We take pride in offering the most honest and up-front reviews in hopes that you can better inform yourself on any future purchasing decisions based on your local terrain and skill level. Include BikeExchange.com among your favorite sites to keep abreast of the latest cycling product and industry news and information. Use our informative product reviews to help you choose the best bike for giant mountain your needs, or follow the timely selling advice to maximize the potential of your online store. We also recommend subscribing to our free e-newsletter to receive loads of valuable information in your inbox. It’s a twin link floating pivot design of which Giant have been using variation of Maestro for years and as such it’s arguably one of the most refined suspension platforms out there.
This new version is one of the best all-around bikes currently available. It’s insanely light (our Large test bike was 14.5 pounds) and has a beautiful balance of stiffness for superb pedaling efficiency with just the right amount of lateral flexion for hard cornering. SRAM’s wireless RED eTap groupset aids a clean look, although the cockpit isn’t as aero or fully integrated as other similar bikes. The Cadex carbon rims are tubeless ready, and laced with carbon spokes, and the SRAM RED crank is fitted with a Quarq powermeter.
Designed to ride with a 100mm suspension fork, it’s a race-bred climber with quick acceleration. The 29er-specific frame geometry offers an ideal balance of stability and maneuverability on all types of XC terrain. Boost hub spacing gives you added tire clearance and wheel stiffness, and a new Giant WheelSystem with tubeless tires delivers a smoother, more efficient ride plus a reduced risk of flats. Lightweight acceleration – The lightest aluminum hardtail mountain bike frameset Giant has ever produced helps XC riders and racers climb and accelerate with speed. Unyielding efficiency – With a best-in-class stiffness-to-weight-ratio, the all-new XtC SLR 29 sets the new standard for alloy-XC efficiency. 29er confidence and control – Larger 29-inch diameter wheels roll over rough terrain with balance and stability, giving you momentum on technical climbs and confidence on fast singletrack descents.
Fenders and racks are no longer standard for 2021, but mounts let you add them if you’d like. The upright riding position helps you keep an eye on traffic or take in the surroundings, and the Escape’s damped ride won’t beat you up on longer adventures. The double-chainring drivetrain offers a wide range of gearing that can handle most situations and terrain. And since inner-city roads are fraught with potholes, glass, and other debris that can wreak havoc on tires, the Escape 1 Disc has puncture-resistant rubber. At first glance, the 2021 Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc might not appear much different than its predecessor. But a closer look reveals that this ninth-generation TCR has been completely redesigned to be both lighter, stiffer, and more aerodynamic.
As with their hardtails, Giant differentiate the frame materials by branding; Aluxx for the alloy frames and Advanced for the carbon fibre frames. The Giant ATX is the entry level hardtail that’s suited to cross-country duties. They giant KIDS BIKES are very similar in terms of essential frame and spec and as such most beginners would be wise to get the cheaper one or save up for a Talon. As with other big bike brands, Giant have their own range of finishing kit and components.
It’s safe to say a Giant MTB is worth the money, many people ride them and they offer a great warranty on frames and components. Although they never really have been a trendsetting brand they follow others once new improvements catch on. They cover a wide range of bikes and there’s always a bike for everyone. A $500 mountain bike performs a lot worse compared to a higher-end $1500 bike. You get what you pay for and sometimes saving a little bit more is really worth it if you’re looking at a lower range bike. I’d stay away from the cheaper models if you can unless you only plan to use it on roads and pavements.
The new frame is designed with trail-friendly geometry that includes a more relaxed head angle made for a 120mm suspension fork. Proven alloy performance – ALUXX SL aluminum frameset is hand-built in-house by the world leader in aluminum engineering. Balance and stability – Frame geometry is designed to optimize the confident, stable handling of 27.5 wheels with plush high-volume tires—ideal for rugged, adventurous terrain. Trail tuned – More relaxed frame geometry and control-focused components deliver added control for trail riding conditions.
There are three models in the range, two receiving carbon frames and one an alloy. The two carbon frames only come in three sizes , but the budget alloy one comes in four . The XTCs get a 70° head tube angle, 73.5° seat tube angle and 425mm chainstays. A large frame will see a 435mm reach and all bikes here rolls on 29er giant KIDS BIKES wheels with a 100mm fork. With only three bikes in the 2021 range, they each are built around an aluminium frame with 130mm of suspension at the front and 120mm at the rear. In terms of geometry, the bike gets a 67.5° head tube angle, a 75° seat tube angle 438mm chainstays and a large frame comes with a 454 reach.
This is especially useful for riders who ride mostly flat or rolling terrain, or who want a competitive advantage in fast crits and sprints. They’re also great for solo riders looking for an aero edge when they have no one to draft. The main trade-off of the Propel compared to the TCR and Lagma is a bit of additional weight due to the aero shaping of the frame. In 2008 Giant launched the Liv/Giant sub-brand with products focused exclusively on the female cycling market. The re-branding was meant to further differentiate the Liv brand products with existing Giant product, communicating the concept of “designed by women for women”. All Liv products are designed from the ground up including frame geometry, carbon layup and utilizes separate molds and designs that separate it from Giant branded products.