For the 2nd year in a row, GIANT introduces another great new Hybrid
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I'm looking at the ToughRoad too. My current commuting bike here in NYC is the Giant Escape, and I love it. Great ride. But I'm looking to do some epic touring in the not too distant future. Actually my Giant Escape 2 with its long wheelbase & chain stay is more than capable to be set up as a touring bike. Its got all the eyelets to rig racks and panniers. The ToughRoad does too. The more expensive version actually comes with racks.
I also prefer flat handle bars over drop handle bars. Hand positions schmand positions! Lol. Seriously. I just prefer the flat handlebar set up, always have...even for long rides. Both the Escape & ToughRoad have flat bars. Yay! But the ToughRoad has disc brakes which will make riding in rain & snow safer. But the brakes on the Escape are easier to maintain. A plus when trouble strikes out in the middle of nowhere.
The tires on the ToughRoad are a beefy 50 compared to the Escapes thinner 32s. I see pluses and minuses for both. The ToughRoad will be able to handle rougher terrain with comfort and ease, especially if my panniers are full of heavy gear...but the Escape will be speedier. I'm wondering if the ToughRoad tires may be too thick for long epic touring? I could always put thinner wheels on the ToughRoad and thicker wheels on the Escape if I wanted. I'm thinking 35s to 40s might be the sweet spot compromise. I dunno. Thoughts?
i was also thinking of a third candidate. The new Giant fastroad. It's got the flat handlebars I like, but the tires are too narrow and it lacks all the proper eyelets for traditional racks & panniers. If I could put 32s or 35 tires on the FastRoad and rig a rack system somehow...then perhaps it could be a contender. but for now, it's between the Escape & ToughRoad.
I know there is the Surly LHT & Trek 520, but what can I say? I'm a Giant Loyalist. :-)
I also prefer flat handle bars over drop handle bars. Hand positions schmand positions! Lol. Seriously. I just prefer the flat handlebar set up, always have...even for long rides. Both the Escape & ToughRoad have flat bars. Yay! But the ToughRoad has disc brakes which will make riding in rain & snow safer. But the brakes on the Escape are easier to maintain. A plus when trouble strikes out in the middle of nowhere.
The tires on the ToughRoad are a beefy 50 compared to the Escapes thinner 32s. I see pluses and minuses for both. The ToughRoad will be able to handle rougher terrain with comfort and ease, especially if my panniers are full of heavy gear...but the Escape will be speedier. I'm wondering if the ToughRoad tires may be too thick for long epic touring? I could always put thinner wheels on the ToughRoad and thicker wheels on the Escape if I wanted. I'm thinking 35s to 40s might be the sweet spot compromise. I dunno. Thoughts?
i was also thinking of a third candidate. The new Giant fastroad. It's got the flat handlebars I like, but the tires are too narrow and it lacks all the proper eyelets for traditional racks & panniers. If I could put 32s or 35 tires on the FastRoad and rig a rack system somehow...then perhaps it could be a contender. but for now, it's between the Escape & ToughRoad.
I know there is the Surly LHT & Trek 520, but what can I say? I'm a Giant Loyalist. :-)
#52
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I'm looking at the ToughRoad too. My current commuting bike here in NYC is the Giant Escape, and I love it. Great ride. But I'm looking to do some epic touring in the not too distant future. Actually my Giant Escape 2 with its long wheelbase & chain stay is more than capable to be set up as a touring bike. Its got all the eyelets to rig racks and panniers. The ToughRoad does too. The more expensive version actually comes with racks.
I also prefer flat handle bars over drop handle bars. Hand positions schmand positions! Lol. Seriously. I just prefer the flat handlebar set up, always have...even for long rides. Both the Escape & ToughRoad have flat bars. Yay! But the ToughRoad has disc brakes which will make riding in rain & snow safer. But the brakes on the Escape are easier to maintain. A plus when trouble strikes out in the middle of nowhere.
The tires on the ToughRoad are a beefy 50 compared to the Escapes thinner 32s. I see pluses and minuses for both. The ToughRoad will be able to handle rougher terrain with comfort and ease, especially if my panniers are full of heavy gear...but the Escape will be speedier. I'm wondering if the ToughRoad tires may be too thick for long epic touring? I could always put thinner wheels on the ToughRoad and thicker wheels on the Escape if I wanted. I'm thinking 35s to 40s might be the sweet spot compromise. I dunno. Thoughts?
i was also thinking of a third candidate. The new Giant fastroad. It's got the flat handlebars I like, but the tires are too narrow and it lacks all the proper eyelets for traditional racks & panniers. If I could put 32s or 35 tires on the FastRoad and rig a rack system somehow...then perhaps it could be a contender. but for now, it's between the Escape & ToughRoad.
I know there is the Surly LHT & Trek 520, but what can I say? I'm a Giant Loyalist. :-)
I also prefer flat handle bars over drop handle bars. Hand positions schmand positions! Lol. Seriously. I just prefer the flat handlebar set up, always have...even for long rides. Both the Escape & ToughRoad have flat bars. Yay! But the ToughRoad has disc brakes which will make riding in rain & snow safer. But the brakes on the Escape are easier to maintain. A plus when trouble strikes out in the middle of nowhere.
The tires on the ToughRoad are a beefy 50 compared to the Escapes thinner 32s. I see pluses and minuses for both. The ToughRoad will be able to handle rougher terrain with comfort and ease, especially if my panniers are full of heavy gear...but the Escape will be speedier. I'm wondering if the ToughRoad tires may be too thick for long epic touring? I could always put thinner wheels on the ToughRoad and thicker wheels on the Escape if I wanted. I'm thinking 35s to 40s might be the sweet spot compromise. I dunno. Thoughts?
i was also thinking of a third candidate. The new Giant fastroad. It's got the flat handlebars I like, but the tires are too narrow and it lacks all the proper eyelets for traditional racks & panniers. If I could put 32s or 35 tires on the FastRoad and rig a rack system somehow...then perhaps it could be a contender. but for now, it's between the Escape & ToughRoad.
I know there is the Surly LHT & Trek 520, but what can I say? I'm a Giant Loyalist. :-)
Of course you can put on narrower tyres of a higher quality too, if either 50mm is too wide or the tyres that come stock on the ToughRoad isn't of sufficient quality for you.
Other than the FastRoad, of those other bikes you mentioned, the ToughRoad also comes in a double chainring crank, which is mighty appealing to some.
Giant is almost without competition with the ToughRoad from all the other big manufacturers.
#53
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Well no - according to Giant, its a crossover of the MTB and the CX bike:
"If you tend to ride off wherever the wind takes you, or just want something that offers a new level of road, gravel or touring versatility Giant’s new Toughroad bikes may be the answer. The Toughroad series were designed for people who want to ride varying terrain, but on something lighter duty than an MTB. Fitting into Giant’s X-Road Performance category, they are intended to bridge a gap between a heavy mountain bike and a Cyclocross bike (or their gorgeous Anyroad models!), which tend to be outfitted for competition level riders with drop bars and lightweight components. Giant says the Toughroad bikes are essentially entry level CX bikes with MTB handlebars and versatile options for racks, fenders, and storage bags. Time to get carried away…"
Essentially, the ToughRoad SLR is a CXified 29er with balloon tires. Talk about being carried away, indeed.
"If you tend to ride off wherever the wind takes you, or just want something that offers a new level of road, gravel or touring versatility Giant’s new Toughroad bikes may be the answer. The Toughroad series were designed for people who want to ride varying terrain, but on something lighter duty than an MTB. Fitting into Giant’s X-Road Performance category, they are intended to bridge a gap between a heavy mountain bike and a Cyclocross bike (or their gorgeous Anyroad models!), which tend to be outfitted for competition level riders with drop bars and lightweight components. Giant says the Toughroad bikes are essentially entry level CX bikes with MTB handlebars and versatile options for racks, fenders, and storage bags. Time to get carried away…"
Essentially, the ToughRoad SLR is a CXified 29er with balloon tires. Talk about being carried away, indeed.
#54
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Well no - according to Giant, its a crossover of the MTB and the CX bike:
"If you tend to ride off wherever the wind takes you, or just want something that offers a new level of road, gravel or touring versatility Giant’s new Toughroad bikes may be the answer. The Toughroad series were designed for people who want to ride varying terrain, but on something lighter duty than an MTB. Fitting into Giant’s X-Road Performance category, they are intended to bridge a gap between a heavy mountain bike and a Cyclocross bike (or their gorgeous Anyroad models!), which tend to be outfitted for competition level riders with drop bars and lightweight components. Giant says the Toughroad bikes are essentially entry level CX bikes with MTB handlebars and versatile options for racks, fenders, and storage bags. Time to get carried away…"
Essentially, the ToughRoad SLR is a CXified 29er with balloon tires. Talk about being carried away, indeed.
"If you tend to ride off wherever the wind takes you, or just want something that offers a new level of road, gravel or touring versatility Giant’s new Toughroad bikes may be the answer. The Toughroad series were designed for people who want to ride varying terrain, but on something lighter duty than an MTB. Fitting into Giant’s X-Road Performance category, they are intended to bridge a gap between a heavy mountain bike and a Cyclocross bike (or their gorgeous Anyroad models!), which tend to be outfitted for competition level riders with drop bars and lightweight components. Giant says the Toughroad bikes are essentially entry level CX bikes with MTB handlebars and versatile options for racks, fenders, and storage bags. Time to get carried away…"
Essentially, the ToughRoad SLR is a CXified 29er with balloon tires. Talk about being carried away, indeed.
It's basiclly an old fashioned "all terrain bike" which in the 90's was a rigid mountain bike ( no shocks) with 700c tires/wheels
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A good deal lighter than an MTB. People are looking for something more suited to off-road recreational riding and touring and that is where this new bike fits the bill.
#56
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My biggest issue with this bike is that, currently, it isn't available in Canada. It would be a great replacement for my 2012 KHS Tempe, which is still in great shape but I may be losing it to my son. I tend to use the KHS, modified with relatively smooth 700x47 Continental Town and Country tires, for commuting and riding out to the cottage (70km, 45km paved, 25km hard pack to loose gravel) and this bike would be perfectly suited for that type of riding.
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This is almost exactly what I have been hoping a manufacturer would make for a long time - fully rigid (with appropriate rigid geometry), disc brake, fat tire clearance, wide gearing range. Basically a lightweight, affordable, non-suspension corrected 29er. Hopefully a 2.1 tire can fit... Would also like to see a SLX/XT equipped version without racks... Or as a frameset...
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Marin already has the Marin Muirwoods 29er. And it can fit up to 2.0 tires.
I can take it on the hardpack and crushed gravel trails around my town. Don't be misled by the marketing.
You can get your bike to do anything you want it to do.
I can take it on the hardpack and crushed gravel trails around my town. Don't be misled by the marketing.
You can get your bike to do anything you want it to do.
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Out of curiosity, can your Marin fit a 2.1 with any sort of clearance? Not that .1 is gonna make the difference of traction/no traction for me, but more tires are available in that size.
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So far, I think this Giant and the Marin are the two closest bikes available. There are a few singlespeed MTBs out there, but the trails I ride usually include a fair bit of climbing, and I need gears. The Surlys (Ogre, KM, Krampus) seem a bit overpriced for the build they come with, and a custom build/smaller brand bike will probably be too expensive. I doubt my wife would be OK with anything more than $1000, so this bike is definitely looking like a solid option. Now to go find one in person!
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With the ToughRoad you might be able to.
With either that or the Marin, you could mount Schwalbe Big Ben Tires and you have 29er wheels, disc brakes and a threadless headset.
What you want to do is ride them and see what works best for you and they're sensibly priced.
With either that or the Marin, you could mount Schwalbe Big Ben Tires and you have 29er wheels, disc brakes and a threadless headset.
What you want to do is ride them and see what works best for you and they're sensibly priced.
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I wasn't sold on this bike from the product specs, even though I'm always a proponent of having nice, voluminous tires on pretty much every bike (without going full fatbike). But I built up our first one this week, the SLR 2 model, and I gotta say, this thing is super fun. That perfect blend of sporty 'snap' to the handling, but seems stable enough. It does remind me of the more well sorted rigid MTBs of their day in that regard.
I would feel much more confident taking this on extended rough trails compared to my CX bike. And I'm honestly thinking about selling my TCX worth twice as much and getting one of these. Certainly not revolutionary, but a VERY well sorted bike. Plenty of clearance up front too, to put a more aggressive front tire on it to handle looser terrain. I'd probably keep it near the 2.1" mark, but you can find some with serious meat in that range.
Edit: and the color selection on the SLR 2 is on point. I mean, I'm a niner fan and it's pretty much blatant Seahawks colors and I don't even care, it looks so good. Haven't seen the nicer model in person yet, but I'm less of a fan of the black/red combo on bikes.
I would feel much more confident taking this on extended rough trails compared to my CX bike. And I'm honestly thinking about selling my TCX worth twice as much and getting one of these. Certainly not revolutionary, but a VERY well sorted bike. Plenty of clearance up front too, to put a more aggressive front tire on it to handle looser terrain. I'd probably keep it near the 2.1" mark, but you can find some with serious meat in that range.
Edit: and the color selection on the SLR 2 is on point. I mean, I'm a niner fan and it's pretty much blatant Seahawks colors and I don't even care, it looks so good. Haven't seen the nicer model in person yet, but I'm less of a fan of the black/red combo on bikes.
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I agree with Wanderer! 32 spokes are not enough for us heavy guys and are not good enough for loaded touring. I broke a spoke on a 32 spoke wheel when doing loaded tour _miles_ away from any city. It never even occurred to me to buy/carry a spoke repair kit, because I had never broke a spoke before in my life. Luckily my friend had a kevlar spoke kit in his pack and I was able to repair the wheel to get me in to the next town. 32 spokes may be fine to ride on, and I still have that wheel set, but I built a 36 spoke wheel set after that trip!
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New guy here.
I was in Boston a few days ago at the Giant company store, they had just gotten a SLR1 in, quite the bike I must say! I would have bought a SLR2 on the spot if they had one. Patiently waiting for the 2 to become available.
Great forum y'all have
I was in Boston a few days ago at the Giant company store, they had just gotten a SLR1 in, quite the bike I must say! I would have bought a SLR2 on the spot if they had one. Patiently waiting for the 2 to become available.
Great forum y'all have
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Just weighed our Large sized Toughroad SLR2. 25.5 lbs as it comes. If anyone was interested. It was also nice riding the large instead of the medium as it gave me a better idea for how it fits me. Really fun bike. Still almost want to ditch both bikes and get this as a do-it-all.
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Thanks Norman. I wonder if the new Giant is able to squeeze in a 2.1? I should clarify the purpose of my interest... I am looking for a flatbar bike to ride fire roads, smooth single track, and paved bike paths. I like the idea of a 29er, disc brakes, and threadless headsets - which are my only objections to just updating an older MTB. I don't need or want suspension, which it seems that most bikes that can clear a 29x2.1 tire have suspension. I dont want to go through the hassle/expense of converting a hardtail to a rigid fork, and end up with a bike that is obviously kludged/compromised to make it work. Essentially, I want my old 1992 Cannondale M2000, but with 29er wheels, disc brakes, and a threadless headset.
So far, I think this Giant and the Marin are the two closest bikes available. There are a few singlespeed MTBs out there, but the trails I ride usually include a fair bit of climbing, and I need gears. The Surlys (Ogre, KM, Krampus) seem a bit overpriced for the build they come with, and a custom build/smaller brand bike will probably be too expensive. I doubt my wife would be OK with anything more than $1000, so this bike is definitely looking like a solid option. Now to go find one in person!
So far, I think this Giant and the Marin are the two closest bikes available. There are a few singlespeed MTBs out there, but the trails I ride usually include a fair bit of climbing, and I need gears. The Surlys (Ogre, KM, Krampus) seem a bit overpriced for the build they come with, and a custom build/smaller brand bike will probably be too expensive. I doubt my wife would be OK with anything more than $1000, so this bike is definitely looking like a solid option. Now to go find one in person!
Rode some older iterations of the Muirwoods and always felt pretty neutral to me. The Toughroad definitely seems to ride better for me. But keep in mind these are short test rides, and swayed by personal opinion before I even get on them. But specs show the Muirwoods seems to weigh 4-5 lbs more, and I'm not usually impressed with standard cromoly frames for ride quality. I'm very impressed by my extensive use of Giant's SLR grade aluminum, and the hydroforming different shapes can really give it a great blend of comfort while maintaining efficiency and great handling. I'd choose ALUXX SLR over standard butted cromoly any day of the week. Even if the weight was the same, which it's not.
Geometry wise the Toughroad has more relaxed headtube angle and seattube angle, not a bunch but could be noticeably better in rougher conditions. Very close in wheelbase and chainstay length, with the Toughroad having shorter wheelbase("quicker" handling?) but longer chainstays (pannier/heel clearance). Once again, very small differences.
Muirwoods just seems more geared for on road, straight line commuting, the Giant seems just a bit more capable of being a sporty commuter with fun capabilities on easier single track.
Last edited by AlTheKiller; 08-31-15 at 11:05 AM.
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Edit: The guys at Giant said they successfully fit 2.2" knobby 29er tires on it. But I'd worry about mud/rock clearance a bit.
Rode some older iterations of the Muirwoods and always felt pretty neutral to me. The Toughroad definitely seems to ride better for me. But keep in mind these are short test rides, and swayed by personal opinion before I even get on them. But specs show the Muirwoods seems to weigh 4-5 lbs more, and I'm not usually impressed with standard cromoly frames for ride quality. I'm very impressed by my extensive use of Giant's SLR grade aluminum, and the hydroforming different shapes can really give it a great blend of comfort while maintaining efficiency and great handling. I'd choose ALUXX SLR over standard butted cromoly any day of the week. Even if the weight was the same, which it's not.
Geometry wise the Toughroad has more relaxed headtube angle and seattube angle, not a bunch but could be noticeably better in rougher conditions. Very close in wheelbase and chainstay length, with the Toughroad having shorter wheelbase("quicker" handling?) but longer chainstays (pannier/heel clearance). Once again, very small differences.
Muirwoods just seems more geared for on road, straight line commuting, the Giant seems just a bit more capable of being a sporty commuter with fun capabilities on easier single track.
Rode some older iterations of the Muirwoods and always felt pretty neutral to me. The Toughroad definitely seems to ride better for me. But keep in mind these are short test rides, and swayed by personal opinion before I even get on them. But specs show the Muirwoods seems to weigh 4-5 lbs more, and I'm not usually impressed with standard cromoly frames for ride quality. I'm very impressed by my extensive use of Giant's SLR grade aluminum, and the hydroforming different shapes can really give it a great blend of comfort while maintaining efficiency and great handling. I'd choose ALUXX SLR over standard butted cromoly any day of the week. Even if the weight was the same, which it's not.
Geometry wise the Toughroad has more relaxed headtube angle and seattube angle, not a bunch but could be noticeably better in rougher conditions. Very close in wheelbase and chainstay length, with the Toughroad having shorter wheelbase("quicker" handling?) but longer chainstays (pannier/heel clearance). Once again, very small differences.
Muirwoods just seems more geared for on road, straight line commuting, the Giant seems just a bit more capable of being a sporty commuter with fun capabilities on easier single track.
Last edited by NormanF; 09-03-15 at 09:30 PM.
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Where I live it's rocky, rocky, rocky. There are very few "gravel grinder" type roads like are so popular in the midwest. When you get out on gravel around here, you're pretty much a quarter mile away, max, from huge patches of sharp rock. And it's also rarely flat for any length of time off road, you're either going up or down. Geometry has a lot to do with it. More than sheer frame material, IMO. A degree here or there can absolutely make a huge change in how it handles in rough corners, and the Giant just seems to lean towards a nice mix of off road handling, while losing a bit of the "road" geometry which goes with the Marin. Both are still blends. Both can still handle all the same stuff. But I feel I'd have a lot more confidence and fun with the Giant's set up when taking an off road shortcut.
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Where I live it's rocky, rocky, rocky. There are very few "gravel grinder" type roads like are so popular in the midwest. When you get out on gravel around here, you're pretty much a quarter mile away, max, from huge patches of sharp rock. And it's also rarely flat for any length of time off road, you're either going up or down. Geometry has a lot to do with it. More than sheer frame material, IMO. A degree here or there can absolutely make a huge change in how it handles in rough corners, and the Giant just seems to lean towards a nice mix of off road handling, while losing a bit of the "road" geometry which goes with the Marin. Both are still blends. Both can still handle all the same stuff. But I feel I'd have a lot more confidence and fun with the Giant's set up when taking an off road shortcut.
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Al, thanks for providing info on the Toughroad - I am definitely going to check one out in the not so distant future!
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Where I live it's rocky, rocky, rocky. There are very few "gravel grinder" type roads like are so popular in the midwest. When you get out on gravel around here, you're pretty much a quarter mile away, max, from huge patches of sharp rock. And it's also rarely flat for any length of time off road, you're either going up or down. Geometry has a lot to do with it. More than sheer frame material, IMO. A degree here or there can absolutely make a huge change in how it handles in rough corners, and the Giant just seems to lean towards a nice mix of off road handling, while losing a bit of the "road" geometry which goes with the Marin. Both are still blends. Both can still handle all the same stuff. But I feel I'd have a lot more confidence and fun with the Giant's set up when taking an off road shortcut.
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flying back to Maine tomorrow,,,,am i excited about getting back to the beautiful weather? how bout getting back to the boat and living in the harbor? heck no I'm really excited about getting my new 2016 (large) toughroad SLR2 waiting for me in Boston, paid in full
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Pics and a report on how well it rides when you get the chance, please.