Is this a true ex-ONCE Pro Team TT Bike Frame???

[Triathlonchap32]

Hi all, I’m a total newbie to this forum, but an avid ONCE Giant bike collector (hoarder?).

My original goal was to collect an ONCE road bike from every year of Giant frame sponsorship. This target has been exceeded in numbers, but the 2002 gold plated TdF bike still eludes me.

This week, I may have had the unbelievable fortune to buy a 2003 Composite ONCE TT frame. It visually has the correct characteristics (naked carbon with gloss and the gold Giant and ONCE blind person logos and icons). It still retains the Campagnolo Record headset…but that’s about it in terms of originality. It’s either been stripped of original components or sold as frame, fork and seatpost. Yes, the current front forks aren’t the originals.

My plan is to restore it to former glory, but is it an original team bike or were they available for purchase by mere mortals with deep pockets?

My initial research of old Giant bike brochures of the time, don’t show it as an option you could purchase. Does anyone have any thoughts or views on this. I attach photos of my frame and seatpost vs a ONCE TT bike in action.

I believe this would have been called at TCR Composite Time Trial and not a Giant Trinity. I also own a later t-mobile Giant Trinity from circa 2005 with the integrated seatpost that needed cutting down to size

 

[Retro Dan]

Hmmm.... As a collector of ex team bikes I can say its a minefield trying to prove provenance if its not clear from the outset (as per my Giant TCR Once that had been re-sprayed in Liberty Seguros colours and had tons of modifications to it that you just wouldn`t see in a regular frame) Would need to see more pics but, and its something I definatly look for, the sticker work looks stock (there are some small additional ones on the one being ridden in the pics plus small sponsorship stickers like wheels/tyres) and usually small parts remain with the frame like bottle cages etc - your frame really does look like it was built up from total bare frame only. Thats not to say its not, plenty of frames were sold off and still are by teams, real Once team frames generally come out of spain - where did you get this one?

 

[Triathlonchap32]

Dan,

Yeah I have bought ONCE parts from Spain, but this bike was bought last week in the UK, based on a very poor eBay advert. I recognised the decal scheme looked very ONCE and I haven’t found any signs that the black and gold livery was sold to the general public, or come across another like this for sale.

Agreed it is missing the ONCE decal on the chainstay. The seller says he still has the original front forks somewhere in his garage and will send them when found.

It is also missing any frame number. I had expected it to be the thin oval metal disc type given year of manufacture, but missing and no signs of the pop-rivet style holes that would have secured it in place. Perhaps it was a sticker that has come off? Was this weight saving? Giant UK are useful at saying which are UK or non-UK frames, World codes etc. I know my 2003 TCR ONCE Tour de France 100 Ltd Edition bike has a funny serial number.

There appear to be variations on the frame decals, Manolo Sainz personal collection frame has an ONCE decal on the seattube that doesn’t feature on other bikes. The real pain is that photos of these bikes aren’t that numerous.

I’ll strip the bike down (as need to sell the non-original components) and take more detailed photos, and share.

 

[gridno27]

here you can look for the ONCE Team and succssessor team (Liberty Seguros) bikes
Barreda Museum

 

[Triathlonchap32]

here you can look for the ONCE Team and succssessor team (Liberty Seguros) bikes
Barreda Museum

Yup, I found that and the one TT bike they have that looks nearly the same. Interesting the museum bike unlike those seen in action with the team has ONCE on the seat tube.

 

[Triathlonchap32]

Okay, some more detailed photos of the Giant TImeTrial frame. What do you think, the ‘real deal’? One of ONCE’s Team frames?

I am now on correspondence with Giant bikes in Taiwan and Europe to help identify the frame as it has no frame number.

 

[Triathlonchap32]

Just received this photo courtesy of Giant Inc. in Taiwan from 2003.

This is the original ONCE TT frame, Giant’s first full carbon TT frame.

ONCE raced on this frame for the first time at the TdF 2003 prologue in Paris and a few days later during the TTT stage in Reims (that’s where the photo was take).

 

[Retro Dan]

Certainly looks the same (oddly enough the TT bike in the period pic still has the same TT saddle as on my earlier one). Nothing back from the factory or museum regarding serial numbers?

 

[Triathlonchap32]

Certainly looks the same (oddly enough the TT bike in the period pic still has the same TT saddle as on my earlier one). Nothing back from the factory or museum regarding serial numbers?

The guy at Giant’s cycling innovation centre got word back from his European ‘Pro Team’ colleague (20-years in the role) who validated the bike.
I have gone back to ask about the serial number…but as these were totally hand made / hand laid carbon fibre bikes just for the team…it may explain it. I’ll keep you posted Dan.

 

[Triathlonchap32]

The rebuild begins after sourcing a near mint condition Campagnolo Ghibli rear disc (now need to find the right colour gold to re-spray the disc)