Chaps,
The cycling bug is biting whilst injury kerbs my true love which is running.
Been out on my Cinelli fixie today with wifey on her new CAAD12 and struggled at times to hang onto her so it’s gears time.
Always liked the Giant offerings and was thinking secondhand Propel but a couple of TCR’s have come up locally and I think they may be a better option.
Would really appreciate any thoughts from the cycling faithful.
Ta
Pitch
I’ve had both, both good but the TCR is the better bike as an all rounder. Lighter, steers better and climbs better. The propel is an aero bike and wins on flat roads on calm days.
TCR has come top for years in most bike reviews. Just my opinion and as always best advice is to ride them both
Shame on you not being able to keep up on one gear....I do chain gang on mine and make it round !
Many thanks and yep as I expected. I love the aero look but a TCR offers more.
😂😂 She just got the drop on me a couple of times on climbs and found myself out of the saddle. She did blinkin well for her first out on a road bike
Ta
Pitch
I have a 2011 TCR Adv SL and it's an amazing bike. I regularly ride with club members who have the more recent TCRs and Propels and the general thoughts are that the propels are faster on the flats but the ride is harsher than the tcr. Most agree the TCR is a nicer all-day ride bike.
Oh almost forgot most of my mates don't like the Propel rim brakes either, lots of issues in the part with them compared to the standard TCR rim brakes. ONe chap had to change his stock brakes in order to fit 25c tyres.
Last edited by eldrich; 5th July 2020 at 09:14.
TCR all day long... definitely my next frame.
For all around riding, the TCR is the better choice. Propel wins with the looks but as above, more for flat riding.
At least try a bike with a Gates belt and Rohloff hub before you buy anything else.
Lots of Giant TCRs at our club, though that is cos the Bike Shop North Harrow has been sponsoring us for 30 years, everyone likes theirs, and there are only a couple of Propels. I was going to get a TCR, but then a Canyon Ultimate came up for sale and I got that instead, and very pleased with it.
I bought a brand new tcr advanced 2 with 105’s 5 years ago off eBay for £950, it has been a brilliant bike and faultless. The bike is a lot quicker than i am and great on the flat and the hills.
Cheers all and useful.
If it was for my thrashes only a Propel may be the better but given 50% of rides will be with wifey I think TCR.
I have dropped of a 2018 Advanced O at a stockiest for just under a couple of grand which with Di2 fitted seems not bad.
Thanks again
Pitch
Looked at a 2017 propel m/l this evening with 105’s and big wicked SLR rims, god it was sexy.
I’m 5’10” 32” leg so thought it was going to be big but felt very good. Given 50% of rides will be with wifey guessing a bigger frame may be better.
Ta
Pitch
In a previous life I used to race road bikes. I was never a fan or believed in all the hype that goes along with having all the best gear etc.. I firmly believed in was all in the legs, being as fit as possible and having a good sense of what was going on around you in the race.
However my bike was a Giant TCR (Dura ace all round with mavic open pro rims, which suited my race weight at 12 stone) and I loved it.. cost me £2k when others were dropping £5k on Colnago & £8k on Pinarello... IMO the TCR was on par with anything.
I must be getting old, because to me, TCR means this:
I have had my TCR advanced 1 for a good 5+ years now and its a great bike. Giant makes excellent frames and the ulterga gearset finishes off the bike nicely. I would go for the TCR over a Propel.
Get the one which fits you the best.
This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Please dont go “ large” a frame that is even 2 cm too big will stretch you out and you will be unable to put the power down properly. A smaller / right size bike Will react faster and climb better.Originally Posted by trident-7
On TCR’s I pensioned my TCR 2 off two years ago after 14 years use (£1600 new). It was Ultegra and in all that time I only replaced chains, brake blocks and the left hand shifter. Highly recommended
You want to be careful here, I am 6' with 34" leg riding a TCR M/L and I do wish I had gotten the M instead. It's fr easier to put the seat post up 2cm and a 2cm longer stem than it is to make a too big bike smaller.
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