# Giant TCR Advanced 3 - Good beginner bike?



## thedago (Sep 30, 2009)

Hi- I've been riding a too large borrowed Trek for the past month and have decided to take the plunge and buy my first road bike - 

I have tried out Trek Madone, Giant Defy, and Giant TCR Advanced 3 - I was a medium large in the Giants-

I guess I am wondering is this is a good bike to start with. I felt more agile then the Defy, which I liked, but considering the "race" fit was just curious if it would be too much for a beginner to road biking- it was certainly the best looking in my mind as well

I live in Santa Barbara, lots of riders here and some good climbs.

Not planning on racing- rec riding with people friends and co-workers-

any help is appreciated


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## Weinbergfahrer (Jul 8, 2009)

Hi thedago, 

and welcome to this forum and the road cycling community!

You are asking for help, so based on what you're telling us here, I'll try something:

You're saying, this is going to be your first road bike. How long are cycling already?

Reason for this question is twofold:
1 - the TCR is a perfectly capable race bike

If you are not planning on racing, you may find a less sporty - more upright - riding position more comfortable on extended rides.

2 - the TCR has a carbon frame

If you have (close to) no previous experience on either road or mountain bikes, there's a certain likelyhood that you'll have a crash sooner or later. That may be a minor one, caused by braking too hard or simply not getting out of the pedals quickly enough. If a carbon frame hits the ground in an unfortunate way, it may be scrap. An aluminum frame is a bit more forgiving, it may just have a small dent.

One more thing to observe for a beginner: :idea: 

Find a good bike store, that takes the time to fit the bike to your requirements. Ultimately it's your butt that says, how good you feel on the bike. To get that positive feedback, frame and stem size, drop and reach of the handlebars, saddle position and crank length all have to perfectly match your body's physique!

Bottom line:
The TCR Advanced 3 is a beautiful, technically up-to-date bike, that will not hinder your personal goals in road cycling. 
But buying it may be similar to getting a driver's license and next buying a new and expensive car. One may be lucky, maybe not... you get the picture.

Keep us posted, what you're finally getting, even if it's a second-hand Schwinn! 

Cheers,
Weinbergfahrer


PS: Are we talking about this one:


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## thedago (Sep 30, 2009)

Thanks Weinbergfahrer-

Im actually looking at the 09 version that is pretty much all black- a LBS is selling it for $2K

I've been mountain biking for 7 months and borrowed the road bike to train for a charity ride- going to be doing 60 miles this saturday- ive logged about 500 miles so far on the borrowed bike- with a few 40 and 30 miler days in there 

doing this training is what hooked me on the road bike

if i go with the Giant- I'll make sure to post some pics 

thanks again


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## davidsthubbins (Jun 15, 2009)

I'm a newb with an Advanced 3. (09 as well) I absolutely love it. I went with the "race" fit mainly for triathlons, but even on my longer jonts I've never felt uncomfortable. I have a century comming up, so it could be a different story after that.


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## Weinbergfahrer (Jul 8, 2009)

thedago said:


> doing this training is what hooked me on the road bike


Hey, once you get the hang of it and know you want to do more than just posing, then go for it! :thumbsup: 

And the price is really good...

Nevertheless, just make sure that your bike shop fits the bike properly, so that you're comfortable on those longer rides!

Cheers,
Weinbergfahrer


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## thatpace (Jul 30, 2009)

Just picked up a TCR Advanced 3 myself. I found the Giant's stock frame / geometry fit (m/l) me better than anything that Cannondale or Specialized had to offer. Look forward to pics.


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## arinowner (Feb 25, 2008)

I would add one thing. The newer TCRs have a slacker seat tube angle than the old. If memory serves me right, it by a degree or so. I rode a M/L in a 06 TCR composite and had to tweak my set up just a bit with the newer version. 1 degree doesn't sound like alot but it will cause you to have to move your seat forward just a bit. Good thing is the new aero seat post has adjustable offset. I was going to go down a size to the M but then the head tube would have been really low for me. The taller head tube on the M/L is a blessing fo someone about my [email protected] 5'11" and 3/4.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Bike of The Year in Cycling Plus Magazine (UK). It beat offerings from Colnago, Specialized, Trek, Wilier, Time etc, etc, etc.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Bike of The Year in Cycling Plus Magazine (UK). It beat offerings from Colnago, Specialized, Trek, Wilier, Time etc, etc, etc.


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