Giant TCR Advanced V Canyon Ultimate AL 9.0 ES

rando
rando Posts: 285
edited October 2012 in Road buying advice
Right I missed out on a Canyon Ultimate AL 9.0 DI2 at sale price due to waiting for the 2013 bikes being made available. Thought they would still sell the 2012 models alongside the newer ones until the stock ran out but that backfired on me big time. So moving on but still interested in the Canyon AL 9.0 but with mechanical ultegra and the new ES model
http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bik ... ab-reiter2

But I also like this Giant TCR Advanced 2
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... &vid=16517

The price difference is about £150 and both have ultegra. Possibly better wheels on the Canyon ? BUT obviously the major difference is carbon (giant) V alu (canyon).
The Canyon ES according to the blurb is made more comfortable with the new VCLS post 2 and 25mm tyres and gel handlebar tape. So in the real world do you think this would be a decent bike for riding 50 miles plus at weekends ? Or would the carbon TCR still trump it?
I need to make a decision because otherwise the other half will kill me! I have been looking at a new bike for far too long now but I am so indecisive!!
Ideally I would buy both but clearly cannot afford that.
Giant TCR or Canyon Ultimate AL 9ES ?

Comments

  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    Don't get too caught up in the specs..

    i'd start thinking about the geometries.. its also important to think about where you'd buy it..

    eg. Your LBS will give you a free first service, should provide better after sales.. and if you pick the right shop will thrown in a professional bike fit for free.

    So you'd be looking at £100+ on top of the canyon's price to get a fit and service anyway.
  • mooro
    mooro Posts: 483
    this might sound like a stupid question but have you checked that the bike you were looking at isnt sitting in their outlet section?
  • rando
    rando Posts: 285
    Mooro wrote:
    this might sound like a stupid question but have you checked that the bike you were looking at isnt sitting in their outlet section?

    I had checked the Outlet section and originally they only had the AL DI2 in the Ltd edition at approx £1900 but after looking this morning at the outlet section I can now see the other AL DI2 2012 bikes listed at £1589 (thanks to another thread from someone pointing this out this morning).

    Dilemma still stands though - The Canyon AL or the Giant TCR ?
    That's what you get for too much searching for bikes !!
  • rando
    rando Posts: 285
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    Don't get too caught up in the specs..

    i'd start thinking about the geometries.. its also important to think about where you'd buy it..

    eg. Your LBS will give you a free first service, should provide better after sales.. and if you pick the right shop will thrown in a professional bike fit for free.

    So you'd be looking at £100+ on top of the canyon's price to get a fit and service anyway.

    Wouldn't be buying the Giant from a LBS. Very few in stock anywhere and none at my LBS.

    As for geometries then the TCR and Ultimate AL are pretty much the same.
    Going by Canyon's PPs size I would be a XL (60cm) and for the Giant TCR I am a L (55.5cm)
    TT on AL is 583 V 585 on TCR
    Heat Tube on AL is 190 V 185 on TCR
  • rc856
    rc856 Posts: 1,144
    I'm biaised in that I used to own a TCR Composite and now own a TCR Advanced SL ISP.
    The Composite was really good but the SL is great.
    I'm 6ft, 32" inside leg and used to ride a L Composite but was properly sized to a M/L on the SL and it's really comfortable. :D
  • anto164
    anto164 Posts: 3,500
    I own that TCR (advanced 2) and LOVE it.

    Not biased, but get the tcr, it's an extremely fun bike.

    I've done many rides up to about 110mi on my TCR and never once wanted it to be more comfy.
  • rando
    rando Posts: 285
    Just been searching for the best price on the TCR Advanced 2 and came across this
    http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... &vid=16512

    Now I know its only the TCR Advanced 3 and 105 group set but every other TCR 3 (2012) model I have seen has been white with red logos rather then red with white logos as per my link. Also the one in the link doesn't come with the standard Giant PSL1wheels but has Mavic Askium Race. Maybe not really a 2012 model. I will email to clarify.
    How do standard Giant wheels stack up against the Mavic Askiums or the Mavic ksyriums?
  • rando
    rando Posts: 285
    Bit of googling and it seems the one in my previous link is actually the Australian Giant TCR Advanced 3 colours !
    Interesting....will ring them tomorrow to check.
  • rando
    rando Posts: 285
    Spoke with paulscycles about the TCR advanced they stock and it is a European one hence the different colour. Asked about upgrading the wheels but they said they would not do that on a sale bike. So I could buy the TCR 3 with 105 rather than the TCR 2 with ultegra and with the £300 difference buy some better wheels. Do prefer the red paint job over the white but won't let that be the deciding factor.

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