Rather than putting extra pivots near the rear dropouts, the seat and chainstays are one piece. They are designed to flex slightly throughout the suspension travel—Giant has dubbed it the ‘FlexPoint’. giant mountain In addition to reducing mechanical complexity, it also and serves to keep the price down and makes the frame lighter. Numbers wise the Stance sits somewhere between the Anthem and Trance.
It depends where and how you ride, but swapping the somewhat narrow and low profile Forekasater tires for something with a more aggressive tread would do wonders for this bike. If you ride smooth trails with hard-packed dirt the Forekasters might be just fine for you. If you ride more aggressive terrain or in loose conditions, it would be worth considering something with more cornering and braking bite. Giant has spec’d the Stance 29 with their own XCT tubeless-ready wheelset. On the 29-inch version of this bike, the wheels have a 25mm internal rim width which is bordering on narrow in this day and age. The 27.5-inch wheeled version of this bike comes with wider rims and tires.
In fact, the Stance 2 would do really well with a few select upgrades. Hydroforming is also one of Giant’s trademarks, and is used across every tube on the front triangle. In this case, Giant has placed the main pivot fairly low on the frame and just forward of the bottom bracket.
But when it comes down to it, the Stance is way more capable and fun than a hardtail on rougher trails, and price wise that’s what it’s competing against. Giant has chosen Suntour for the suspension components on the Stance 2. The 130mm of front wheel travel is controlled by a Suntour Raidon 34 fork. This fork has 34mm stanchions and beefier chassis than the RockShox Recon forks often found on budget bikes. This fork works surprisingly well on the front of this bike and provides pretty good small bump compliance, adequate mid-stroke support, and a progressive ramp-up at the end of the stroke. It doesn’t feel like a high-end fork by any means, but we found it hard to complain.
Air suspension is lightweight and highly adjustable for different rider weights. Designed with trail-friendly geometry, the new Stance E+ 2 Power helps beginner or intermediate riders experience off-road E-bike riding at its best. Its lightweight, strong and stiff ALUXX SL aluminum frame with FlexPoint suspension makes tricky single-track trails easier to ride. At just $2,399 AUD, it comes in at a whole grand cheaper than the entry-level Trance 29.
The brake levers have adjustable reach so you can dial things in on the trail as you need more control or switch from bare hands to gloves. This probably also benefits smaller and larger riders who select the different sized frames, so the brakes are reachable and feel comfortable. The calipers have been upgraded to quad piston for a larger braking surface, which adds power and cooling. The rotors are large 203mm vs. 180mm, improving the mechanical advantage and offering better control over the large 29er wheels. Vast network of dealers means that you get in-person advice, fitting, post-purchase tuneups and warranty support. This should not be overlooked if you ride frequently or have limited experience with bike tools, even though it does add to the price of the initial purchase.
Our bike tipped the scales at 30 lbs and 9 oz with tubes but without pedals. Giant has made a slew of other smart choices in building out the rest of the bike. There’s a single chainring up front, with a mount for a derailleur (if giant mountain that’s your thing). A wide, 12-speed, 11-50t cassette is truly modern and has enough variety to both climb techy trails and bomb down paved roads. The Giant-branded wheels and Maxxis Forekaster tires are both tubeless-ready .
Competent bicycle retailers make the difference in creating a cyclist for life. Our family of retailers is ready to communicate our mutual commitment to the cycling lifestyle and its lifelong health benefits. In order to get more precise feedback about the battery, your current speed, and pedal cadence, you need to spend extra money on an Ant+ wireless device that’s compatible with the bike. Since it’s wireless, and there’s no USB charging port built into the bike, you might have to remove the device frequently to charger. There is also a delay when activating and interacting with the device to wake it up. I think the motor is also capable of supporting up to 120 RPM so you can downshift and spin without losing support and momentum for a steep climb.
Maestro has an edge in pedaling efficiency and braking performance, but the Flexpoint proved capable in our testing and handled all the rocks and roots we came across. It even looks cool—it has great lines, and the paint scheme is simple and modern. Giant believes the Giant/Liv/Momentum retailer is an essential part of the cycling foundation.
While it offers a healthy amount of travel, the suspension system differs substantially from the other members of the Giant family. The Stance is the only model that doesn’t employ Giant’s dual-link Maestro suspension platform. Maestro uses two short links to control the path of the swing-arm; it’s a setup that requires tight tolerances, quite a few moving parts and more elaborate manufacturing processes to get it right. To reign in the price, the Stance uses a very simple single pivot design. The utilizes a highly durable yet lightweight aluminum frame made from ALUXX aluminum that can withstand a variety of obstacles. The framework also provides a stable platform for achieving your desired level of agility and momentum with ease.