- #GIANT TCR ADVANCED GET UNCOMFORTABLE ON LONG RIDES FULL#
- #GIANT TCR ADVANCED GET UNCOMFORTABLE ON LONG RIDES PRO#
The underlying TCR formula hasn’t changed for years and that’s because it works. The TCR’s aesthetic is that of a lightweight climber’s bike that would be at home in the mountains, and the riding experience is entirely in keeping with that dream.Įven knowing that aero trumps weight almost all of the time when it comes to actual speed, there’s no arguing with how nice a lighter bike feels. It’s stiff, direct and, thanks to its low weight, a pleasure to throw around. On the road, the TCR is a delightfully pure and unfiltered experience. Officially, 28mm is the maximum width allowed, while the disc model takes 32s. Tyre clearance, incidentally, is one area where the rim brake TCR is inevitably outshone by the disc version. The rims and tyres are both tubeless-ready, and the former are usefully wide at 22mm internal, an impressively up-to-date spec that helps plump up the nominally 25mm Giant tyres fitted to almost 28mm wide. While more expensive TCRs feature hookless carbon rims that come with some restrictions on tyre compatibility, there are no such issues here. The finishing kit is all Giant’s own and entirely inoffensive, as are the own-brand PR-2 alloy wheels. Given the bike’s racy intentions, Giant opts for a 52/36 crank over a true compact, although the 11-30 cassette means gearing is still reasonably low for hauling up big climbs.
#GIANT TCR ADVANCED GET UNCOMFORTABLE ON LONG RIDES FULL#
The Advanced 2 spec gets you a full Shimano 105 groupset with no third-party substitutions apart from the chain.
#GIANT TCR ADVANCED GET UNCOMFORTABLE ON LONG RIDES PRO#
The TCR is made from what Giant calls Advanced-grade carbon, the second tier sitting below Advanced SL and the same stuff the higher-specced TCR Advanced Pro is made from.Īccording to Giant’s own figures, the frame weighs 830g unpainted, and the penalty over the top-end model is just 85g plus the weight of a seatpost because the SL has an integrated mast. This complete bike weighs just 7.9kg for a medium, a healthy chunk less than many bikes in this price bracket.
It might feel perverse to choose lesser brakes in this day and age, but for mostly fair-weather riding, a good set of rim brakes remains a perfectly sensible option, one that comes with a side-order of appealing simplicity and low weight. This TCR is one of an ever-dwindling number of proper rim brake race bikes. Prices have crept up since then, but it remains an appealing proposition for riders seeking a pure road bike experience, and it’s a top choice for aspiring racers who can live without disc brakes.