Escape 3 City Bike From Giant Gets You in the Cycling Game for a Bag of Pennies

The trick with bikes is that there are just so many out there, some equipped with gear you'll never even use to its fullest potential. That being said, if you want a bike just to get from point A to point B, then the Escape 3 from Giant could very well be your low-budget solution to next year's fun.

How low-budget? Well, just to kick things off, the Escape comes in with an MSRP of 530 USD (470 EUR at current exchange rates), quite possibly the cheapest bike I've ever written about. However, being cheap in price doesn't mean you're getting a lousy bike, as the frame geometry on this one is tuned to be a worthy city rider.

The frame you see is completed using Giant's Aluxx-grade aluminum. This is a proprietary aluminum grade and shaping technique used in even the higher-priced brethren of Escape and is known to yield a light and stable bike. How light? Giant makes no mention because weight is ultimately affected by components. Depending on the dealership you get your Escape from, some parts may vary, thus weight too.

One thing I enjoy is the top tube. At the front of the bike, the top tube is nice and round, welded onto a relatively solid head tube. However, nearing the seat post, the top tube thins out and looks nice and sleek. It's not quite parallel to the ground either, so mounting the bike may be a tad easier. Expect to find external cable routing for this sort of price.

Like most other city-oriented bikes, the Escape does not feature any sort of suspension on the frame or the fork. Instead, riders will have to rely on tires to do all the dirty work, at best a saddle suspension. For the Escape, Giant throws on a pair of in-house S-X3 tires. If you feel they aren't enough to take care of your ride, switch them out as tires are a relatively inexpensive component to replace.

As for the drivetrain for this bugger, a low-range Shimano Tourney setup is seen running your gears. Tourney front and rear derailleurs control a KMC Z7 chain on an MF-TZ500 cassette. Sure, it's not the most mind-blowing drivetrain you've ever ridden, but for this sort of price, it should be perfectly fine. Again, if you don't like it but do enjoy the frame styling, change out the drivetrain for something you enjoy. Maybe even set this sucker up to be a fixie.

Every other secondary component is provided mainly by Giant components. Everything from the saddle to seat post, grips, stem, and handlebar, all Giant. Only brake levers are from Shimano.

One neat trick the Escape has up its sleeve is that of carrying mounts, both on the rear triangle and frame, but the steel fork at the front too. This is perfect for turning the Escape into a rather worthy city bike, especially at this price.

Again, it's not the most ground-breaking bike this team has produced, but if you've got someone who wants to get into cycling or is simply looking for a bike that they or you won't feel bad for banging up, the Escape 3 is a trinket to consider for the upcoming holidays.

About the minds behind this bike, Giant, what is there to say? Heck, they've been around since 1972, time in which they've risen to be one of the world's podium-placing bicycle manufacturers, catering to riders of every level and budget. G.G., Giant, G.G.