Are you proud of your trusty bicycle? Has it stuck with you through the good times and the bad? Or maybe you have a brand spanking new machine which you think outshines the rest. Old or new, steel or carbon and whatever your story we want you to tell us why your bike is a bit special. And we want to see the evidence. So, send a couple of photos and some words in to [email protected] and we’ll consider featuring you and your bike in the brand new ‘Reader’s Bikes’ section.

First up we take a look at Simon Brooks’ Giant TCR Advanced ISP. Want to see yourself on this page next week? If the answers yes, then we want to hear from you.

Simon Brooks writes: My Giant TCR Advanced ISP
I started racing about 20 years ago, my first club being Oxonian CC. I have
been a member of Vc St Raphael for the past 7 years and racing at Elite level
for the past 3 years. So far this year I have had 3 road race wins.

I took me some time to settle on the Giant TCR Advanced. I like the fairly relax
seat angle, the replaceable rear hanger, the top tube length, the weight, the
intergated seatpost look, the lower than average head tube height, Giant’s
excellent reputation for sorting out customer problems and the superb reviews
the frame got.

All the componants were very carefully chosen, and a few I would say are difficult
to justify except if you consider their weight, over the excellent Dura-Ace
equipment.

The most interesting part of the bike is probably the Power-tap SL rear hub.
I never race or train without this. This tool , combined with an excellent coach
(thank you Stuart), has helped me gain my Elite racing licence. I find it excellent
for stopping me over cooking my long rides, for gauge my intervals precisely,
for stopping over training and guaging my progress year-on-year. I would be
absolutely lost without it.

Bike Spec

Frame – Giant TCR Advanced ISP

Forks – Easton SLX – super light (280 grams) and very nice quality.

Headset – FSA integrated

Front & Rear Mech – Dura-Ace Stis – Dura-Ace

Brakes – Zero Gravity titanium – nowhere near as good as the new Dura-Ace, but
lighter and therefore superior ;O)

Chainset – Stronglight Pulsion 53-39 175mm ISIS – ugly but light

Cassette – Dura-Ace 11-23

Bottom Bracket – American Classic ISIS

Pedals – Speedplay X1 – titanium axles

Stem – Syntace – lovely quality and very light ( the titanium bolts bring this
in at 101 grams)

Bars – EC90 26.0

Bar Tape – Cinelli Cork

Saddle – Selle Italia SLR – 135 grams

Cables – Nokon

Wheels – Mavic CXP33 rims, Veloflex tyres, latex inner tubes (for low rolling
resistance not sex appeal you understand) with CX Ray light weight and aero
spokes. These are beautifully built by the country’s top wheel building
(in my opinion) Paul Hewitt.

Front hub – FRM lightweight

Rear – Power-tap SL Hub – the best racing tool reasonable money can buy.

Cages – light weight carbon ones – not very secure BUT light and therefore good.

click on thumbnails below