Giant Contend AR 3 review

Full review

The Contend AR 3 is Giant's practical entry to endurance road riding. The AR stands for all-road, which in practice means a more upright, stable position than a race bike, disc brakes and room for tyres up to 38 mm. The bike comes with 33c CST tyres, a good middle ground between speed and comfort.

The frame is ALUXX aluminium, but the fork is a full composite one with a composite steerer, which is a nicer part than you usually find at this level, and both axles are 12 mm thru-axles. Shimano CUES provides 2 x 10 gearing with a 34-tooth inner ring and 11-36T cassette, enough for most hills. The brakes are Tektro discs with 160 mm Giant rotors.

Giant does not publish a weight and tells shoppers to ask a dealer to weigh the bike, so we cannot give a figure. The alloy Giant wheels and 10-speed gearing are workmanlike rather than exciting.

Where it stands out is the buying experience. Giant sells through a large network of independent shops, so you can try sizes, have the bike built and adjusted properly, and get support afterwards. It also comes in six sizes, including M/L. If you want a straightforward, comfortable bike from a brand with good local backup, this is the safest choice on the list.