IRVINE, Calif (June 16, 2009) – When Steve Ringquist of Highlands Ranch, Colorado showed up for the 22nd Annual Elephant Rock Cycling Festival he had no idea that he’d be leaving with a new ride. As sponsors of the 2009 Elephant Rock Cycling Festival, Shimano and Giant wanted to create some extra excitement for the many dedicated participants, and Ringquist was definitely an enthusiastic beneficiary.

A long time mountain bike rider, Steve got serious about riding about 10 years ago and has attended the Elephant Rock Ride three times over the years. Ringquist’s friends encouraged him to get a road bike to really explore the other side of cycling and his interest was sparked. Steve said,”It looks like next year I’ll be doing the 100 mile road ride!”

The Giant TCR Advanced that Ringquist took home features an Advanced-grade composite frameset with state of the-art material shaped by cutting-edge construction techniques. Coupled with a massive PowerCore bottom bracket/chainstay area and an oversized OverDrive headtube/steerer, the result is a platform that’s stiff, light and fast.

Shimano Ultegra 6700 series components, completely re-vamped for the 2010 model year, complement the Giant frame. While a precious 50 grams have been shaved from the group, key changes include internal cable routing for the shifters, revised braking pivots for better modulation and power, a super stiff hollow outer chainring for precise and quick shifts, and a new asymmetrical chain that accommodates the unique demands of front and rear shifting.

Topped off with PRO brand PLT handlebars, stem, seatpost, tape, saddle and Shimano RS80 wheels, the bike returns a perfect balance of performance, light weight and value.