Giant TCR Advanced 1 (2018) - Review

by Simon Ananda Raj May 19, 2025 1 min read

Giant launched their new range of bicycles at the beginning of 2018. Their range included Hybrids, MTB and Road bicycles. Giant are known to have a wide range of Road bicycles for all kinds of riding. The Giant TCR is an iconic bike - popular around the world, there can be no denying it has revolutionized modern bicycle design. TCR, which stands for 'Total Compact Road,' was the brainchild of famed bicycle creator Mike Burrows. We got the opportunity to test ride the Giant TCR Advanced 1 (2018) and here is what we thought.

The Giant TCR Advanced 1 (2018) is a performance packed road bicycle perfect for both flat out speeds and the toughest of hill climbs.

Simon Ananda Raj

Giant TCR Advanced 1 (2018)

Snapshot

4.1

Product Rating Out of 5

Performance 4.2

Design 4.3

Features 4.1

Value for Money 3.8
THINGS WE LIKE

✔ Lightweight carbon frame

✔ Smooth gearing

✔ Responsive caliper brakes

THINGS WE DON'T LIKE

✖ N/A

✖ N/A

✖ N/A
Frame

Advanced Grade Composite

The lightweight carbon frame is perfect for flat out racing and also for those tough climbs.
Fork

Advanced Grade Composite

Lightweight Fork.
Gearing

Shimano Ultegra 2x11-Speed

The 22-Speed Shimano Ultegra groupset was the ideal gearing for racing and climbs
Breaks

Shimano Ultegra

The Shimano Ultegra Caliper brakes were safe when braking at top speeds.
Tires

Giant Gavia 1 Tubeless 700x25C

The 700x25c tubeless and foldable tires gave good traction on the road on climbs and corners.
Battery

N/A

N/A

: 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.

The lightweight carbon frame is perfect for flat out racing and also for those tough climbs
: 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 11-Speed Shimano Ultegra groupset was the ideal gearing for racing and climbs
: 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 TCR Advanced 1 (2018) comes in 2 colour variants. Matte Blue with Red and White graphics and Matte Black with Grey and Orange graphics
: 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 Shimano Ultegra Caliper brakes were safe when braking at top speeds
: 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.

The 7x25c tubeless and foldable tires gave good traction on the road on climbs and corners

: Provide the answer to the question here.

Quote
: It's hard to find a fault in the Giant TCR Advanced 1. It's light, fast, comfortable, ideal for racing, long rides, or anything else you could name. Giant has got right – the price, the ride, the spec for this bicycle. Of course you don’t get a full carbon fork but that isn’t a negative in performance but just something, which could have been there for the price tag on this race road bicycle. If you are someone looking to buy a road bicycle with a race focused geometry for amateur and semi professional racing which involves climbs, the TCR 1 Advanced from Giant could be the perfect choice for you.Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.