On the trail, sharp steering and a lively response to pedaling put a smile on my face. I didn’t take it easy on this bike—I pushed it through some of the roughest and rockiest trails we have around the Bicycling office. This bike is a great mix of performance, value, and practicality. On paper you’ll see it has the chops to be a hard-charging, aggressive XC bike.
I think it’s beyond stupid for bike manufacturers to be putting 32t chainrings on every single 1x bike they sell. I mean, sure, it means they’re only needing to stock one chainring size for assembly which reduces their cost, but that’s not the size that most riders are going giant ROAD BIKES to need. The wheels consist of Giant’s own brand GX03V rims and quick-release hubs and are shod in 2.2in Maxxis Ikon tyres. Tektro mechanical disc brakes are exclusive to this cheapest model. It features the same 6061 single-butted aluminium frame as the rest of the range.
Don’t need the 3×9 setup as I rarely get out of the 2nd chain ring. I recommend this for anyone who doesn’t have thousands to drop on a bike and is either a beginner or getting back into mtb. Shitty fork, Shitty, transmission, Shitty wheels, the bike can’t handle any format of technical trail without something breaking. The Maxxis branded Ardent Race MTB tires impressed us during the test ride. The 27.5”x 2.20” tires were heavily treaded with bulky buttons and covered the edges as well. These tires were fast rolling on flatter surfaces and could handle rough patches with ease.
All new bicycles purchased at Lewis & Clark come with Free Lifetime Tune-Ups for as long as you own your bicycle! Any time your bike isn’t shifting gears or stopping like it should, just bring it in, and we’ll take care of it. There’s room for up to 2.4in tyres on both 27.5 and 29in versions of the frame and all are built to accept giant mountain racks, mudguards or a kickstand. There’s a choice of five different builds for 2021 and each of those is available with the choice of either 27.5 or 29in wheels. Riverfront Cycle, Lansing Michigan’s premier bike shop, is committed to furthering cycling knowledge whether you’re buying, need service or seeking to learn more.
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, 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.
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.
it does not feel well suited for it, but its what I have and if i can just get a lower gear I can get by for now and can upgrade in a couple of years. There were no cost effective options in these parts for months so I bit the bullet on something that I could get my hands on to bike with my kids for a while. New bike is 1 x 8 with 32t front and Microshift rear components. Frame geometry is designed to optimise the balance and roll-over capabilities of 29-inch wheels or the liveliness of 27.5-inch wheels . There’s still 100mm of travel unless you opt for the XS or S size 29er bike. The drivetrain is a 1×10 configuration that’s mostly from Shimano’s Deore stable and pairs a 30t Prowheel chainset with a 11x42t cassette.