In June I bought the Giant OCR1 (a step down from the TCR2) and loved it. I put over 1,200 miles on it in 4 months, including my very first century. The bike was so nice, my wife decided she had to have it. Bad news? No... she agreed to let me buy the TCR2 because at year-end closeout prices (2001), it was $200 cheaper than the OCR1.

The TCR2 is a wonderful, light, stiff, responsive bike. I made a few modifications to the stock bike:

- Changed the front large chain ring from 52 to 53 teeth and the rear cassette from 11-23 to 12-25. This gave me more low-end gearing for climbing hills without losing too much of the highest end. My dealer (All Star Bikes in Raleigh) charged on $10 for this change - parts and labor!
- Swapped out the saddle for my favorite Terry Men's Fly (which I already owned).
- Swapped the standard clipless pedals for Speedplay Frog's (I know, they're mountain bike pedals, but they are small, easy to use, and allow you to walk off the bike!)
- Added the Cateye OS 1.0 (nice large display)

In the month I've owned it I put about 400 miles on it and I love it. With the changes, it has good gearing for hills, and it climbs nicely. It's comfortable for long rides and light weight for fast rides. I love the bright yellow (visible) color. The aluminum frame is still, and the small geometry minimizes weight and maximizes stiffness. The small frame geometry of the TCR2 fits my Yakima trailer-hitch rack just fine (the OCR2, which has a fatter down-tube, is a tight fit).

At year-end close out the 2001 TCR2 was $1050 base price plus $125 for the Speedplay frogs and gear changes. Try to find a comparable bike by another manufacturer anywhere near this price!

Recommended: Yes