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Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 SmartSense vs Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0

Both are endurance bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.

The short answer

For a typical all-round rider the Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0 comes out ahead (77% against 68%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.

Cannondale

Synapse Carbon 3 SmartSense

68% for a typical rider

£4,995 at Brand website
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Giant

Defy Advanced Pro 0

77% for a typical rider

£5,499 at Brand website
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What actually separates them

Price
The Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 SmartSense is £504 cheaper — £4,995 against £5,499.
Weight
The Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0 is 2.0kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
Riding position
The Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 SmartSense sits you more upright (1.52 stack-to-reach against 1.50). The Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0 is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
Tyre clearance
The Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 SmartSense takes 42mm tyres against 40mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
Climbing gear
The Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 SmartSense has the easier bottom gear (25 gear inches against 27), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.

Side by side

Spec Synapse Carbon 3 SmartSense Defy Advanced Pro 0
Price £4,995 £5,499
Weight 9.9 kg 7.9 kg
Frame carbon carbon
Groupset SRAM Rival AXS Shimano Ultegra Di2 12-speed
Stack / reach 1.52 1.50
Tyre clearance 42 mm 40 mm
Lowest gear 25 in 27 in
Mudguard mounts Yes Yes
Comfort 68 64
Speed 36 62
Climbing 53 74
Value 0 0

Neither might be the right answer

This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.

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