Giant TCR Composite 0 Road Bike Reviews

Price Paid:  $2800.00 at Sun Bike Shop in Mil

Model Year:
2003

Favorite Ride:
long distance with allot of climbing

Bike Setup:
Shimano Ultegra 9-spd shifters. Ultegra breaks, 7800 dura ace crank, dura ace front deraliur, ultegra rear deraleur. S-works carbon bars, Giant 100 carbon stem. Easton EC90 fork, 143 specialized toupe saddle. speedplay zero pedals. tektro carbon breaks. Mavic SL wheels. 23c Continental Grand prix 4000 tires

Summary:
I love this bike, i purchased it in 2004 as a frame and built it up, I have since used it on about 10 double centuries, and have logged over 35,000 training miles on it with countless amount of climbing. This bike is very responsive and comfortable, I also own a 2008 TCR Advanced but I still love to ride my TCR 0.

Strengths:
durable, comfortable, handles superb

Weaknesses:
replaced front fork with a lighter EC90 fork, to replace the heavier stock fork, but I don't really consider that a weakness, more like a preference

Similar Products Used:
2008 Giant TCR Advanced

Price Paid:  $0.00

Model Year:
2005

Summary:
whats my 2004 tcr giant road bike with Shimano Ultegra components worth?

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Bountiful Bike

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
climbing

Summary:
Light Quick gives up nothing but extra cost

Price Paid:  $1300.00 at ebay

Model Year:
2003

Favorite Ride:
hill climbs

Bike Setup:
Full Dura-Ace gruppo with triple crank, Mavic Kys SSC SLs, new Salsa stem, stock alum handlebars, stock Sette Italia seat, new FSA carbon zero offset seatpost. The whole deal is less than 17 pounds soaking wet.

Summary:
This is a fantastic bicycle. I just finished my first bicycling event on it - the Chilly Hilly - and it performed beautifully. I was able to fly on the flats (20-30mph) and crank up the hills. I passed more accomplished riders frequently, something I attribute more to the bike than to my skill.

This bike has me itching to get out there and ride more and more, and has me seriously considering moth-balling my commuter tank (although it was great as a training bike - so much effort goes into getting it to move compared to the Giant TCR.)

The triple crank, a unique addition to this bicycle, was a real plus grinding out the hill climbs. I passed people on hills that had much more expensive bicycles (a Seven and a Felt to name 2) that were running double cranks.

Strengths:
Solid construction, ultra light weight, very fast, solid feel at any speed, handles very well.

Weaknesses:
None to report.

Similar Products Used:
Schwinn Varsity 10 sp (1980s)
Trek 7500FX with disc brakes

Price Paid:  $2600.00 at LBS

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
Portola Valley

Bike Setup:
--Stock everything with the exception of the D/A crankset swap and a 110mm stem replacing the 100mm.
--Full Dura-Ace gruppo.
--Mavic Ksyrium SSC SL wheels with Michelin ProRace2 tires.
--Look Keo Carbon Pedals (using with DMT Flash shoes)
--Polar CS100 computer
--Dual cabon fiber WB cages
--Small seat pack with tube, patch kit, Topeak Mini6
--Bar-end LED plugs

Summary:
I'm a 40 yr-old ex-bike geek. I was shamed by my riding buddies (who all got new rides in the past year) into looking for a new bike. Thought I'd give carbon fiber a try as an x-mas present to myself. I rode the various versions of the Specialized Tarmac (felt dead to me), Scott CR-1 (too stiff), and 2007 Giant Advanced TCR1 (too stiff). They were blowing our the 2006 Giant TCR Zero for $2500. The first test ride told me this was the one--it just felt right. Stiff, but not too stiff, lively and with quick steering. I didn't like the FSA crankset (though I was happy the bike was NOT spec'd with a compact crank), so for an extra $100, they replaced it with new Dura-Ace. I HIGHLY recommend this swap, as it shifts like butter, is super quiet, and is stiff, stiff, stiff! Not looking forward to $100+ just to replace the 53T c-ring.

FWIW, I Grew up wrenching in a shop, apprenticed to a custom frame builder, painted pro bikes, raced road and mtn from HS all the way through college. After college, I managed a Top 100 bikeshop in the midwest, selling over 2500 bikes/year.

Now I'm just a 165lb weekend warrior, with Sunday 40-50 mile hammer rides with my biking buddies. I had been riding the same 1985 vintage 20ish lb 58cm Vitus 979 with a 13-19 straight block I had raced on in college--and of course there is no comparison! I have ridden a variety of bikes over the years (steel, aluminum, titanium, carbon), and am amazed on every ride how nice my TCR Zero really is.

Strengths:
--Amazing mix of lively, quick handling stiff ride, but not too stiff. Nice climbing and descending characteristics. No chain rub, no rattles, and haven't touched the spokes yet.
--Weight: Stock M/L sized bike (w/ Dura-Ace crank), seatbag, spare tube, tools, bar-end LEDs, Keo Carbon pedals, Polar CS-100 computer, 2 carbon WB cages = 17lbs
--Top of the line components, wheelset, seat, bars/stem for a bargain price.
--Like getting the frame for free!

Weaknesses:
--None really.
--Well, maybe the FSA crankset (but I swapped it to D/A)
--The shifter cable housings are cracking after 6 months.
--The stock stem kept loosening up on me. Finally bought a $90 Wiha torque wrench to get it set just right, and haven't had a problem since.

Similar Products Used:
N/A.
Last bike didn't change for 21 years!