Upgrade my 2018 TCR or buy a 2019 TCR?

[amngwlvs]

So it was about a year ago I posted my first thread here regarding upgrading my aging 2015 Propel or replacing it. I opted to replace it with a 2018 TCR AP0 Disc. I love the bike and my few potential upgrades in the future were deeper wheels and a power meter.

Fast forward a year and the 2019 TCR AP0 Disc comes with 42mm wheels rather than my 30's and Giant's new Power Pro power meter as stock.

By the time I was said and done last year I was just shy of $6500 CAD. Am I better off to eat some money on the 2018, try to sell it for $4000, take that money + $2500(ish) and buy the new bike for about $6650 (all in) or look into upgrading the one I have? A big part of me feels like the cheaper option may just be to buy the new bike.

Have I lost my mind?

[VTR1000SP2]

Should be an all-new TCR in 2020 but nothing for certain just yet, keep an eye on the UCI approved bikes list. I personally would get a power meter if you don’t already have one and keep riding your bike as is.

More gains to be had from the legs unless you’ve already peaked in that regard?


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[amngwlvs]

Should be an all-new TCR in 2020 but nothing for certain just yet, keep an eye on the UCI approved bikes list. I personally would get a power meter if you don’t already have one and keep riding your bike as is.

More gains to be had from the legs unless you’ve already peaked in that regard?


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Haha definitely not, that's why I want the power meter. The wheels are more an aesthetic thing since I highly doubt I'll notice the aero differnce of a 42mm wheel vs a 30mm at this point.

Thanks for the input!

[VTR1000SP2]

Should be an all-new TCR in 2020 but nothing for certain just yet, keep an eye on the UCI approved bikes list. I personally would get a power meter if you don’t already have one and keep riding your bike as is.

More gains to be had from the legs unless you’ve already peaked in that regard?


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Haha definitely not, that's why I want the power meter. The wheels are more an aesthetic thing since I highly doubt I'll notice the aero differnce of a 42mm wheel vs a 30mm at this point.

Thanks for the input!

Giant wheels are OK. Not wide or super aero but many are tubeless ready, don’t weigh a lot and have DT intervals. You’d have to, in my opinion, get a very expensive wheelset to notice the upgrade.

Since yours is Disc, a wheel upgrade could transfer to your next bike which is good value.


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[AJS914]

I think you'd be lucky to get $4K for a used bike that sold for $6500. Dealers were probably blowing out those old models for $5K or less. Dealers are probably still sitting on some 2018s at sale prices. You could list your bike on your local classifieds and see if you even get any interest at your price. The last two bikes I bought used were $8000 builds and both cost me around $3500.

Fast forward a year and the 2019 TCR AP0 Disc comes with 42mm wheels rather than my 30's

42mm is not very aero so not much of an upgrade. You could get a spare set of Farsports wheels for $500+. Go for some 28mm wide 58mm rims and you will probably be getting some decent aero gains over your 30mm rims.

I would just get the power meter of your choice and forget the new bike.

[amngwlvs]

Giant wheels are OK. Not wide or super aero but many are tubeless ready, don’t weigh a lot and have DT intervals. You’d have to, in my opinion, get a very expensive wheelset to notice the upgrade.

Since yours is Disc, a wheel upgrade could transfer to your next bike which is good value.

Yeah, for about $1350 USD you're looking at tubeless ready, 1510g carbon wheels; hard to beat Giant's value there. If I were to upgrade the wheelset I'll likely be keeping this bike for years to come but certainly the potential to use them if I upgrade the frameset down the road is there.

I think you'd be lucky to get $4K for a used bike that sold for $6500. Dealers were probably blowing out those old models for $5K or less. Dealers are probably still sitting on some 2018s at sale prices. You could list your bike on your local classifieds and see if you even get any interest at your price. The last two bikes I bought used were $8000 builds and both cost me around $3500.

Fast forward a year and the 2019 TCR AP0 Disc comes with 42mm wheels rather than my 30's

42mm is not very aero so not much of an upgrade. You could get a spare set of Farsports wheels for $500+. Go for some 28mm wide 58mm rims and you will probably be getting some decent aero gains over your 30mm rims.

I would just get the power meter of your choice and forget the new bike.

I worried about what I'd end up getting for it, damn resale values! No, the aero differnece wouldn't be major, I know, more of an aesthetic thing. Farsports isn't the worst idea for a set of crit wheels though, thanks!

Fair enough about the power meter, that's my main priority. Probably the easiest way to make my bike faster at this point is to change the rider.

[jlok]

I'd wait for next season as VTR has mentioned. Also, I hope the TCR wont have the same stem design as Propel and Defy. It's heavy.

[amngwlvs]

I'd wait for next season as VTR has mentioned. Also, I hope the TCR wont have the same stem design as Propel and Defy. It's heavy.

While I do like the clean aesthetic of the new stem design on the Propel I think it looks out of place on the Defy. I'm not sure why they focused on aero integration on their endurance bike. Sure, on the Propel it looks clean when it's slammed but I think it looks goofy with a stack of spacers under there. I also don't like that it limits adjustability like bar angle, etc.

[VTR1000SP2]

The new Defy will surely feature in the upcoming spring classics where the previous model didn’t.


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[amngwlvs]

The new Defy will surely feature in the upcoming spring classics where the previous model didn’t.

Mike Teunissen rode this Defy at the spring classics in 2017 so some riders have been previously been riding them. I've heard the head tube height on this is more along the lines of a TCR making it a bit of a TCR/Defy hybrid but that seems like a stretch for Giant to be making a Defy with a lower front end just for their spring classics riders.