Help Please! Giant Propel vs TCR Advanced
salsamuffin204
Posts: 27
Hi,
I'm based in South Korea. We have limited buying choices and different prices here. I've been a fairly keen road cyclist on and off for 20 years. I've decided to buy a better road bike early in the new year. I don't race and probably never will. I DO enjoy going faster. I ride around 150km per week. I do some longer rides in the summer (100-200km) and one of my goals is a Strava segment up a 3.5km 9% monster mountain.
I enjoy inerval training, riding hard, and challenging myself on hard climbs. I like to improve my fitness and speed.
Korea is not keen on test rides of anything (I couldn't even test drive my car before I bought it).
I'm struggling to choose between the Giant Propel Advanced 1 and TCR Advanced 1 - Have never had a carbon frame before and figure I'd like to get one while I'm still (relatvely) young.
Would really appreciate insight, experiences, and thoughts on the choice between these 2 bikes. Here's what I'm looking at:
Price
Propel 2,500. TCR 2,300 - Doesn't make much difference to me.
Weight -
Propel 7.79kg TCR 7.69 - Seems like no issue.
Compenents
Identical. Both Ultegra.
Stiffness Vs Aero
I'm told the TCR is stiffer and more responsive... Not sure what this means... Better cornering? Better power transfer? Why is it considered better for climbing?
Propel is obviously more aero but how much more aero? Is it worth trading stiffness for aero (Yes, I use the drops and an aero positon on the hoods, tight clothes and aero helmet - I try to work on being more aero and even small increases in speed are important to me)
Chainrings
Propel 36/52 TCR 34/50. I struggle to spin on climbs think the 34/50 will suit me better but how much difference does it make? Is it a deal breaker?
Wheels
Have heard the Pa 2 wheels on the Propel are hard to keep in true. Both wheelsets seem workhorse average. Not sure how much more aero the Propel wheels actually are? I may buy better wheels in a year or so anyway.
Brakes
Propel has those mini V brakes in weird places. Not sure if they are as good as the Ultegra brakes on the TCR? I'm a nervous descender I need to love the brakes.
Looks
I like both bikes. Maybe I like the slimmer profile of the Propel slightly more.
Or save up/find another 1,000 and buy the TCR Advanced Pro (800g lighter, better wheels and fork) a bit later...? aarrgghhhhh.
I'm finding it hard to choose between the bikes. Am I missing something? Thanks in advance guys.
I'm based in South Korea. We have limited buying choices and different prices here. I've been a fairly keen road cyclist on and off for 20 years. I've decided to buy a better road bike early in the new year. I don't race and probably never will. I DO enjoy going faster. I ride around 150km per week. I do some longer rides in the summer (100-200km) and one of my goals is a Strava segment up a 3.5km 9% monster mountain.
I enjoy inerval training, riding hard, and challenging myself on hard climbs. I like to improve my fitness and speed.
Korea is not keen on test rides of anything (I couldn't even test drive my car before I bought it).
I'm struggling to choose between the Giant Propel Advanced 1 and TCR Advanced 1 - Have never had a carbon frame before and figure I'd like to get one while I'm still (relatvely) young.
Would really appreciate insight, experiences, and thoughts on the choice between these 2 bikes. Here's what I'm looking at:
Price
Propel 2,500. TCR 2,300 - Doesn't make much difference to me.
Weight -
Propel 7.79kg TCR 7.69 - Seems like no issue.
Compenents
Identical. Both Ultegra.
Stiffness Vs Aero
I'm told the TCR is stiffer and more responsive... Not sure what this means... Better cornering? Better power transfer? Why is it considered better for climbing?
Propel is obviously more aero but how much more aero? Is it worth trading stiffness for aero (Yes, I use the drops and an aero positon on the hoods, tight clothes and aero helmet - I try to work on being more aero and even small increases in speed are important to me)
Chainrings
Propel 36/52 TCR 34/50. I struggle to spin on climbs think the 34/50 will suit me better but how much difference does it make? Is it a deal breaker?
Wheels
Have heard the Pa 2 wheels on the Propel are hard to keep in true. Both wheelsets seem workhorse average. Not sure how much more aero the Propel wheels actually are? I may buy better wheels in a year or so anyway.
Brakes
Propel has those mini V brakes in weird places. Not sure if they are as good as the Ultegra brakes on the TCR? I'm a nervous descender I need to love the brakes.
Looks
I like both bikes. Maybe I like the slimmer profile of the Propel slightly more.
Or save up/find another 1,000 and buy the TCR Advanced Pro (800g lighter, better wheels and fork) a bit later...? aarrgghhhhh.
I'm finding it hard to choose between the bikes. Am I missing something? Thanks in advance guys.
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Comments
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I've just bought myself the tcr advanced 1 (2015) as an upgrade from my basic allez. Only managed two shortish rides but I knocked just over a minute on a 5km climb and decending was far less nerve wracking, it certainly holds the line a LOT better than the allez. Wheels seem ok, I doubt they are the lightest but they are far from crap. I imagine the breaks are as good as it gets for rims, and they ease my early 40s fear of death. I had tried my mates 36/52, climbing was more difficult I guess that depends on fitness as much as anything.
Anyway I'm very happy with it, £1200 from a shop of all places.0 -
i think that Korea doesn't get the "2" version of the Advanced Pro sadly....
I think the "Pro" version is a worthwhile upgrade, and whilst the new TCR is for 2016, i think your best bet might be to try and hunt down a model year 2015 Propel Advanced Pro and try and get a good (20-25%) reduction.
Not that the non-Pro bikes are bad, far from it. But I follow (and have found useful) the
"buy the highest spec frame that you can".
Buying 6800 Ultegra over 5800 105 isn't buying you much at all, but getting the Adv Pro vs the Adv is.
I would rather an Adv Pro with 105 than an Adv with Ultegra (but sadly the 105 versions are not available in Korea)0 -
I wanted a new bike, I liked the Giant I had so was happy to buy the brand again. I wanted a carbon frame with a slightly sportier slant than the Defy I had so it was between the TCR and Propel. As you've pointed out, there's not much in it weight wise so go for the one you like the look of!
I went for the Propel
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I looked at the TCR Advanced Pro 1 myself but in the end the looks of the Propel Advanced Pro won me over and I went for that.
I haven't noticed any lack of stopping power with the v brakes so hopefully no issue for you if you choose to go for the propel.Giant Propel Advanced Pro 20 -
I wanted a new bike, I liked the Giant I had so was happy to buy the brand again. I wanted a carbon frame with a slightly sportier slant than the Defy I had so it was between the TCR and Propel. As you've pointed out, there's not much in it weight wise so go for the one you like the look of!
I went for the Propel
Hi Dan thanks for your reply. Would you mind sharing your experience with the Propel Advanced? What do you like or not like about it? How about the wheels? Are the flexy? How do you find the gearing on difficult climbs?0 -
I wanted a new bike, I liked the Giant I had so was happy to buy the brand again. I wanted a carbon frame with a slightly sportier slant than the Defy I had so it was between the TCR and Propel. As you've pointed out, there's not much in it weight wise so go for the one you like the look of!
I went for the Propel
I agree with this approach. I went for the TCR because I got a better deal on it than I would have with a Propel. As mentioned, the weight difference is minimal, and the TCR is semi-aero, the Propel more so. If it helps, I wrote a lengthy review for the TCR, here. But get the one you like the look of. And regarding the PR2 wheelset, you will probably want to upgrade at sometime. They're not great. All of my rear, NDS spokes came loose. One bent, one seized in the nipple.Giant TCR Advanced II - Reviewed on my homepage
Giant TCR Alliance Zero
BMC teammachineSLR03
The Departed
Giant SCR2
Canyon Roadlite
Specialized Allez
Some other junk...0 -
I wanted a new bike, I liked the Giant I had so was happy to buy the brand again. I wanted a carbon frame with a slightly sportier slant than the Defy I had so it was between the TCR and Propel. As you've pointed out, there's not much in it weight wise so go for the one you like the look of!
I went for the Propel
I agree with this approach. I went for the TCR because I got a better deal on it than I would have with a Propel. As mentioned, the weight difference is minimal, and the TCR is semi-aero, the Propel more so. If it helps, I wrote a lengthy review for the TCR, here. But get the one you like the look of. And regarding the PR2 wheelset, you will probably want to upgrade at sometime. They're not great. All of my rear, NDS spokes came loose. One bent, one seized in the nipple.
I read your review. Good stuff. It didn't help.... I want both bikes 0 -
I wanted a new bike, I liked the Giant I had so was happy to buy the brand again. I wanted a carbon frame with a slightly sportier slant than the Defy I had so it was between the TCR and Propel. As you've pointed out, there's not much in it weight wise so go for the one you like the look of!
I went for the Propel
Hi Dan thanks for your reply. Would you mind sharing your experience with the Propel Advanced? What do you like or not like about it? How about the wheels? Are the flexy? How do you find the gearing on difficult climbs?
Hi, sorry for the delayed response.
Mine is the 2016 Propel Advanced Pro 2 so it has the new SL1 Aero wheelset and 105 groupset. I haven't managed to get out in it much yet due to the weather and a dodgy knee, but the wheels don't show any signs of flex and I'm a fair size (6ft 1 and north of 90kg).
Overall, I'm really happy with it, I feels noticeably lighter than my old aluminium Defy (to be expected, I suppose) and I'd say only ever so slightly more uncomfortable than the Defy was over rougher roads. The gearing seems ok, I'm not sure how much it varies from my old bike which was 10 speed, maybe a little harder but the smallest gears are still fine for any hills I've encountered.
Not sure what else to say really, I love it!0
