Originally Posted by
CarloM
Can I ask how you find the ride on the Propel? I know it's an aero bike and so stiffer than the TCR. I live in an area with not-so-great paved streets (I guess this part of LA has so much car traffic that they can't re-pave often enough). Before I rode the TCR and loved it, I was thinking my next bike might be an aero bike. So I was thinking of trying out the Propel when I head back to the shop, but am interested in your take on it?
Don't put too much stock in the "aero bikes are stiff and ride rough" hype. My Propel rides great, is comfortable enough for me to ride 7-8000 miles a year with a substantial percentage of those miles being on rural highways in a wide variety of conditions. I test rode it side by side with a TCR and the primary subjective difference was a little weight (less than a half lb if I remember correctly). Both rode well enough that I made my decision based on the fact that I spend more time in the wind than I do climbing.
Compared to a Defy (my first Giant road bike), the aggressive geometry of the TCR and the Propel were a big adjustment, but in an A/B comparison, the differences are subtle.
You really should ride them side by side. There is no substitute for personal experience.