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Giant 2009: seven new road bikes

Production TCR Advanced SL bikes will all be equipped with integrated seatmasts. Bare frames will be offered with standard posts but the integrated design actually flexes more fore-aft for increased comfort.

  • Giant's new TCR Advanced SL is noticeably stiffer and more comfortable than the previous version. It looks better, too, especially in top-flight trim as seen here with SRAM Red and Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate wheels.
  • The Dura-Ace version is only slightly more sedate with a purposely black-and-white paint job.
  • The new TCR Advanced SL's defining feature is arguably the tremendously reinforced head tube which houses a tapered and oversized 1 1/8
  • The top tube and down tube of the TCR Advanced SL is actually a bit wider than the head tube. Fore-aft stiffness under braking and steering precision were superb.
  • How much stiffness do you want? The TCR Advanced SL's top tube flares noticeably up front.
  • The matching fork's stout legs and 1 1/4
  • The huge down tube uses a rounded rectangular profile that contributes to the claimed 42 percent increase in overall rigidity over the previous TCR Advanced.
  • Naturally, the giant down tube also provides plenty of room for a correspondingly huge logo.
  • Giant's use of the new press-fit bottom bracket format allows the down tube to reach roughly 80mm across in width.
  • The seat tube certainly isn't much narrower at the bottom bracket, either, and the asymmetric chain stays are wide-set, too.
  • The trick rear brake cable routing apparently isn't just for show; it virtually guarantees that you'll never rub your leg on the housing and the centered position underneath the down tube easily accommodates reverse-style lever setups.
  • In spite of current trends, Giant is sticking with one-piece aluminum dropouts and fork tips instead of carbon fiber.
  • Giant was ridiculed ten years for its then-radical compact frame geometries but few are still laughing now.
  • Production TCR Advanced SL bikes will all be equipped with integrated seatmasts. Bare frames will be offered with standard posts but the integrated design actually flexes more fore-aft for increased comfort.
  • The newly refined seatmast head is far cleaner looking and offers 10mm or 23mm of setup simply by flipping the clamp hardware 180 degrees.
  • Giant's 'Fusion' process is used at the seat cluster on the new TCR Advanced SL. The joint is wrapped but then re-baked in a mold for better compaction and joint strength.
  • Relatively slim seat stays contribute to the (reasonably) comfy rear end. Standard seatpost versions sport a deeper seat tube profile than the roughly round shape of the ISP frame.
  • The standard TCR Advanced is all-new as well and while it uses slightly lesser materials, the overall feel is very similar to the full-blown TCR Advanced SL.
  • The TCR Advanced's head tube is also noticeably oversized and houses a 1 1/8
  • There's a lot of beef up here and the solid front end promises sharp handling and braking.
  • Standard TCR Advanced frames are equipped with conventional aero-profiled seatposts and a slightly cutout in the seat tube.
  • The top tube of the TCR Advanced is vaguely trapezoidal in profile.
  • There isn't quite as much flaring up here as on the TCR Advanced SL but the proportions are still awfully big.
  • A more conventional bonded modular monocoque construction is used for the standard TCR Advanced.
  • The two-bolt seatpost head holds tight and cleverly integrates both 10mm and 23mm offsets without having to swap parts.
  • The Defy Advanced is Giant's new 'performance' bike for 2009 with a slightly more relaxed geometry than the TCR series.
  • A taller head tube and longer chain stays make for a more upright fit and more stable handling.
  • Giant is using tapered and oversized 1 1/8
  • The front end of the Defy Advanced isn't quite as humungous as the TCR bikes and provides a noticeably softer ride.
  • Although pegged as a 'performance' rig and not a full-blown race machine, there's still plenty of beef to be found around the Defy Advanced bottom bracket shell.
  • Yup, press-fit cups can be found here, too.
  • The aero seatpost profile carries through to the top portion of the seat tube.
  • Sorry, you won't be fitting your Thomson seatpost in here but Giant has thankfully gone to the trouble of including a rather nice bit here for you already.
  • The Avail Advanced is the women's-specific version of the Defy Advanced.
  • All of the Defy Advanced's major tech features are included here but the geometry has been adjusted for women's typically-shorter torsos.
  • Giant has wholeheartedly adopted the press-fit bottom bracket standard.
  • Need to go faster? Women have their own version of the TT/tri-specific Trinity called the Aeryn.
  • Bladed fork blades help slice through the air.
  • The Aeryn Alliance uses an aluminum lower half paired with a carbon fiber top half for reduced cost, better stiffness and good ride quality.

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Production TCR Advanced SL bikes will all be equipped with integrated seatmasts. Bare frames will be offered with standard posts but the integrated design actually flexes more fore-aft for increased comfort.

© James Huang