ravenmore

Holy crap was it light. The owner of the bike shop said when he picked up the box he thought they forgot to put the wheels in it or something. It was a large, with full Sram Red and Zipp 404's. I would not be surprised, at all, if once assembled it and the seat mast is cut it comes in at sub 14 pounds. It was that light. Downtube, BB junction, and head tube were freakin' MASSIVE. I bet this is one stiff ride.

gsteinb

My small weighs 15 with dura ace and 404s

mattm

does it fit fenders?

just kiddin.

ravenmore

Hmmm - Sram Red is lighter - not sure if it is more than a pound so though. How the heck did you get one? I didn't think Giant even had them on the market yet...

gsteinb

They like me. I got it around labor day.

darksiderising

My coworker has a 2009 TCR Advanced, too. Got it around a month ago.

The frame is rediculously stiff. On a build using this frame, all flexing will be accomplished by the parts attached to it.

umd

there's been one in town for I think about 2 months now, and two more people just got them within the last few weeks...

sfwhiteman

I have one on order (a TCR Advanced 1, not the SL) and noticed that just tonight the shop ran my credit card, which means the bike is on the way... so Giant is definitely delivering them, even to regular members of the public

I've never been so excited to see such a huge charge suddenly appear on my card balance... I'd love to be riding it by the end of the week.

bdcheung

A teammate of mine has had his since... October?

patentcad

Gsteinb's new Giant is like a bunch of other modern CF frames- completely gorgeous except for the dopey oversized decals. Very impressive bike.

But it ain't no Cervelo pal.

Actually my other pal has the Soloist SLC and another team mate is debating between a Soloist and the new Giant. I'm from the Once You're Over Three Grand None of It Sucks school of thought myself. The bike flame wars are just BF Entertainment.

ravenmore

I've ridden a R3 and didn't care for the ride. Just felt kind of dead. Giant has just freakin' knocked the ball outta the park with their '09 line. The bikes are just drop dead gorgeous. I've ridden the Defy Advanced - I think it laughed at me when I sprinted. Like - is that all you got? Silly silly silly stiff. And the TCR is supposed to be more so.

Only complaint with the Giants is that I'd like internal cable routing. Other than that from what I've seen they're the best bike out there right now.

gsteinb

I actually prefer it without internal cables. Those things make noise to beat the band.

patentcad

Not the new Cervelos. Different internal cable routing scheme which is reportedly as quiet as Pcad's Racing Results News.

umd

Sorry to tell you, reports are it's better than Cervelo. This guy went from an R3 and said the Advanced SL is the best bike he's ridden.

R3


TCR Advanced SL

fa63

Was he able to provide a subjective reason why it is better?

umd

He said something but I don't remember what it was. I can tell you though he's not the kind of guy to make stuff up.

mrbubbles

Giant has more respect from me than Cervelo ever will. Understated and underrated, and there is a reason why they are the largest bicycle maker in the world.

patentcad

The degree to which nobody cares what you think is hard to overstate.

mrbubbles

Is my anti-Cervelo stew hard for you to take? Oh wait, that is your next bicycle, I rest my case, carry on.

patentcad

No, bubbles it is you who are hard to take. How do you stand yourself? Thank God you're in Canada. But even they don't deserve you, Celine Dion notwithstanding.

ravenmore

Is BC Canada? Wow, had no idea.

(that was tongue in cheek for those who can't read between the lines)

CrimsonKarter21

I'm stoked to get my '09 Advanced with Force and S900. Unfortunately, I won't be getting the SL, but the "regular" Advanced looks prettier.

Then I'm gonna try and flip it around October and get a '10.

mrbubbles

That's a lot bitterness for an old crank, you pop pills too? I guess that's what living in the exurb does to you.

FYI (not that you or I care), Celine Dion is popular here, her concert last month was sold out. There's a lot of undeserving people in Canada. Most sane people don't want to freeze their ass off in winter, but you aren't one of them.

gsteinb

I'm not crazy about the silver striping on the seat stays. Or that some decals are white and others are silver. The bike would have been far better looking in all black. That said, I race it until I break it and then I get the next new what's next. My outlook on bicycles is very utilitarian.

I can say it rides much nicer than the '08 Advanced. The ride is noticeably more comfortable, and it corners like, well, a racing bike. More betterer, I swear.

gabdy

All this TCR Advanced talk has me drooling. Only 3 and a bit days to go.