Good-value bikes never go out of fashion here at BikeRadar, and we’ve just discovered a hidden gem tucked away on Giant’s Chinese website.
Brought to our attention by a viewer on our YouTube channel (thanks @Jaco_ocaJ), the Giant PCR LTD is an aluminium mash-up of the Taiwanese brand’s best road bikes.
Up front, for example, is the fork and integrated front end from the Propel, while we also see the lightweight rear end from the TCR and the slim, flexible seatpost from the Defy.
Best of all, a build featuring carbon wheels, a fully integrated carbon cockpit and a Shimano Tiagra groupset is available for only CN¥6,998 – around £750, according to current conversion rates.
The catch? We likely won’t ever see it outside of Asia.
PCR, not TCR
The PCR LTD, Giant says, “integrates the simple and efficient ACE concepts” – these stand for Aero, Climbing and Endurance.
According to Google Translate, it’s “an all-around motorcycle designed specifically for riders”.
In terms of specifics, the frame is aluminium and made using Giant’s Aluxx SL technology.
The down tube looks to be subtly aero-optimised, while the rear is borrowed from the Contend SL Disc, with slim alloy tubes, dropped seatstays and a distinctive bulge at the bottom of the seatpost for the frame’s integrated seatpost clamp.
The fork is a full-carbon affair, made using Advanced-grade fibres and a tapered steerer tube.
To my eye, it looks almost identical to that found on the Propel Advanced, save for a little less sculpting at the rear of the crown and a bump up in tyre clearance to 32mm (according to the spec sheet).
The PCR LTD features fully integrated cable routing and even a one-piece handlebar – the latter of which is an aftermarket upgrade for even the top-spec Propel Advanced SL.
Notably, though, rather than being made from carbon fibre, the one-piece bar is made from aluminium, and is slotted to allow for easier cable routing or the integration of a cable-to-hydraulic converter junction box (on certain models).
The bike is finished with a Giant D-Fuse seatpost (carbon or aluminium, depending on the model) and a Shimano Tiagra 4700 groupset.
Opting for the PCR LTD 2+ (CN¥5,698 / ~£600) nets you a build featuring proper, conversion-free hydraulic disc brakes and alloy wheels.
The slightly pricier PCR LTD 1 (CN¥6,998 / ~£750) features 50mm-deep carbon rims and cable-actuated brake levers, plus a hydraulic converter box that nestles into the integrated bar.
Why you can’t have one
All things considered, it’s an enticing package – especially at the bargain prices quoted on Giant’s Chinese website.
In comparison, the closest equivalent model available in the UK is the Contend AR 2. A much more endurance-focused bike, it has an RRP of £1,449 – almost twice the price of the PCR LTD 1.
So why the discrepancy, and will riders ever see the PCR LTD reach Western markets?
We suspect the likely answer is that Giant – the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world – is simply so big that it can afford to make market-specific bikes and price them accordingly.
Beyond that, though, there are also increased costs involved in selling in places such as the UK, US and EU, including import duties, distribution costs, wages for local staff, local taxes and so on. These things exist in Asia, of course, but we’d imagine Giant faces higher costs for these factors in Western markets.
There may be an element of market segmentation, too. Perhaps Giant is worried that having a bike such as the PCR available in the West could eat into sales of its higher-value bikes, such as the TCR, Propel and Defy.
Of course, we put these questions to Giant and will update this article if we receive a response.
Either way, it’s a useful reminder that the UK and EU aren’t always at the centre of the bicycling world despite what the Mercator projection might suggest.
