Giant Propel Advanced SL does soft power in style

Two stage wins on its debut at the Tour was an outstanding start for Giant's flagship superbike

As far as debuts go, the new Giant Propel Advanced SL’s initial outings have been a resounding success. Introduced to the world at this year’s Tour de France, the aero race bike was ridden to victory, first on stage three by Dylan Groenewegen and then again on stage 14 by his BikeExchange-Jayco team-mate Michael Matthews. The first win was in a tight bunch sprint. The second was an audacious solo attack on a hilly stage, demonstrating both the strength of the Australian outfit and the versatility of the Propel.

Giant says its new model, the first update in four years, was ‘built to win big races’ and on the evidence it’s doing just that. To achieve its goal the new Propel Advanced SL is lighter as well as faster – obligatory for all updated aero bikes these days.

The frameset is made using professional grade raw carbon fibre that Giant uses across its top-tier offerings. Also used is a resin that includes a microscopic polymer which lends additional strength to the layers of composite. It’s called Carbon Nanotube Technology (CNT) and Giant says it makes the Propel 14% more resistant to impacts.

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