Giant Defy Advanced 3 vs Genesis Croix de Fer 20
Both are close enough that people cross-shop them at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Giant Defy Advanced 3 comes out ahead (77% against 69%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
Giant
Defy Advanced 3
77% for a typical rider
£1,549 at Tredz
£50 under RRP. Free UK delivery over £20
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What actually separates them
- Price
- The Giant Defy Advanced 3 is £1 cheaper — £1,599 against £1,600.
- Weight
- The Giant Defy Advanced 3 is 1.8kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Genesis Croix de Fer 20 sits you more upright (1.58 stack-to-reach against 1.50). The Giant Defy Advanced 3 is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Genesis Croix de Fer 20 takes 45mm tyres against 40mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Genesis Croix de Fer 20 has the easier bottom gear (23 gear inches against 27), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
Side by side
| Spec | Defy Advanced 3 | Croix de Fer 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,599 | £1,600 |
| Weight | 9.6 kg | 11.4 kg |
| Frame | carbon | steel |
| Groupset | Shimano Tiagra 2x10 mechanical | Shimano GRX 400 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.50 | 1.58 |
| Tyre clearance | 40 mm | 45 mm |
| Lowest gear | 27 in | 23 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | Yes |
| Comfort | 64 | 89 |
| Speed | 42 | 9 |
| Climbing | 52 | 44 |
| Value | 69 | 14 |
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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