The new Giant Propel Disc for Sunweb's Michael Matthews - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Giant isn't yet talking about the new bike, but it's pretty clear what it is - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
See any wires or hydraulic lines? Neither does the wind - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Matthews was just setting up his bike Thursday, with a ride on bare bars to dial in the lever position. Note the Di2 junction box in the bar end - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
It appears the top of the stem comes off for access to routing shift and brake lines - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Although still difficult to route, it is significantly easier running an electronic set-up with an integrated set-up. A mechanical gear cable would take a sharp angle where it routes down the back of the steerer tube. - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
While the frame is branded and looking to be production-level, the stem and handlebar reamin blank - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Slam that stem - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The head tube looks wider than that of the current Propel - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Shimano's Di2 sprint shifter clips onto the handlebars, and can be wired into the shifter or a junction box - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Thru-axles with Allen bolts make for a clean look, but perhaps not the fastest wheel change - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Giant was one of the very first brands to use an integrated seatmast with the TCR - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Matthews' bike has Di2, but it looks like the Propel Disc could handle mechanical systems, too - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Removing rim-brake calipers opens up frame design - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Check out the enormous frame area above the bottom bracket - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Giant builds a speed/cadence sensor into the chainstay on many of its road bikes - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Dura-Ace rotors only recently began to surface for the new 9170 group - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Disc front wheels require more substantial spoke lacing than comparable rim-brake models - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Matthews' bike gets topped off with a portable charger plugged into junction box inside the handlebar's right end - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The length of Matthews' stem nearly overshadows the substantial aero profile of the bar - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
What size is that stem? It's marked 120, but seems longer - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Matthews checking out his new rig - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Giant appears poised to launch a disc version of its Propel aero bike, given the machine that Sunweb's Michael Matthews is dialing in for the Tour de France.
Ben Delaney checks out the new Giant Propel Disc on our YouTube channel
The Giant Propel Disc frameset looks to be production-ready. The Propel Disc's striking stem — which encases the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 wires and hydraulic lines — is unmarked and alloy, and may or may not be in final form.
While both Sunweb and Giant were tightlipped about the bike, there are a few discernible points about the bike worth noting.
See any wires or hydraulic lines? Neither does the wind - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The original rim-brake Propel features a very slender, hourglass head tube. The Propel Disc has a stouter head tube, presumably for more front end lateral stiffness.
The down tube on the new Propel Disc is massive, as is the junction above the bottom bracket. Hello, frame stiffness.
And the top tube/seat tube junction takes on a larger, curving shape than that of its predecessor.
Check out the enormous frame area above the bottom bracket - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
But perhaps the biggest change aside from the addition of hydraulic discs is the internal integration of shift and cable lines. On Matthews' bike, both the Di2 wires and the hydraulic hoses enter the handlebar just behind the hoods, then run through the stem and into the frame.
BMC's latest Teammachine SLR01 Disc has a somewhat similar design, where the shift and brake lines are secured and covered underneath the the stem before running into the frame. With the Propel Disc, the stem appears to have a top cover, accessible with four bolts. It seems likely that the bottom portion is the structural stem, with the lines sandwiched in between.
It appears the top of the stem comes off for access to routing shift and brake lines - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
An Le, Giant's global marketing director, was vague when asked for details about the new bike.
"Giant is constantly working with our athletes to develop the best products to help them perform at the highest level," Le told BikeRadar. "For this year's Tour de France, we have worked with world-class riders like Team Sunweb's Michael Matthews to engineer and test the next generation aero race bike, with the goal of delivering a clear aero advantage in the sprints."
BikeRadar photographed Matthews' bike two days before the start of the Tour de France, just before Matthews and his teammates went out for a training ride. Mechanics had not yet installed handlebar tape, as Matthews wanted to make sure the levers and sprint shifters were positioned just right. And mechanics had not yet installed a power meter.
Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
The head tube looks wider than that of the current Propel - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk