If you think about, more and more 29er bikes out there, most are running discs and 15mm through axle, so it makes that part instantly transferable. Never needed to release a front wheel in a hurry in a cross race, unless you have a spare set of wheels in the pits, it’s a bit of a pointless argument, as if you are running a spare might as well run a bike as there are so many other things that can/could go wrong. It makes more sense to buy a pair of reasonable medium bikes, rather than just one top end bike. For those that know me, I only came to this thought too late, but it is nice to have a top end bike to play on, so far one puncture and a snapped pedal, neither would have been affected by a through axle.

Sorry Brant, thought you were talking about the Giant.

Edit…

Giant UK seemed to have just added the new 2014 TCX SLRs, plus others, to their website.

Ooh that TCX Advance 1 is a right fancy tickler 🙂

Double edit…

No canti’s on any of the Giant 2014 CX bikes either. Telling?

No canti’s on any of the Giant 2014 CX bikes either. Telling?

Yup. Beginning of the end, and all that. Only thing Giant do in relation to cantis is:

Those of you lamenting the passing of rim brakes on Giant’s cyclocross lineup can find solace in the fact that the company will still offer the TCX Advanced SL with canti posts – but it’s last year’s model and will only be available as a bare frameset.

– bikeradar.com

There are going to be some disappointed dealers. 3, 2 big ones and 1 a Giant main store are 100% certain that the SLR 2 has a 15mm axle. If it hasn’t that’s one less on my list to buy. Not that anything else has but it was its main selling point to me. I reckon lots will go that way.

I got my info from Giant UK’s product manager, so assuming he is right. Plus bacondoublechee also heard direct from Giant. I did try and ask Giant Rutland, my local Giant store, but I can only assume they do not have the internet yet, as they never reply to emails/twitter.

Very tempting…..are these in the bike shops yet?

Very tempting…..are these in the bike shops yet?

End Sept/Early Oct is the current estimate.

I noticed a few online shops are now saying Dec/Jan for that model. Think i’ll give it a miss!

Oh dear… 🙄

I noticed a few online shops are now saying Dec/Jan for that model. Think i’ll give it a miss!

I am still hearing End of Sep for the small SLR 2, so might wait till then, if it starts to get silly with dates being pushed back then I will just leave it, and probably get a P-X XLS or something.

It’s the same every year, the manufacturers know the cross season starts on September 1st, but they seem incapable of releasing the cross models in july, so people have time to get them before the start of the season.

Small was the only one that hasn’t fallen back on ETA!

Small was the only one that hasn’t fallen back on ETA!

The benefits of being a shortarse 😀

Do like the look of the TCX but found the handling weird on a test ride. Not sure what it is, maybe the high BB. Would probably get use to it but it did put me off earlier in the year.

Believe Giant changed the geo of the TCX a couple of years ago and it wasn’t that well received. Looks like they’ve kept it the same this year.

@MrBlobby

Do you mean they changed the geo, people moaned, then they changed it back and that is how the current one is?

They changed the geo and have not changed it back. Looks like the new ones are the same as last years if the published charts are to be believed.

Thought it handled a bit weird on a test ride and did some digging. Quite a few people moaning on forums about it.

Still worth taking one for a spin though as I guess it depends what you are use to and plenty of people do like them.

Well, I’ve sent a email over to Giant to find out the BB drop, as they don’t list it on the website.

As for trying one out, hopefully 2-3 weeks….*ahem*

So, the QR releasing quite possibly saved the crash bending the fork/frame compared to an unyielding thru axle?

not really, the crash lifted the non lever end of the QR over the lawyer tab but didn’t pull it off completly, so I rode the next 10 miles with the QR not installed correctly despite it still looking right and feeling tight while giving the bike a once over aqfter the crash. Only became obvious when it poped out compleltey on a thankfully inocuous bit of trail!

could someone explain the significance / consequences of using QR vs 15mm in the context of the TCX SLR.

Or any frame with Whisky Parts forks which seem to have been around for about a year…

No mudguard eyes though but Ruckus can add those!

Quite liking the QR15 single handed ease of use!