GIANT TRINITY ADVANCED

£1,899

The Trinity Advanced is Giant’s most affordable triathlon/TT offering, yet the carbon frameset is largely the same as the Advanced Pro version as used by pro triathletes such as Aussie Sam Appleton. Numerous cost-cutting measures bring it down to an impressive sub-£2k price point, but there’s still plenty to shout about. Giant say the Trinity has undergone Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis and wind-tunnel testing, and everything from the frame through to the hidden brakes is engineered to perform as a system for optimal aerodynamics.

Compared to the Advanced Pro, the Advanced has a slimmer fork that means some front-end integration is lost and the front brake cable is left exposed. The other cables disappear between the stem and the top-tube bento box for a largely clean appearance. A mixand-match of Shimano components perform shifting duties, featuring a 105-level cassette and derailleurs with a non-series FC-RS510 compact chainset, and TT SL-BSR 1 shifters. The latter two don’t look as handsome as Shimano’s higher-tier offerings, but do the job and lower the Trinity Advanced’s asking price.

For an extra £1,100, the Advanced Pro 2 has an integrated power meter on a full Shimano Ultegra groupset among other upgrades, which for us represents even better value for money but will be financially out of reach for some. Perched atop the Trinity Composite seatpost is a quality ISM PS1.0 saddle, which is a comfortable addition on an entrylevel tri bike.

TUBELESS BENEFITS

The frame dials in a relaxed geometry in tri-bike terms with a longer wheelbase for extra stability on descents (100.3cm on a medium), and head- and seat-tube angles of 73° and 77°, respectively. It’s stiff enough and transfers power efficiently, but an overall weight of

9.5kg does mean a weight penalty on climbs compared to similar tri bikes in its class – Canyon’s Speedmax CF 7.0 (£2,099) is 8.8kg, for example.

The Giant SR-2 training wheels paired with Gavia Course all-round tyres are a little sluggish and take some excitement out of the ride, though have the advantage of being tubeless-ready out of the box to bolster puncture protection. If you do upgrade your wheels to carbon, the wheels and tyres supplied are worth keeping for training rides and turbo sessions.

Hidden brake systems on tri bikes aren’t fun to adjust, which is a trade-off for the better aerodynamics. Considering the front brake cable is exposed on the Trinity Advanced anyway, it’s not a trade-off we think is worth it on this model. Yet the stopping power from Giant’s TBK88 brakes – paired with Tektro RX 4.1 levers – is adequate, and comparable to the performance offered by caliper rim brakes found on road bikes at the £1,000 price point.

The aerobars are set up with plenty of stack for a comfy position – you can adjust this to your dimensions, of course – although the extensions are short. This makes it easy to achieve a compact, upright position, but not if you want to maximise your reach with the bars supplied. Giant’s Contact base bar system means you get plenty of risers to adjust the stack of the extensions, so it’s simple to raise your arms higher or lower as preferred. There’s also plenty of horizontal adjustment, and the removable top-tube storage box is a useful addition that holds around five energy gel packets.

The Trinity Advanced is easy to live with and offers a decent, stable platform for a first tri bike. Although, if you can afford it, the Advanced Pro 2 is a better proposition that maximises the quality frameset.

Available exclusively through Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles, the Auro is the sole TT/triathlon bike in Vitus’ extensive range, and is now being ridden by two-time ITU world champion Helen Jenkins as she moves into Ironman 70.3 racing. There are just two Auro models, both with the same T700 unidirectional full carbon frame, and ours is the range-topper featuring a SRAM Force eTap AXS 12-speed electronic groupset, plus SRAM’s eTap CLICS performing shifts from the aerobars. You also get deepdish carbon wheels from Prime (another Wiggle/CRC exclusive brand), Zipp base bars and extensions, and direct-mount rim brakes from Tektro, with the full bike weighing in at 8.95kg.

The Auro is UCI-legal, which means it can be used for competitive time trials and triathlon. UCI compliancy does mean that integrated triathlon-specific accessories such as storage boxes and hydration systems aren’t supplied. The flush top tube/stem combo does limit front-end storage options, although there are universal hydration systems and top-tube bags that’ll fit. When we pressed further about the Auro’s suitability for triathlon, Vitus accepted that it’s perhaps not middle or Iron-distance ready out of the box – but with an additional rear-mounted bottle cage system and space for two bottles in the middle, it’s possible to carry plenty of spares and hydration with added extras.

ASPHALT AGGRESSION

On the road, it becomes clear the Auro isn’t a bike for sitting back and enjoying the scenery. The 85mm rear/60mm front wheels are as deep as most of us would go when there’s wind to contend with, yet we found them impressively stable in crosswinds. A set of rather average Continental Ultrasport II tyres would be worth

an upgrade if you want to extract every last watt, but it’s reliable rubber and fine for British roads.

A head-tube length of 9cm on a large frame sets the base bars down low, and the geometry is on the aggressive side with a 78° seat angle, 73° head angle and 41.6cm of reach. The seat and head angles are even steeper than Specialized’s Shiv, suggesting this is a thoroughbred racer. Vitus recommend that triathletes add additional risers and longer bolts to elevate the front end for a comfier position.

The minimal grip on the base bars is another indication that the Auro isn’t made for sitting up. An undulating ride where we made more use of the base bars left our palms blistered, so we’d advise additional bar tape further down the bars (it’s something Helen Jenkins appears to have done judging by the photos of her Auro on social media).

SRAM’s eTap shifting is ideal for tri, with a 12-speed, 10-28t cassette paired with a 48t chainring providing plenty of gearing options. We found it was imperative this was set up to shift sequentially on the eTap app, meaning the system takes care of your front derailleur shifting when necessary, rather than having to double tap on the CLICS. You can also purchase SRAM eTap Blips separately if you want shifting options from your base bars.

Travelling with the Auro and making adjustments is fairly stressfree with a plastic cover concealing the stem cap that can be removed via two small bolts. A bottom bracket-mounted rear brake isn’t the easiest to tinker with, but the front brake is on show for easy adjustment and the direct-mount style makes up for an aerodynamic penalty over concealed front brakes.

Overall, the Auro begs to be ridden as fast as possible. It certainly isn’t built for a relaxing ride, and for the vast majority of triathletes some adjustments will need to be made if you want to use it for middle-distance tri or longer.

“The 85mm rear/60mm front wheels are as deep as many of us would go, yet we found them impressively stable in crosswinds”