MTB Giant ONLY- Mid priced?

Z

Zero_Time

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Dec 28, 2006
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Hey, saw the other thread on mountain bikes. Wanted to ask a question, have a back and forth, and not hijack the guy's thread. So I started one.

First: Giant only- I work at a bike rental place currently, and the place has an exclusive contract with giant. The boss says he can get some screaming deals. I'm probably not going to work there much longer, so I'm looking to pull the trigger rather quickly.

Necessary info:

I'm an in-shape guy whose ridden a lot of xc, but only for fun, weight around 170. Would like to maybe transition to free ride, but after I get some better skills first. I've mostly done hardtail, but am open to either hardtail or full suspension. I have done some maintenance on bikes before, but I'm not a mechanic by any means, nor do I have the tools currently. I'd be ecstatic to learn to maintain them, though. Price is the big question... I'm flexible, is the best way of putting it. I should be able to get a good deal, but I'd like to be out no more than $1500 my own money (I always throw out a number a little past my comfort zone: flexible means I'd be happy to go high or low, e.g., I am price sensitive), which could translate to about double that in terms of bikes. However, I don't know if the offer is limited to bikes he stocks, or any giant bike. I heard that the discount kicks in with volume, which would be sad. Willing to play LEGO with the bike. No carbon frames- durability is one of the top features I'm looking for, and a frame that I can be proud of, keep, and upgrade around. I would be happy to use carbon components- seat post, handlebars, etc., but frame must be strong and good investment.

So, 2 questions, given my info:

1. What bike should I go for, if the entire Giant catalog is open to me? The price should be inclusive of upgrades and such, tools if they're not exorbitant can be considered separately. If possible, multiple options/bikes as a list or something, as opposed to just a single recommendation. Don't know the protocols of ordering, would like flexibility in request- see question 2.

2. If this only includes mountain bikes he stocks, then I'm afraid this is limited to the Yukon FX 2009, or a Rainier, I believe from '06. What would the advice be if these were my choices? The amount I could spend aftermarket would clearly surge, but again, I want a frame that I can still be proud of in 5 years.

Thanks for the thoughts and consideration.
Zero

Oh yeah, and if there's a better forum for in depth thought on this question, I'm all ears.
 
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I don't have any experience with Giants so I can't offer specific suggestions. What I will say is IMO the frame is the most important thing to look at and I'd buy the one that has the better frame, even if it's more money and has lower level components. The components are easy to upgrade later if you feel the need, it's a lot harder (and more expensive) to upgrade the frame. If you do decide to upgrade some things from the start look at ebay and the online catalogs, you can often find good deals on lightly used forks/parts and closeouts.

I like FS and I don't think I'd buy a hardtail for any kind of serious off-roading. To me the benefits of FS far outweigh the drawbacks. There are a lot of people that don't agree though, in the end only you can decide which you like better.

You might check out mtbr.com, they have a good review section.
 
Thanks for the reply BlackHills. I am aware that full suspension is awesome, and would love to play with it; but have not been in the right place to pay for it. I know that my Giant only is pretty restrictive; and I know that people prefer other companies for mountain biking- I always thought specialized was really cool; but if one has lemons, then make lemonade and don't covet the limeade.
Zero
 
Based on your info and the Giant website, I would recommend you look at the Trance or Reign series. The Trance has plenty of travel, especially if you are transitioning from XC and developing your skills for Freeride. It will be light enough to climb on and a blast coming down especially with 5" of travel and disc brakes. The Trance X2 is spec'd nicely at your price point if you can order on a shop form.
Another thing about the Trance; the geometry on the frame is probably closer to your hardtail. The Reign has a more relaxed head-tube angle and longer travel so it will handle differently. The frame has more gussets and is a bit heavier thus a little harder to climb with. But it will make a great freedride bike.
Something else to consider is who you plan to do the majority of your riding with. If your partners all ride one style of bike you may want to choose something similar; it makes it easier to enjoy the same trails together. Hope this helps, buying bicycles is fun!
 
You're welcome. Just remember that not all FS is created equally, some are designed for specific purposes while others are more general. As a general rule of thumb a 4-bar linkage is more active and has less pedal induced movement than a single pivot though it's not always the case.

I've never ridden a Giant or even looked at them in the shops so I didn't feel qualified to give an opinion based on reading specs from the net. I haven't bought a factory built bike in probably 15 years, I'm of the 'buy a frame and build it up' school. :D From what I've read Giant makes a decent bike and if that's what you can get a good deal on I say go for it.
 
crm3137 said:
Based on your info and the Giant website, I would recommend you look at the Trance or Reign series. [...]
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Thanks for the suggestions. I was looking pretty hard at the trance offerings, and had a roommate who had one, with good experiences.
BlackHills said:
You're welcome. Just remember that not all FS is created equally, some are designed for specific purposes while others are more general. As a general rule of thumb a 4-bar linkage is more active and has less pedal induced movement than a single pivot though it's not always the case.

I've never ridden a Giant or even looked at them in the shops so I didn't feel qualified to give an opinion based on reading specs from the net. I haven't bought a factory built bike in probably 15 years, I'm of the 'buy a frame and build it up' school. :D From what I've read Giant makes a decent bike and if that's what you can get a good deal on I say go for it.
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Gotcha on the FS. And, I see you've advanced to the plane that I aspire to. Would like to get more comfortable with a bike and maintaining, taking down, and all that before I build from the frame out. I'm sorta at the "oh yeah, I forgot that component/ huh, that component doesn't work with this one..." stage myself.
 
Dude Giant makes nice bikes. The Trance is a great bike, I have a buddy who loves his. Ive rode it and its a very nice bike. If you want to get into the freeride thing Giant makes some nice setups, but Ive never rode one. I say Trance...

Good luck!!

Be prepared for some maintnance to that suspension. Doesnt take much for em to get out of whack. They are super cool though....
 
j williams said:
Dude Giant makes nice bikes. The Trance is a great bike, I have a buddy who loves his. Ive rode it and its a very nice bike. If you want to get into the freeride thing Giant makes some nice setups, but Ive never rode one. I say Trance...

Good luck!!

Be prepared for some maintnance to that suspension. Doesnt take much for em to get out of whack. They are super cool though....
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Yeah, I'm leaning that way too. Wanna make sure I get the right bike, though, so I'm gonna keep my mind open. Is there any good resources on suspension maintenance? I've mostly had a group of friends and a shop in the past to rely on, but right now, I'm flying solo...
Zero
 
Zero_Time said:
Is there any good resources on suspension maintenance? I've mostly had a group of friends and a shop in the past to rely on, but right now, I'm flying solo...
Zero
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There's really not much to it, the main thing is to make sure the pivots are tight. I would imagine the bearings are sealed so other than checking them occasionally to make sure they're still lubed they don't require much maintenance. I haven't watched these but a quick google found this.

As far as building a bike from the frame up goes, it's not hard either. If you can replace parts then you can build one.
 
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