New 2016 bike (Giant TCR advice)

jon1981

Hi,

I'm fortunate enough to be able to purchase a new bike. I'm currently running a 5 yr old Cube Attempt (triple crank with 105s 5700), ALU frame. Looking to step up to carbon but need to keep the budget in around 2k ( i don't mean stretching to 2.5k ). So was in a shop today and the Giant TCR advanced 1 caught my eye for 2099 euro

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ie/bikes/model/tcr.advanced.1/25077/90674/#overview

I can only use brick and mortar stores on this purchase for bike to work scheme, so no planet x, canyon...etc. Company rules.

what are ppls thoughts on the Giant? Any comparable bikes I should consider in that price bracket?

thanks
Jon

jamesd

Good spec of a bike, groupset is good.
The wheels will keep you going and can be a future upgrade

Lumen

Can't really go wrong with a Giant.

It's quite a racy bike compared to the recent crop of wanky upright sportive bikes, having fairly conventional road bike geometry and no gimmicks.

The wheels and tyres are nothing special.

As a value check (I know you can't go online) for an extra hundred quid you could get a Canyon Ultimate CF SL 9.0 which comes with the same groupset but Ksyriums. So not much in it really.

jon1981

Thanks for your thoughts. Though the wheels are basic enough I believe they are still better than the 5 yr old fulcrum 7s i'm using, would this be true?
Though the plan would be to change the tyres straight away and invest in new wheels later in the year.

I do like the look of the Canyon bikes but what puts me off (apart from not being able to use them on my bike to work scheme) is the order time, I believe ppl have been waiting months for delivery. I can have the Giant next week if i want.

Secondly, this is 500 euro more but I can't understand the difference, the groupset drops down to 105 , ok the colour IMO is slightly nicer but is the frame that much better to make up the difference?

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ie/bikes/model/tcr.advanced.pro.2/25078/90673/

OleRodrigo

Those sloping TTs are awful. What about the Propel ? Great bike, IMO. Some funds leftover for a set of zondas as well.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ie/bikes/model/propel.advanced.2/20126/79347/

jon1981

Not a fan of the propels at all, just don't like the look of them and also not sure an Aero is necessary for me. I'd be doing more climbing than not and think the TCR would be more suitable.

siochain

Planet X have a shop in Athlone worth checking our

iwillhtfu

Have a look and see if you can get the 2015 model if I remember right it was only €1799 with ultegra 6800 and a much nicer looking frame than the 2016 models.

It was difficult enough to get this year though so there may be none available or in your size.

Cheaper again if you're a large €1549

http://buckleycycles.ie/products/giant-tcr-advanced-1-2015

jon1981

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Have a look and see if you can get the 2015 model if I remember right it was only €1799 with ultegra 6800 and a much nicer looking frame than the 2016 models.

It was difficult enough to get this year though so there may be none available or in your size.

Cheaper again if you're a large €1549

http://buckleycycles.ie/products/giant-tcr-advanced-1-2015

Thanks for the tip. A small frame apparently suits me so will look for a 2015 model. Youre right out about the colour of the 2016, not overly mad about it.

iwillhtfu

jon1981 wrote: »

Thanks for the tip. A small frame apparently suits me so will look for a 2015 model. Youre right out about the colour of the 2016, not overly mad about it.

A good chance you might find a small. It was the medium and medium/Large were the sought after models.

Ask in one of the giant stores if there's one nearby they might be able to get one in from another store.

jon1981

just checked the Giant store, they have all sizes in the 2015 model. Here's the rub, it's 1799e for 2015, the 2016 is 2099 but my bike store will give me 10% off the 2099 price which brings it close to the 2015 model price. Hmmm decisions, the 2015 colour is nicer...

Damn, now i'm looking at the advanced pro 2015 for 2199, it has 105s but is the frame that improved over the standard TCR advanced? I can't find details on what the difference is between Advanced and Advanced pro.

EDIT: Apparently the frame is the same for the Advance and Advance Pro range, the SL frame is treated differently. http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ie/technology/composite_technology/55/

iwillhtfu

I don't think there's a difference in the frame to be honest. I remember one of the lads in the giant store telling the frames were identical and that the tcr advanced one was a brilliant package for the price.

The 5800 105 wouldn't put me off the crankset looks the worst of it and you could always swap it out further down the road.

I'd probably go with the 2015 tcr advanced 1. Ask your local store if they can get it in.

jon1981

thanks for all the feedback, haven't had a chance to get into the Giant store yet but it looks like there is little to no change from the 2015 model bar the paint job. So will probably go with that!