The frame geometry is specifically designed to adapt to its respective wheel size and an 100mm suspension fork. It’s a confident ride that’s perfect for ambitious riders who want to take their off-road skills to the next level. The frame geometry is specifically designed to adapt to its respective wheel size and either an giant mountain 80mm or 100mm suspension fork . This lightweight ALUXX aluminum frameset features classic off-road design made specifically for 27.5 wheels to strike just the right balance between control and quickness. The hardtail frame is optimized for a 100mm suspension fork, which helps soak up trail obstacles and improve control.
The stem’s a tad too long for our liking – but that’s easily fixed. That’s not unusual at this price point, but the Talon’s frame is so eager to be thrashed it’s just crying out for a fork that’s capable of being pushed hard too. If you’re used to a more forgiving ride – from bigger diameter tyres, rear suspension or a frame that’s a little more compliant – the Talon’s constant chatter will come as a shock. The good news is that thin tube walls help take the edge off the bigger hits, keeping things on the right side of harsh. You’ll never be in any doubt what’s going on down below, but neither are you likely to lose any fillings. Bikexchange is a free resource site for buying bicycles & cycling gear online.
I do agree that changing over to a 2x drivetrain will probably exceed $200 and add complication. If you don’t want to sacrifice top speed, then you’ll need a drivetrain with wider range. To get more range, I think you’d want a whole new drivetrain since I don’t believe there’s any 8 speed cassettes giant mountain with greater range. As a newbie, I did not realize that I would lose so much on the hill climbing side of the equation. I am a 50 year old fit guy, but have no interest in racing or even going particularly fast, I just dont want to walk my bike up hills that I used to easily climb with the Trek.
Or, save significant dough by choosing Talon 3 – it boasts similar components to Talon 2, and is otherwise specced to reliably take on any XC terrain, trails, or roads. Riders and reviewers of Talon noted the efficient big-name component group, sleek looks achieved by internal cable routing, and cool frame color graphics. Overall light-weight and quick, giant mountain confident handling were also mentioned, as was the plushness of the SR Suntour suspension fork. Riders of all three models appreciated the Maxxis tires, citing them as normally not specced on such economical MTBs. 100 mm of plush suspension travel up front – supplied by SR Suntour and RockShox forks – keeps you in control when things get rough.
While we prefer the easy adjustability of air over a coil spring, it’s about what we’d expect for the money. Unless you’re unusually heavy or light for your height, the stock spring is likely to be about right. All bikes ‘talk’ to the rider, transmitting vibrations and bumps from the trail via the tyres, wheels, frame and rider contact points. And hardtails talk louder than full-sussers, simply because there’s no spring between the rear wheel and rider.
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