l done Giant. Giant did say that

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Well done Giant. Giant did say that testing with other brands of tyres was ongoing though, and that an updated list would be released in due course. With parallel 73-degree seat tube and head tube angles, its slightly slacker than some competitors, such as the Specialized Tarmac Disc or Trek Emonda Disc, but its still in classic road race bike territory. Giant is explicitly saying that tyres not on its approved list are unsafe to use on its hookless road rims. The move to a slightly wider internal width rim (up to 19mm from 17mm) is welcome because this improves tyre profile, but I think they could be wider externally. (which, for the record, I would like to get my hands on). Thanks! No. , but the flat shape is possibly something I could get used to. The Advanced Pro 2 model comes with a complete Shimano 105 R7020 groupset (with the exception of the chain, which is upgraded to a KMC X11 SL-1) and a full suite of Giant components and finishing kit. This makes sense given the increased tyre clearance and general industry trend towards making road bikes more capable on mixed surfaces. There may be an issue with the hookless rims though. To see all of theBikeRadarteams 2020 bikes and stay up-to-date with the latest developments visit our long-term review hub. This affects the angle and reach of the drops too, as well as the orientation of the aerofoil top section. However, in my experience, this usually means compromises elsewhere in the spec, most often at the wheels. After it debuted at the Tour de France in 1997, ridden by the ONCE team, most other manufacturers followed suit and moved to sloping top-tube designs. SUMMER SALE | Try 3 issues of Cycling Plus magazine for 5 + Get a pair of Lusso cycling socks! This isnt too surprising because the Cadex tyres have a much more supple casing and are, despite their increased size, 104g lighter for the pair than the Giant tyres (lighter tyres tend to exhibit less rolling resistance because theres simply less material to deform). Such limited compatibility limits your options considerably whenever that time comes. The 700x32c Schwalbe Pro One TLE Transparent tyres measure around 31mm when inflated on the Giant SLR 1 rims. The stock Giant Gavia Course 1 tyres were fine, but a bike like this deserves lighter, racier rubber. Others will doubtless feel differently (and many have told me so in the comments), but for me, its a dealbreaker. There are only five approved tyres by third-party manufacturers three from Maxxis and two from Schwalbe. Its possible this issue could be solved simply by shortening the cables a few centimetres though, so they hug the head tube more closely. Simon hopes the latest TCR might be the perfect all-round road bike at a great price. Nice to have when youve spent months and years training to pull every last drop of horsepower from your engine, and it does make a bike look great too. Other people may get on with it straight away, but Ill need a few more rides to decide whether were going to be long-term friends or not. Stack is unchanged versus the 2020 model, but reach decreases 5mm. Our long-term test gives us the opportunity to truly get to grips with these machines, so we can tell you how they perform through different seasons and on ever-changing terrain. Its a finely balanced spec and Giant deserves a lot of credit for putting it all together at this price point. First of all, it inevitably meant updating my FTP setting, and in one fell swoop all my future workouts got quite a bit harder. These changes all point towards a bike thats slightly less aggressive and a little more stable and slower handling than the previous model. Hopefully, I can get my hands on a set and see how the TCR stands up to winter riding. Taking in an array of spooky tunnels, canal towpaths, farm tracks and gravel roads around the Bristol and Bath area, everyone else in the group turned up on a gravel bike or a cyclocross bike. For road racing to light gravel, theres little it cant turn its hand to. Tyres from popular brands like Continental, Vittoria and Pirelli are explicitly ruled out. The frameset is excellent and it features a number of great components, but theres simply no denying that the tyre compatibility issue just hasnt improved to the degree Id hoped. Giants website also now includes information on tyres that failed its testing protocol. Ill give the saddle a little more time before I decide whether to swap it out or not. The frame has a press-fit BB86 bottom bracket, and Giant has specced 52/36-tooth chainrings and an 11-30-tooth cassette out back, paired with a short-cage rear derailleur. The TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc has a full Shimano 105 R7000 drivetrain. I did need to use a Schwalbe Tyre Booster to seat the bead (my Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive Tall track pump wasnt enough to get it done), but the set up was otherwise pain-free. Factory grease is a magnet for dirt and grime (its intended to prevent corrosion during storage, not act as a lubricant), and leaving it on the chain would have meant a fair amount of extra drivetrain cleaning to do down the line. Its a little heavier, and it doesnt have the bling factor of Ultegra or. |, Bike_radar, br_bikes, br_bikesRoadAndAllNonMTB, a/7/1/e/a71e1bb3e48b259001c877f53fe887ac542d14d9_Giant_TCR_Advanced_Pro_2_Disc_2021.jpg, Solid all-round spec for the price; 32mm tyre clearance; lively ride quality and confident handling, Hookless rims and 1in steerer limit aftermarket upgrade options, The Giant TCR is one of the truly classic road bikes. I would definitely do a similar ride on the TCR again in the future, though. The paint job is a clear gloss coat over the carbon frame with painted logos in chrysocolla (which is a green-blue sparkly mineral). The Giant SLR-1 42mm tubeless carbon wheels are 24mm wide externally, 19mm internally and have hookless rims. Theres still plenty of room left in the frame and fork too. Having ridden a 2009 Giant TCR Advanced SL for around six years, I thought it would be interesting to see how much 11 years of industry progress has changed things. (with the exception of the chain, which is upgraded to a KMC X11 SL-1) and a full suite of Giant components and finishing kit. I think a tan wall option would provide a great visual contrast to the gloss black frame too. Given this, it looks like the best choice for racing might be Schwalbes Pro One TLE, which Giant has approved for use on its hookless rims. The Cadex Classics tyres have a file tread that feels very grippy to the touch, and seems to perform very well on rough roads. And thats all before we consider that tyres are one of the most important components on any bike in determining performance. The hookless rims just arent a match for this tyre nerd. I completed the 80km or so ride without any particular discomfort, but I felt like I was perched on top of it rather than sat in it. Of course, those arent things that need to be done regularly, and you can always drop the bike off with your friendly local mechanic, who will no doubt be thrilled to take on the challenge. Though it no longer represents the absolute leading edge of road bike design, the TCR retains a wonderful balance of characteristics that make it a joy to own and ride most of the time. As for the TCR, Id still like to swap the tyres out for something different, just to see how it affects the bikes performance. Fortunately, though, my appreciation for the stock Giant Fleet SL saddle has only increased during this period, as proven by its inclusion in my Gear of the Year 2020. The good news is the 40cm version is nice and narrow (its around 37cm at the hoods), it looks very smart and, if paired with a Deda DCR stem, its also possible to run both gear and brake cables fully internally, if thats an option on your bike. Ill likely look at replacing them with something better looking when they wear out. The only thing I changed before riding was to remove the chain and strip the factory grease from it, so I could throw it in the slow cooker with some wax and get it properly lubricated. Giant told us it feels it has been more stringent in its safety testing than other wheel brands, but either way, it has designed a wheelset that doesnt offer compatibility with the vast majority of tyres currently on the market, and thats a serious limitation. , but Ill have to wait for Giants updated compatibility list to find out whats approved. Fully integrated cable routing, for example, is great for cutting drag. The next thing I want to change is the stem and handlebar set up. Its a minor point, but testing by aero wheel pioneers such as HED and Zipp has shown that rims need to be around 105 per cent of the width of the tyre to maintain optimum aero performance. While the old adage, theres no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing is fine for fellwalkers and Highlanders (it was apparently Alfred Wainwright, the famous fellwalker and writer, who first wrote those immortal words in his book, A Coast to Coast Walk), icy road conditions can be quite dangerous for cyclists, and I prefer not to take my chances when temperatures are hovering around zero degrees. As things stand, Giant has only a short list of approved tyres and it only has Giant and Cadex (Giants in-house brand) tyres on it. Personally, I wouldnt buy the wheels as things stand, though. After a full year with the bike, the only component I permanently changed for pure performance reasons were the tyres (which I swapped to Cadex Classics first and then Schwalbe Pro One TLE later on). The TCR Advanced Pro Disc is the second-tier frameset in the TCR range. Unofficially, though, it handles fantastically and can certainly be used on light gravel, farm tracks and the like, especially if its dry. As the world of road bikes has pushed increasingly towards optimising features such as aerodynamics, it started to look as if the TCR, with its almost singular focus on its stiffness to weight ratio, was arguably being left behind. Its not been long since my last update to this review, and Ive actually spent much of that time riding other bikes. My 36cm handlebar didnt present any handling issues on the rough stuff. The wheels seem great on first impressions and theres no denying they look the part. Weighing in at an average of 333g per tyre on my scales, theyre around 18g heavier than the 315g claimed weight, but in the grand scheme of things Im not going to lose any sleep over 30 grams or so. , but its still in classic road race bike territory. Hopefully its the former and Im just doing things right. The most notable of those is probably the new 2021 Canyon Aeroad. Its also possible that this situation will lead to a net benefit to consumers in the long term, if tyre manufacturers adapt their products to meet Giants improved standards. Simon von Bromley is a senior technical writer for BikeRadar.com. Id fitted some 32mm Schwalbe Pro One TLE tyres to the TCR, but hadnt made any other concessions to off-road conditions. These 700 x 28c tyres weigh around 333g per tyre on average, and have a file tread designed to maximise grip without harming rolling resistance. It climbs well, ticks along on the flat, and descends without any fuss. Set-up was easy. It also receives a standard telescoping seatpost, rather than the integrated seatpost Advanced SL models have. The Shimano SM-RT70 disc brake rotors arent the prettiest rotors on the market, even if they function perfectly well. All I needed to do was rotate the handlebars, set the saddle height and add some pedals and bottle cages. Its not been love at first sit, but the flat shape is possibly something I could get used to. Its a reflection of the current state of the world (or at least the UK, anyway) that I sadly havent been riding this bike outside much recently. . The next thing I want to change is the stem and handlebar set up. There are a number of different specs to choose from in the Advanced Pro Disc range, with the main variation being the level of groupset. The Shimano 105 drivetrain continues to perform excellently. They come in what is without a doubt the fanciest box Ive ever seen for a road tyre. Now that the dust is starting to settle on other 2021 prices in the cycling world, I dont think it makes much, if any, difference to the value of the bike. Its been just over a year since Giants TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc arrived for testing, and that means its time to wrap up this epic and give you my final conclusions. Officially, the TCR is intended for use on paved roads only, so in that sense, its a no. The relatively large tyre clearance is also great and makes the TCR an extremely versatile bike. Many are pointing to apparently incoming new ETRTO and ISO standards for road tubeless, but as weve seen with bottom brackets over the past decade or so, manufacturers love to create new standards at the merest hint of a potential performance gain, so it might not be the panacea were all hoping for. For me, the only real low point has been the hookless rims and the tyre compatibility restrictions this entails. Its a curious change because as well as interfering with my knees, it also leaves a greater amount of exposed cable compared to the 2020 frame, which isnt good from an aero perspective. The exposed cables might look a little dated at first glance, but on a bike that purposefully hasnt gone all-in on aerodynamic efficiency (if you want that, Giant has the Propel), I think the added simplicity is well worth the small drag penalty. I initially pumped the tyres up to around 60/62psi (front/rear), but Ill have to experiment with this to find the sweet spot for my local roads. If properly maintained, Id expect this bike to last a very long time. Standing on the pedals for the first time the most immediately noticeable characteristics of this bike are its smoothness and confident handling, especially at speed. A more elegant solution could be a set of power meter pedals. Ill revisit this in a later update though, once prices across the industry have settled. Theres nothing wrong with the stock tyres, but these are always going to be an easy upgrade target for someone looking for cheap performance gains. As weve noted elsewhere, it does mean that some popular options such as, Ill give the saddle a little more time before I decide whether to swap it out or not. It also states that using a tyre not on the approved list is done at your own risk. These cranks both have larger 130BCD chainrings though, meaning they would increase the gear ratios slightly. Wheels like this are quite rare on bikes at this price point, and aside from my reservations about the hookless rims, the Giant SLR Disc a reliable, race-ready wheelset. The tyres are also by Giant, and are its 70025c Gavia Course 1 tubeless model. That meant a slightly longer stem and a narrower, deeper handlebar. I still think this bike represents very good value, though, all things considered. With the clocks going back and officially signalling the end of British Summer Time, winter is well and truly on its way. , but I believe in physics and Ive little doubt the redesigned truncated ellipse tube shapes are likely more aerodynamically efficient than they were previously, works as flawlessly as youd expect. Saddle choice can be highly personal, though, so its not necessarily a bad one. A Google search throws up a number of people complaining about the same problem, so, disappointingly, I dont believe this is an isolated issue. For many, especially those who arent as obsessed with rolling resistance charts and tan-wall aesthetics as I am, the selection of compatible tyres Giant offers will be more than enough choice. We also use them as test beds for the latest kit, chopping and changing parts to see what really makes the difference and help you decide which upgrades are worth spending your money on. Tubeless set up was mostly pain-free, although a tyre booster was needed to seat the bead. if I still raced, but an all-round bike such as the TCR is a little more versatile and easier to live with. Although its looking likely Paris-Roubaix will be cancelled or postponed again this year, Rapha is hosting one of its A Day In Hell rides around Bristol in early April, and Im hoping I can persuade a few friends and colleagues to join me in taking on this tribute to the Queen of the Classics. While the 2009 bike still impresses, the 2021 TCR is undoubtedly far more refined, particularly in how it balances stiffness and ride quality (the 2009 TCR feels extremely rigid in comparison). The RRP has increased, but relative to other bikes on the market the TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc still represents pretty good value for money. However, as things stand, its a significant limitation that makes me seriously question whether, were I looking to purchase a new bike right now, I would actually want to buy this bike instead of a competitor option with different wheels. Is this stem going to make you faster while riding along in a straight line? Giant does also have other, more premium, racing tyre options, that can be used on these wheels if youre looking for those marginal gains. Because of the 1 inch oversized steerer tube, aftermarket stem options are very limited, meaning Ill most likely have to get a direct replacement for the stem from Giant. The 2021 TCR saw a welcome change in design parameters though, with overhauled tube shapes and an increased focus on all-round efficiency. While my old TCR is a size M, I went for a ML this time because the M was always a little too small for me (I bought it second-hand). Considering the performance of the current generation of 105 is so close to that of mechanical Ultegra, I think its a smart compromise to keep the price down and still spec the high-end wheels because they make a much larger difference to performance. Giant continues to stress it is working with tyre manufacturers to expand this list, and its likely delays associated with the global pandemic are partly to blame for the lack of updates this past year, but I just cant get past the fact that these rims still restrict tyre choice so heavily. Thats not necessarily a bad thing. One thing that has changed in the interim is the price. This is because the difference between an average tyre and the best on the market (in terms of rolling resistance and grip) can be substantial. This translates into improved handling, even for a whippet like myself. At the start of the year, every member of theBikeRadarteam selects a long-term test bike to ride over the course of the following 12 months. Its also worth noting that there are no other wheels currently on the market with such limited compatibility. Tyres are so integral to a bikes performance and it would be disappointing if compatibility with third-party manufacturers is so limited. Being so stiff, its not an especially comfortable ride off-road. But, still, as weve seen with the recent launch of the Specialized Aethos, theres an enduring appetite for simplicity in road bikes too. Its very easy to feel at home on. I ran the tyres tubeless, with 60ml of sealant per tyre. Before joining BikeRadar, Simon was a freelance writer and photographer, with work published on BikeRadar.com, Cyclingnews.com and in CyclingPlus magazine. The Advanced Pro 2 is the only model in the Advanced Pro range that doesnt come with a Giant PowerPro power meter specced though, because its only available on Ultegra level cranksets. Im never going to test frame stiffness to its limits with my willowy figure, but climbing out of the saddle or sprinting (if you can call it that) felt purposeful and composed. At 24.5mm externally, theyre not narrow by any means, but they arent as progressive as they could be. While my old TCR is a size M, I went for a ML this time because the M was always a little too small for me (I bought it. Ill also admit to being concerned about whether going so well in January is actually a good thing can I expect to keep improving at this rate into the spring and summer, when real life racing will (hopefully) resume, or am I setting myself up for a quick plateau and eventual decline? , and Giant has specced 52/36-tooth chainrings and an 11-30-tooth cassette out back, paired with a short-cage, The Giant SLR-1 42mm tubeless carbon wheels are 24mm wide externally, 19mm internally and have, Giant TCR Advanced Pro Disc (full-composite OverDrive 2 steerer), Giant SLR-1 42 Carbon Disc WheelSystem (42mm front and rear), Shimano 105 R7020 hydraulic disc brakes (160mm rotor front, 140mm rotor rear), Giant Contact SL, 42cm (centre to centre), Giants TCR is a long standing design, so the geometry has been pretty settled for a while, but there are a few tweaks for, With parallel 73-degree seat tube and head tube angles, its slightly slacker than some competitors, such as the. At 60psi, the tyres measure just under 29mm wide on the Giant SLR1 rims. Im still some way off my all-time best numbers (as an aside, this is the major problem with power meters; once youre past your prime they mostly just track how much grunt youve lost at least heart rate monitors are kind enough to inform you whether youre still trying as hard), but I think its worth me keeping a beady eye on how much intensity Im incorporating into my training, and making sure Im building my aerobic capacity slowly and sustainably. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the situation remains largely unchanged. As I mentioned in my last update, Id been excited to finally try the TCR out with some faster, wider tyres. Sadly, the TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc now costs 3,499 in the UK, 300 more than it did previously. Some of these new features appear to have been borrowed from or inspired by the Liv Langma Advanced Pro Disc, which fills a similar performance niche as the TCR for Giants womens-specific sister brand. However, in my experience, this usually means compromises elsewhere in the spec, most often at the wheels. In Giants defence, its obviously a good thing if its safety testing is of a higher standard than other brands. Installing the Cadex Classics tubeless tyres was very easy. My initial impressions of it still largely stand true. Its a time-efficient way of getting fit, and with the availability of apps such as Zwift (other indoor cycling apps are available), its not impossible to make it fun too. As weve noted elsewhere, it does mean that some popular options such as Continentals GP5000 TL are not useable, with Continental previously stating its road tyres can only be used on hooked rims. Trying to detect aero improvements from the wheels or frame is a fools errand unless you have the right kit (which, for the record, I would like to get my hands on). Its a bike that hasnt just blindly followed all of the latest trends but delivers in spades on what actually matters, on almost every front. Nevertheless, Giant still produces the Advanced level carbon fibre in its own composite factory (rather than purchasing pre-made sheets), so it can better control the quality. That means an eventual return to base training and, inevitably, more time on the indoor trainer. The TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc handled itself impressively on the off-road sections. , it started to look as if the TCR, with its almost singular focus on its stiffness to weight ratio, was arguably being left behind. As mentioned, though, there isnt any publicly available rolling resistance data for any of Giants tyres. As the TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc has a Shimano BB86 press-fit bottom bracket, I can use the SRM from my, , but I could also use a recently acquired. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? As expected, its a fantastic all-round road bike that hits almost all of the right notes. For a final point of comparison I recently returned to my 2009 Giant TCR Advanced SL. And that difference certainly seems to be far greater than the performance difference between hooked and hookless rims, which then begs the question; is it currently worth it? Cheap wheels and tyres are so often the weak point for race bikes, and Giant has got the balance right here. They certainly look and feel the part in the hand. Canyon reckons it can save up to 3 watts in extreme cases. Its a stout, oversized hunk of hollow carbon fibre. Consumers also need to be aware that this is not just a performance issue, but also one of safety. Giant should be applauded for not just blindly following market trends. a superbike with a radical, wind cheating cockpit and 60mm aero wheels. Its a sensible spread of gears that should be suitable for the majority of roads. For general riding around Bristol though, the 11-30t cassette should provide sufficient range when paired with the stock 52/36t chainrings up front. Simon also makes regular appearances on the BikeRadar Podcast and BikeRadars YouTube channel. Despite the explosion of interest in gravel and adventure cycling, Im a roadie at heart. This is Giants updated list of the tyres approved for use on its hookless rims. Whether those differences are worth the 170 premium versus the standard alloy stem is a harder question to answer, but that will ultimately be a personal decision. One of the first things Ill always look to add to any bike is a power meter, and since this model doesnt come with Giants own Power Pro power meter pre-installed, Ill be doing the same here. At the time of the initial release, tyre compatibility was strictly limited to a selection of Giant and Cadex tyres, in certain sizes, that had been stringently tested for safety. A sudden constriction of free time caused by the recent arrival of my first child has played its part, but the bigger issues of another national lockdown and the treacherous winter conditions, have largely confined me and the TCR to the smart trainer these past couple of months. Thats great in one sense because who doesnt like being in good shape, but it also has its drawbacks. Pedalling stiffness is more than adequate for someone like me. Stay tuned for the next update. One of the big selling points for this new generation TCR is the increased tyre clearance (disc brake TCRs can now accommodate tyres up to 70032c), so Id been keen on testing it out with some big but racy tyres. In fact, its worked so well that I recently got close to my best 20 minute average power for the past year, during stage two of the Tour de Zwift, on the Innsbruck KOM. Clearance at the rear is similarly generous. Simon joined BikeRadar in 2020, but has been riding bikes all his life, and racing road and time trial bikes for over a decade. The smoothness is likely helped in part by the tubeless wheels and tyres. I didnt suffer any punctures either, which had been a slight worry given the Pro One TLE is a reasonably lightweight road racing tyre. Reach hasnt gone down on all sizes though, instead Giant has tweaked both stack and reach figures across the range to make the jumps between sizes a little more consistent. As it was though, the bike handled the off-road secteurs with aplomb and was as good as ever on the road. Its a little too short and far too wide for my tastes right now. Its also reassuring to know that Giant designed and tested the aerodynamics of the new TCR with two bottles in place, which is often overlooked. On the other hand, needing to disconnect every cable on the bike in order to replace parts like headset bearings or handlebars isnt very entertaining. Unless you like a very low hood angle, you have to run the shifters right at the bottom of the clamping area and tilt the whole handlebar up to get your preferred hood angle. Plus, Ill reiterate what I said at the beginning of this almost Homeric epic, about it being a smart move on Giants part to spec a Shimano 105 groupset and high-quality wheels at this price point. Would I buy it? As Ive commented in my updates throughout this long review, the frameset is fantastic. Disc brakes are the new normal on road bikes and this one has a 160mm rotor up front and a 140mm rotor at the rear. Best road bikes: how to choose the right one for you, Battle of the Bikes | 2020 Giant TCR Advanced SL custom vs 2021 Giant TCR Advanced SL 0, Buyers guide to layering up for winter cycling, building my aerobic capacity slowly and sustainably, 10 winter training mistakes (and how to avoid them), five new tyres had been added to its approved list, Best road bike tyres: everything you need to know, Having ridden a 2009 Giant TCR Advanced SL for around six years, rims need to be around 105 per cent of the width of the tyre, Saddle choice can be highly personal, though, its road tyres can only be used on hooked rims, 7.87kg (ML) Without pedals or bottles cages, Shimano 105 R7020 hydraulic disc brakes, 160mm rotor front / 140mm rotor rear, Giant SLR-1 42 Carbon Disc WheelSystem (F:42mm, R:42mm). Despite a year now having passed, Giants list of compatible tyres (meaning tyres that are safe to use on Giant and Cadex hookless rims, according to Giants internal testing) stands at just 15 tyres, most of which are Giant or Cadex branded. Its obviously impossible to assess the performance of a bike when its attached to an indoor trainer, but it is great for testing saddles because the increased heat and sweat generated by cycling indoors can amplify the effects of any issues. I wasnt so immediately enamoured with the saddle. Some soapy water and removing the valve cores helped, and I only needed a standard track pump to seat the beads. I would have chosen a full-on aero road bike such as. 3,000 is a lot of money to spend on a bike, but you could easily spend a lot more. I also firmly believe riding fast bikes is fantastic fun. Already have an account with us? The kind of thing you sometimes see on sprinters bikes. As I mentioned in my initial review one of the very first things I knew I wanted to change was the fit. Swapping to a set of Parcours Strade wheels (which I had been testing look out for a review coming soon), firstly with Vittoria Corsa G+ tyres and latex inner tubes and then with Continental GP5000 TL tubeless tyres, gave me a pretty clear indication of the extra speed and comfort you might be missing out on.

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