bike gets a full redesign for model year 2021,” wrote Bicycling editors. “The frame is 140 grams lighter, which helps keep the top-of-the-line model at just 14.5 pounds (size large)—impressive for a bike with a power meter, disc brakes and 42mm-deep tubeless-ready wheels.” Bobby Lea, Test Editor for Bicycling, wrote up a...