Carbonated

I'm looking into purchasing a Giant Toughroad and since a 2018 model is available for about $100 less, wonder if the 2019 model is worth the extra $.
Any opinions appreciated.

2019
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/toughroad-slr-2

2018
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/toughroad-slr-2-2018

BirdsBikeBinocs

If there were no upgrades on the bike from 2018 into 2019, buy the 2018. On the other hand, if money is no problem, buy the most current edition and be happy that you did.

tyrion

They look very similar. I'd probably go with the older model. Last year's models are almost always better value.

HerrKaLeun

the 2019 says "GX28" for the wheel, if that means 28 spokes I'd skip that one

Kedosto

Component spec differences are insignificant. Buy for best price or favorite color. Even better if the cheaper one is the color you like.


-Kedosto

alcjphil

I would say that the 2018 model has the edge, even at an equal price. If it costs less and you can find one in the correct size, even better. Model years for bicycles is something I could never get, they are mostly for marketing purposes.

veganbikes

They both use relatively cheap components but it looks like the 2019 model does upgrade to better cranks that are using an external BB and a stronger spindle so more longevity there and they did upgrade the rear derailleur from cheaper Acera to Alivio which is also a good upgrade. However all of those models still use their proprietary D-Fuse seatpost which you cannot buy from anyone but Giant which could be a problem if they decide to stop making it and something happens. Also it uses a wedge clamp for it which is not a great way to tighten a seatpost and is a nightmare if you have an issue and it falls in or something. At least though it looks like you can use a standard rack, for some of their stuff they had a proprietary rack that didn't fit well and didn't carry much weight.

Curious why you are looking at the ToughRoad? Have you tried any other bikes or is their something about that bike that is exciting. I like the idea of a cool flat bar non-suspended mountain hybrid so I am down with the concept it is just the execution which is not my thing.

Carbonated

After riding road bikes for many years, due to the fact I can now ride a greenway from my house to a state park and take in some gravel/trails, I want a relatively cheap ride.
Don't need a suspension and for the price I am willing to pay it would be junk anyway or so I am told. Giant seems to produce bikes with good value.

Justinitus

veganbikes

Fair enough. I wouldn't say Giant bikes have especially good value, they are certainly cheap and use a lot of proprietary parts which being the largest producer in Asia means they can do it quite cheaply. It has the potential to be a really great bike and all they need to do is use a 27.2 seatpost, a less stiff fork so maybe not 1 1/4 bearings and a thick steerer tube and maybe some higher quality parts. I would also swap to better wheels but granted the industry has shown they have no interest in hand built wheels for most of their bikes anymore. Of the hybrids Giant has made, I would say it is one of their better ones and they are slowly improving small bits of it.

drpower

I just purchased a 2018 CoMax 1, only because I like the frame style better and I saved a couple hundred $ than the incoming 2019. For $100 if it's just paint and no other changes or upgrades on the two you're interested in, for $100 difference just get the one that you're drawn towards.

HerrKaLeun

The appeal of the TR is the wide tire clearance. you can install 2.15" tires on 30mm ID rims. that makes it for a great comfortable and efficient ride on and off-road. it basically is flat bar gravel bike, but with actual gravel capability. the SLR-frame is very light and so is the CF fork. No other bike offers that.

With that said, the D-shaped and wedge seatpost is crap. Really cumbersome to adjust saddle height - consider that if you share the bike with someone. Lack of through axles is OK, but not great for the price.

The components are OK. I ended up building new wheels (the rear hub broke, and in front wanted wider tires), and converted to 1x. That happened one after another. I also installed a jones bar and a brooks saddle. I have the SLR 1 (2x10 SRAM drivetrain). teh 3x is likely even better than the SRAM 2x since SRAM uses 80/120mm BCD which isn't widely used and I ended up buying a new crank for my 36T oval chainring. I guess for me i could have just bought the frame and fork :-). So buying the cheaper SLR 2 is also OK. If you care about drivetrain, you will upgrade either way.

Maelochs

Giant generally offers the same stuff as the other big names for a little less cash---that is the value.

I agree about the seat post 100 percent, though. Just silly.

Higher quality parts cost more money. I speak from experience when I say the cheap Shimano works pretty well---it won't let you down, even if the feel isn't the same as the good stuff. I have a low-end Shimano MTB derailleur on my touring bike and it works just fine. I could afford better but I will not upgrade just to impress people who don't care anyway. it works.

One more thing about the Giant--(I researched the Defy/Contend range before settling on a Fuji) is that the frames are actually pretty good--they don't cheap out on the frames (since they own a giant-sized frame factory.) Most sources recommended Giant because the entry-level bikes (or in the Contend line at the time, one step up) had the really good frames, so upgrading components wasn't a waste.

That matters to me because I love to upgrade instead of replace--and I have enough parts sitting around. Buying a crappy heavy frame and hanging good parts on it is silly to me, but buying a decent frame with low-end parts and slowly upgrading makes sense.

Carbonated

I didn't look closely enough to see it was not a through axle.

I had been advised in the past by a mechanical engineer and competitive mountain biker that it is very desirable to have a through axle especially on gravel and mountain bikes.

Not sure what would be the issue. Opinions?

TiHabanero

Keep in mind what the bike is being used for and how many millions of mountain bikes have successfully used standard quick release axles without trouble. Unless you plan on launching the bike over serous drops, through axles are nothing to consider as important. Keep in mind there is no standard for through axles yet and may present a problem for repair parts in the future.

Get the 2018 model as it is the same bike. Spec sheet shows model number differences in some components, however they differ in color, hence the part number change. Functionally they are equal, one not better than the other. Save some bucks and get the 2018.

TiHabanero

Anyone here able to tell me the difference between Alivo and Acera derailleurs? Been in the biz long enough to know that there simply is no big difference in quality of performance or service life between them. They are not like the old versions of these models when there was a real difference.

HerrKaLeun

Advantages TA:
1. the axle and hub will always be in the exact same position. this is especially important for disc brakes
2. even when you put the wheel in in the stand, it will be in the correct position. for my QR wheels I always have to loosen and re-tighten the QR when the bike sits on the ground to seat correctly
3. on a QR the front disc brake could in theory push the axle out of the QR. this is unlikely, but may be an issue if you get really strong 200mm brakes and/or a bit worn or loose QR
4. The axle is hollow and has a larger diameter than QR = potentially lighter AND stronger.

As you see, most of that will apply to MTB and gravel bikes. Which is why they started there.

hokiefyd 

In this case, it's an Acera RD-M3000 vs. an Alivio RD-M4000. Both are nearly identical derailers. Both are non-clutched "Shadow" derailers. Both, to my knowledge, use a combination of resin and steel for the various bits and pieces. I have the RD-M3000 that came on my 2018 Giant Roam. I currently have it on another bike, and it seems to be a nice derailer. The nice thing about the Altus (RD-M2000), Acera (RD-M3000), and Alivio (RD-M4000) derailers is they're "Shadow" derailers that also have barrel adjusters on the derailers. The higher grade "Shadow" derailers (Deore RD-M6000 and above) lack the barrel adjuster on the derailer, and depend on the one at the shifter instead.

I wouldn't consider an Alivio RD-M4000 a reason to prefer a 2019 over a 2018, but the difference in wheelset probably is. The GX28 is the standard wheelset that comes on most Giants (including $500-600 Roams and Escapes). They have 32 spokes on those applications; I'm not sure what the TR has.

tyrion

It's a better, stronger, stiffer design, and that would be important to a performance oriented person, but quick release skewers have worked fine for thousands of years.

Witterings

I nearly bought the Toughroad GX1 with drops but the seat post was a contributing factor in not doing so as it restricts you from mounting things like seat post bags (which I wanted to do) and water bottle holders
Granted you could make a shim but I didn't want the hassle ... and also I believe the posts are carbon and don't think you should be mounting things on it anyway.

Just something else to think about but apart from that I thought they were great bikes especially at sale prices

Maelochs

most seat-post bags mount to the saddle and only rest against the seat-post---unless you were talking about a seat-post rack, which i would not recommend mounting to a CF seat post.

Witterings

No I meant a seat post BAG not a rack ...

This mounts to the saddle and is called a saddle bag
https://www.evanscycles.com/ortlieb-...large-EV229699

This to the seat post and is called a seat post bag
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/luggage/...black-4-litre/

Maelochs

I think you will find that that bag has an internal frame---an internal rack, which transmits the weight to the seat post. Whether the rack is inside or outside the bag---as we both understand clearly---it should not be used with a CF seat post.

DowneasTTer

Here's what I did back in 15 to our (both my wife and I) new Giant FastRoad CoMax 1's with carbon D-Link seat post. BTW they now have over 32,000 miles on them without any problems what so ever!

DowneasTTer

Oh an this is one of our new carbon bikes, Canyon RoadLite 9.0 LTD with a RhinoWalk bag on a split carbon seat post... Again no problem.