The bike’s road manners in every other situation are simply impeccable. As much as the integrated seat mast can make traveling and resale a headache, it makes the rear of the bike magic on almost any surface, gliding over harsh pavement and vibrating chip seal that belies its stiffness under power. As smooth as the road is for a full-tilt race bike, we did experience a lot of rear-brake hose rattling on rough pavement. The new aero gains on the new TCR are its most quantifiable improvements compared to previous generations. Where a traditional teardrop shape is fastest at zero degrees yaw (the angle between a cyclist’s direction of motion and the relative wind vector), a truncated ellipse is not.
The new fork has dropped a single gram relative to the previous one, but torsional stiffness has supposedly gone up, which should translate to more predictable handling, especially on the disc-brake models. TCR Advanced SL and TCR Advanced Pro frames get Giant’s 1 1/4-to-1 1/2in OverDrive 2 steerer diameter, while the TCR Advanced models get a more conventional 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in size. In a move that will surprise precisely no one — if only because we saw the new TCR at races months ago — the new TCR has been reshaped with aerodynamic efficiency in mind. “Truncated ellipse” cross-sections are now used on nearly every frame section to help air flow more smoothly around the frame at a wide range of effective wind angles, without adversely affecting other attributes like weight and stiffness. Of our four test bikes, the Giant is the second lowest priced (only the BMC was cheaper at £4,500) but the spec is miles above all of them. I’ve already mentioned the Giant Power Pro power meter, which would cost £799.99 bought separately.
Now pushing 50, he’s riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions. Trek’s new Emonda SL 6 Pro (£3,350) is an interesting comparison, coming with a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Bontrager’s very good Aeolus Elite 35 wheels. Trek does spec power meters on some models in the range, but not on this one.
For this reason, and to achieve optimal aerodynamics, Giant engineered the TCR’s frame with -15 to +15 degrees of yaw, which it says most closely replicates the yaw angles riders experience in the real world. According to Giant’s senior product marketing manager, Andrew Juskaitis, this realization had a massive impact of the TCR’s design. And like the BMC Timemachine Road, the frame was designed giant ROAD BIKES for maximum aerodynamics with two bottles mounted inside the frame. But unlike the BMC, the Giant does not have proprietary water bottle cages. The new TCR’s main triangle got a makeover to aid airflow and, thus, increase aerodynamics. Disc brake variants get internal routing through the fork which, along with the stays, is now symmetrical to allow for greater airflow and wider clearances.
Winding technical Bucks County roads were initially approached with caution. Recently more aggressive lines were explored while 10 psi was exhaled from the tires. Confidence soared as the Gavia tubeless system shrugged off racing clincher tire lines. Initially the Gavias were the first on the list to be replaced prior to the maiden voyage. He’s raced all around the world but now calls the south of France home and has left his racing days behind him, preferring to do his riding at a more leisurely speed in the beautiful Hérault Valley.