Giant MCR1 Pro Series Monocoque Carbon TT Bicycle 1997

Before Giant developed into the mega-brand it is today, they were mostly known as reliable subcontractors who built bikes for others. But with all the know-how of making a bicycle in-house, they started to explore new territories and launched some models under their own name.

This in-house development coincidently coincided with the introduction of carbon fibre into cycling. Designers saw the huge potential to create frame shapes previously impossible with metal. Carbon enabled greater freedom for designers to produce aerodynamically superior frames that reduced drag and increased the speed a cyclist could ride. Giant actually became the first bicycle manufacturer to apply computer-aided design to the production of carbon road bikes. 

The Giant MCR was designed by Mike Burrows and came onto the market in 1997. The frame is a full carbon fibre monocoque. The cabling is all internally routed and it sports an aero seat post. This monocoque design has a particularly small rear triangle; the tighter chainstay-seatstay configuration is inherently stiffer than a more conventional frame design providing more responsive cornering and improved acceleration. Our Giant MCR1 is appropriately equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace parts and a carbon Zipp 3000 wheelset. 

This revolutionary design was only in production for two years as some UCI boffins decided that cycling should be a sport of athletes, not machines, banning it from the professional peloton. Making this bicycle particularly rare.