2011 Giant Transend 2.

Melbourne has joined the ranks of sophisticated cities like Paris and London where motor vehicles, public transport and bicycles co-exist as critical transport options. Local bike lanes and paths have now reached a point where more commuter cyclists can relieve pressure on stretched road and public transport systems. For just $599, Giant has met these new priorities with one of their most practical and stylish bikes ever. Young commuter cyclists have started a welcome new trend, reviving old bikes for their comfort, ease of riding and low theft risk. Riding a classic, older bike in everyday clothes has suddenly become chic. Yet as older bikes have become more sought-after, most have become too valuable as an everyday commuter. Giant’s new Transend commuter bike range addresses this by combining classic style and detailing with modern lightweight technology, reliability, and surprisingly little outlay. Before riding the $599 Giant Transend 2, I was expecting a cheap heavy clunker pretending to be an original Malvern Star or Raleigh. Instead, I found myself astride an unexpectedly light and comfortable bike that I would be happy to ride every day. Three longer journeys including Heidelberg to Box Hill and return, Heidelberg to Macleod, Preston, Brunswick and return, Heidelberg to Fairfield, Docklands, Footscray and Kensington and return plus other sundry trips soon added up to at least 300km over a week. Melbourne weather also threw everything it could at both the bike and me yet it didn’t feel like a tough week of riding. Dismissing the Transend as just another hybrid or city bike won’t work when it is neither. 

Its 700X35C tyres are fatter than a hybrid’s. Its longer wheelbase adds extra luggage space behind the rider while spreading weight and generating amazing low speed stability. The upright riding position makes it easier to scan what’s ahead and behind. Because it won’t stretch your good street clothes, it can be a lycra-free zone. The Transend also has quality front and rear mudguards that actually work. A substantial luggage rack offers slots for basic panniers and a flat platform that will support a large basket or other bulky cargo. A three-strap bungee attachment system is also provided although care is needed while clipping or unclipping it. So what’s it really like to ride? Different, if you are coming from a road bike or hybrid. 

The riding position is not far from a vertical walking position which places most of your weight on the cushy seat. I hadn’t ridden a bike before the Transend where I needed to give the seat some rearward tilt. Even if my head kept telling me this shouldn’t work, the rest of me found it very comfortable. The flat pads on the handlebars for your palms are a clever addition as the riding position allows you to rest your hands on the handlebars, not clutch them. The Transend is set up to get you to work or the local shops in style, unflustered and pain-free. For those who suffer shoulder or neck complaints, this bike could be what you were waiting for. Although riding upright can generate more wind resistance than normal, this is not a big issue at commuter speeds. The smooth-shifting 24 gears make light work of 10-20km commutes and it is just as comfortable on gravel, choppy bitumen or sealed trails. The cushy seat, fatter tyres and extra rake of the front forks isolates road shock and makes heavy front shocks redundant. Some riders might choose to replace the basic pedals for a combination cleat and flat pedal design as I did. Otherwise, it’s all there ready to go which leaves plenty up your sleeve for a decent lock, lights, helmet and a set of cheap panniers. If it comes to that, it might be worth haggling with us for an all-inclusive deal.