♫It's here, it's here! That guy has finally arrived!♫
I felt a bit like Heidi must have felt when Clara stood up for the first time.
I had given up because it didn't show up despite the arrival notice, but then it arrived out of the blue without any warning at all.
Oh, Giant, you really know how to keep a guy on edge.
So, what has arrived, you ask? It's this: Giant TCX SLR SS ¥145,000- (excluding tax)
This bike features graphics quite unlike what you'd expect from Giant.
As its special aura suggests, it is a special edition limited to only 10 units in Japan.
I'm not even sure if that's 10 units per size or 10 units in total, but there's no mistake that the quantity is extremely small, and the fact that it's sitting right in front of me now is truly heart-pounding.
Now, as for what this frame is all about:
As the name suggests, it is an aluminum, single-speed-specific cyclocross bike based on the Giant TCX, and it is a replica model of the one used by Adam Craig, who competes in the U.S.
Even though he is a multi-discipline rider who competes in enduro races in the summer and cyclocross in the winter, he is a super-multi-talented rider who can cover everything from the playful to the serious, even winning the SSCXWC, the single-speed CX world championships.
Though called a world championship, the SSCXWC is actually quite a goofy event, and having participated in it myself in the past, I feel an incredible sense of kinship.
Please take a look at his video as well.
That said, it’s a bike built for world-class competition, so the craftsmanship is pure Giant.
The head tube standard uses 1-1/2" at the bottom to 1-1/4" at the top, providing the rigidity needed to handle disc brakes.
While this limits stem options, the handling feel is superb.
The seatpost uses Giant's proprietary D-FUSE to absorb road shock, making it both light and supple.
And the most intricately crafted part, the dropouts, has enough presence that you could stare at them while eating a bowl of rice.
They appear simple and easy to adjust as well.
By specializing it for single-speed use, it achieves both lightness and durability.
I’ve been enjoying gearless cyclocross for years; you don’t have to think about anything during the race, and outside of racing, there’s so much to enjoy, like planning strategies based on gear ratios and course layouts.
You can't compete with a single speed?
Not at all. Two years ago at Nobeyama, Austin completely crushed the Cat 2 field on a single speed.
So, everyone!!
We only have one S-size unit in our shop.
It’s first come, first served.
Hurry!!