Who spends £5K on a race bike without being interested in how many watts they can produce? Bought separately the Giant Power Pro-equipped Ultegra chainset costs £799.99, so you’re definitely getting value here. Giant still makes giant ROAD BIKES the TCR in a rim brake version – almost a rarity for a top race bike these days. Elsewhere, Giant has reduced the number of pieces that make up the frame, using continuous fibres through the down tube, head tube and seat tube.
The suspension and braking surfaces are clean with some signs of usage yet free from grooves & pitting. The tires, grips/handlebar tape, and brake pads may show signs of usage yet have a majority of their life remaining. Team ONCE riders including Laurent Jalabert went on to win dozens of races on it, including grand tour stages and major one-day races.
Thanks to its low weight, the bike climbs the steepest of slopes very efficiently and proudly demonstrates its climbing prowess. Whether you’re in or out of the saddle, the TCR reliably holds its line and seeks out the next mountain pass to climb. That aggressive character was very well balanced by the control and ride quality. The bike handled sharply yet had a reassuring stability on fast descents, and I had a few eye-widening moments when I happened to glance down at my speed.
Tests also showed the new TCR to be more aerodynamic than the previous generation, saving 34 seconds over 40km at 200 watts. The TCR keeps the compact road geometry with its downward sloping top tube that has been typical of the model. The frameset also stays true to tradition, eschewing the dropped seat stays that have become so popular. The cockpit and cable routing are tidily managed, though on this build that is helped by the wireless SRAM RED eTap AXS groupset. Unlike many other manufacturers, there are no cable ports for gearing on the TCR Advanced SL frameset, resulting in a very clean look.
In direct comparison to its predecessor, GIANT claim that the new TCR 2021 is 34 seconds faster over a distance of 40 km when riding at 200 W. That’s a significant improvement and underlines the fact that aerodynamic features are finding a place on all new bikes. The TCR has always been the lightweight road bike in Giant’s range – now it has aero features for the first time. From front to back, the Giant TCR differed from the outgoing road bike once parked in the garage.