Giant Bikes...why the lack of love??
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Giant Bikes...why the lack of love??
I have been reading BF for some time and have noticed that Giant bikes get very little attention. Why is this? The bikes are very well rated (Bicycling magazine reviewed the TCR composite and Defy very well for 2011), offer a good value and have a lifetime warranty.
Is it simply because they lack "bling" and "boutique status"?
Is it simply because they lack "bling" and "boutique status"?
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Giant has positioned itself as the cost leader, which makes them attractive for low volume shops. The problem becomes one of stock. Low volume shops don't get the higher end bikes. They cater to townie and commuter riders. If you want to ride a high end bike, you go to a high volume shop, which will frequently have Trek or Specialized. Some shops will double up with Cannondale and Giant. Why go questing for a high end bike when other models are so readily available?
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I don't have a Giant road bike, but I do have a Giant mountain bike. It is solid, but I agree that many people don't seem to talk about them much. My view on it though is that isn't necessarily a bad thing because it seems to keep the value pretty good.
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Though it isn't a proper road bike, I've got a Giant Bowery which has worked out very, very well for me. Actually, I'm the only person that I've ever seen rolling around on a Giant. In Chicago, you see a lot of Mercier, Specialized, Bianchi and Trek.
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It is the rider that makes the bike. Andy Schleck made 2nd two times in a row in TDF. Once on a Specialized and once on a Treck. He would have done the same on a Giant as well, no doubt.
Last edited by UCIMBZ; 10-20-11 at 08:12 PM.
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It seems to me that American or European companies that sell Chinese-made bikes are more accepted than a Chinese company that sells Chinese bikes, even if the bikes are just as good. That doesn't mean it makes sense, necessarily.
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Giant made crap bikes years ago ... still got that stuck in my mind.
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Giant is Chinese. I did not really know that...or care, even. All I knew was that Giant was the primary manufacturer of almost every major brand being sold. Isn't Shimano chinese?
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They make just about everybody's bikes, I like that. They really really know how to build a bike, and have very extensive knowledge and experience in carbon.
I also like that they're not pretending to be anything. They're a Chinese company making great Chinese bikes at a good price.
I like Giant a lot more than Trek, or Specialized for that matter.
I also like that they're not pretending to be anything. They're a Chinese company making great Chinese bikes at a good price.
I like Giant a lot more than Trek, or Specialized for that matter.
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Giant has positioned itself as the cost leader, which makes them attractive for low volume shops. The problem becomes one of stock. Low volume shops don't get the higher end bikes. They cater to townie and commuter riders. If you want to ride a high end bike, you go to a high volume shop, which will frequently have Trek or Specialized. Some shops will double up with Cannondale and Giant. Why go questing for a high end bike when other models are so readily available?
Or I can test ride a Cannondale, Trek, Cervelo or Specialized. Maybe not the exact model I want, but at least the right frame and size.
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#24
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Test rides are overrated.
Figure out your size, have the shop order you a leftover '11 TCR SL and enjoy the ride.
Figure out your size, have the shop order you a leftover '11 TCR SL and enjoy the ride.
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