# New fork to improve handing on TCR Composite?



## BergMann (Mar 14, 2004)

My original posting under Bikes, Frames, & Forks 
( http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=51947 ) didn't solicit much response, so I thought I'd re-post here to see if the Giant faithful had any input:

Anyone tried swapping out the fork on their TCR Composite for an aftermarket model? 

I am trying to add some lateral stiffness to the front end of my ride and was considering replacing the stock TCR fork with an Alpha Q GS 10.

My questions are as follows:
1) Does anyone know the fork rake numbers for my 04 TCR Composite fork (frame size L)? I've scoured the Giant site to no avail.

2) Does anyone have any experience with a TCR/Alpha-Q setup, or with any other aftermarket fork (Easton, Reynolds?)? If so, did moving to another fork help firm up the ride?


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## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

i could be totally out to lunch here, but on this diagram, isnt it saying that the fork rake is 45 degrees? or something something XD


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

boroef said:


> i could be totally out to lunch here, but on this diagram, isnt it saying that the fork rake is 45 degrees? or something something XD


The rake units should be millimeters. The standards are 43 or 45 mm. The handling is influenced more by the trail which is listed in dimension K on the chart. My TCR is pretty quick handling IMO. However, with the same rake, the trail will remain unchanged.


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## BergMann (Mar 14, 2004)

*What model year?*

Do you have the URL where you found this chart?

The strange thing, is that if you compare this chart with the geometry charts for the '04 & '06 model years available on the US site (sans fork rake specs), the French chart matches _neither_!

The French chart shows a M/L size that Giant didn't produce in '04, but the seat tube measurements (5 sizes instead of 6!) don't match up at all with what Giant US has for 06!

If the US 06 chart is to be believed, Giant not only changed mold sizes for 06, they also changed the geometry on the TCR, which poses the question as to whether the fork was changed somewhere along the line, *and which year's fork that French chart refers to*.

Here are the US charts:
2004: http://www.giantbicycle.com/us/cata...=popup&popuptype=geometry-image&modelid=10960

2006: http://www.giantbicycle.com/us/cata...=popup&popuptype=geometry-image&modelid=11253


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## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

indeed the fork did change in the TCR line. i have a giant catalog from 2003 that showcases their TCR composite line with a different fork from my tcr c2 ('05).

but for interests sake, the URL of the french diagram is: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/images/_upload_fr/bikes/models/geometry/2005/2005_-_Geo_TCR_web.jpg

....straight from the giant website!


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Okay, okay. But what forks will make our TCRs stiffer? Drop the knowledge.


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

Just to add to the confusion, here is the geometry for the Australian market Giants. Why is the geometry different?


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## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

rcnute said:


> Okay, okay. But what forks will make our TCRs stiffer? Drop the knowledge.


i have yet to ride a tcr with a different fork, but i have ridden a bike with an alpha Q fork and it was plenty stiff.

the front end of the tcr can be a little whippy if u are really cranking it on climbs, but i dont know if some of that is contributed by the fork or not. it actually could be the frame itself.


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## boroef (Jun 18, 2005)

Italianrider76 said:


> Just to add to the confusion, here is the geometry for the Australian market Giants. Why is the geometry different?


could it be that it's the different geometry of the model years? i dont know the year of the chart that i posted, nor the year of yours. but bergman pointed out that there were geometry changes.

i recall that early tcr models had the rear wheel closer to the seat tube. and then i know for certain that on 05 models this was changed. 

as for the 06...i'm unsure. weirdddd! i thought the whole costs of the molds would be expensive, why do they keep changing?


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

boroef said:


> could it be that it's the different geometry of the model years? i dont know the year of the chart that i posted, nor the year of yours. but bergman pointed out that there were geometry changes.
> 
> i recall that early tcr models had the rear wheel closer to the seat tube. and then i know for certain that on 05 models this was changed.
> 
> as for the 06...i'm unsure. weirdddd! i thought the whole costs of the molds would be expensive, why do they keep changing?


I got that chart from the 2006 Australian web page. I don't understand it either.


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## nixonkimo (Aug 11, 2005)

Italianrider76 said:


> Just to add to the confusion, here is the geometry for the Australian market Giants. Why is the geometry different?


It's the geometry of TCR Advanced and differ from the TCR composite.


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