Giant TCR Elite 2

[IcabodCrane]

Can anyone tell me anything about this bike? Just acquired one through a giant dealer, new, but we cannot find any details on it. Years made? Specification? Has Simao wheels and 105 brakes, shifters, chain wheel, composite aluxx/carbon frame

[Duck!]

Where are you based? In over 15 years of working with Giant bikes in Australia I've never seen an Elite model derivative, so I suspect it's an overseas model (there are many models in the global Giant range that we don't get here due to our relatively small market).

I know of two distinct periods where Giant made a TCR with a combination aluminium/carbon frame; around 2003-04 there was a TCR Hybrid, which had an aluminium front triangle with carbon rear end, and a few years later the TCR Alliance, which had an aluminium head tube, downtube and chainstays, with carbon top tube & seat stays, while the seat tube was composite, carbon sleeved into a very thin-wall aluminium tube. The Alliance frames were made in two model generations between 2007 & 2011. These are Australian-delivered models, there may be others we didn't get.

The series codes and number of gears on the 105 gear will further aid dating the bike. 5500-series 9-sp. will date it to 2000-2005, 5600-series 10-sp. will be '06-'10, 5700 10-sp. will be '11-'14, 5800 11-sp. '15-'18, with R7000 '19-present.

[IcabodCrane]

Live in Blue Mountains, pickled it up in Port Stephens apparently it was unsold stock from Castle Hill Cycles when they went down the tube.
Aluxx frame, Carbon forks and rear stays.
Giant here do not have any info on it, possibly a limited edition
Rides nicely, taking it to Bathurst this weekend for its first ride in anger, we’ll see how it goes
Thanks for the detail, seems to line up with what is on the bike

[Duck!]

The very limited info I've managed to track out indicates it's what had also been known as the TCR Hybrid, dating from 2003. At this vintage, the running gear would be 5500-series 9-sp. 105, with either R535 or R540 Shimano wheels. Neither of those sets are particularly brilliant. While it's not unusual foe shops to have some superceded model stock, it is very uncommon to have stock that is superceded by 15+ years!

I have a feeling the Hybrid/Elite frames were a mid-season limited release; I got into the industry mid-'04, as the '05 model bike were coming on stream. I remember seeing a couple of these bikes, and looking through the previous few years' dealer catalogues (issued at the start of each model year, around August of the preceding calendar year), and they weren't listed, adding to the mystery.