# Giant OCR or FCR??



## trek7100 (Jan 1, 2008)

Anyone ride a Giant OCR3W or FCR3?? I'm looking to buy a road bike. My LBS has a 2007 Giant OCR3W for $520, but don't know if I want the drop down bars. I like the idea of the flat bar road bike, but have heard that they are not as comfortable as the drop down bars.


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## acckids (Jan 2, 2003)

$520 is a great price. Drop bars or flat bars? I started off cycling with flat bars but now use drop bars. Even with the ergo bar ends, you have more hand positions with drop bars. My hands always hurt on 15miles or more with flat bars. I think after two weeks of riding drop bar you will like them better in the long run than flat. Of course, only opinion.


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## ps249 (Mar 7, 2006)

I just picked up a FCR3 today. I been riding mountain bikes for the past 16 years and what a difference! Much more comfortable and much faster. I dont get the sore ass that I always got with a high end MT Bike. The FCR3 has a very comfortable seat.


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## Loraura (Jun 30, 2008)

I have an FCR3W, which is now my commuter bike, but was my first road bike. My husband has an OCR, that is his commuter bike. Both are 2007 models.

They are both joys to ride, however, I will say that the flat bar was painful to me on longer rides, and I sought out other options pretty quickly after getting the bike. The OCR is much lighter than the FCR and I believe has a carbon fork and the FCR does not. The carbon fork helps absorb road vibration.

I commute 15 miles a day and ride 150-200 miles a week on average. I'd pick the OCR over the FCR knowing what I know now with this type of milage.

The FCR is good at one thing though -- I put some 28mm tires on it, and it rides cush like a cadilac, and can handle crushed granite hike and bike trails and dirt paths great. No worries of slipping like with 23 or 25mm tires. Keeping up with another rider on a bike built more for pure road riding is tough though. I doubt you could fit 28mm tires on the OCR.

The FCR also takes a rack and fenders just fine. We've used a seat post rack on the OCR, but haven't attempted to put fenders on it.

So it really depends on what you want.

If you want to toodle around town, maybe load some paniers for light shopping, get some exersize, use some paths -- the FCR would be a great choice. If you want to go fast on the smooth road, the OCR is the better choice of the two.


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## robpar (Jan 26, 2008)

trek7100 said:


> Anyone ride a Giant OCR3W or FCR3?? I'm looking to buy a road bike. My LBS has a 2007 Giant OCR3W for $520, but don't know if I want the drop down bars. I like the idea of the flat bar road bike, but have heard that they are not as comfortable as the drop down bars.


OCR. If you don't like the drop bars you can always change them later (of course it will cost you more) but the OCR has carbon fork and seat post, lighter wheels and I believe is a 105 group (mine is) so in the long run is a better buy. I still have mine (had it for about 2.5 years) but replaced: tires to 23 mm from 25 mm, saddle to a Rido, bars to a FSA compact shallow drop and stem to 17 degree angle to get the bars up a bit (I got rid of the adjustable stem after a few weeks).
I can ride for hours; i just did a century (about 6.5 hours) and rode great; very comfortable.
With the shallow drop bars the drops are now the most comfortable position, especially on long stretches of flat terrain. 
Just make sure the frame fits you! for comfort get the largest frame you can ride.


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## friesianphile (Jul 26, 2009)

How very odd! Your user name is the very model I have right now, and I'm looking at the OCR3 for women. What a difference in bikes, don't you think?


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