After having ridden a road bike for just under two years, and establishing a regular riding routine, I was able to justify upgrading my bike to something a bit more serious. After shopping around, and having sold my old bike, I got myself a Giant TCR Advanced Pro 1 Rival in February 2023. I bought this from Tay Junction in Singapore.
The Giant TCR Advance Pro is an all-rounder, offering a less aggressive posture. The carbon fibre frame comes in what they call their “black diamond” finish – a high-gloss black with bright flecks that is understated and comes into its own in the sunlight. The SRAM Rival eTAP electronic shifting gears were an upgrade to the drivetrain. Further, this bike has the bonus of a power meter.
The wheels were yet another upgrade, having moved from a previous set of aluminium wheels to carbon wheels with a tubeless setup.
The relaxed geometry allows me to remain upright without it being hard on my back.
When I rode if for the first time, I took it easy to get used to the feel of a new bicycle. 5 minutes into the ride and it felt just right for me to start pushing myself. The reduced weight made a difference, as did the wider carbon wheels, offering greater aerodynamic efficiency. What stood out the most to me was the super-responsive and smooth electronic shifting. With only two brake cables, it’s a mostly clean setup.
The second ride that I did was a Gran Fondo – 101km along Singapore’s park connectors. I was not disappointed. Without pushing myself too hard, I improved my time by 24 minutes, and felt far less tired than my previous attempt. I’m totally happy with this purchase, and feel like it was money well spent.
Specs
Build
- Frame: Advanced-Grade Composite, disc
- Fork: Advanced-Grade Composite, full-composite OverDrive 2 steerer, disc
- Handlebar: Giant Contact SL XS:40cm, S:40cm, M:42cm, M/L:42cm, L:44cm, XL:44cm
- Grips: Stratus Lite 2.0
- Stem: Giant Contact SL XS:80mm, S:90mm, M:100mm, M/L:110mm, L:110mm, XL:120mm
- Seatpost: Giant Variant, composite, -5/+15mm offset
- Saddle: Giant Fleet SL
- Pedals: Shimano Ultegra
Groupset
- Shifters: SRAM Rival eTap AXS
- Front Derailleur: SRAM Rival eTap AXS
- Rear Derailleur: SRAM Rival eTap AXS
- Brakes: SRAM Rival eTap AXS hydraulic, SRAM PaceLine rotors [F]160mm, [R]140mm
- Brake Levers: SRAM Rival eTap AXS hydraulic
- Cassette: SRAM Rival, 12-speed, 10×30
- Chain: SRAM Rival D1
- Crankset: SRAM Rival D1 DUB, 35/48with Power Halo power meter M/L:172.5mm
- Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB, press fit
Wheels
- Rims: Giant SLR 1 42 Carbon Disc WheelSystem
- Hubs: Giant SLR 1 42 Carbon Disc WheelSystem, 12mm thru-axle
- Spokes: Giant SLR 1 42 Carbon Disc WheelSystem
- Tires: Giant Gavia Course 1, tubeless, 700x25c (28mm), folding
Weight: 7.6kg
