New Store opened.
 

Well hyped in the area and A new Bike store opened in My home County last night. It is a Giant Distributor and no idea how much money has gone into it but I reckon it must be supported by Giant. Unfortunately--I forgot my camera in the rush to Get home- and out to get there but a few pics from my mates will fill the gap.

The whole store is Giant with no other make on show and a good array of every "Type" of Giant bike was to be seen. That was if you could get near the things due to the Crowds round the Bikes. I am looking for N+1 for my retirement next year and wanted to look at the Defy- TCR and TCX range of bikes. Defy I will forget about as I already know that the geometry is not for me. I have a TCR-C that I am quite pleased with but the bikes that interest me are a bit out of my Price range.

But through the door and I first looked at the Rapid range. Basically a defy with Straight bars and it may be what I am looking for. The cheaper end of the Defy and TCR were not up to my standard and I already have two road bikes that are better specced than what I could afford new.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222847 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222848 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222849

So that left the TCX- The Cyclo-Cross bike. I am still a mountain biker at heart and although the TCX would not be up for the aggressive offroad my area offers- Neither am I now. However- there are plenty of Smoother tracks in the area that will take out the Gnarly stuff and possibly some of the long steep climbs. I know it could still be done on a mountain bike- but It would either be TCX2 at around £800 that would do the job- Or a "NEW" mountain bike for around $1000 that I would still have to modify to get up to my standard.

Then I found "THE" TCX. Only one on show and the first time I had seen this model. Sora 9 speed and slightly low components- but the reason only one bike was here- was because production is not due till next january and this "One" bike was one of the few to be available in the UK. First glance and it looked OK. More detailed look and I think I want to see the TCX1 to see if I can afford it- and if it is worth it. But the TCX2 caught my attention but no-one to talk to about it. Cyclocross is not that big in this area.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222850 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222851 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222852

But time to look around a bit more and Take advantage of the refreshments. Glad they had food as last time I ate was 6 hours before and the Waitress got to know me very well. We all had to have a word with the CEO of giant UK but I got out of that quick- As I had to chat with one of the salesmen- The one that was giving out the "Goodie" bags before he ran out. I will now be able to let you know what Clif bars and the SIS energy drinks taste like-And whether the giant "T" shirts are any good- Except I am a Small going on medium and my "T" was an XXL

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222854 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222855 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222856

Just another Pic and it is of a Mountain Biker. Older members will remember that I did a long offroad 100 mile ride for many years that is hard. This rider was very pleased that he had an entry next year into the Ride---Over 3 days. He had just bought the bike- A full suspension Giant at around £3,500- spent £800 on lights that would show him the way on the evening rides and had done over 1500 miles this year- with 500 of them being offroad- getting ready for next years ride.

Didn't have the heart to tell him I had done the ride 9 times in one day- 5 times had been on a full rigid and 4 on the Tandem. But Ross Did.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=222857

But Later this month will be back at the shop for a couple of test rides on the TCR's-The rapid and hopefully the "Only" TCX2- if they will allow it out.

900 miles in one day off road is what I would call "impressive". But I guess you mean that you rode the 100 miles in one day 9 separate times.

Nice shop. Looks like a Giant factory store. I wish they would put one here in my area, but since there are plenty of Giant dealers, I guess we will never see one.

Wrongly worded but 100 miles in one day. I have attempted this ride 11 times and failed twice. But this can be done over 1-2 or 3 days with milage cut to suit. 35 miles a day is nothing- even on this route that has 10,000 ft of climbing on the distance. that climbing can be a gentle 5 to 8% climb or a sudden 20% section in a 15% climb. Most climbs start near sea level and go to 800ft. Downhills cannot be taken fast either as the trail is broken Chalk with ruts- scree and football sized flints everywhere. There are a few smooth sections of grassland that take the strain off the butt but this is one tiring ride if done in one day.

My capabilities and age mean that I will not do this ride again but to do this ride in 1 day does mean that you have to be 100% A.1. fit. I used to train for this one ride most of the year with plenty of gym work in winter and lots of milage up the steeper hills. I cannot put in the training now but if you want to realise how hard it is-normally around 400 entrants with less than 100 completing the 100 miles is the norm. Best trophy I have is from 1997. A Little plastic shield that has the date and the event and one word "Survivor"

My last attempt was posted here and was in 2006 and was a failure

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ns-Way-failure

So when I hear of these riders that are in training for the 2 or 3 day South Downs Way- I have to keep my mouth shut so I don't deflate them.

That shop looks like a car dealership. :rolleyes:

Someone please tell me about Giant, for I am sadly ignorant of both the technical and socioeconomic details of the companies who produce modern bike-like objects.

Huh? Bike-like objects?

Giant are one of the two biggest manufacturers in the world. When you buy branded bikes from other makers, you are quite likely to be buying a frame that is made by Giant or Merida. Giant is one of the few who do everything in-house, from weaving the carbon fibre to finishing the frames.

They haven't the cachet of some of the trendier brands, for reasons that aren't clear to me. I think it is partly because they produce a huge range of different bikes for all sorts of customers, and some roadies look down their noses at a firm that makes comfort bikes. But their top-end stuff is as good as or better than the competition at similar price points. I have an SCR C4 (the predecessor to the Defy advanced) and a TCR advanced. Both very nice bikes and excellent value.

+1 Giant's in-house capacities extend to aluminum frame technology as well.

Given the pics, and Stapfam's commentary, I see a nice-looking, well-stocked shop carrying well-priced, extremely well-designed and built bicycles covering a wide range of cycling (and budget) requirements from those of the Sunday pootler to those of the pro racer (road, cross, or mountain).
What's not to like?

Thank you for the cogent reply. Perhaps I should have included a humor icon in my query.

But you see, my "fast" bike was made in an obscure and now-forgotten shop named Carlton, owned at the time by some ancient and honorable British company named, uh, lemme' think, Raleigh. My other bikes, a solo and a tandem, were made by a monster big French company who date back to the early 20th century, ah, Peugeot, if I've spelt it right. Perhaps you've heard of them, yes? Their, i.e. the bikes', not the companies', frames are steel and thus quite capable of carrying my weight forever and ever. I have had no reason to look for another bike for several decades, though a supply of certain parts for building up, or I should say reviving, the nearly-dead tandem came in handy last winter.

So when someone writes about Giant or Trek or Specialized and then gives a model designation such as TK1500 or XR228 or OF22T or 221B Baker St, I have no idea what he or she is saying. They all look alike to me. And they sure don't look like the bikes I've been riding for nearly four decades.
:innocent:
That looks like a nice shop. Giant seem to have their retail and technical acts together from what I can see in those pics.

I've been riding longer than that, and I still have steel bikes too. But I disagree with you about the differences. If anything, I'm surprised and impressed by how little bike design has changed over the years. Road and touring bikes are still based on the classic diamond, two triangle shape. The materials have changed, and that allows some innovations like oversized tubing, and the new frames are both lighter and stiffer than the old ones. But essentially they aren't much changed, it's a testimonial to the beauty of the original design.

Used to have a Carlton as a kid.