My Bike Journey…just started! Giant TCR Advanced 2 Disc 2019

After weeks of reading, searching and dreaming…I have finally made up my mind.

I have gone through Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Trek…and finally back to Giant for their great value for money and high specs bike for what I dream of.

Earlier time I wanted to buy an used Trek in Facebook marketplace, didn’t know much about size, but the seller sold it to before I can meet him up. Then I search for new bike and saw Giant Defy series, which is an endurance bike, thinking that it might be more suitable for me as a beginner. Endurance has less bending when riding, more relax and comfort cycling position. Found a Giant bike shop in Johor Bahru. Messaged the owner, who is a lady (Ms Chew), and she said only certain size and colour are available. I steal a morning off and went to the shop, together with my friend, Melvin.

I reached the store at around 10am, which has many Giant bikes hanging. The good one are hanging on the wall. TCR, Propel, Defy, Contend…etc. all are available. However, most sizes are M or S or XS. There is no ML at all (I am 180cm tall, ML size in Giant bike chart). I did a simple measurement (height and inseam), and Ms Chew check Giant calculation and confirmed my size to be ML. Then she called Giant Malaysia distributor…too bad, very limited ML stock is available.

In the store, Ms Chew said only this model is available.

GREEN! Oh no…I can’t swallow that colour, although it has all the features I dreamed of: Carbon frame + disc brake.

There is a very nice TCR bike sitting in the middle of the store. I knew nothing about this Pro team bike back then, but my friend told me Sunweb is a popular team. This is the Giant TCR Advanced Pro Team bike, selling at RM11,500. No, way beyond my budget. (By the way, this bike was sold the 2nd time I visited the store. Ms Chew said the buyer came to the shop 3 times, and finally bought it. Surprising, many bought this model…many reach cyclist in Malaysia…)

I went home and message Ms Chew again, and she checked with Giant distributor to get the list of ML size bike available in stock at the moment:

1) TCR SLR 2 black/red & black/yellow 105 RM4960 with RM250 accessories
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/tcr-slr-2-2017

2) TCR Advanced 1-KOM Green ultegra RM7800 with RM400 accessories
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/tcr-advanced-1—kom-2017

3) Defy 1 Disc blue 105 RM4800 with RM250 accessories
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/defy-1-disc-2016

4) Propel Advanced 2 white 105 RM6800 with RM350 accessories
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/propel-advanced-2-2017

Then my friend poisoned me to take a look at the lighter bike from Giant, TCR series, which is less than 8kg (Defy is 9kg+). I went home study and trying to get more info. In my mind is actually Option 1) above. TCR SLR 2 black/red, RM4960. Good price but two things that continue to bother me…aluminum frame and no disc brake.

Cannondale CAAD12

Then another friend offering me his Cannondale CAAD12. CAAD12 is aluminum frame, very similar to the Giant TCR SLR 2 above. So I am comparing them side by side. There are lots of good reviews on CAAD12, but very few or none that I found for TCR SLR 2. Maybe his brother TCR Advanced series (carbon) get all the attention already.

The colour that my friend’s CAAD12 is black white colour, quite nice.

The bike has won the Bike of the Year 2016 in several famous bike magazines / websites.

Seems like a good bike to start. I even went to a nearby Cannondale bike store to check out the bike, and is really sleek and nice in design. Commondale has a store in Scientex, opposite Mutiara Rini. Only 15 mins from my place.

CAAD12 is similar to Giant TCR series. Dream about it for a few days, and almost wanted to buy already, then only found out the size that my friend’s has is to be too small for me. Miscommunication. He mentioned his bike is M size (size 54 as per Cannondale size chart), but his is actually size 50 (XS actually). Definitely too small for me. By the way, CAAD12 is an aluminum bike, not carbon fibre frame. New is RM7500, can order my size, but I am not going to spend that much money for an aluminum frame bike.

So, back to the drawing board. My friend sent me some Trek bike photo, he even help me to check the Trek store in Singapore…really beautiful bike! But, price is a bit scary. RM8300 in Singapore, but Malaysia is selling RM8959. I don’t want to go to Singapore to buy the bike…and it is definitely beyond my budget.

Trek Emonda SL5

After reading more info on bike…I set my mind to get a bike that is of carbon fibre frame and disc brake. Specialized does not have disc brake model available in Johor, Trek with disc brake is above RM15k, Cannondale with carbon frame and disc brake is above RM10k.

Back to Giant

OK, return back to Giant. By the way, Giant is the largest bike maker in the world, a Taiwan brand. Ride by many professionals.

I checked again the Giant TCR models.

a) TCR Advanced 2 – Shimano 105 groupset
b) TCR Advanced 1 – Shimano Ultegra groupset
c) TCR Advanced 2 DISC – Shimano 105 groupset
d) TCR Advanced 1 DISC – Shimano Ultegra groupset

“a” is actually quite a good option, but I still feel that lacking DISC brake will make me regret. Anyhow, I went to a nearby Giant bike shop to test it out. First time I am on a road bike (attached to a bike trainer), and it feels…awkward. The bike I tried is size M. I have to raise the seatpost quit high, and the saddle moving forward. The shop said is OK, but I am not so convinced.

Came back, talked to a friend, and he suggest following Giant size chart, get the ML. OK, I study the geometry of M and ML, yeah…with the head tube longer, it should be better for my size.

I wanted to place order with the local store, but they do not have the size I want. Apparently Malaysia is not popular with ML size. Most go for M.

Contact again another seller in Selangor, who sell online. You can visit his FB page at:

https://www.facebook.com/SignatureBike/

He import Giant bike from Taiwan, so can order the size I want. He offer the latest 2019 model at even lower price than the local store, but the problem is that I will have to assemble the bike myself. I checked some Youtube video, does not seems to be difficult. Surely can DIY.

Checked with him the models I wanted:

c) TCR Advanced 2 DISC – Shimano 105 groupset = RM7000
d) TCR Advanced 1 DISC – Shimano Ultegra groupset = RM8500

The difference of “c” and “d” is too minor, so is not worth the RM1500 extra.