Giant Bikes
Taiwan is the home of the modern bike industry, including some of the biggest bike firms on the planet. And none comes any bigger than Giant.
Giant began life in the early 1970s producing lightweight chromoly bikes for other brands. However, so high was its manufacturing quality and attention to detail that in 1981 Giant decided to strike out with its own self-named range of models.
Since then Giant’s success has been phenomenal, combining incredible cycle engineering innovations with astute market awareness. With annual global sales of 6.3 million bikes, Giant’s output incorporates everything from the very highest-end road race and mountain bikes, to the most popular hybrid and city cycles. In fact, whatever type of bike you want, Giant will make it — and it’ll probably make it better than most of the competition.
Giant by name, and a true cycle manufacturing giant by nature.
Greatest moment
Unquestionably Giant’s finest moment was introducing the first ‘Compact Road’ frame to the market. Until 1997, road bikes had always had level top tubes. However, Giant’s chief designer at the time, Mike Burrows — who had previously created Chris Boardman’s famous Lotus bike — hit upon the idea of making road bikes with a sloping to tube.
For Giant it was a sensible business decision. Unlike traditional road bike frames that have to be sized reasonably accurately to the rider, with compact frames Giant only had to produce three different frame sizes that could be fitted to around 90% of customers.
For Burrows and his engineering ideals, thought, a sloping top tube was perfect. The tighter rear triangle made power transfer more direct and the bike feel stiffer. The longer seatpost gave a little bit more vertical compliance — or comfort — than traditional frames. The combined effect of this longer seatpost and shorter seatstays made for a more aerodynamic design. And in total, the reduced amount of metal or carbon used to make a compact frame meant the finished product was lighter than a traditional bike frame.
The first Giant Compact Road frame made its debut appearance being ridden by the ONCE professional race team at the Tour de France, and since 1997 it’s been a constant sight in elite races. But perhaps a greater sign of its inherent genius is the fact that it’s also been copied by the entire road bike industry to the point where compact road frames now are the norm.
View The Giants Bikes Range
Range highlights:
Giant TCR Advanced SL1 – £4,245.00 – 0% Finance Available from £100.23 Per Month
Giant TCR Advanced SL 1 – £4,245.00
Giant’s flagship compact frame bike is the direct descendent of that original Compact Road frame. The TCR Advanced SL 1 features an ultra-lightweight carbon frame with strengthened areas around the steerer tube for accurate control and at the bottom bracket for superb power transfer
View the Giant TCR Advanced SL 1 Road Bike
Giant Anthem Advanced 27.5 0 – £5,495.00 – 0% Finance Available from £129.74 Per Month
Giant Anthem Advanced 27.5 0 Team – £5,495.00
It’s not only on the road that Giant has been at the very cutting edge. In 2006 it introduced its own Maestro full-suspension design and this is still being ridden by some of the best off-road riders in the world. The Anthem Advanced 27.5 0 Team comes with 4 inches of rear travel and a purpose-built frame designed to make the most of 27.5in wheels
View the Giant Anthem Advanced Mountain Bike
Giant Escape 3 – £295.00 – 0% Finance Available from £6.97 Per Month
Giant Escape 3
With Giant you don’t have to spend thousands on race-winning machines to find cycling excellence. The Escape 3 is Giant’s entry-level hybrid, but it comes with a finely-engineered aluminium frame, smooth-rolling 700c wheels, and name-brand components throughout, all for a bargain price tag.
View the Giant Escape 3 Hybrid Bike
Giant Glory 27.5″ – £4,745.00 – 0% Finance Available from £112.03 Per Month
View Giant Glory Full Suspension Mountain Bike
Glory 27.5 £4,745
Giant’s answer in the quest to create the most complete big-hit downhill machine: the two-bike Glory range features a whopping 203mmm of Maestro suspension, mounted to a super-strong ALUXX aluminium frame, all tested and approved by the Giant Factory Off-Road race team. With enhanced front-end stiffness and all-new downhill-optimised geometry, this is an amazing bike. The Glory 1 comes with Shimano Zee Shadow Plus gears and hydraulic disc brakes, RockShox Vivid R2C shock and RockShox Boxxer RC 200mm fork; while the Glory 0 features SRAM X01 gears, SRAM Guide hydraulic brakes, RockShox Vivid R2C shock and RockShox Boxxer Team 200mm fork.
Giant Road Bikes
Giant Hardtail Mountain Bikes
Giant Hybrids
Giant Full Suspension Mountain Bikes
Giant Electric Bikes
Giant Kids Bikes
Giant Ladies Road Bikes
Giant Ladies MTB
Latest Posts
The Pinnacle of Endurance Road Performance?
19 March 2015
Quite a claim but I really needed to be sure so I planned an epic day, setting off at 12 noon to ride for 24hrs, heading for Oban from my home near Settle.How I (and the bike!) fared…more
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Giant TCX Advanced 2 Preview
04 February 2015
After a summer of riding a Giant Defy Composite 2, it was time to choose a new bike. Given that winter was coming, and most of my riding would be the daily commute I settled on the most sensible choice, a Cyclocross bike. Lightweight, nimble and ideal for canal path riding and road use. The Giant TCX became the new test machine…more
Finance options are available on all Giant Road bikes , your dream bike could be yours with 3 years 0% finance available on all new Giant Road bikes from All Terrain Cycles.