Afternoon,

After much deliberation I had narrowed the list down to a Giant TCR Composite 3 or a Giant TCR compact..

I found the both online for a good price, but after a visit to my local shop recently I noticed they still had a TCR composite 3 in my size.. Been there since at least July when I started to consider my options. So I gave them a phone and said what I had seen it for online.

I asked what price they were doing it for and it was £350 more than the online price, I asked if they could price match or at least come down a little to meet in the middle as it would mean a sale at least, as well as future purchases, plus I have put a bit of business they’re way recently.

I was told “nah we are not in a rush to sell that bike”

“Oh well I said, I was trying to support my local bike shop, i was going to come in and pay for it today, but I’ll take my money else where..”

Looks like online it is then.

So do I spend the extra £100 for the carbon frame or get the alloy frame with the better kit (Tiagra v’s 105)

id spend the extra defo…carbon feels so good when riding it…the giant carbons are particulary good…

Yeah I’m thinking it is probably a better platform for future upgrades..

First thing to change will be wheels..

First thing to change will be wheels..

If you’re going to do this soon it might be worth looking up the range a bit and buying something with better wheels to start with? Would likely be a cheaper package (even if you make some back from the standard wheels).

what they come with? the giant wheels are now made by dt i think..or at least the hubs are..your dundee arent you? try leslie bike shop hes always great for a deal and hes a good lad 😀

Nah would be well into next year I’d imagine. Meant to be saving for a house so don’t want to push the boat out to much.

Yea I am Dundee mate… Are u stalking me?

It has giant branded rims and hubs. I thought they were made by Alex rims?

Can you post links? I’d rather have an alloy frame with lighter better components (particularly wheels) than a carbon frame with cheap stuff.

bike shops – I give em 5 years max

have you had a word with Dales in Glasgow ? they have a 25% sale at Christmas and are a Giant main dealer….you could probably reserve on at Sale prices….

I was in Dales about 4 weeks ago and wasn’t overly impressed with selection to be honest. Maybe they were clearing out the old to make way for the new…

Links:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-tcr-1-compact-2012/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-tcr-composite-3-2012/

I’d probably get the cheaper one. Dont really know why, I think mainly because it looks nicer. And it has full 105 groupset and its cheaper. I think those Giant Alu frames are meant to be alrite aswell.

That is a tough decision.

Wheels look the same on both so I think I’d plump for the carbon one myself.

Sod the groupset, I’d get the carbon one. They’re all as functional as each other, Tiagra’s alright.

105 all the way, it’s a big step up. Although as others said, if you want upgrades maybe spend more upfront? How much is the composite with wheels you’d be happy with?

Or have a play on the Rose bike builder section and see what you come up with? Could work out considerably cheeper than buying upgrades later on?

bike shops – I give em 5 years max

Well, if they’re confident they can sell it at the price it’s at now, why should they sell it for £350 less?

I’d get the Aluxx frame and full 105 groupset. The geometries are the same, but that alloy frame was top of the range but a few years ago. I bought a used TCR0 with full ultegra groupset, upgraded Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels, and all up weight is only 8 kilos.

Nice alloy beats cheap carbon.

I would have gone into the shop and spoken to them, they’re less likely to take you seriously over the phone.

I have the Defy Composite and its epic. Having tried both the ali and carbon, carbon is a better ride. But as above the 105 is a big step up from the Tiagra, I have Ultegra kit and there’s no difference to the 105 at all.

Good luck choosing, you probably wont be disappointed with either.

I would go for the better frame. In a year’s time when the chain/cassette/rings etc start wearing out you can upgrade those to 105 for the same price you would have replaced the 105 bits on the ali bike.

I would go for the better frame

Define “better”: Weight? Stiffness? Crashproofness? Smoothness?

I chose alloy because I wanted to race it, wanted stiffness and crashability – the absence of weight is a bonus. The Aluxx frame is almost identical weight to the Composite according to their recent data.

But as above, you won’t be disappointed with either.

Stevo210 – Member
I have the Defy Composite and its epic. Having tried both the ali and carbon, carbon is a better ride. But as above the 105 is a big step up from the Tiagra, I have Ultegra kit and there’s no difference to the 105 at all.

Good luck choosing, you probably wont be disappointed with either.

I have same bike (Defy Comp) and almost totally agree, apart from that the Ultegra on the Giant is noticeably slicker than the 105 on my Jake 🙂

Get the alu bike and spend the extra on a pair of Shimano RS30 wheels which either Merlin or Planet X had on sale for around £100 last week.
Not only do you end up with a great alu frame and the better groupset but also a very good wheelset.

TiRed – I tested the Defy Alloy 105 against the Composite Ultegra. they were quite different to ride, both very compliant, but the Composite one was noticeably less fatigue inducing after 20 miles or so.

Thanks for the replies dudes.. I am leaning towards the Aluxx TCR 1, I prefer the look of the bike, but I like the idea of the carbon frame and the upgrade potential for future. Having ridden aluminium framed road bikes in the past I never found them to be that harsh a ride.

MrSalmon.. They have had the bike since at least July so if it was going to sell I reckon it would have done so by now. It’s up to them of course, like you say if they are confident they can sell it then fair do’s.

This is taking more consideration time than the last car I bought… And the house hunting gets less thought put into it.

was noticeably less fatigue inducing after 20 miles or so.

20miles isn’t a long ride! If you’re fatigued after that long on a road bike there’s something more wrong than the frame material.

but I like the idea of the carbon frame and the upgrade potential for future.

Nothing to stop you upgrading a good alu frame, mines 10 years old now and I’m still buying light/trick/pimpy bits for it. Cannondale maek the CAAD10, Spesh have just released an S-Works Allez, at least one of the P-X team riders uses a Team Alu for Crits, if anything alloy’s experienceing a bit of a resurgence as the budget racers material of choice.

Well, if they’re confident they can sell it at the price it’s at now, why should they sell it for £350 less?

what the OP said, its been sat there best part of six months and is now an old model. Maybe they know from experience they can afford to have cash tied up in stock for months at a time and eventually sell it at (or close to) rrp, but somehow I doubt it.

Maybe they know from experience they can afford to have cash tied up in stock for months at a time and eventually sell it at (or close to) rrp, but somehow I doubt it.

So what’s your theory about why they wouldn’t drop the price at all?

I would go for 105 over Tiagra for the shifters alone. The carbon frame would be a massive bonus obviously

1981miked. I was in same place as you this time last year. I eventaully got the Defy Comp, with Ultegra, in the 25% off I mentioned above, for a smidgeon above the cost of a lower specced one at rrp……

I checked the Dales website and nothing in my size… This is really taking the mick now.. I can see pro’s and con’s on both bikes..

I just wonder if I got the carbon one I’d wish I had gone for the 105 drivetrain, I’m not sure i would necessarily see/feel the benefits of carbon. Bearing in mind I may use it for the odd commute aswell, I originally set a budget of £550 but that quickly went up.. As usual.

I’ll use it for training, commuting and hopefully a sportive and possibly a triathlon.. Depending how the shoulder op goes next year..

the Composite one was noticeably less fatigue inducing after 20 miles or so.

In the old days (3 years ago), we’d do 20 miles riding out to the start of the chaingang.

These days, 20 miles is about my limit..!

Frame material has no bearing on either of these…. 😀

I checked the Dales website and nothing in my size…

Suggest you give them a call, ask for Jon Allan, who is their main roadie guy. I’d have thought they could find you one and it’s only 2 weeks till their sale prices kick in…

OMITN – indeed, but at my age every little bit helps 😆

Will do Iainc thanks mate..

Maybe they know from experience they can afford to have cash tied up in stock for months at a time and eventually sell it at (or close to) rrp, but somehow I doubt it.

So what’s your theory about why they wouldn’t drop the price at all?

Probably one of them has an eye on it, done a deal with the owner that if it doesn’t sell, they can get it at cost. Bike shop doesn’t lose out cash-wise but gets a happy employee. If cashflow isn’t a problem, why not! Happened a few times at my old workplace.

So what’s your theory about why they wouldn’t drop the price at all?

Ignorance? Pigheadedness? An evangelical hatred of internet tyre kickers? Blind optimism that year-old road bikes will sell for full rrp in the depths of winter? Just because they are still in business doesn’t mean they are doing well or their sense is sound. I’ve mentioned before my experience with 23C near MK, who couldnt even be @rsed to dig out a price list when I walked in there with a £1K C2W voucher in my hand. And constrast that with Epic who spent an hour talking enthusiastically about all things road when I collected the bike I’d already bought from them over the phone the week before (with the same voucher 23C sneered at). A colleague drove >100 miles to buy his second road bike from Epic having been so happy with the service he’d had with his first, at a cost of £6K.

The OP was a potential loyal returning customer asking to be hooked, and they turned him away.

edit:

Bike shop doesn’t lose out cash-wise but gets a happy employee.

only if they sold the bike to the OP at cost, not somewhere between cost and full rrp

If cashflow isn’t a problem, why not!

because theyre a business and they live by having customers, not selling things at cost to employers? See comment about future return business above.

I would go for 105 over Tiagra for the shifters alone.

Well that’s about the only area there’s any improvement, and I don’t find the Tiagra ones hugely objectionable (compared to Dura Ace on the summer bike).

And as said it’ll all wear out anyway and you can replace it with Ultegra/DA if you want. Not really the case with the frame.

Probably one of them has an eye on it, done a deal with the owner that if it doesn’t sell, they can get it at cost. Bike shop doesn’t lose out cash-wise but gets a happy employee. If cashflow isn’t a problem, why not!

Are you for real?

Biking is a hobby that often results in significant spend over a prolonged period. Keep a customer happy now and he will carry on spending money.

In the past 12 months I have helped 5 people (colleagues and friends)chose their bikes. I will happily point them towards brands and retailers that I have had good experience of, or tell them what to avoid. What you are saying is that these shops are so short sighted they think providing a bike at cost to an employee is more important than making money off customers.

I get really frustrated at businesses that think they are owed income and make no real effort to earn their business

Plus 1 here for Andy at Lesley bike shop. always doing great deals on his bikes, he’s also a giant dealer so will be able to get hold of the model your after.good luck on what ever you decide on mate.