Giant Carbon or aluminum for bigger rider



cedge100

New Member
Dec 19, 2003
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I am an enthusiast rider and also participate in club time trials ready to purchase a new road bicycle. I have narrowed my choices down to the Giant TCR Composite 2 or the Giant TCR (aluminum.)

I am 5'10" and weigh abut 215. I am a former powerlifter and seem to prefer lower cadence pedaling. I am working on speeding up my cadence but its taking time.

I currently ride a Giant OCR3 which is now inadequate. The components are worn and the frame is too flexible to warrant upgrades.

My question is this: Given my size/weight and riding style which bike would suit me better? I don't want to get into another situation where I lose power through the flexing frame. But I also don't want to sacrifice too much weight for a marginal amount of stifffness.
 
cedge100 said:
I am an enthusiast rider and also participate in club time trials ready to purchase a new road bicycle. I have narrowed my choices down to the Giant TCR Composite 2 or the Giant TCR (aluminum.)

I am 5'10" and weigh abut 215. I am a former powerlifter and seem to prefer lower cadence pedaling. I am working on speeding up my cadence but its taking time.

I currently ride a Giant OCR3 which is now inadequate. The components are worn and the frame is too flexible to warrant upgrades.

My question is this: Given my size/weight and riding style which bike would suit me better? I don't want to get into another situation where I lose power through the flexing frame. But I also don't want to sacrifice too much weight for a marginal amount of stifffness.
All frames flex to some degree.
Why not find a Giant dealer and ride both and see what you think?
 
daveornee said:
All frames flex to some degree.
Why not find a Giant dealer and ride both and see what you think?

If that was an option I would have already done so. Besides, a five minute test in the parking lot does little to show how it will react over various conditions, which is why I posted this. I wanted to get some feedback from someone who actually knew.
 
cedge100 said:
If that was an option I would have already done so. Besides, a five minute test in the parking lot does little to show how it will react over various conditions, which is why I posted this. I wanted to get some feedback from someone who actually knew.

I am not trying to mess with a former Power Lifter from Nebraska!
However, since what you are asking about is quite different for each rider, my suggestion is to take them for rides where you can test the bicycles in the conditions you will ride them in.
There may be someone on this forum that is your size, weight, and riding style who has extensively tested both bicycles that can give you the desired objective feedback. If there is, I hope his feedback is forthcoming and helpful.
 
I have both (AL TCR and TCR Comp), no matter what your mass, the AL frame WILL flex more than the carbon, and the AL will really beat you up. The carbon giant is orders of magnitute better than the AL frame in terms of performance, comfort and strength.

I don't even ride my AL giant on the road anymore, it has been relegated to the indoor trainer.
 
Julian Radowsky said:
I have both (AL TCR and TCR Comp), no matter what your mass, the AL frame WILL flex more than the carbon, and the AL will really beat you up. The carbon giant is orders of magnitute better than the AL frame in terms of performance, comfort and strength.

I don't even ride my AL giant on the road anymore, it has been relegated to the indoor trainer.

Thanks, that is the information I needed. I appreciate it.

Jon
 
cedge100 said:
Thanks, that is the information I needed. I appreciate it.

Jon
I would like to say something in favor of test-rides. I own a Giant TCR aluminum and I also own a Kestrel Talon carbon-frame. I purchased the Giant earlier this year after several test rides - I loved it then and I still do. Later in the year I tested a Giant TCR composite and I was impressed (overwhelmed) by its quickness and responsiveness. The Giant composite is a fantastic bicycle! My sin was that I waited too long to purchase; by the time I had made-up my mind I could not find the TCR composite anywhere. By the way, I'm 5'11" and weigh 195lbs. The thing about the Giant TCRs is that they are sized small, medium, large, and x-large, and fit is important. I ended up with a large after test-riding a medium. The LBS staff were convinced that a medium was the correct size for me, but they could not adjust the medium to make me comfortable. The large felt good to me the moment I hopped on.

I hope you'll have an opportunity to take a few test-rides.