CarloM

Good luck! Glad you didn't go with the flat-bar recommendation. I own an FX S6 and I would not recommend that over a good lightweight road bike unless that incline was gravel...and then I'd probably recommend a gravel bike.

Too bad you couldn't find a TCR in your size and price range. I love mine. I went in prepared to go with a Defy, because it's the "endurance" bike while the TCR is the "racing" bike. But after riding both, I found the TCR to be very comfortable for a racing bike, and I loved the power-transfer due to the stiffness-to-weight ratio (or whatever marketing speak they claim). It just felt like everything I put into the TCR was being transferred to the wheels. Was the Defy slightly more comfortable? Maybe. Maybe it would have been more obvious if I'd ridden each for 20 miles, but that's usually bad for for test-riding at your LBS. But even if it were more comfortable over long distances, I wouldn't have wanted to give up the lightness of the TCR and that power-transfer.

Best of luck and congratulations on your new Domane! Let us know how it goes!

Fendertele

Congrats on your new bike. Looking forward to your review.

eduskator

If you like stiffness, you should take an Advanced SL for a ride. Giant do have a great stiffness to weight radio, even on its Advanced lineup.

I owned both a Defy (1st CF road bike) and a TCR (current bike), and the difference in terms of comfort is not really noticeable. Sure it's a little more ''aggressive'', but it's worth it IMO. There are a few videos on youtube that compares both bike's geo - they're not that much different. I don't regret switching to a TCR - it just fits me better & my body can endure the extra stress imposed by the more aggressive riding position.

Clipped_in

OP, for $2000 it would be difficult to find a nicer bike than this: Viathon Bicycles

CarloM

I did take it for a ride! All the way home

Pre-saddle being cut and other fit adjustments; Giant Santa Monica not only gave me a great price on it, but also swapped out Black Inc Thirty wheels for the Giant SLR-1 for no upcharge (CeramicSpeed bearings on those wheels, MSRP for 1K more than the stock SLR-1).



7.03kg with no pedals, after seatpost was cut. Keep in mind this is an Ultegra Di2 setup, if at some point I decide to upgrade the drivetrain to something lighter (maybe when the new rumored DuraAce 12spd Di2 comes out in the next year or so) I might be able to shave off another few hundred grams. Also not bad considering it's disc brakes!

eduskator

What a nice color! I have always enjoyed black on black, or black & white (the Adv. Pro Team 2020 is so sexy!).

If I ever decide to upgrade mine again, I'll simply buy a new SL Frameset, swap all of my Adv. Pro components on it, and sell my current frame. Mine weights just a little over 7.6kg I believe (16.8lbs), which is still very light.

I'm guessing your SLR wheels are 42mm? Having the 30mm on my 2018 is the only thing I could possibly complain about right now.

CarloM

No, my Black Inc Thirty are 30mm. I prefer them that way. Super light. Stiff. Responsive. CeramicSpeed bearings are awesome. And I don't get blown around a lot. I am not a heavy rider (145lbs) and even when I swap my Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3 on my TCR, which are only 5mm deeper at 35mm, I can already feel a bit of crosswind effect that I don't on the Black Incs, despite the fact that the BIs are lighter than the Pro 3 (1430 claimed weight vs. 1506 claimed weight). The BI30s have become my daily driver.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a clearanced Cervelo S3 with ENVE SES 5.6 (54mm front, 63mm rear). They are fun...but I get easily affected by crosswinds, especially due to the wider aero frame of the S3 compared with the TCR (from the side). Crosswinds essentially see my S3 + ENVE 5.6 as a wall in comparison to my TCR + BI30 combo...

Here's a pic from my ride in Venice CA over the weekend.

Given how the Pro 3 35mm affected my TCR...I am not even tempted to throw these on it.

EDIT: Funny, they sit side by side at home, but it wasn't until I just looked at the two pics one after the other, looking at both bikes from the side profile the S3 really does look like a wall in comparison to the TCR.

Seattle Forrest

Send those sails my way! We don't have wind, only rain. I'll put them to good use. 🙂

CarloM

Thank you for the kind offer, I'll keep it in the back of my mind!
(wayyyyy in the back...)

In all seriousness I really love having two very different, but equally enjoyable rides. I can honestly say the S3 with the ENVEs feels like a very different ride than the TCR with the BI30s. Both are high-quality bikes for their racing and aero class, respectively, and it totally depends on my mood, coupled with current riding conditions, for me to decide which bike to take out at any given time or ride. It's very different than when I got the TCR after my now-retired 2018 Cannondale SuperSix Evo. The TCR did everything the SuperSix did...but better. It was faster, lighter, more responsive, and more comfortable. The TCR basically retired my SuperSix. Whereas these two can live side-by-side.

Which now gets me thinking about my next N+1. I'd like to again get a complimentary bike, for a different ride. I still have my Di2 drivetrain from my SuperSix to move over (and the Pro 3 wheels) so all I need to buy is a frame. I'm thinking either a steel bike from Independent Fabrication (Giant SM is a dealer) or a gravel bike. Or try to kill two birds with one stone and get a gravel capable IndyFab frame.

Dean V

Cross winds are when aero frame/wheels are at their maximum advantage. As long as it isn't at too great an appararant angle to stall the aerofoils.
Just a matter of getting used to how the bike moves around.

Mastropiero

I have on my radar the Scultura 6000 (or 5000)

Anyone has try them?

CarloM

Interesting, I hadn't thought of it in those terms. I just guessed that having to counter-steer, or counteract the effects of being blown off course, would impact the overall top speed I could achieve on the S3. in fairness, a lot of my riding that day was on large streets, so I was mostly preoccupied with making sure I wasn't blown into the lanes of traffic and wasn't really paying attention to the crosswind's effect on speed as much.

I will be interested in finally being able to take it to my Ventura to Carpinteria ride. That's an unbroken ride, largely free of cars (except for a 3000' stretch where I join and then leave the 101 freeway) with a decent crosswind. The path is right on the coast, so depending on what kind of onshore breeze we have, it can really affect the bike.

el forestero

Took my new Domane AL 3 up Mt Fuji's slopes yesterday. My riding companions pooped out a little over half way to our goal, so I only rode 18 km with 1 km elevation gain, but it was enough to confirm that the bike is fun to ride and will meet my current needs. Thanks again for the help, all.

swag72

Glad that you like your Domane...... I have just ordered one and now have a long 2 week wait!! 😊

Fendertele

Glad the new Domane is working out for you. In your area I would have been very tempted to buy a Fuji if I was climbing Mt Fuji😀.

CarloM

On behalf of those of us nowhere near your area...pics please! Would love to see what a Mt. Fuji ride looks like!

el forestero

Sure thing. Here are the best shots I got that day.


The road at the lower reaches of Fuji's slopes.


Most of the road cuts through evergreen forest.


The deep red of Fuji's volcanic rock is easier to see at the higher elevations.


At the tree line.


Mt Fuji with the usual cloud halo and mustache, viewed from the highest point on the mountain where cycling is allowed.


Shinto shrine close to the entrance to the summit hiking routes.


We stuck around to watch the sunset over the "Sea of clouds".

CarloM

Beautiful shots! Thanks for sharing!

Fendertele

Thanks. Great pics!

UsedToBeFaster

Is it wet when.you ride? Are the decents gnarly? You should get disk brakes.

What is your current set up? Do you run out of gears climbing?

Road conditions? If smooth roads go for the stiffest bike.

Like speed? Get a bike where you can get nice and aero on the decent.

The advice below is great if youve ridden a lot. But for at least me no bike calls out to me as "chosen one". Its more like it grows on me after the 2nd or even 3rd ride.

Garfield Cat

When you look at endurance geometry versus climbing geometry, you will notice the difference right away. But will you feel the difference, experience the difference? Coming from a hybrid background, you will feel the bigger difference in the road climbing bike. Both in ascents and descents. I mean fast descents provided you have the skill-set to handle fast descents, or at least will develop those skills.

What's a climbing bike without a set of very good wheels to go along with it? Not much. The $2,000 limit may need to go up. That's your real problem, unless you have a rich uncle and its your birthday.

eduskator

For 2000$ he can get a decent CF road bike (race or endurance). Giant's TCR or Giant's Defy (Advanced 1 - both equipped with mechanical Ultegra) is a good example. Now, if he wants an electronic groupset and/or fancy CF components, he might need to call his rich uncle

Coming from an hybrid bike, I doubt you'd feel any difference between a race or an endurance bike. Both will put you totally out of your comfort zone.

Garfield Cat

Feel the difference: not immediately but soon enough; the difference will be noted and then what?

eduskator

Then the rider will upgrade (again) and will either continue towards the top of the road bicycle food chain; a 15 000$ 6kg race bike or stop once satisfied with his product.