Giant TCR frame size??



chrisl

New Member
Oct 19, 2003
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Fellow riders...I need some urgent advice...

I've spent around 6 months pondering over what bike I'd like to have next. Finally I've decided I'd like the Giant TCR composite after reading many good write-ups.

My dilema is what size... M or L. I'm 6' 1/2" (184cm). I'm thinking probably large (based on the info from Giant) but I don't want to be too stretched out as the top tube is pretty long. Conversely I don't want to be too squat, wishing I'd bought the bigger frame...

It's not possible for me to try out the two sizes (due to location) and because of the very long lead time, I must order one and then travel to collect it.

If you own or have ridden these bikes and are a similar height to me I would very much appreciate ur comments...

Thanks, CL
 
Originally posted by chrisl
Fellow riders...I need some urgent advice...

I've spent around 6 months pondering over what bike I'd like to have next. Finally I've decided I'd like the Giant TCR composite after reading many good write-ups.

My dilema is what size... M or L. I'm 6' 1/2" (184cm). I'm thinking probably large (based on the info from Giant) but I don't want to be too stretched out as the top tube is pretty long. Conversely I don't want to be too squat, wishing I'd bought the bigger frame...

It's not possible for me to try out the two sizes (due to location) and because of the very long lead time, I must order one and then travel to collect it.

If you own or have ridden these bikes and are a similar height to me I would very much appreciate ur comments...

Thanks, CL
It's about more than height. Bike inseam as well as upper body proportions are also part of it. I'm a tad shorter than you and am between sizes, as based on my own known preferrerd TT length. If i was a bit taller,It would be a no brainer for the large,but I'm not you. If you don't know what you need, guessing or going with what fits someone else is a way to get an expensive hosing.
 
Hi -- here's some personal info regarding my fit that might provide some reference. Firstly, I'm 6'2" and a half, and I own a TCR frame in large; my inseam is roughly 33" and I've been told that I have a proportionally longer torso.

Even so, I felt a touch stretched out on the frame when equipped with the supplied carbon stem; the default stem length supplied with a large Giant (if you purchase a complete bike) is 11cm. I feel much more comfortable pairing this frame with a 10cm.

Is there a Giant dealer nearby that you can visit? Boudreaux makes the best point: your height isn't enough of a specification to select the right frame for you. When you're only chosing between 4 frame sizes (s, m, l, xl), you'll be way up the creek with the wrong one.

I'd go the extra mile to be fitted before you plunk down too much cash. Good luck!
 
Go to www.competitivecyclist.com and use their fit calculator as a starting point, to get a relative point of your size.
Then I hope you're good with geometry, and see if you can extrapolate those numbers to the geometry of the bikes from Giant' website.
I'm 5'9" and regular built with slightly long legs (inseam 31) and thought that the medium as a stretch for me at the top tube (I test rode a TCR composite) but the small would require such a long seatpost sticking out, that I didn't like.
So keep in mind about their compact geometry too as well (sloped top tube).
If I have to guess you're probably be on a M (with a 110 mm or so) but you need to take some measurements of their stand over and determine how much seatpost you would need. And what top tube/stem length combo.
Dude, how far away is a Giant dealer ? it would be worth a drive there to make sure you don't make a $2K mistake.
 
TOP TUBE

What top tube do you ride now? Are you comfortable? If so then get the Giant or any frame with that top tube lenght.

Comapct frames will give you 2. You want the virtual top tube.

Problem is many shops do not know how to sell bike sr size them. So you the consumer has to be the one informed. Do not ever count on them. They will only try to sell you what they have on the floor.

So check your TT and buy that lenght.
 
Originally posted by xavier


So check your TT and buy that lenght.
So, how about if I'm starting from scratch,know nothing and don't have a TT to measure, and no chance to testride? SOL?
 
If it's any help, I'm 5' 11 and 1/2" with a 32" leg. According to Giant's website, I was over the cut-off point between M and L. However, I can tell you that the L was...well...too LARGE and left me sprawling forward with my crotch (gross word) too close to the frame, so I bought the M instead, as it still fitted perfectly to my leg length (bloody long seatpost!).

In terms of forward reach, I have an 11cm stem on my bike (by the way, it's an OCR1, but pretty sure it's same frame geometry as the TCR you're contemplating), which when I first started to ride on left me feeling a bit cramped and thinking about buying something a bit longer to compensate for that bunched up feeling (the upshot of buying the smaller frame size).

However, turned flip-flop stem over instead for different handlebar position and now feel fit is just fine. A longer stem is so easy to get hold of, giving you plenty of opportunity for greater reach, whilst the supplied seatpost - at 350mm - gives plenty of room for manoeuvre to suit your leg length, providing they're not excessively long or short.

The benefit of the Giant compact frame is that these components make alot of difference within the framesize and can greatly reduce the chance of you ending up with the wrong-sized frame. Be aware of this - you can't start sawing out sections of a L frame to reduce it in size, but you can change stem, seatpost and cranklength without much hassle, i.e. the M may well still be your best bet.

If you can't get a TCR to test-ride / measure up on, can you get onto an OCR instead? If you can't do that either, have a look at the Giant webpages on Philosphy and Sizing at;

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/uk/050.000.000/050.045.500.asp

however, bear in mind what I've just told you about my experience of using this info, as well as what Boudreaux, Rudy etc have said about it being more than just height.

If you are serious about making this purchase, you really should be at the very least getting on the thing before committing the cash; would you buy a car without taking a test-ride? I do sympathize about the wait - Giant roadbikes seem to have been in really short supply since the Autumn - but it really would be alot less frustrating to do be TCR-less for a bit than it would being lumbered with something pretty expensive that just doesn't fit properly, and which makes your cycling experience ****. Where do you live in the country? I'm presuming you're in the UK (feet and inches, you see!).

Seriously, listen to what these people are saying on this site they've given me a hell of useful advice over the last five months. And if they've got a good rep, use your local bike shop's expertise as much as possible too; if you give your location, I'm sure someone on the forum could help with pointing you in the direction of a decent LBS.

There are plenty of people willing to help, my friend - make use of them!

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

MG
 
Dude, drive to a Giant dealer and test ride the bike!!

thanks but it's a long way! I'm English (well spotted Gilders!) but currently living in central Mexico and haven't found a bike shop that sells Giant. Besides that, unless you're talking about bread or milk, everything here costs a fortune...

What top tube do you ride now? Are you comfortable? If so then get the Giant or any frame with that top tube lenght.

Current ride is a pretty old Raleigh 531C. TT and ST are 57cm which puts me somewhere between M and L...

Go to www.competitivecyclist.com and use their fit calculator as a starting point, to get a relative point of your size.

thanks for this link, Rudy. Got the missus to measure all the required body bits (relevent to the bike ) and it came out with TT 57cm and ST 57.5 so again, smack bang in the middle according to Giant website...

With such inconclusive measurements, I'm currently swaying towards L with maybe a 9cm stem. Had my heart set for a long time on a 58cm Trek 5200 but then read the excellents reports on the Giant and the overall spec seems better. Additionally I think the clear lacquer on the Giant looks cool. It took me a while though before the compact frame appealed.

If we're all honest we'd like to look good on the bike (obviously how it rides comes first...) but for me, a really compact frame just doesn't look right...see the T-Mobile dude on the left in the white shades. Looks likes he's riding a kid's bike or even a BMX with drop bars!!



Am I alone in these thoughts or are such extreme compact frames the future??

I'll probably have to order a bike Texas and travel there to collect it. I may try and convince a bike shop to order both M and L as I'm sure they'll sell the one I don't take pretty easily.

Cheers for all your comments so far and if anyone has any further info, would be most welcome... CL

:D
 
"If we're all honest we'd like to look good on the bike (obviously how it rides comes first...) but for me, a really compact frame just doesn't look right...see the T-Mobile dude on the left in the white shades. Looks likes he's riding a kid's bike or even a BMX with drop bars!!

Am I alone in these thoughts or are such extreme compact frames the future??"

No, you're not alone in this thought!!! Not at all. I test rode a TCR2, a Trek 5200 and a Kestrel Talon. Yes the Trek fits me best too as well. The Giant speced out best and had very good values, literally all carbon stem and post etc... including pedals all for $2000. I ended up purchasing the Talon, and haven't regreted that decision at all, because it's nice looking and also allows me to do both road and time trial.
Keep in mind that a much shorter stem can change the handling of the bike to being more twitchy. Having said that, 9cm stem should not be bad.
If you decide to go with a Large and for some reason, a 9cm stem is not enough, and that you need to move the saddle more forward, there are seatposts that will allow you to move fore and aft up to 2 inches. Some comes to mind are the Look Ergo seatpost or the BP Stealth Ergo seatpost. The BP is half the price of the Look. Sure, moving the saddle forward too much, beyond the spindle may rob you of some power but heck!! you need to be fit and comfortable anyway and that is most important to me.

Yes, I had a hard time getting used to the way the compact frames look. and yes that dude in the pic looks like he's on his little son's bike.

GL and let us know what you ended with.
 
Buying a bike is like getting merry,

I would not merry a woman without meeting her, having sex with her or falling in love with her.

So I would not buy a new bike without seen it, riding it, and feeling confortable on it.

or you migh regret it, got the idea?

br

froque
 
Originally posted by froque
Buying a bike is like getting merry,

I would not merry a woman without meeting her, having sex with her or falling in love with her.

So I would not buy a new bike without seen it, riding it, and feeling confortable on it.

or you migh regret it, got the idea?

br

froque

Dude, he's getting merry through a Mexican mail bride order catalogue :D
 
Well, the fact is that the Giant's do not fit everybody. It's quite strange to think that three (or four) frame sizes would actually be fine for all. I'm right on the border of S and M on Giant's figures, and didn't find either very comfortable regarding fit. Maybe you should just look for a different bike. One that actually fits you.
 
"If we're all honest we'd like to look good on the bike... see the T-Mobile dude on the left in the white shades. Looks likes he's riding a kid's bike or even a BMX with drop bars!!"

LOL! What a cuss!

He does look a complete knob though - no the most complimentary-angled photo ever taken...

Know what you mean about the compact frame look. Initially, I thought it looked like I was going to be riding the progeny of an early BMX/Raleigh Grifter and a Dawes touring bike, but really taken to it and go as far as to say that I think compact frames look cool! Personally, I won't be reverting back to a more traditionally-angled one for the foreseeable future, but do recognise it's horses for courses and all a matter of taste and preference.

Re: sizing choice; glad you got some help and have made a decision - good luck with the fit!


Gilders!
 
Originally posted by tobias
this might help you:

groessenanpassung_tcr.jpg


there is a cummunity with a lot of pics and examples...but it´s german.

tobias.

Vielen Dank - kann schon ein bisschen Deutsch verstehen ;-)

Hast du dieses Fahrrad? Gefaelt dir?
 
Originally posted by chrisl

Hast du dieses Fahrrad? Gefaelt dir?


hey chrisl,
you speak german. not bad!
i used to ride tcr, but switched to specialized a year ago. thats nearly the same geo.
i ride a 54 and 55 equivalent (thats giant m) with 105/6deg stem.
i´m 182cm/88cm ll (sorry- i don´t know how much that´ll be in inches...) and i´m riding really comfortable - but due to knee insuries i´m sitting 2 cm too low.

the advantage of the small frame is the stiffness and room for legs and knees (L is pretty much like a non-sloping frame), on the other hand, you might need a really long seatpost.
do you know your REAL seatposthight (bb-top of the saddle?)...
what is the other bike you use (and you might feel comfortable/uncomfortable with?)


viele grüsse;)

tobias.


sorry, i don´t have an actual pic... this is
my construction site :D

http://www.mtb-news.de/fotos/data/500/14781all_s-works-med.JPG
 
I'm 5'11 and I test rode both the M and L. The larger felt right for me, however I did have to change the stem from stock 12 to 13. BTW my inseam is 32. Also got this bodyscan thing done and it fitted me on the medium as well. Also did a fit with people from bike shop on both M and L and they also agreed that the M was the way to go for me. Hope this helps some.