Giant 29er
User Reviews
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2013
Strengths: Very solid and responsive Aluminum Frame. Saddle is comfortable. Geometry is spot on. The disk brakes will stop on a dime wet or dry. SRAM shifters and SRAM X5 rear derailleur shifts firm and fast. Rolls well, very fast on dirt/street. Maneuvers very well, very stable. The Kenda small block V8 tires perform very well.
Weaknesses: Front derailleur is a Shimano Altus , a slow spongy derailleur and it the only reason why I did not score the overall rating at a 5 Flamin Chilis
Bottom Line:
I retired my 1995 Trek 850 with hard nose and hard tail and bought a 2012 left over Talon 29er-1 at a great price ! I abolutely love this bike, been riding it on street and tow path. Bike performs very well, love it. The fork is fine for the type of riding I am currently doing. I am 5'10" and weigh 200 lbs and did some mild air off a street curb and the fork did not come close to bottom out. 100 mm of travel goes a long way. The Talon is a great value and a great bike. I will take it back to the dealer and have the Altus derailleur replaced with a SRAM. I prefer the SRAM, they seem to work better? This bike is very comfortable and easy to ride ...
Favorite Trail: ones I don't crash on
Duration Product Used: 2 weeks
Bike Setup: SRAM X% rear derailleur
SRAM shifters
Shimano Altus front derailleur
Avid disk brakes and levers
Kenda small block V8 tires
Suntour XTC-V3 100mm fork
Submitted by I Leishman
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2012
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2012
Strengths: Frame and components for the price range. Durable and comfortable for commuting on poor city streets.
Weaknesses: Fork - after 1000 km of mainly road biking I had to replace the fork. Felt like a pogo stick. I upgraded with rock shox xc and the feel is amazing. I would suggest to spend the extra money and get a Talon 0 that comes with the rock shox xc.
Bottom Line: I am beginner to biking. Needed a bike that could handle the streets of Toronto (potholes and constant contruction) and hop on the trails without any need adjustments. Sacrificing speed for durability and comfort. A friend who had be riding for years, reccommended a 29er. For the price range of $800 CAD the Giant Talon 1 was the best pick and value for money. My commute to work is 40 km round trip and have the opportunity to hop on single track trails. This bike is amazing for type of riding I am doing. The tires are fast on the road for a mountain bike and able to handle the trails when dry.