Reasons not to buy a Giant

Camcycle1974

As per the title if you had 2-3k to spend what else would you buy that had as good a frame and spec as a TCR? Looking at other options but they all seem to be more expensive or a worse spec to the equivalent Giant

londoncommuter

An alternative with better spec for the same money if you're a 54cm:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/focu ... 1304679066

Sorry, that was a bit sneaky

Camcycle1974

londoncommuter wrote:

An alternative with better spec for the same money if you're a 54cm:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/focu ... 1304679066

Sorry, that was a bit sneaky

I am a 54 and I don't mind sneaky!

StillGoing

A Merida Reacto or Scultura. Merida are one of the biggest manufacturers in the bike industry even making the frames for Specialized. I've got two of them and can't fault the build quality and the pricing.

Camcycle1974

philthy3 wrote:

A Merida Reacto or Scultura. Merida are one of the biggest manufacturers in the bike industry even making the frames for Specialized. I've got two of them and can't fault the build quality and the pricing.

I'll have a look. Bit similar to Giant though. In-house frame production which keeps down cost but I guess that's why Giant/Merida offer good bang for your buck. Not familiar with their range so I'll take a look.

vegas76

Rose bikes? Or Canyon?

yiannism

I will also throw some other brands VFM, like ghost, and orbea. Cube too.

Korhag

Probably a Canyon of some sort.

neeb

One of my local bike shops has got a 2018 Trek Madone 9.0 on sale for £2700 odd (reduced from £3500 which was already an extremely good deal). Same OCLV 600 carbon frame as the £10K Madone 9.9, full ultegra, plus those flaps on the headtube that pop out when you turn.. I very nearly bought it just because it was such a good deal despite really, really not needing another bike. And because of those stealth-fighter flappy flap things. Next year's equivalently priced model seems to have been downgraded to OCLV 500 carbon and has lost the flaps..

**corection - that model (the 2019 SL6) actually does still have the flaps, the new behind-the-fork brakea are only on the more expensive models. But otherwise it just seems to be a slightly more expensive version of the 2018 9.0 with a lower grade, heavier frame..**

cookeeemonster

Canyon...

Camcycle1974

Canyon always an option. I find their paint jobs a bit dull. Stealth or stealth with a few other options. I guess the cf slx would be the nearest to the TCR. Orbea I shall have a look at as there is a dealer near to me.

londoncommuter

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Canyon always an option. I find their paint jobs a bit dull. Stealth or stealth with a few other options. I guess the cf slx would be the nearest to the TCR. Orbea I shall have a look at as there is a dealer near to me.

Surely the days of Canyon's being absolute steals are over though and they're proper pro team prices these days?

Not to bump my Gumtree sale above but, I had a look at what I'd get for the £3k when I inevitably regret selling it and "need" a new bike in a year or two and you do seem to get so little these days. Seems impossible to get any manufacturers' top frame with DA/Red and reasonable/good finishing kit for anything close to that anymore. Of course you can downgrade to Ultegra or take the "non hi-mod" or whatever frame and it will be 99% as good but it's not a dream purchase then. Anyway, I'm rambling and adding nothing useful to the thread so will shut up now.

Camcycle1974

londoncommuter wrote:

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Canyon always an option. I find their paint jobs a bit dull. Stealth or stealth with a few other options. I guess the cf slx would be the nearest to the TCR. Orbea I shall have a look at as there is a dealer near to me.

Surely the days of Canyon's being absolute steals are over though and they're proper pro team prices these days?

Not to bump my Gumtree sale above but, I had a look at what I'd get for the £3k when I inevitably regret selling it and "need" a new bike in a year or two and you do seem to get so little these days. Seems impossible to get any manufacturers' top frame with DA/Red and reasonable/good finishing kit for anything close to that anymore. Of course you can downgrade to Ultegra or take the "non hi-mod" or whatever frame and it will be 99% as good but it's not a dream purchase then. Anyway, I'm rambling and adding nothing useful to the thread so will shut up now.

Lol, any contribution is good, rambling or no. Giant seem to be one of the few who are offering a top spec still. You can get a TCR with DA and nice wheels for 3k still whereas the new Tarmac in the Sagan colour is 3k with 105 and average wheels! Giant also seem to be available on deals. A mate just picked up an Advanced Pro 1TCR for 2.2k which is a hell of a deal, list price being 2.8k. I seem to be talking myself into getting a Giant don't I! Thing is I want Ultegra and nice wheels and Giant seem to be the only company offering it for the budget I have.

spatt77

Hi, BMC may be worth a look, I've got a Roadmachine which i have found excellent.

letap73

Giant put together great bikes on the whole - but in some ways there success in making a bike suit as many people as possible makes them "boring".

I bought a Defy Advanced from 2010 - then bought a Supersix Himod Evo to replace it. I did a hilly 50 mile test ride on the Evo - it was thrilling but clearly by the end of the ride I was really flagging. As soon as I got home I jumped onto the Defy for confirmation bias purposes. Did 20 miles on hilly terrain - boring ride in comparison - when I got home I realised I had been far quicker on the Defy then on the Evo.

I have kept both bikes - the evo is more exciting, the Defy a great bike to be on when you are not feeling 100% but subjectively a boring ride in comparison.

kingrollo

I have a defy as my winter bike\commuting bike . I brought it used for £300 and for that is superb.

I just couldn't pay big money for a giant though - they are probably very fine bikes - but I would want a flashy paint job and looks that make me go 'wow'.

If you want VFM - I think cube bikes are a good deal at the moment. - if you want looks on a budget Kuota ?

Camcycle1974

Thanks guys, I'll take a look at those options.

Camcycle1974

Tried a TCR Advanced 1 today and it was super smooth. It's got similar dimensions to my current bike but stack and reach are lower/longer but not by much. Was really surprised how comfy it was, even compared to my Enigma Ti. Very tempted to purchase.

Hendrix2430

Canyon still has the edge in terms of spec for money, I think.

With that said, imo as a race bike the TCR is as perfect as you can get.

minnnt

Hi camcycle. A few days a go I picked up a TCR Advanced Pro 1 from Rutland Cycles. I went to the shop on Sunday afternoon to have a look at the range and it really caught my eye (I’d already been ogling it on the net). The ‘neon red’ is definitely a nice touch and is really bright. The RRP of the bike is £2799 which is what they were selling it for. I’d found it on the net at Triton Cycles for £2159 and asked Rutland over the phone if they’d match it for me... to my surprise they said yes!

It replaced a 2 week old £1500 Boardman SLR Pro which I was knocked off of by a car. The frame was trashed and I received a decent settlement so decided to step up a notch to this.

Had it’s first outing this afternoon and it’s REALLY comfortable and the new R8000 is beautiful to use. The carbon wheels are very responsive too with them only being 1400g. Really happy with my choice and I think you would be too. I had been looking at the Canyon Endurace disc model previously but found the stealth version a little mooted for my liking and the Icelandic Lava was out of stock in my size and didn’t want to wait 5 weeks for it.

If it’s any help, I’m 180cm with a 33” inseam and went for a ML.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/tcr-advanced-pro-1

kirk72

Absolutely no reason not to buy. they are quality bikes but just don't have the glitzy name as others.

I picked up a TCR advanced pro 1 2018 a few weeks ago and its a fantastic ride, stiff and efficient but pretty comfy over a long ride and mines slammed with stem inverted. That's coming from a synapse with long head tube then more recenty a supersix with the conical stem still in place. With pretty heavy tubeless tyres (330gm gavias) still on but a change to slightly lighter saddle and some decent carbon bars its also pretty light for the money at around 6.8kg (medium frame) easy to save 150/200gm further.

Buy one you wont regret it.

tcr by john Kirk, on Flickr

DavidJB

letap73 wrote:

Giant put together great bikes on the whole - but in some ways there success in making a bike suit as many people as possible makes them "boring".

I bought a Defy Advanced from 2010 - then bought a Supersix Himod Evo to replace it. I did a hilly 50 mile test ride on the Evo - it was thrilling but clearly by the end of the ride I was really flagging. As soon as I got home I jumped onto the Defy for confirmation bias purposes. Did 20 miles on hilly terrain - boring ride in comparison - when I got home I realised I had been far quicker on the Defy then on the Evo.

I have kept both bikes - the evo is more exciting, the Defy a great bike to be on when you are not feeling 100% but subjectively a boring ride in comparison.

This is so stupid. You're comparing an mid level endurance Giant to a top end race orientated Cannondale. Why not compare it the with TCR advanced SL...far from boring. If I compared my TCR Advanced SL with a mid level synapse of course the synapse would be "duller"

Camcycle1974

Kirk72 wrote:

Absolutely no reason not to buy. they are quality bikes but just don't have the glitzy name as others.

I picked up a TCR advanced pro 1 2018 a few weeks ago and its a fantastic ride, stiff and efficient but pretty comfy over a long ride and mines slammed with stem inverted. That's coming from a synapse with long head tube then more recenty a supersix with the conical stem still in place. With pretty heavy tubeless tyres (330gm gavias) still on but a change to slightly lighter saddle and some decent carbon bars its also pretty light for the money at around 6.8kg (medium frame) easy to save 150/200gm further.

Buy one you wont regret it.

tcr by john Kirk, on Flickr

I did. Put down a deposit on an Advanced 1 today. Got a great deal as well. Not as fancy wheels as the Advanced Pro but same frame and group set. Wheels will follow later.

Camcycle1974

I went M as I'm 1m77.

kirk72

my local bike shop, Onyerbike Burnley are doing the black red pro 1 for £1999 at the moment whilst the tours on. Proper bargain that but they only have medium. I picked up the very same second hand mint condition with only a hundred miles a month ago for what I thought was a steal.

bikes`n`guns

Have to say, it`s only in the last year or so I`ve seen any Giants that look appealing, up till then I viewed them as the Ford Mondeo of the cycle world. Efficient but dull. (Says the Trek rider haha)

letap73

DavidJB wrote:

letap73 wrote:

Giant put together great bikes on the whole - but in some ways there success in making a bike suit as many people as possible makes them "boring".

I bought a Defy Advanced from 2010 - then bought a Supersix Himod Evo to replace it. I did a hilly 50 mile test ride on the Evo - it was thrilling but clearly by the end of the ride I was really flagging. As soon as I got home I jumped onto the Defy for confirmation bias purposes. Did 20 miles on hilly terrain - boring ride in comparison - when I got home I realised I had been far quicker on the Defy then on the Evo.

I have kept both bikes - the evo is more exciting, the Defy a great bike to be on when you are not feeling 100% but subjectively a boring ride in comparison.

This is so stupid. You're comparing an mid level endurance Giant to a top end race orientated Cannondale. Why not compare it the with TCR advanced SL...far from boring. If I compared my TCR Advanced SL with a mid level synapse of course the synapse would be "duller"

Oooh. We have a Giant fan boy. I was answering the question "reasons not to buy a giant", so I have answered the question.
You will notice that I have kept the Giant - because it is a great bike and some of my quickest rides have been on it.
I have ridden the Synapse and the TCR and I think the Supersix is more exciting than the TCR and the Synapse is more exciting than the Defy. I think that Cannondales make for more exciting handling than the Giants - however, the overall package of the Giants I have ridden is hard to beat.

Camcycle1974

These things are all subjective to a large degree. I did test ride a few options before going for the TCR and it felt better to me than the 4k Spesh Tarmac and Trek Madone that I tried. I guess I am slightly swayed by the fact that I'm getting a great frame and group set for £1400 rather than 4 grand! I do like a bargain. The only downside is the stock alu wheels but I didn't see the value in paying £800 more for carbon wheels and a carbon steerer, all other things being the same. I can source carbon wheels for a lot less than that. I pick the bike up on Wednesday so I'll post some pics on here if I can figure out how to do it!

dj58

Hi Camcycle1974, You've purchased a Giant bike after all you said following your disastrous dalliance with the 2013 Defy 0 M/L. Is this an N+1 bike, or are you getting rid of your Enigma Ti? I note that you have said in the past that the TCR was the only Giant model you would consider. I take it you went for the rim brake model? https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/tcr-advanced-1 Nice, enjoy your new bike.

Camcycle1974

DJ58 wrote:

Hi Camcycle1974, You've purchased a Giant bike after all you said following your disastrous dalliance with the 2013 Defy 0 M/L. Is this an N+1 bike, or are you getting rid of your Enigma Ti? I note that you have said in the past that the TCR was the only Giant model you would consider. I take it you went for the rim brake model? https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/tcr-advanced-1 Nice, enjoy your new bike.

You have a long memory! Yes, I didn't get on with the Defy but that was largely down to being sold the wrong size. I'll probably move the Enigma on in due course, just fancy a change. I hope I enjoy it as much I did the test ride.

Camcycle1974

Yes, Advanced 1 rim brake. No need for discs round here.