Over the past 10 years, gravel has evolved massively, and the breadth of bikes available for every micro-niche is vast, and there’s one gravelly genre that’s rising to very real prominence – gravel racing. Brands are scrambling to develop race-specific gravel rigs to bring their riders to the tops of podiums, and that’s no different for Giant, which has given its latest Revolt gravel bike a seriously racy glow-up. Of course, the same has happened for the Liv Devote, the women’s-specific equivalent.
No longer is the Revolt built to be a gravel generalist. Rather, Giant has recognised the growing popularity of the racier side, and now the Revolt benefits from Giant’s ‘Total Speed System’ approach, which tunes every little facet of the bike, from carbon layup to the new Cadex tyres, to work together seamlessly.
Weight savings… everywhere
It goes without saying that weight matters in this space of the gravel genre. As such, Giant reckons that its latest iteration of the Revolt Advanced SL is the lightest gravel bike that the brand has developed to date. Even with wider and modern tyres, the brand says that the top-level bike, the Revolt Advanced SL 0, is 288g lighter than the previous-generation model.
The bike’s frame uses a fancy high-modulus carbon resin formula, combined with integrated inner moulding and a cold-blade cutting tech that’s said to maintain fibre continuity across each layup. As a result, the whole frame (including fork) isn’t just 176g lighter, but Giant claims that the processes work to provide more consistent stiffness, thus more predictable handling.
It’s not just the frame that’s had grams shaved. The top-level Revolt Advanced SL 0 employs the new Cadex Max GXR 45 wheelset, which claims to drop 118g from the wheels used on the outgoing model. There are aerodynamic gains with this wheelset too, apparently.
Moving to the cockpit, there’s the Contact SLR XR Integrated handlebar. It’s a one-piece design that bins the stem clamp interface while narrowing the front-facing area of the bar. This makes for a tidy aesthetic and a stiffer front end, says Giant.
Aero gains… everywhere
It goes without saying, but gravel’s move into the racy side of things means that everyone’s looking for gains where they can find them, and if weight savings aren’t enough, it’s all about aerodynamics.
Giant says that the new Revolt Advanced SL uses tube profiles that have come as a result of stringent wind tunnel testing. Dubbed AeroSystem Shaping, its effect can be found across the whole frameset. Of course, that slender handlebar brings more aerodynamic gains to the mix, and like many brands out there, Giant has recognised that wheels and tyres together can reduce drag when designed as a system.
The Revolt Advanced SL’s wheels get a 50mm rim profile, and they’ve been designed in tandem with the Cadex GXR 45mm tyre. Every little detail of the duo has been sweated over to reduce drag. I’m talking about the rim’s shape, the tyre’s profile and even its tread, all of which have been sculpted to make them slippery through the air.
Geometry, specs and pricing
Available in six sizes from XS up to XL, the Revolt’s geometry definitely aligns with its racy intentions. In fact, the steeper seat tube, 433mm chainstay, 557mm stack and 395mm reach on a medium is designed to put the rider in an ‘aggressive, aerodynamic race posture’. And although the frame is ‘optimised’ for 45mm tyres, we’re told it can accommodate 53mm wide rubber.
There’s then a proportional head tube angle, with sizes XS, S and M getting 70.5, 71 and 71.5-degree head angles, and wheelbases range from 1,026mm up to 1,066mm.
The Giant Revolt Advanced SL can be picked up in one of three models, with the most affordable Revolt Advanced SL 2 (£5,499) benefiting from SRAM Rival AXS XPLR shifting and braking, as well as a SRAM power meter. Its Giant CXR 0 WheelSystem hoops get bladed carbon spokes and the Cadex GXR tyres.
Up the money to £6,999 and the Revolt Advanced SL 1 gets SRAM Force XPLR AXS shifting and braking. Up the money again to £9,999, and the Revolt Advanced SL 0 benefits from a SRAM RED XPLR groupset. It also gets fancier Cadex Max GXR rims, on Cadex R3 hubs, connected by Cadex Super Aero carbon spokes. The Giant Revolt Advanced SL frameset is £3,899.
Prices are identical for the Liv Devote Advanced SL range, but there is no frameset available.
