What have we got here, then? The TCR 1 Compact is an aluminium offering from the Giant lineup that comes in at £1,175. Okay, over a grand is hardly cheap, but with a Shimano 105 groupset fitted it’s immediately looking interesting.
We had Giant’s carbon TCR Advanced 2 (£2,250) in a while ago and we absolutely loved it. Very fast, lively and smooth, it really impressed us out on the road. We’re hoping that its stable-mate puts in a similar level of performance for the cash.
The TCR 1 Compact shares virtually the same geometry as the TCR Advanced 2. The frame angles are fairly typical road bike fare, and the reach and front-end height are about middling too. This bike hasn’t been sportive-ified with a longer head tube or anything like that.
As usual with Giant, you get a sloping top tube, and chances are you’re familiar with the reasons behind that. Smaller frame triangles equal less lateral flex, lower weight and higher speed, so the argument goes. Plus, you get a lower standover height for any given size, which some people prefer.
The TCR 1 is made from what Giant call their Aluxx aluminium that’s been shaped every which way. The thickset down tube, for example, is almost square-section while the top tube is… complicated. Shield-shaped? Kind of. Triangular-ish? Whatever; we’ll worry about that when we come to writing our review. For now, the frame is a lot like the shape of the TCR Advanced 2, but made from aluminium rather than carbon.
The fork is similar to the Advanced 2’s too: skinny, straight and carbon-legged, although there’s an alloy steerer tucked away inside the head tube whereas the more expensive model gets an all-carbon option.
As we said up top, the groupset is 105, the third tier in the Shimano hierarchy and arguably the best value. It’s certainly a decent level of kit on a £1,175 bike. The Advanced 2 that we keep gibbering on about, for example, also comes with 105 and that’s getting on for twice the price… although, of course, you get a carbon frame there, and some other tasty components.
There are a couple of exceptions to the 105 rule. The compact chainset, for instance, is Shimano R600 while the brake callipers are price-saving Tektro R540s. Most of the other components are Giant’s own, including the wheels and the saddle.
What else can we tell you before we slip on the Lycra and hit the road? Ah yes, the weight… The road.cc Scales of Justice say 8.8kg, or 19.4lb (without pedals). And that’s yer lot. We’ll let you know how we get on in a couple of weeks.
Radar tells me their closing speed, if they are slowing and how far away. Then I decide to say a prayer. The change of light pattern is incidental.
Quite so, which is why our village 20mph zone covers the whole residential extent. Of course, enforcement is another thing..
£4.
No, that's very doubtful while proper testing would be fully destructive.
In that £1000 exactly scenario, beginners should probably be made aware that pedals will be extra.
What's wrong with dropping down on to the Millenium Bridge, or the swing bridge, then the brief, but satisfying climb back up the hill? #training....
The relatives might of course disagree, but in general I'd countenance a relatively light sentence* if only we could fix it so that those who...
Id forgotten that I got a second hand set of project two's for my getting to work bike over twenty years back.
My bet is that all these tires popping off are from people with bad pressure gauges or they're simply just putting too much air in on purpose. ...
David9694 - you were right! These new autonomous vehicles really are conspiring to run out of control!...