Fuji SL, Transonic or Giant Advanced Pro

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Canyonrider
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 1:41 pm

by Canyonrider

I'm thinking of getting a new frame for racing next year and these are the frames my LBS does I was just wondering what would anyone say about them. I'm looking for comfort and stiffness mainly. I heard that giants new frame is all about stiffness to weight ratio, but I don't know what weight it is it looks like it could be very similar to the transonic. So could anyone shine some light on this for me? Thanks

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yamacrab
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 5:16 pm

by yamacrab

Just picked up a '16 TCR Advanced Pro 1 and it comes in at 7.06kg from the factory without pedals. Build moving forward is in the introductions board.

Canyonrider
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 1:41 pm

by Canyonrider

yamacrab wrote:Just picked up a '16 TCR Advanced Pro 1 and it comes in at 7.06kg from the factory without pedals. Build moving forward is in the introductions board.


Good buy! That model is out of my price range so I'm just getting the frame, would really like if giant would post of the frame weights especially since they are getting light now. Would you be able to tell me how you find the bike and how would you compare to your last?
Thanks

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prendrefeu
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Location: Glendale / Los Angeles, California
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by prendrefeu

This is Weight Weenies.

Which is lightest?
Which geometry fits you the best (in consideration of weight: ie, fewer spacers among other weight-creating attributes) ?

You will find your answer there.
Exp001 || Other projects in the works.

stoney
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:26 am

by stoney

I just purchased a 2016 Giant TCR Advanced Pro 0. The complete bike, size medium, weighed 14pounds 7ounces without pedals. This weight was prior to the fork and cable housing being shortened after I lowered by bar height. It's an awesome ride...stiff in all the right places but comfortable as well.

headwind816
Posts: 309
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 4:43 pm

by headwind816

How about the new Fuji SL? That frameset is on my short list.

jeffy
Posts: 1325
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:51 pm

by jeffy

do we have a tcr adv pro frameset weight yet?

Canyonrider
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 1:41 pm

by Canyonrider

Yeah it's mainly between the SL and the tcr at the moment but I would like to know the weights of the tcr, so I could match it to the SL, also not many reviews of the SL up yet. The geomotry of the too are bother similar to what I currently ride.

joepac
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2014 4:43 pm

by joepac

Are you a climber, sprinter, puncheur, all-arounder? Do you ride lots of hills/mountains and target them during races? Is comfort or speed more important to you? In general the climbing frames will be more comfortable than aero. The transonic is not the most aero frame, but is reported to be comfortable for an aero frame. Test them all and if one frame "speaks" to you during the test then buy it. I was originally going to get a tarmac over a supersix evo, even though the supersix is lighter and cheaper I just liked the feel of the tarmac better. I ended up with a Venge (which handles like the tarmac) and suits my sprinting strength well.

In the end the bike doesn't matter much compared to your fitness and strength. I race an entry level bike in crits and do better than on my Venge because I am not holding back in fear of wrecking my expensive bike. I save a lot more watts by bombing the turns and mixing it up in the peloton fearlessly than my aero frame gains me (but I'm subconsciously holding back). In the end these are all marginal gains that are easily trumped by strategy and fitness, which is why you should buy the bike that feels the best to you. Unless you are in top condition saving 300g is not going help you much at all. I beat some people on 14lbs bikes and get smoked by others on 20 lb bikes... When I lost 7 lbs of body weight it helped a lot more than losing a pound from a bike switch.

Teasing apart the marginal gains: In regards to the Fuji Sl vs the TCR, unless the Fuji has terrible handling/ is a wet noodle then it seems easy since the Fuji will be a lot lighter (~750g vs. I am guessing the advanced is ~1000 since the advanced sl is in the 800s). The transonic is 1100g so it's significantly heavier but will be a bit more aero. With an aero road bar and good wheels you will save a few watts, which if your courses target mostly rollers or are flat then it will be more helpful. If you sprint aero helps even more.

Canyonrider
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 1:41 pm

by Canyonrider

joepac wrote:Are you a climber, sprinter, puncheur, all-arounder? Do you ride lots of hills/mountains and target them during races? Is comfort or speed more important to you? In general the climbing frames will be more comfortable than aero. The transonic is not the most aero frame, but is reported to be comfortable for an aero frame. Test them all and if one frame "speaks" to you during the test then buy it. I was originally going to get a tarmac over a supersix evo, even though the supersix is lighter and cheaper I just liked the feel of the tarmac better. I ended up with a Venge (which handles like the tarmac) and suits my sprinting strength well.

In the end the bike doesn't matter much compared to your fitness and strength. I race an entry level bike in crits and do better than on my Venge because I am not holding back in fear of wrecking my expensive bike. I save a lot more watts by bombing the turns and mixing it up in the peloton fearlessly than my aero frame gains me (but I'm subconsciously holding back). In the end these are all marginal gains that are easily trumped by strategy and fitness, which is why you should buy the bike that feels the best to you. Unless you are in top condition saving 300g is not going help you much at all. I beat some people on 14lbs bikes and get smoked by others on 20 lb bikes... When I lost 7 lbs of body weight it helped a lot more than losing a pound from a bike switch.

Teasing apart the marginal gains: In regards to the Fuji Sl vs the TCR, unless the Fuji has terrible handling/ is a wet noodle then it seems easy since the Fuji will be a lot lighter (~750g vs. I am guessing the advanced is ~1000 since the advanced sl is in the 800s). The transonic is 1100g so it's significantly heavier but will be a bit more aero. With an aero road bar and good wheels you will save a few watts, which if your courses target mostly rollers or are flat then it will be more helpful. If you sprint aero helps even more.


I'm more of a powerful rider myself, so sprints and pushing it hard is more my stuff, I have had some aero bikes, and I found they climbed bad and sprinted bad, so I want to go for a more traditional bike now, I care about stiffness because the canyon aeroad that I had when I was racing was great but you would feel the loss of power in it when sprinting or climbing this is the SL not the newer model. The races Im mainly in are rolling, so be long with hills in between. I mainly target getting into breaks or trying to sprint sometime's. I also have a choice of an older model s5 but I just dunno about it, as if it might feel like the aeroad. My race weight is 63kg so I don't think I can drop much more for a 5'10 rider I'm thinking of increasing it but making the gain to be just muscle. I have a zipp aero handlebar and 50m wheels to go on it so that's what will be going on it. I would like to test ride each of them but I find no shop in Ireland that would let me so it's very frustrating for that since . The one thing I really did like about the canyon was you'd feel very fresh getting off the bike where as my giant propel I didn't at all.

joepac
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2014 4:43 pm

by joepac

Canyonrider wrote:I'm more of a powerful rider myself, so sprints and pushing it hard is more my stuff, I have had some aero bikes, and I found they climbed bad and sprinted bad, so I want to go for a more traditional bike now, I care about stiffness because the canyon aeroad that I had when I was racing was great but you would feel the loss of power in it when sprinting or climbing this is the SL not the newer model. The races Im mainly in are rolling, so be long with hills in between. I mainly target getting into breaks or trying to sprint sometime's. I also have a choice of an older model s5 but I just dunno about it, as if it might feel like the aeroad. My race weight is 63kg so I don't think I can drop much more for a 5'10 rider I'm thinking of increasing it but making the gain to be just muscle. I have a zipp aero handlebar and 50m wheels to go on it so that's what will be going on it. I would like to test ride each of them but I find no shop in Ireland that would let me so it's very frustrating for that since . The one thing I really did like about the canyon was you'd feel very fresh getting off the bike where as my giant propel I didn't at all.


Newer aerobikes have a better ride quality, but are still just not as comfortable. It sounds like you may be more satisfied with a non aero bike. The old S5 is definitely a bad choice for you, it is often described as uncomfortably stiff to ride, yet having low stiffness when spriting/climbing (vertically stiff and laterally compliant in bike speak), the archetypal aero bike with poor ride quality and handling. I know the older aeroroad was not consider impressive and that the new aeroroad surprised many with how much it improved both in the wind tunnel and on the road.

The new TCR Advanced Pro was recently reviewed by cyclingtips as stiff and comfortable and seems like it would be a safe choice: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/11/giant ... -0-review/

The Fuji SL is pretty new, but seems to be getting rave reviews so far. With you only being 63 kgs a bike would have to be pretty noodley to be flexing under you so this should be a safe bet. Review via bikeradar: https://youtu.be/SLsfZ77PJBs
Tour magazine also seemed pretty impressed:
http://www.fujibikes.com/images/insidef ... ltests.pdf

Personally, I would go with the SL because this is weight weenies :noidea: :mrgreen: and you can brag about how light your frame is and how much less it costs than other similarly light frames. The new Cervelo R5 (expensive) might also be a good choice since it is decently aero and very light/stiff.

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Canyonrider
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 1:41 pm

by Canyonrider

joepac wrote:Newer aerobikes have a better ride quality, but are still just not as comfortable. It sounds like you may be more satisfied with a non aero bike. The old S5 is definitely a bad choice for you, it is often described as uncomfortably stiff to ride, yet having low stiffness when spriting/climbing (vertically stiff and laterally compliant in bike speak), the archetypal aero bike with poor ride quality and handling. I know the older aeroroad was not consider impressive and that the new aeroroad surprised many with how much it improved both in the wind tunnel and on the road.

The new TCR Advanced Pro was recently reviewed by cyclingtips as stiff and comfortable and seems like it would be a safe choice: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/11/giant ... -0-review/

The Fuji SL is pretty new, but seems to be getting rave reviews so far. With you only being 63 kgs a bike would have to be pretty noodley to be flexing under you so this should be a safe bet. Review via bikeradar: https://youtu.be/SLsfZ77PJBs
Tour magazine also seemed pretty impressed:
http://www.fujibikes.com/images/insidef ... ltests.pdf

Personally, I would go with the SL because this is weight weenies :noidea: :mrgreen: and you can brag about how light your frame is and how much less it costs than other similarly light frames. The new Cervelo R5 (expensive) might also be a good choice since it is decently aero and very light/stiff.


Yeah thanks for the help!! I didn't see that review on the giant or the SL. I think I am going more towards the tcr alright. I'm hoping to get it built up at 6.8kg without pedals which shouldn't be too hard! Even with my weight some bikes feel noodley but that could just be me. I heard that the early cervelo s5 was bad for that alright, that's why I was kinda staying away from it.
Also that's one reason I would really like get the SL that I could make it lighter than all others, but then if it's too light I wouldn't be a aloud race with it in certain races here so would defy the point of having it sadly

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