![]() An impressive frame using lightweight butted ALUXX tubing - Russell Burton / Immediate Media Yes, the chain looked a little dry, but it hadn’t turned brown. Leaving it locked up outside in the rain for a few days, and being somewhat leisurely with my maintenance routine, left few marks on the bike or its components. The three-finger levers possess a firm feel, but one that enables plenty of progressive pressure, slowing you both quickly and safely, even in the wet. The control is enhanced by impressive Tektro hydraulic HD-280 brakes. However, on towpaths and gravelly bike paths they’re easily up to the job.Įven with the tyres, the Escape’s handling is as balanced as the ride comfort, with stability at speed yet able to turn quickly at slower velocity. ![]() The downside is that they’re somewhat sluggish when it comes to on-road performance, with the thick tread and stiff shoulders sapping acceleration. The Crosscut Metro tyres are tough, too, with no cuts, digs or punctures. The rolling stock proved itself more than up to commuting knocks. Giant has used quick-release skewers, so ideally arm yourself with a set of security skewers or, at the very least, a cable lock or two to secure the wheels. The double-wall rims are well shaped and modern-wide, so they shape the big tyres well. It rolls on tubeless-ready alloy wheels with tough 38c urban tubeless tyres. Russell Burton / Immediate MediaĪt the back, a mix of an alloy D-shaped post and a padded but sportily shaped saddle nicely balances the bike between front and rear when it comes to compliant comfort. This bar is wide at 700mm but, when combined with the well-sculpted and forgiving ergonomically-shaped grips, simply adds to the bike’s cosseting comfort.Įdit Table The alloy D-shaped seatpost adds to the comfort of the ride. The cockpit combines a fairly upright 15-degree stem with a wide low-rise bar borrowed from Giant’s XC mountain bike component line. It allows you to generate wattage and hunker down when you want to sprint but, more importantly, affords a natural, easy position to view traffic without having to crane your neck to see around you. The Escape scores well on ride position, striking the sweet-spot between ‘sit up and beg’ and ‘roadie fast’. The top end of 46/11 offers a similar top end to modern gravel bikes – plenty for fast descents and big efforts on the flat. The 2 x 9 gear range with a bottom end of 30-36 makes for a bike that’s capable of any climb you’ll find on your commute. Shimano’s MT210 chainset: superior stiffness over its rivals. Plus, it features a lighter and more efficient two-piece design chainset. ![]() ![]() Yes, the shifts aren’t as super-slick and quiet as higher models, but they’re accurate and fast, and even with the chain fully crossed from big-to-big, there was no front-mech rub. Perhaps surprisingly to some, this mix worked flawlessly. The Escape’s drivetrain employs a well-thought-out mix of lower-level Shimano components from the Altus (shifters), Acera (front mech) and Alivio (rear mech) models, plus a non-series MT-210 chainset. Best bike lights for road cycling and commutingįlat-mounts for the disc brakes and a multitude of fittings - Russell Burton / Immediate Media. ![]() That makes the Escape pretty lightweight at 11.1kg in an XL, despite using impressive hardwearing components throughout. The frame is built using Giant’s lightweight, butted ALUXX tubing, adorned with future-proofed flat mounts for the disc brakes into which a full-composite carbon fork is plugged – almost unheard of at this price. What you get for your pound shy of £700 is a mix of solid components wrapped around an impressive frame and fork. Giant’s pitch behind the Escape is an affordable bike for your commute that handles the rough with the smooth, getting you to work and back with a little sense of adventure in between. ![]()
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