05.04.2019 | Reading time - 8 min(s)

Giant Propel Advanced Road Bike Review

Posted in: Customer Services, Road Cycling

Here at the Bike Coop, we like to encourage our staff to test out all of our bikes to give them a first hand knowledge of the product to help inform your decision better as to which bike will be best for you. In this Giant bicycles review, our now ex-colleague Torquil takes you through his thoughts of the 2019 Giant Propel Advanced Pro 2. First though, we thought we would take you through the main features of the 2023 Giant Propel range and who would benefit best from these.

While there is no question that Giant Propel is the fastest of Giant road bikes on the flat, in a straight line, for a lighter, faster, climbers bike, check out the Giant TCR or for a long-distance endurance road bike, check out Defy Giant bikes.

It can be an excellent time to buy a Giant bicycle as there is a sale on Giant bicycles for sale where you can get selected top models for discount prices.

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Giant Propel range 2023

First and foremost, the Giant Propel is a race road bike that is designed for speed and straight line stability with. An Aero road bike to be precise; meaning the tubes and shape of the bike are optimised for aero performance to slice through the air and reduce the amount of drag produced - this is displayed throughout the entire range. In the first part of this article, we will break down the main features of the brand new Propel and the main features and benefits to this aero road bike.

The frame and wheels

All of the Giant Propel range come with an advanced grade composite material(Carbon composite) frame and fork giving exceptional stiffness for maximum power transfer in propelling you forward but with a hint of compliance in the right places for a more comfortable ride quality (it used to be the case that the most efficient bicycles were incredible uncomfortable but this is definitely not the case any more). The wheels that come with the Propel range are what we term 'deep section' meaning that the rims are deeper which optimises aerodynamic performance and decreases the drag. Dynamic wind tunnel testing has led to the best overall aero performance.

Aerodynamics

What makes it aero? Apart from the deeper rim on the wheels already discussed, it is the shape of the frame that gives this bike its other aerodynamic qualities. If you look closely at the Propel range, you will see that the frame tubes are a longer teardrop shape - this helps the air attach to the surface as it passes and detach in a way to create less drag. This is optimised to every yaw angle (the angle that the air passes the frame) So this, in a nutshell, is aero. Giant have even designed specific water bottle cages for these bikes that reduce drag. As there is more material required for Aero frames, the question of how much the bike weighs comes up.

Weight

As mentioned, it does require more material for aerodynamic wheels and frames which does result in a heavier bike ('heavier' is not the same thing as 'heavy', we are talking relatively compared to the lightest climbers bikes). How this extra weight is justified is that on the flat or rolling terrain, the aero advantages outweight the weight penalties but the Propel is still a light weight bike. That said, the 2023 version of the Propel is the lightest iteration of this race bike.

Handling

Another classic difference about an aero road bike compared to a climbers road bike is the handling. One of the trade offs of having a very fast straight-line bike (Propel) is that you sacrifice the handling on corners but again this version of the Propel has the best handling of any of the Propels so far.

Wheels (Again)

Depending on which model you choose, some of the Giant Propel range come with carbon composite wheels to decrease the weight, increase the stiffness and vastly improve the handling.

Sizing guide and geometry

The sizing of the Giant Propel is characterised by a more agressive race position which essentially means the bike is longer and lower at the front. This also helps in putting the rider in a more aerodynamic riding position also. To have a look at which sizes are recommended, see our size guide here for men and for women.

We hope this has helped with your decision on whether the Propel is right for you. The only thing left then, is to hand over to Torquil with his review of the slightly older model.

*This review is for the 2019 version of the Giant Propel Advanced Pro 2.

The Cooperative first met Torquil Hall as a teenager he purchased his trusty Revolution Country Traveller from our Leeds store and set off to explore Scandinavia by bike. Three years later he was back, working in our Leeds shop and sharing his expertise with customers. Although he’s recently moved to a very busy (and rather more lucrative) job with a legal firm, but still riding the Country Traveller to work most days, Torq was still more than happy to make the time to test our Giant Propel Advanced Pro 2 up England’s longest paved climb. This bike is available to demo from any of our shops.

Another option for dirty days on British roads are the Giant cyclocross and gravel bikes or Giant hybrid bikes work in the UK too.

GIANT PROPEL ADVANCED PRO 2 REVIEW

Giant Propel Advanced Pro 2 Review

From the outset I must confess I own, race (and adore) a Giant TCR. She’s quick over all the roads I ride and she’s a dependable ride. Therefore, when given the opportunity to ride Giant’s aerodynamic equivalent I thought I’d try see if it could handle a rather dirty day out on some classic British back roads. To that end I decided to take this aero bike up the highest paved road in England (Great Dun Fell) on a very windy late winter day. A combination of twisty back lanes, A-roads, puddles and very steep climbs set at the foot of the North Pennies provided ample opportunity to really get to know the Giant Propel. Not to spoil the surprise but it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Brand Giant Bikes

First Impressions

Straight away I felt reassured by how immediate the Giant felt when putting a bit of pressure through the pedals. The handling is responsive, secure and fills you with confidence – something many bikes struggle to do. These are characteristics very high up on my agenda for a road bike as a nice snappy change of direction comes into use whether it’s surviving a busy bunch in a road race or darting across lines to dodge a puddle.

Very soon I reached the bottom of the monstrous Great Dun Fell. Climbing up to 830m over 4.5 miles and several 20% ramps, it’s not exactly where you’d think to take an aero bike. On the approach to the climb the Propel felt comfortable; filtering out road buzz and bumps well. As soon as the road pitched up though the frame still felt stiff in the right places. Out of the saddle you really feel like all your power (even such little power in my case) was being transferred into forward motion.

Sat at 830m of altitude the idea of descending on carbon rims in a cross wind on an aero bike wasn’t filling with me with glee but to be honest the Propel handled things far better than I expected. I will admit that on the steeper sections I would have quite liked some disc brakes just to give me some more modulation and confidence to let the bike loose on the damp surfaces (how convenient that one can purchase a Propel with discs!) but vitally the bike feels well balanced on the descents. Indeed later in the ride, on the smooth curvy descent of Hartside the bike felt in it’s element. Solid, quick and so smooth in the turns.

What Else I Like

My second favourite thing about the bike was the wheels. The carbon deep sections fitted to the Advanced Pro 2 spec give the bike an incredible feel. On the flat the bike absolutely charges along. A bike at this price shouldn’t feel this quick but the Propel just gallops down the road when you give it a bit of welly. I can’t fully describe the feeling but if you’ve ridden deep sections before you’ll know it, the only difference with the Giant being you’ve spent far less for the privilege. Admittedly they’re not the snazziest of wheels on offer but I’d describe them as decent and far better than the wheels that come on most bikes out of the box.

This groupset on this bike was Shimano 105 and not to labour the point - we all know it does the job well and at a price that won’t break the bank. It’s the groupset of the people. It doesn’t feel quite as refined when you’re trying to change up when the drivetrain is under load and it’s not as light as more expensive Shimano but you’ve got 11 speed, it’s can take a bit of a beating, the shifters feel nice in the hand and when you crash in your first road race it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to replace a derailleur. It’s a great choice for a bike you’re going to riding a lot on typical British roads where the components are going to take a bit of a bashing.

One thing to note is the brakes themselves are Giant’s own aero offering. As I’ve alluded to earlier, when the surface got steep and slippery I would have preferred discs but that is my only issue with this bike. People who aren’t going to be regularly riding down stupidly steep roads in the wet need not worry about this though as the brakes are still perfectly competent.

The other notable feature if the bike is the aero handle bars fitted upfront. The large surface area to the tops make quite a comfy place for your hands when you’re taking things steady. Sat on the shifters also feels very natural, something I haven’t liked about other aero bikes I’ve ridden. Personally, I would have preferred a little more bar tape toward the centre of the bard but that’s easy enough to sort.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, The Giant Propel is a cracking bike. Giant do a great job of making decent bikes that doe the job without messing around trying to re-invent the wheel and that’s exactly what makes me love the Propel. It handles like a dream, doesn’t break your back when the road get’s rough and on the flat it absolutely flies. Even climbing out of the saddle it feels positive. If I’m being picky the rim brakes left something to be desired, but a disc version of this bike would address that.

Overall, I think this bike is one of those special machines that is at home taking on a big day out in the Dales or bashing out some major turns in a summer road race. It’s feels responsive when you want it to be whilst also being comfortable enough for a long day in the saddle. In the real world a versatile bike like this is really worth it’s salt. If you’re someone who wants to do some big miles and get into some road racing without considering re-mortgaging, I highly recommend this bike and Giant cycle accessories.

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Giant Propel Advanced Road Bike Review

QUICK LINKS TO SECTIONS

Giant Propel range 2023

The frame and wheels

Aerodynamics

Weight

Handling

Wheels (Again)

Sizing guide and geometry

GIANT PROPEL ADVANCED PRO 2 REVIEW

Giant Propel Advanced Pro 2 Review

First Impressions

What Else I Like

Final Thoughts