cpstwoart

I recently cracked the top tube on my 2008 Madone and it is not going to be warrantied out. That's fine since I was thinking of upgrading. I have narrowed it down to two choices and they are both by Giant. I love how their carbon rides. Since I work at a bike shop I can get some good pricing on a lot of stuff and I was either going to build up the 2017 Propel Advanced frameset or snag the 2017 TCR Advanced SL 2. I have ridden both, but not the TCR more than around the parking lot of my shop, and it was the 2016 Advanced 3. Additionally the Propel was the pre-redesign model.

I'm looking for anyone who has ridden one/both, and preferably people who have raced one/both. I am getting back into racing next season, which I was forced to take a break from five years ago when I was hit by a van and required back surgery to walk again. I ride fast enough to get an aero advantage from the propel at sub 5 hr centuries. I am getting back into racing, which I was forced to take a break from five years ago when I was hit by a van and required back surgery to walk again. I'm looking for some opinions on them. I am flexible, more of an all-rounder in riding strengths, and have a decent sprint from my track days (though I get blown out of the water by my friends who are dedicated sprinters). What do you guys think in terms of how fun each is to ride? How do you like climbing, chasing, sprinting, descending, cruising with the peloton, etc. on them?

robj4

I recently purchased a 2016 TCR Adv SL2. I can't say enough about the handling characteristics and comfort of this bike. While shopping, I also had a chance to test ride the shop owners 2017 Propel SL 1. Both are amazing bikes. Both are incredibly stable at speed and corner as well or better than any bike I've ever ridden. The TCR was easier to climb with compared to my 2013 Defy Adv 1 as it is about 5 lbs lighter and a bunch stiffer.

I found the TCR a bit more comfortable and decided give up the aero advantage of the Propel for a little bit more comfort. I will say that the 2017 Propel is less buzzy than earlier models. The carbon clincher SLR wheelset on both bikes is also impressive and I have no plans to upgrade.

Lots of riders bag on the ISP, but I have to say that I think the ISP, frame layup and carbon wheels make for a ride quality you wouldn't expect from a full on race bike.

Also, I've had 10 spine surgeries, including a 3 level lumbar and a 3 level cervical fusion and I've had no gripes from my spine on the TCR, even with a 9.5 cm saddle to bar drop. (yes, I do stretch a lot.)

Good luck. I don't think you can go wrong with either bike, as you might have guessed from my review.

cpstwoart

Thanks, man. That's definitely valuable input, especially since you are in the same, albeit more extreme, boat that I am in with the back. I've been riding a 2015 Propel Advanced 1 that is being lent to me by the husband of our shop's back office mom. I have to give it back at the end of the week, so I'm going to have to pull the trigger soon on a bike. Luckily there is a Giant demo coming up in a week so I will get to ride them both around for about 30 minutes each. But I just don't think 30 minutes is enough time to get a really good feel for a bike when I'm going to be in the saddle for an average of 3.5 hours at a time. So it is super helpful to get input like this.

kbarch

As and "all-rounder," I think you are going to ride the TCR.

OldTryGuy

2013 Propel Advanced SL owner and enjoy the ride immensely. My uneducated suggestion, for the type of riding you mentioned you will be doing, is to go with the TCR.

cpstwoart

Thanks guys. This is pretty much what I have been hearing over the past few days, which is a tough pill to swallow since I was so stoked on the Propel. But I would rather be stoked on the ride in the long run. Who cares how much I like to look at the bike if I don't want to get up and ride it for 150 miles.

OldTryGuy

As I mentioned, ONLY because of the riding intensity you have planned is my suggestion the TCR. My riding at lower intensity levels include 100 milers by myself, 40+ milers with the LBS guys where our moving average is 22mph to 24mph, rides like Six Gap Century next Sunday of 103 miles with 11,200' climbing, Cross Florida 170 miles, going for 300+ miles next February's Sebring's 12/24 Hour. Being a 66 year old fogey I don't have it in me to kick butt, but if my physical condition was better I would expect the advantages of the TCR would be apparent and enjoyed.

Go for it and HAVE A BLAST!!!!

robj4

I had the chance to take a loaner TCR Adv SL2 for a 50 mile test ride. The shop owner told me afterwards that he knew I was going to buy it because my reply when he asked me what I thought was just a giggle and "WHOA!!"

crazyravr

I love my 2013 TCR 0 and tried the propel. I found myself more comfy on the TCR. The propel is more of a get on and give 'er type of a bike. Looks fast and it is fast.

macca33

The Propel is a grouse crit bike and the aero advantage is real - so i've been told. But, they are fairly heavy for their respective size, so if you want a more all-round ride, the TCR may be the go.


cheers

AeroGIANT

Will have my Giant Propel Advanced 2 in 9 days!! Upgrading from a Giant Defy 3

Defyme

Please share your thoughts and comparisons when your Propel comes in. I've been thinking of making a similar upgrade move and would love to see your thoughts between the two bikes.

TexMac

I have a 2014 propel advanced 3. It's a speed machine and super comfortable comparing to my dogma. LOVE the bike but mostly racing crits and not hilly road races. One issue the older models had was the intergrated brakes rubbing on diff wheels and that alone made me get an S3

cpstwoart

Update: I got the TCR last year.

Here it is displaying my 1st and 2nd place victories, the first and second time I hit the podium this year.



and here it is being raced not to a podium finish.

cpstwoart

Also, as it turns out I am not an "all-rounder." I ended up being more of a sprinter and puncheur. I'm pretty fond of breakaways, too. That being said, I have decided to move on to the Propel life. I'm not going with the 2018 Propel even though it is faster, totally sweet, and it makes me excited from base to tip. It's just too expensive of an investment for me. With the 2017 Propel I can just get the frameset and swap all my parts over. Not only are they not making a 2018 Propel F/S, even if they did it would only come as a disc model, and I would have to buy half of a groupset for that.

I'll update when I swap over to the new frame. It won't be for another month or so, but it will happen soon. I'm also going to be putting this frame up on ebay and getting a TCR SLR (aluminum TCR) and putting the original ultegra groupset from this bike onto it. I saw too many awful crashes in crits this year resulting in broken carbon and I am going to keep the Propel in road races exclusively, and I will use the aluminum TCR in crits where I will be less sad if I ever go down in a crash.

San Pedro

Can you get an SLR in the states? I haven't rode one, but they are definitely some light aluminum bikes.

cpstwoart

Not really. Mostly you have to hope to find one on ebay or an older one at a shop that they couldn't sell for some reason. Sometimes if you have an inside guy at Giant you can find one that they have stashed somewhere for a rainy day or that was a demo bike.

OldTryGuy

Great reading your update. I am sure you will ENJOY the Propel.

In agreement about the 2018 Propel, sweeeeet but $$$$. At my age of 67 and the body talking to me more often, my wife put in an order for a 2018 Specialized Roubaix Expert. Took a 2017 out for a 152 mile test ride and enjoyed it immensely.

cpstwoart

Dude! If your body is talking to you more often that Roubaix is literally the best bike. It's not like it rips on the descents or out of corners like a crit monster, but at mile 50 you feel just as fresh as you did at mile 20. That thing rocks for long rides.

OldTryGuy

I have the 400 miles in 24 hours at Bike Sebring 12/24 Hours that I am really looking forward to riding it.

bbbean 

Doesn't it just come down to whether you spend more time climbing vs in the wind?

EricT80

I picked up a 2017 TCR Advanced SL2 in July with 20% off. It's really unbelievable imo.

cpstwoart

I live in Indiana. I think it's pretty clear which I will be doing more of. Haha.

cpstwoart

Honestly it is the first bike I ever got on that instantly made me smile. I've ridden some amazing bikes including a Madone 9.9, Bianchi Oltre XR4, Venge Vias, and a Scott Foil just to name the best of them. The TCR Adv SL frame is just out of this world. It flies up climbs.

Campag4life

Agree. The new TCR is simply magnificent. New Propel is getting lots of buzz.
TCR versus Propel reminds me of the Tarmac versus Venge debate. Big brands are making their best bikes so good and now a bit more versatile, they are starting to overlap a bit. Some will consider the Propel and Venge as a daily rider because they are now more livable in terms of ride quality and a bit lighter.