Bike Check: Michael van den Ham’s winning Giant TCX Advanced
Custom national livery by Vélocolour the three time Canadian cyclocross champion
Update: Michael van den Ham is raffling this custom Giant TCX frame painted by Vélocolour, with proceeds going to Kids Help Phone’s BC Chapter. To enter the raffle, and for more info on the frame and Kids Help Phone, visit van den Ham’s raffle page.
Michael van den Ham successfully defended his Canadian championship title in Peterborough over the weekend, to earn his third straight title. The latest victory comes on an entirely new bike, though.
At the start of the season, van den Ham’s team added a new co-title sponsor. Giant Bicycles joined the party with longtime sponsors Easton and Transitions Life Care to form Giant-Easton p/b Transitions Life Care cyclocross team. That meant new bikes for the squad. Van den Ham raced Peterborough on his Giant TCX Advanced carbon fibre bike, decked out in a full complement of Easton parts.
To celebrate the new team sponsor, and van den Ham’s cyclocross exploits, Toronto’s Vélocolour custom painted the now-three-time champs bike.
The custom paint job reflects his hat trick of elite cyclocross national titles, but also his prairie roots. Van den Ham lives in B.C. now but, prior to heading to the coast, he started racing cyclocross in Alberta. So, along with the customary maple leafs, Vélocolour added sheaths of Alberta wheat to van den Ham’s TCX Advanced.
The dual influences give van den Ham’s national champion edition Giant TCX its unique red, white and gold colour scheme, with some dark blue added in for good measure.
Look through the gallery below for full details on Michael van den Ham’s Vélocolour painted Giant-Easton p/b Transitions Life Care TCX Advanced cyclocross race bike. Then tune in this weekend as the Canadian looks to add Pan-American champion to his growing list of palmares at the Silver Goose.
Michael van den Ham's national champion edition Giant TCX Advanced. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Wheat and maple leafs, reflecting van den Ham's prairie roots. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
The Canadian and prairie influences give the Giant it's distinctive red, white and gold colourway. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
EC90 SL carbon fibre wheels from van den Ham's team's co-title sponsor, Easton.
A Gian't stem and D-fuse seatpost both painted to match the frame is a nice touch. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
More EC90 carbon fibre goodness from Easton, plus Crank Bro's pedals and a KMC chain both in gold to match the prairie theme. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
SRAM Force CX1 keeps van den Ham's chain in check through the mud. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Flat-mount SRAM Force hydraulic disc brakes. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Vittoria Terrano Mix Graphene 2.0 tires (33 mm) were mounted up for Sunday's faster conditions in Peterborough. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
