Aerodynamic road bikes – claimed to make you go faster by cutting the air more efficiently – are all the rage among the boys at the moment. Giant has just announced what it says is the first women-specific aero road bike, the Envie Advanced.
The Envie Advanced falls under Giant’s Liv/giant women’s bike brand and was created with input from Olympic and world champion Marianne Vos. Giant says it was designed “for serious road racers and triathletes”, but we’re sure they won’t turn down a credit card from someone flighty or frivolous either.
“The Envie Advanced is in a category of its own,” says Liv/giant product developer Abby Santurbane. “We took the results of wind tunnel testing to create the overall aero shape of the frame, and then applied Liv/giant’s proven women’s fit concepts.”
That means the Envie Advanced has a longer head tube and shorter top tube than the men’s equivalent, as is common for women-specific bikes. Giant says that makes it “not just the fastest women’s bike available, but also much more versatile.”
“The geometry ensures that women are not just efficient while pedalling, but are also balanced for improved bike handling and performance,” says Santurbane. “The result is a unique aero bike that is amazingly fast on the flats, yet is still efficient while climbing, and easy to handle on descents.”
Giant has tailored the carbon fibre of the Envie Advanced specifically for the women’s version too, claiming “optimized pedalling stiffness and efficiency as well as a smooth ride quality.”
Other features that Giant says help make the Envie Advanced fast include its SpeedControl SLR brake system. The front brake sits behind the fork and both brakes are shaped so the air flows over them more smoothly. The Envie Advanced also gets Giant’s new Contact SLR Aero Integrated handlebar and stem, claimed to improve control and aerodynamics compared to a separate bar and stem.
The pics above are of the top model, the Envie Advanced 0, but initially only the Envie Advanced 2 will be available in the UK. It will sell for £2199 with Shimano 105 components, a Fi’zi:k Donna saddle and Giant Connect SL women’s handlebar. It looks like this:
Here’s Giant’s video about the Envie Advanced:
For more information see Giant Bicycles
