I bought a Giant Escape 3 hybrid as a late birthday present for myself late last year. It was the 2015 model at a decent discount in the Tredz sales, having had good service from Tredz in the past when I bought a Saracen Esc hybrid a couple of years ago. I bought the Giant with a view to replacing the Saracen mid term and as a back up bike in the interim but as it happens, the Saracen chainset developed an issue which had pressed the Giant into full time action earlier than expected. I say 'full time' but as I work from home it really is a couple of miles with my boy to school and on to the gym and back in the morning, as well as the collect school run/ cycle in the afternoon.
First impressions of the Giant included that it was a little heavier than expected, certainly heavier than the Saracen, but perhaps unsurprisingly a little more solid accordingly. Surprisingly therefore I find the Giant a little more 'twitchy' than the Saracen - a little more difficult to manouevre. The Saracen was/ is a lovely ride but has needed a fair bit of maintenance, despite relatively light, though daily use. I hope the Giant will be better in this regard, though the chainset has already developed an intermittent clicking which isnl't the best of signs. Question for Tredz on this - can I take the bike into my local Cardiff store for a 3 month service/ to look at these issues.
One annoyance was a related mudguard purchase. I've had problems with ill-fitting mudguards before and a generic set I had hanging around didn't fit so I popped straight on the Tredz website to order a mudguard set from Giant that was supposedly specificaly designed to fit my new bike, i.e. http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/gear/product/giant.speedshield.700.tour/592/44544/ from Tredz at http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Speedshield-700-Tour-Mudguards_50158.htm (Giant Speedshield 700 Tour mudguards). 'Fitting is simple and quick so you can get out riding straight away.' No, these mudguards do not fit the Giant Escape 3 2015! Also annoyingly you have to pay the postage if you want to return them to Tredz.