Giant TCR Composite Gold

If this bike looks opulent, over the top and über-bling now, imagine the reaction of the bike-buying public 22 years ago when it was unveiled as a special limited edition made with real gold plate and costing the unthinkable sum of $10,000.

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Just 35 were made, each one individually numbered and coming with a video of its build by the ONCE team’s head mechanic.

In 2002, carbon-fibre bikes weren’t even ridden by most of the pro peloton. Aluminium was still the top material for most racing bikes. After all, it had only been eight years since Indurain won the Tour de France on a steel bike.