Giant OCR Review/Opinions? Buying a new bike.
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Giant OCR Review/Opinions? Buying a new bike.
Postby NewRoadBike » Tue Dec 06, 2016 9:58 pm
Hi, I am new to road cycling, just about to get into it with a mate of mine. I already do a fair bit of riding on my mountain bike and thought I'd be better off with a road bike. I have found a second hand Giant OCR3, with shimano sora gearing and alex wheels. It costs AUD$280 negotiable. Is it worth it, and is it a good quality bike for a good price for starting off?
- Duck!
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Re: Giant OCR Review/Opinions? Buying a new bike.
Postby Duck! » Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:22 am
Not a bad bike to start with, but above all, be sure it's the right size for you!. The frame is pretty robust, and although not the slickest-operating stuff, the Sora components are pretty reliable; just make sure it's been looked after and nothing is too worn out, although parts at that level aren't ridiculously expensive.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.
- athman
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Re: Giant OCR Review/Opinions? Buying a new bike.
Postby athman » Wed Dec 07, 2016 6:50 pm
I started out with a sora-spec OCR3 about 10 years ago. I rode it as my primary bike for three years and then upgraded to a carbon framed Giant TCR (which I still have). I hung on to the OCR3 for a long time after that because it was a useful second bike and I only sold it last month.
I did a lot of distance riding in it, including the 200k Around the Bay and my first Alpine Classic 130k. I even started racing in it. I did about 5 criteriums?criteria? crit races and then decided to go carbon.
I did wear out a lot of components along the way, but that is because I was riding much more than it was designed for. The wheels went first, then the headstem bearings, then the chain and cassette just through wear and tear.
A higher spec bike will have better component life (which is one of the reasons I upgraded to an Ultegra spec bike). However a lot depends on your approach to riding. I 'didn't know how much cycling I'd do until I got into it. I just decided to get a solid entry level bike and take it from there.You may ride a lot, you may not. There are plenty of people who start with lots of bling and great intentions, only for their high-spec bikes to end up gathering dust.
I've just got into kayaking and I took the same approach, I bought a good, but not spectacular, kayak and I'll just see how it goes.
I did a lot of distance riding in it, including the 200k Around the Bay and my first Alpine Classic 130k. I even started racing in it. I did about 5 criteriums?criteria? crit races and then decided to go carbon.
I did wear out a lot of components along the way, but that is because I was riding much more than it was designed for. The wheels went first, then the headstem bearings, then the chain and cassette just through wear and tear.
A higher spec bike will have better component life (which is one of the reasons I upgraded to an Ultegra spec bike). However a lot depends on your approach to riding. I 'didn't know how much cycling I'd do until I got into it. I just decided to get a solid entry level bike and take it from there.You may ride a lot, you may not. There are plenty of people who start with lots of bling and great intentions, only for their high-spec bikes to end up gathering dust.
I've just got into kayaking and I took the same approach, I bought a good, but not spectacular, kayak and I'll just see how it goes.
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Re: Giant OCR Review/Opinions? Buying a new bike.
Postby Mulger bill » Wed Dec 07, 2016 9:18 pm
If the running gear and frame are in decent shape, yep.
The last of the OCRs were great rides
The last of the OCRs were great rides
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Giant OCR Review/Opinions? Buying a new bike.
Postby rodneycc » Thu Dec 08, 2016 9:47 am
Might be worth taking it to a LBS and getting a service on it if you do buy it. They might recommend replacing the cables If they are worn and could make a major difference to the feel so maybe factor in another $120-150 and then you will have a pretty decent ride.
2013 BMC TM SLR01;2013/14 Bianchi Inf CV
2013 Lynskey Helix;2013 XACD Ti Di2
2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL
2013 Lynskey Helix;2013 XACD Ti Di2
2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL
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Re: Giant OCR Review/Opinions? Buying a new bike.
Postby stoogey » Thu Dec 08, 2016 9:56 am
Like others said, make sure the bike fits you properly. I started commuting on a Large MTB hardtail frame, which fit because geometry was more forgiving. Now I'm on a Small sized road bike (Bike fit charts say I should be a Small to Medium). If unsure it's always better to get a smaller frame with a longer stem because if the frame is too big you'll never be able to adjust it to your fit.NewRoadBike wrote:Hi, I am new to road cycling, just about to get into it with a mate of mine. I already do a fair bit of riding on my mountain bike and thought I'd be better off with a road bike. I have found a second hand Giant OCR3, with shimano sora gearing and alex wheels. It costs AUD$280 negotiable. Is it worth it, and is it a good quality bike for a good price for starting off?
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