Giant Bicycle Inc. TCR

Price Paid:  $320.00 at an MD on Craigslist

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Shady Grove Soiree, Memphis TN

Bike Setup:
Selle San Marco Caymano saddle
Easton EA50 SL wheelset
Continental Force/Attack set
Shimano Pro Vibe Carbon OS handlebar
Ritchey 4-Axis Matrix Carbon Stem
Shimano PD R540 pedals

Summary:
First things first. I started riding October 2007. This is my second road bike. This bike stock, has performed flawlessly, and I was riding it weighing in at 240 lbs. I am a strong sprinter, meaning I push a whole lot of weight into the bike out of the saddle and this bike has not blinked. It's noticeably faster and more responsive than my Giant OCR3. Very solid on descents (I've hit 41 mph, amazing how fast that feels on a bike). The frame is put together beautifully and is always mistaken for a carbon frame. Great bike even for me, a heavy rider on rough city streets.

Strengths:
Beautiful, smooth welds, looks like a carbon frame.
Quick. Responsive.
2.3lb Aluxx SL frame. Strong.
Great value.

Weaknesses:
Heavy stock wheels

Similar Products Used:
2007 Giant OCR3

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at Andy Jordans

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
Giant TCR2

Summary:
I had this bike since it was new in '06 and have loved it. It was my first road bike and it is really good for beginners. Just be careful, dont wreck or its totaled.

Strengths:
comfortable with the right setup
105 componets

Weaknesses:
tires - there are better out there
seat - VERY uncomfortable
Xero rims are heavy and bend easily
handlebars hurt
SUPER THIN FRAME - a friend crashed into me and it totaled the bike and i had 2 scratches. The frame, rims, and handlebars were bent beyond repair

Price Paid:  $2300.00 at Smyrna Bicycles

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Silver Comet

Bike Setup:
Look Keo Classic, FSA Omega bars.

Summary:
This review is for the 2009 Giant TCR 3. I’ve got 50 miles on the bike. In the short time I’ve had it, a few things have stood out.

Its ability to smooth out bumps is remarkable. The seat stays flex a great deal, soaking up road imperfections. This doesn’t seem to have any impact on pedaling response. Pedaling response is direct and immediate. I sense no flex at the BB or from its Shimano 105 cranks.

The wheel set (Mavic CXP22/Formula Hub/Sapim spokes) is surprisingly good. Other bikes at this price point had flashier wheels (Mavic Aksium for example) but these show little flex, spin smoothly and have what I believe are butted spokes.

Other bikes at this price had no-name brakes, Giant went with effective Shimano 105s.

The design of the frame is complex and shows lots of interesting, high quality, engineering choices. I’m disappointed in the execution of its design however. There are several small cosmetic flaws on the frame including mold flaws that appear like scratches, a wavy surface and some flaws in the application of its Graphics. Paint is chipping at the rear dropout. My carbon Cannondale Rush 3 displays a significantly better finish.

On the plus side, the graphics are all underneath clear and should wear well. Aside from the aluminum dropouts, I’m optimistic about its long-term appearance.

It weighs in at 17.5 pounds w/o pedals and a 40cm FSA bar in place of the 42cm Race Face Cadence bar.

Strengths:
Wheelset, low weight for the price, nice components all from reputable manufacturers. Very, very hot looking.

Weaknesses:
Cosmetic flaws on the frame. Seatpost can be tought to move.

Similar Products Used:
Owned a 90's Raleigh Supercourse. Tested Bianchi C2C, Bianchi BFP, Scott CR1, Trek Madone 4.5, Specialized Tarmac, Cannondale Six 6, Novara Squadra. (Really road a lot of bike before picking my Giant!)

Price Paid:  $1399.00 at Ride Away Bicycles

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
NOT A CAR IN SIGHT

Bike Setup:
SRAM Rival, Ultegra crank, Ksyrium SL, Easton carbon bar/stem, Reynolds fork, Phenom saddle

Summary:
TCR Alliance: Carbon top, aluminum bottom; this bike does exactly what it sets out to do. I demo'd the Advanced, but I do not see myself spending that much money on a bike anymore. I set the bike up with SRAM Rival and Ksyrium SL's, and I just love it. It feels stiff with medium feedback, stable and responsive.

Strengths:
The frame rocks at 3 lbs; feels stiff, no dead feel of carbon, but no harsh feel from aluminum.

Weaknesses:
Stock bike weighs 20 pounds, stock fork is 1.4 pounds, stock wheels make bike feel like 40 pounds...upgrade the wheels, and you will be smiling like me!

Similar Products Used:
Trek 5200, Specialized Tarmac/Roubaix/Allez, Felt F4C, Bianchi 928L/SL Giro, Solis, Cannondale 2.8, Serotta, Schwinn Peloton/564, GT Ti, GT Edge, Murray

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at Pathfinder of WV

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
US Rt. 219 Oakland-McHenry, MD

Bike Setup:
Stock:
Shimano Ultegra F/R
Front gears: 50/36
Rear set (10-sp): 12/25
Truvativ "elita" crankset
Xero Lite XSR-3 rims w/ Michelin Dynamic tires
Fizik Aliante Sport saddle
Generic brakes/pads

Added:
Crank Brothers Quattro pedals
Rav X Alpha X carbon bottle cages

Summary:
This review is for a 2006 TCR Limited...
Absolutely fantastic ride for the money! The full carbon frame/fork/seat post combination gives just the right amount of flex to smooth out some of the bumpier road surfaces in neighboring West Virginia.
Terrific setup of stock components: Ultegra front/rear shift as smooth as silk, Truvativ crank will probably remain on there for awhile (some claim this crankset is too heavy, but I'm not complaining), Michelin Dynamics on Xero rims work well even on extremely gravelly/wet roads. Generic brakes are great in most cases, but on some long steep hills I have experienced significant fade (probably would happen with any brake, though). I'm generally pleased with the stock saddle- even on the 30-50 mi. trips I've taken it hasn't left me in pain.
Compared to some of the aluminum and steel frames I test rode, the composite TCR frame provides a slighly more sluggish response to pedal input, but it is still a rocket up hills and on flats. I can easily accelerate up hills without getting off the seat. Going downhill, my GPS has shown as fast as 47 mph while the bike glides along smoothly and deliberately- at this kind of "racing" speed, niether stability nor handling is in question.
I'm a fairly light weight guy (~130 lbs), about 5'10", and the "L" frame size seems to fit me just right.
I would recommend this bike to almost anyone thinking about getting into modern road biking. I'm in graduate school for aerospace engineering now, and my somewhat limited knowledge of composite structural analysis tells me that this bike would be terrific for anyone weighing less than ~180 lbs. If you're heavier, maybe metal frames are better.(When aluminum or steel is pushed to the point of yielding, it'll just start bending for a while before it fails. Composites, on the other hand, will just keep taking the stress until "boom"- complete explosive failure)

Strengths:
1) Incredible value for your hard-earned money.
2) Awesome stock arrangment.
3) Bike looks great- black/white w/ some areas left to just show off the carbon fabric

Weaknesses:
At some point you will have to get off of it and get some work done.

Similar Products Used:
Test rode:
Trek 1500, Comparable steel Bianchi, Cannondale CAAD 8, Cannondale six13
(of these, the only model that really competes with the TCR Limited is the CAAD 8)