Team Sunweb opt for Giant frame, wheels and finishing kit for new season
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Nikias Arndt's 2018 Giant TCR SL0(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 pedals for Team Sunweb in 2018(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
A close look at the Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 electronic front derailleur(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Conservative stickers on the top tube with each of the rider's names(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
The Team Sunweb cockpits are Giant Contact SLR handlebars and stems and feature two white bands on each component(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
A look at the non-driveside arm of the Shimano Dura-Ace R9100-P crankset(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
The Giant TCR SL0 has a Giant Ride Sense sensor on the inside of the chain stay(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
The head tube features an hour glass profile to contribute to the aerodynamic performance(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
A look at the front end of the bike(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Team Sunweb use Giant's Airway Lite bottle cages(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Arndt runs extra Di2 sprint shifters on the drops of his handlebars(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
The Giant TCR has an integrated seat mast, which is topped with an aluminium cap to attach the saddle(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
The bike is equipped with a full Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 groupset and an 11-28 cassette(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Team Sunweb are one of several WorldTour teams equipped with Shimano's power meter for the 2018 season(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
A closer look at the Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 rear brake(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Large, bold decals feature on the wheels from Giant(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
All of the Team Sunweb bikes are equipped with Giant's Contact SLR saddles(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
A neat Fouriers mount holds the junction box and acts as an extra few millimeters of spacer(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Team Sunweb have switched to Sigma Rox 11.0 computers after spending a season with Giant's own branded computers(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
A closer look at the front brake on Arndt's Giant(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Arndt ran an 11-28 Dura-Ace cassette(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
Arndt is equipped with 54/39 chainrings for the Tour Down Under(Image credit: Colin Levitch/Immediate Media)
The 2018 season sees the trend of more WorldTour teams dropping existing brand partnerships and replacing them with components from in-house or OEM brands.
Team Sunweb are one of the teams leading this charge with former title sponsor Giant providing the frame, wheels, saddle, handlebars, stem and bottle cages for Nikias Arndt and his teammates in the 2018 season.
As well as Team Sunweb, Trek-Segafredo, Bora-Hansgrohe and Team Sky are also teams that prominently use parts from their frame provider or affiliated components.
The Giant TCR frame is equipped with the Contact SLR line of components, which includes the saddle, handlebars and stem, while the carbon Airway Lite bottle cages from the brand add a meagre claimed 19g each to the frame.
Giant's SLR 0 wheels were used by the Sunweb women's team during the 2017 season and replace Shimano's R9100 wheels used by the men's team and ridden to Giro d'Italia victory, and two World Championship titles in Bergen at the end of last season.
Alongside the Giant components, the TCR is equipped with a full Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 groupset with an integrated power meter, also from the Japanese component company.
Arndt has opted for a 54-tooth outer chainring and paired this with a standard 39-tooth inner chainring and an 11-28 cassette.
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Giant's SLR 0 Carbon Aero wheels are paired with unbranded Vittoria Corsa tubular tyres.
Arndt's bike weighed in at 6.87kg with empty bottles and would come under 6.8kg without them. However, the Team Sunweb mechanic assured us that weight would be added ahead of racing at the Tour Down Under to meet the required UCI 6.8kg weight limit.
Scroll through the gallery above to see more of Arndt's Giant TCR Advanced SL 0.
Full specification
Frame: Giant TCR Advanced SL 0
Fork: Giant TCR Advanced SL-grade composite fork
Saddle height, from bottom bracket (c-t): 785mm
Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (at stem): 570mm
Total bicycle weight: 6.87kg (with empty bottles)
Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
Shift/brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100-P, 54/39 chainrings, 175mm cranks and integrated Shimano power meter
Wheels: Giant SLR 0 Aero Carbon, 42mm, custom decals for Team Sunweb
Tyres: Vittoria Corsa, 25mm tubular
Handlebars: Giant Contact SLR, 420mm
Stem: Giant Contact SLR, 130mm
Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
Saddle: Giant Contact SLR
Seatpost: Integrated seat mast
Bottle cages: Giant Airway Lite
Computer: Sigma Rox 11.0
Other accessories: K-Edge Sigma Pro computer mount
