Giant TCR advanced SL 1
Price $6,900; Weight 14.8 lb. (M); Sizes XS, S, M (tested), M/L, L, XL; Frame Advanced SL-Grade composite, integrated seatmast; Fork Advanced SL-Grade composite, OverDrive 2 steerer; Component highlights Shimano Dura-Ace shifters, derailleurs, crank (53/39), chain, cassette, brakes; Giant P-SLR1 wheels and tires; Contact SLR handlebar and stem; Info giantbicycles.com; Buy it if You want Tour performance in an understated package.
Maybe it's because Giant got started making bikes for other brands before building its own models. Or maybe it's because the Taiwanese company's high-end race bikes haven't yet garnered enough top results at big events. Whatever the reason, the manufacturer's road bikes seem to remain underrepresented among amateur racers. That's too bad—the company has a real passion for racing, and bikes like the TCR Advanced SL 1, used by the Rabobank team of Maarten Tjallingii and Luis-Le?n S?nchez, shows it. Our test bike had mechanical Dura-Ace, while the cockpit and wheels bear Giant's own name (see a review of the wheels on page 98). Rabobank riders race on Shimano wheels and Di2 components, but aside from that and the paint, our test bike was otherwise the same as those you'll see in the Tour de France.
For 2012 Giant introduced a new standard for steerer tubes. Called Overdrive 2, the new steerer is 1? inches wide at the top (as on the Canyon CF SLX), tapering to 1? inches at the fork crown. The company says this makes the front stiffer than on previous models, letting you maneuver the bike quicker and with greater precision. Giant may be on to something: The bike went where I wanted it to instantaneously, without wavering.
It may not have the aerodynamics of a Cerv?lo, the Tour de France palmares of a Trek, or the heritage of a Pinarello, but the TCR is a fun bike that's ready to let you scream up your favorite local climbs and tear down the descents. —M.Y.
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Colnago M10
Price $5,000, frame, fork, headset, and seatpost; $9,500, as tested; Weight 15.49 lb. (52cm); Sizes 42, 45, 48, 50, 52 (tested), 54, 56, 58cm; Frame Colnago monocoque carbon fiber; Fork Colnago C-HS1 carbon fiber w/ tapered steerer tube; Component highlights 11-speed Campagnolo Super Record drivetrain and brakes, Shamal wheels; Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX 23mm tires; FSA OS150 stem and Wing Pro Compact carbon bar; Info colnago-america.com; Buy It If You want a Pro Tour-worthy ride and will sacrifice some weight for durability.
In the evolution of Colnago's carbon bikes, the Taiwan-made M10 is an important milestone in the brand's transition from the traditional tube-and-lug style of the C59 to a full monocoque. It's been a long time coming—while other manufacturers were quick to move to sleek, one-piece frames, Colnago clung to traditional construction methods. It wasn't a reluctance to ditch proven techniques. Instead, it was about the Italian company's desire to produce frames that could match the ride of its legendary steel bikes.
The M10, the manufacturer says, is the first monocoque frame to have a ride quality founder Ernesto Colnago is proud of, and it passes stringent safety tests. To arrive at the ideal design, Colnago used a fair amount of carbon, so it's not the lightest bike in the Tour de France. (Even so, our complete test bike weighed 15.5 pounds.) That's all part of Colnago's credo—the company contends that 1,000 grams is about the lightest a frame can be and still balance ride quality, stiffness, and safety. The claimed weight for an M10 is 1,160 grams in a 54cm; some competitors' frames are as light as 700 grams.
Indeed, the ride embodies a philosophy that puts ride quality first: On flats, climbs, and descents, the M10 feels sturdy and solid. The bike is stiff under even hard accelerations, but a few extended dirt-road sessions also revealed a comfortable ride.
The ride may be classic Colnago, but visually the bike also represents a big step toward modern design for the august brand. Gone are the graceful, delicate lines of the C59 and CX-1, replaced with boldly shaped carbon frame tubes. As with many current carbon bikes, the M10 features internal cable routing, which produced some annoying rattles on rough pavement. Generally, though, the finish is high-quality, with lustrous paint over carefully masked carbon windows to identify the bike's brand. A well-designed paint scheme makes the M10 as pleasing to look at as it is to ride. Take extra care when ordering: Colnago measures its sloping frames by the length of the entire seat tube, so our test 52cm rides closer to a 55/56cm as sized by traditional methods. —Joe Lindsey
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