Giant TCR Advanced 1 (2018) - Review

The TCR Advanced 1 is built on an advanced grade composite carbon frame. Giant uses high-strength, performance-grade raw carbon material, which has a massive stiffness-to-weight ratio. It also produces the front end in one single piece meaning no joints, less material, less weight and better stiffness for better handling. The frame geometry isn’t very traditional. The sloping top tube allows for more rider configurations, meaning riders who find themselves in between sizes should be able to get a better fit on this system. Climbing uphill on this bicycle is the smoother than compared to other road racing bicycles. The tag ‘King of Mountains’ given to this bicycle by Giant is well earned. The Advanced Grade Composite alloy mix fork are shaped well to be aerodynamic and contributes to the quick and easy steering through corners.

As always Giant impressed us with its drivetrain in the TCR Advanced 1. Shimano's complete Ultegra 11 speed groupset was perfect for both quick accelerations and steep climbs. So as you can see the range of gears offered making it a performance packed race ready road bicycle. The Ultegra integrated shifters were lengthy and easy to operate. The smoothness of pedalling up tarmacs on hills couldn’t be any easier.

The road bicycle I test rode came in a matte finish blue frame with red and white graphics. The internal cable routing made the frame look neat. The integrated top tube/seat/post/chain stay not only saved a lot of weight but also enhanced the aesthetics of this bicycle.

The Shimano Ultegra brakes are dual pivot, which makes the braking effort to stop you reduce and that means less arm fatigue on long rides. The Brake shoes are decent; they are not the hardest pads but it's always a trade-off between pad life and stopping power, and the Ultegra pads are in the happy middle ground of great performance and acceptable wear.The Shimano contact drop handlebar was lengthy and was comfortable to get onto both the hoods and drops. The steering was smooth and quick turns and cornering felt controlled and safe.

The Giant PR-2 Alloy rims on the TCR Advanced 1 were lightweight and the Giant Gavia tubeless tires will surely help save a lot of time spent on punctures. This tubeless upgrade is perfect when racing. The stock Giant contact saddle was ergonomically designed to keep the rider sore free and static in the most aggressive positions while racing. The overall ride quality was fast and responsive and flat tarmacs.