About The Giant Contend SL 0 Aluminum Shimano 105 Road Bike

The Giant Contend SL 0 is an aluminum road bike built around a Shimano 105 groupset with hydraulic disc brakes. It’s made for riders who want a performance road bike without the cost of a carbon frame. The ALUXX-SL aluminum frame has an aero-shaped down tube and comes with an Advanced-grade full-carbon fork and 12mm thru-axles front and rear. That makes it a good fit for fitness riding, fast commuting and the weekly group ride.

What sets it apart from other aluminum road bikes is how much of the build goes into comfort and control where you touch the bike. It has a flared Giant Contact handlebar with cork tape, a D-Fuse seatpost, a Giant Grit Core saddle and 700x28C tires. A 50/34 crankset and 11-36T cassette give you a wide range of gears for climbing and rolling terrain. Cables run inside the cockpit, which keeps the front end clean.

Who It’s For

  • Riders moving up to their first performance road bike

  • Group-ride and fitness riders who care about comfort on long rides

  • Commuters who want road-bike speed with predictable hydraulic braking

  • Riders on hilly routes who want low climbing gears

  • Consider a different bike if you want a carbon frame to save weight, or if you’ll ride mostly on unpaved roads. A gravel or all-road bike suits that better.

What to Look For

  • Fit comes first. The Contend SL 0 comes in five sizes (XS–L), including an M/L between medium and large. If you’re between sizes, a professional bike fit is the best way to choose.

  • Match the gearing to your terrain. A 34-tooth small ring with a 36-tooth large cog gives a low climbing gear, which suits riders who face steep or long climbs.

  • Be clear about the riding. This bike is built for paved roads. The 28mm tires add comfort and grip there, but it isn’t a gravel bike.

Key Features

Frame and fork: The ALUXX-SL aluminum frame has an aero-shaped down tube and is paired with an Advanced-grade full-carbon fork with an OverDrive steerer. Giant designed the fork to absorb road vibration and reduce hand and arm fatigue. The 12x142mm rear and 12x100mm front thru-axles hold the wheels firmly in the frame and fork.

Groupset: It has Shimano 105 shifters, derailleurs, crankset and cassette, with a KMC X12L-1 chain and a Shimano PressFit bottom bracket. The 50/34T and 11-36T gearing helps you keep a steady pedaling rhythm when the road tilts up.

Braking: Shimano 105 hydraulic disc brakes use a 160mm front and 140mm rear rotor. The braking feels consistent and predictable, and Giant notes it helps reduce hand fatigue on long descents.

Wheels and tires: The Giant ALP Disc wheels are aluminum with a 30mm rim depth, a middle-ground depth for everyday road use. Giant SR 1 700x28C tires let you run lower pressure for better grip and a smoother ride.

Cockpit and contact points: The Giant Contact handlebar has a 125mm drop, 72mm reach and 7.2-degree flare in the drops for more control on descents and in corners. Its wider top section spreads pressure across your palm. A D-Fuse seatpost absorbs vibration, and the Grit Core saddle uses Particle Flow Technology to shape itself to the rider.

Rider Intent Summary

  • Biggest strengths: Shimano 105 hydraulic disc brakes, a full-carbon fork, a wide gear range and comfort-focused contact points

  • Tradeoffs: An aluminum frame and alloy wheels won’t match a carbon build for weight, and it’s set up for pavement rather than mixed surfaces

  • What makes it different: A flared handlebar, D-Fuse seatpost and 28mm tires on an aero-shaped aluminum frame, a lot of comfort for this category

Victory’s Take

At Victory Bicycle Studio, we see the Contend SL 0 as a smart way into serious road riding. The 105 hydraulic build gets the important parts right, and the comfort-focused cockpit makes a good fit easy to dial in.

What you get

  • Frame - ALUXX-SL Grade Aluminum 12x142mm Thru-axle, Disc
  • Fork - Advanced-Grade Composite, Full Carbon, OverDrive Steerer
  • Component Groupset - Shimano 105
  • Rims - Giant ALP Disc 12mm Thru-Axle
Contend SL 0 - Silver / Charcoal / XS

Giant

Giant Contend SL 0 Aluminum Shimano 105 Road Bike

Regular price $1,700.00 USD
Sale price $1,700.00 USD Regular price $1,700.00 USD

Specifications

Frameset
Frame

ALUXX-SL Grade Aluminum 12x142mm Thru-axle, Disc

Fork

Advanced-Grade Composite

- Full Carbon

- OverDrive Steerer

- 12x100mm thru-axle

Wheels
Wheelset

Giant ALP Disc 12mm Thru-Axle

Tires

Giant SR 1 700X28C, 60 TPI

Drivetrain and Brakes
Rear Derailleur

Shimano 105

Front Derailleur

Shimano 105

Crankset

Shimano 105, 50/34T

Cassette

Shimano 105, 11-36T

Brakes

Shimano 105 Hydraulic Disc Brake [Front]160mm [Rear]140mm

Cockpit
Handlebars

Giant Contact (w/Flare), 72mm reach, 125mm drop

Saddle

Giant Grit Core, steel rails

**Specifications subject to change without notice

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the bike packaged and how long does delivery take?

All bikes are securely packaged to ensure that damage doesn't occur during shipping. All parts of the bike are padded and if needed, zip tied to minimize or eliminate movement inside the box. Once a bike is handed to the shipping company (usually Fedex or UPS), depending on your location, delivery will range from 1 day to 8 days. If you do choose the option for Professional Assembly or White Glove Delivery, this can add anywhere from 2 days to 5 days to the lead time.

Can I finance the purchase of my new bike?

Yes.  Simply select the Shop Pay Installments option which will allow you to buy now and pay later.  Shop Pay Installments is powered by Affirm.  If you would like to determine your spending limit, simply download the Shop app or the Affirm app on your smartphone and after you create an account on one of these apps, the app will let you know what is your spending limit.

Can I return the bike if it doesn't suit my needs?

Our return process is as follows. The customer is responsible for the return label ($150). Once the returned bike arrives at our warehouse, our team will inspect it and make sure it is in new condition and undamaged. Once we verify, we will process the return and issue a refund to the original payment method on file. To clarify the amount refunded, it would just be the amount of the bike (and tax if applicable) less the $150 shipping label that we provided, but the original shipping is not refunded. So if the original bike cost $4,500 and shipping was $150 (so you paid $4,650), you would be refunded $4,350 (the $4,500 less $150 for the return label) assuming the bike was returned in new and un-used condition and within the 30 day return period.

What does the warranty of my new bike or product cover and what is the warranty period?

Depending on the bike or any product, different companies have different warranty policies.  If you do ever have an issue with your bike or any product, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will assist with any warranty issues and clarify the warranty for the affected product.

Can I have my bike serviced at any bike shop?

Typically, to avoid any issues with your warranty, you should bring your bike to a certified mechanic or bike store for that bike (i.e. if you have a Trek bicycle, you should bring the bike to be serviced to a local bike store that is an authorized Trek dealer).  If you need assistance, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we can direct you to a certified dealer of your bike.

Do you ship bikes internationally?

We unfortunately do not ship bikes outside of the 48 contiguous states of the United States. We do recommend for international customers to open (or use a current account) account with a freight forwarding company. If you use a freight forwarding company located in the U.S., make sure to put your billing address for a dedicated credit card as the same address as the freight forwarder so that you don't have any credit card or payment method issues).

Once you do this, simply place an order with us and we can ship to the U.S. address as long as the credit card doesn't get rejected. Once the freight forwarder has the box/order/shipment, you would instruct them to then ship to you in your home country and they would charge you their own shipping charge to ship to your international address.

Do you offer free shipping?

We do offer free shipping on non-bike orders over $100. We do not offer free shipping for bicycles unless it is a one time promotion. Generally, bike shipping will cost $150 and that covers just the shipping of the bike with no assembly. If you were to bring that bike to your local mechanic or bike store, you would pay them their assembly fee. If you choose our Professional Assembly option for $200, our service technicians would assemble the bike before shipping and then re-pack the bike safely for transit. When you receive the bike you would attach the front wheel, attach the seatpost/saddle, and raise the handlebars and clamp them. Those three items do have to be detached to minimize or eliminate the chance of damage in transit.

How much does shipping cost?

For orders of parts, accessories, apparel, etc. on orders under $100, shipping is a flat rate of $9.99. Regular bike shipping without assembly is $150, bike shipping with Professional Assembly is an additional $200 (so $350 in total which includes the $150 of regular shipping). Our White Glove Delivery option is $699 and that will cover the assembly of the bike and our White Glove Delivery partner delivering your dream bike to your front door, ready to ride!

How can I track my order?

When you place your online order, you will receive an instantaneous email update with your order number and order details, and shortly after, you will receive a follow up order email with the tracking number for your order.  If you still need assistance with your order, feel free to email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will respond asap.

What happens if my package arrives damaged?

If your package arrives damaged, email online@victorybicyclestudio.com with pictures of all angles of the box and pictures of the damaged product and we will work with you to either send a new replacement asap and coordinate return (or re-imburse you for labor or costs incurred to fix the issue at your local bike store).

Are pedals included with the bike?

If you do not see pedals in the bullet point product specs on the product page, the bike does not come equipped with pedals.  Many manufacturers do not spec bikes with pedals, so they are often purchased separately.

If I only pay the $150 for bike shipping, can I assemble the bike on my own?

Victory Bicycle Studio highly recommends that you bring your bike to your local certified bike store for the brand of the bike that you purchased. If you do attempt to assemble the bike and damage occurs, this may result in your warranty not being honored. For that reason, we do highly recommend to select our Professional Assembly option for $299.