Stance 29 gets you in sync with the terrain, so you can ride with more confidence and have more fun. The lightweight and durable ALUXX aluminum frame features Giant’s FlexPoint rear suspension system for a smooth, balanced ride that keeps you in control. It gives you 120mm of smooth suspension travel in the rear and 130mm up front.
It’s super obnoxious when you’re trying to keep up with other riders or powering up hill. The 26-Inch Folding Mountain Bikeis equipped with a very durable frame made from premium grade metal material that utilizes advanced welding technology. The flipside is that small bumps aren’t always absorbed by the back wheel. That does mean there’s a solid platform to push against if you get rowdy in the turns, although you may notice some flex from the rear end. Although the shifting is acceptable and there are plenty of gears to choose from, the chain has a habit of derailing off the big ring when things get rough. The bike also suffers from chain suck when changing to the small ring.
Now for you who don’t know me, I would like to point out that I hate going uphills. And I mean, hate to the point that people that ride with me would start rolling their eyes once they see a grade in the trail and would soon have to bear my constant moaning and complaining. In that note, for me to be able to climb this bike and still talk at the end says something. I can’t really point out the gearing since it was the standard 3×9 drivetrain setup, and the fork and rear shock is pretty much the same as what I usually use, so it must be the bike geometry. The front end felt light, unconnected to the ground and felt wobbly every time I hit a bump or root on the way down. After a few minutes, I was able to adjust to the bike and find it very maneuverable and was zipping through the trees while going downhill.
As much as I like the performance of the Yamaha mid-drive motor, it is larger and hangs down more than competing products from Shimano, Bosch, Brose, and Mahle. There’s no shift sensing built into the Giant motor controller, and this can lead to increased chain and sprocket wear if you don’t back off a bit on your pedaling while shifting. I am not a big fan of the cage style platform pedals that Giant includes with this ebike. They don’t offer a wide surface area and can bend and become sharp if the bike is laid on its side frequently.
Whether you’re new to riding or on a budget, the Stance 2 features reliable parts and a ride that offers confidence to both new and experienced riders. The Stance 29 1 and the Stance 1 (27.5″ wheels and tires) retails for $1,800 and comes with a similar build to the model we tested with a few notable giant mountain upgrades. The suspension package is a RockShox Recon RL fork and a RockShox Monarch R rear shock. If you can afford the extra $250 we feel that the upgraded suspension and dropper seat post are well worth the extra money. The 780mm wide handlebar is a good modern width and has comfortable grips.
The Stance has an almost identical silhouette to Giant’s pricier full-sussers, but foregoes its twin-link Maestro suspension design for a single-pivot FlexPoint rear end. Giants Tubeless System makes it easier than ever to experience all these benefits. Other updates see the rear dropout spacing increased giant KIDS BIKES from 135mm to 141mm. The rear wheel is still secured by a 9mm quick release lever, but the move to a wider rear end makes for a much stronger and stiffer rear wheel, while also increasing tyre clearance. The extra space now occupied by larger volume 2.4in Maxxis Ardent tyres, which are good all-rounders.
If you’re beginner to intermediate, this bike is suprisingly good for it’s cost. If you’re planning on sending off huge jumps at your local bike park, it riding very fast rough downhill singletrack look for something else. BUT if you want a casual bike that can climb and have loads if fun shredding downhill sections, maybe this is for you. It’s not a $3000 bike, but still very functional and fun for someone looking to improve their skills.