Road Cycling

xdcx · 29 Nov 2016 at 11:53

Lethal` said:
GIANT

What height are you Lethal?
If you couldn't lower the seat enough and based on that pic I think that frame too big for you. Guessing you are 5ft 8in at most? You'd be better of a frame size down and again if you are running 40cm bars, that's about as narrow as you can go bar wise so this leads me to believe your a small fellow also?

Propel is a race geo bike really, so you'd better size down frame, longer stem and have ability to at least adjust that saddle height!

I have no idea on Giant frame sizing though. Just my thoughts.

randomshenans · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:10

- 5 here this morning. I couldn't feel my head.

Bear · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:13

xdcx said:
What height are you Lethal?
If you couldn't lower the seat enough and based on that pic I think that frame too big for you.

Don't forget the Propel has a notch/cutout in the down tube, so if the seat post is full size which it would be as its new, then it would need to be cut down to size if you bought it. That's probably why the seat wont lower any more.

BennyC · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:21

xdcx said:
What height are you Lethal?
If you couldn't lower the seat enough and based on that pic I think that frame too big for you. Guessing you are 5ft 8in at most? You'd be better of a frame size down and again if you are running 40cm bars, that's about as narrow as you can go bar wise so this leads me to believe your a small fellow also?

Propel is a race geo bike really, so you'd better size down frame, longer stem and have ability to at least adjust that saddle height!

I have no idea on Giant frame sizing though. Just my thoughts.

Bear said:
Don't forget the Propel has a notch/cutout in the down tube, so if the seat post is full size which it would be as its new, then it would need to be cut down to size if you bought it. That's probably why the seat wont lower any more.

I found Propel frame sizing to be on the large size. 5'10 here with a M/L which is now my TT bike.

If you're needing to trim the sea tpost and don't have a disproportionately long torso/leg ratio I'd probably go down a frame size.

Berger · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:22

Propels are crap, they were hugely popular when they came out and then everyone I know who had one got rid pretty quickly. They look aero and cool but just not that good.

The TCR is a much better bike from GIANT.

Bear · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:31

Berger said:
Propels are crap, they were hugely popular when they came out and then everyone I know who had one got rid pretty quickly. They look aero and cool but just not that good.

The TCR is a much better bike from GIANT.

How do you qualify the crapness of the bike?

Berger · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:35

Bear said:
How do you qualify the crapness of the bike?

I think the main complaint was harsh ride due to the aero frame.

Maybe just harder than people expected it to be and it was more heavily marketed by giant so more of them were sold than the TCR perhaps.

Most people I know who had one changed frames pretty quickly (<2 years).

merlin · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:41

BRING ON THE COLD I SAY.

(overshoes have arrived so i think im safe to around 0c).

grudas · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:48

merlin said:
BRING ON THE COLD I SAY.

(overshoes have arrived so i think im safe to around 0c).

overshoes won't help with ice

Bear · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:49

Berger said:
I think the main complaint was harsh ride due to the aero frame.

Maybe just harder than people expected it to be and it was more heavily marketed by giant so more of them were sold than the TCR perhaps.

Most people I know who had one changed frames pretty quickly (<2 years).

Ah ok, I own a Propel which I built up from a frameset so was interested in what made it crap. For sure, its a rigid frame which makes it a harder ride and can understand people valuing comfort.

Roady · 29 Nov 2016 at 12:54

Lethal` said:
At least the wheels sounded nice!

Shame they're Giant and would need continuous work to keep them true. But my opinion of Giant wheels is biased as I've only owned 3 different sets... One of which was a replacement (and none of which would stay true for very long)

physichull said:
Not a day for the road bike today and drove to work. Might be alright tomorrow but each day will be touch and go. Might have to resort to the dreaded turbo.

Same here, have told myself because I was too busy/lazy last night that I'm going to tonight... With my reduction in mileage, loss of fitness and money spent on the new turbo I really need to start a training plan on it to get things back on track! 5+ week 'FTP Builder' I'm thinking, main thing being to guide me into a 'regular ride schedule' over these winter months :eek:

WuMyster said:
Actually I asked about that. They're all out for people to look at and test ride if they pay the full amount. So I would be buying essentially a demo bike.

Will update after my trip to Cambridge later this afternoon

They're just covering themselves incase you ride away on the thing and don't come back or smash it into a wall!

xdcx said:
Propel is a race geo bike really, so you'd better size down frame, longer stem and have ability to at least adjust that saddle height!

I have no idea on Giant frame sizing though. Just my thoughts.

Propel sizing. Propel very aggressive race orientated geometry from what I've previously read, most people size down so they can go longer stem.
TCR sizing. TCR sounds more of a classic race bike geometry, without going too 'endurance' (the Defy geo is endurance).

Berger said:
Propels are crap, they were hugely popular when they came out and then everyone I know who had one got rid pretty quickly. They look aero and cool but just not that good.

The TCR is a much better bike from GIANT.

Newer TCR very popular around here but most of the guys I know who had the old TCR either kept them, moved to the Propel or switched brands. Still lots of Propel's around here, around 10-20% of bikes you see on club rides are Propels (helps that one of the biggest bike sellers are Giant partners). Although the faster regular club guys who switched to Propels now all seem to be riding Felts (mostly sold from the NFTO shop, even without really being NFTO riders). Specialized now seeing a bit of a resurgence too (which I'm part of). The few I know I'd chatted to changed their Propel's due to the brakes (without changing them from the Giant ones).

merlin · 29 Nov 2016 at 13:30

grudas said:
overshoes won't help with ice

Gritters baby, just wait for the gritters to do their thing and we'll all be juuuuuuuust fine. :cool:

Berger · 29 Nov 2016 at 13:30

Bit of a bargain?

https://www.merlincycles.com/giro-synthe-road-bike-helmet-2016-94665.html

I have a Giro Atmos (in shipping currently) but its pretty old and gone a bit smelly so a new helmet is needed, this seemed a great price.

I was going to ride up there and get one, nice afternoon and should have thawed out everywhere, will get 30km in then at least.

merlin · 29 Nov 2016 at 13:34

Berger said:
Bit of a bargain?

https://www.merlincycles.com/giro-synthe-road-bike-helmet-2016-94665.html

I have a Giro Atmos (in shipping currently) but its pretty old and gone a bit smelly so a new helmet is needed, this seemed a great price.

I was going to ride up there and get one, nice afternoon and should have thawed out everywhere, will get 30km in then at least.

http://pricespy.co.uk/product.php?p=2793452

Same?

Bear · 29 Nov 2016 at 13:39

Roady said:
The few I know I'd chatted to changed their Propel's due to the brakes (without changing them from the Giant ones).

I think that was the bike's main problem. I never used the TRP brakes but changed them out for Fouriers straight away as I read they were crap, which also let me fit 25 mm tyres instead of restricting me to 23mm, which probably helped a little on the comfort side of things. Braking on the Fouriers is excellent, although I think on new Propels, GIANT has changed to Fourier style brakes now.

Vonhelmet · 29 Nov 2016 at 13:47

I drove in too. The roads looked quite sketchy in places and my hip is only just settling down after my last crunch so I'm not in a hurry to take any chances. As physichull said, it's just a case if getting up each day and seeing how things look. Next week looks better at least.

xdcx · 29 Nov 2016 at 14:00

My Cube Aerium TT has those TRP brakes, total nightmare to balance properly but they are fine when they work.
Not admitting how much I had to cut off my seat post to lower it enough. a lot.

I do know a couple of boys with the Propel. I wouldn't have one.

Roady · 29 Nov 2016 at 14:30

Berger said:
Bit of a bargain?

https://www.merlincycles.com/giro-synthe-road-bike-helmet-2016-94665.html

I have a Giro Atmos (in shipping currently) but its pretty old and gone a bit smelly so a new helmet is needed, this seemed a great price.

I was going to ride up there and get one, nice afternoon and should have thawed out everywhere, will get 30km in then at least.

Sounds ok price but as mentioned there's better deals to be had. Pretty sure I saw a Kask Protone on a 'Black Friday' for around £130 but can't spot it now. There was some good deals on Specialized Evade's a few months back where they even did trade-in's of other brands helmets which gave you £40 'credit' online, while there was also another deal running on their helmets (which brought them in line with other etailer prices).

merlin said:
http://pricespy.co.uk/product.php?p=2793452

Same?

Handy little price comparison site... I've always wanted to find a 'Bike Builder' site which works similar to ************ (choose your components and it searches other online sites for the best prices. Maybe one day!

Bear said:
I never used the TRP brakes but changed them out for Fouriers straight away as I read they were crap

That's the ones, couldn't remember the name/brand! :cool:

Meh. Anyone work in Microsoft Licencing? Got an afternoon of figuring out costings/value on trying to move from OEM to Volume Licencing and the last time I even looked at it (or remotely understood Microsoft's licencing model) was 2003... :rolleyes:

BennyC · 29 Nov 2016 at 15:03

Berger said:
I think the main complaint was harsh ride due to the aero frame.

Maybe just harder than people expected it to be and it was more heavily marketed by giant so more of them were sold than the TCR perhaps.

Most people I know who had one changed frames pretty quickly (<2 years).

Kden

I agree it's a harsh ride but I found it perfectly comfortable still

xdcx said:
My Cube Aerium TT has those TRP brakes, total nightmare to balance properly but they are fine when they work.
Not admitting how much I had to cut off my seat post to lower it enough. a lot.

The TRP brakes are a ballache to adjust, usually after removing a wheel more often than not some sort of adjustment would be needed but I found them to be very good (and I'm not one to descend slowly!) so were worth the faff.

Berger · 29 Nov 2016 at 16:33

Well isn't riding in the UK interesting! :eek:

Took 5 minutes to get used to being on a bike again not on the trainer, felt super twitchy front end like something wasn't tight, and the back end felt draggy like a brake was stuck on (I'm still not convinced it wasn't/isn't!).

Bike lanes, forget it.

Spend all your time looking ahead for sunken road furniture and wet metal grids of death!

Then whenever I came to a wet corner greater than 90 degrees or a roundabout I rode round it like a 90 year old on a mobility scooter. I didn't want to lean the bike over at all or get out the saddle in the corner for fear of the bike just going from under me with no warning, or ending up on a ***** bit of broken tarmac that would bounce the bike all over the place then hit the deck.

Not to mention mini roundabouts, everyone is an idiot who has to give way to each other until we all stop. Then everyone tries to go at once.

Aside from that, there was never a flat bit of ground for more than 500m, so by the time you get into a rhythm you have to change it. Ended up doing 255 billion watts and only averaging 31.5kmh.

Rant over :mad: