by What is it?
The Giant Talon 2 is a great do it all mountain bike with a great price point of $750. Giant are a huge and trusted mountain bike manufacturer. They have been making mountain bikes for decades and have fine tuned the formula when it comes to their Talon range.
Its a bike that provides a comfortable seating position and reliable components built to last. The parts used are readily available and cheaply replaced after they’ve being worn down from general use (eg chain, tires, etc.)
- Versatile frame sizing: available with 27.5 and 29er wheel sizes
Specified for all, the different frame sizes accommodates all rider heights, fitting riders from 5’1” to 6’4”.
Smooth Suntour fork with lockout
As with all mountain bikes the main feature is the front suspension fork that smooths out road bumps and hard landings easily. This takes stress off your joints and bones and means you can easily charge over rough terrain without worry or discomfort.
The other main feature or mountain bikes are the hydraulic disc brakes that allow you to stop the bike almost instantaneously with minimal force.
This is great for stopping in an emergencies and improves your confidence on steep descents or in wet conditions.
Giant Talon Size Chart
| Height | Frame Size |
|---|---|
| 5’1” - 5’5” | XS (27.5") |
| 5’4” - 5’8” | S (27.5") |
| 5’4” - 5’8” | S (29") |
| 5’7” - 5’10” | M (27.5") |
| 5’7” - 5’10” | M (29") |
| 5’9” - 6’1” | L (29") |
| 6’0” - 6’4” | XL (29") |
What is it Meant for?
This bike can do so many things well. With wide tires, strong brakes and many mounting points it can handle every type of terrain you can think of.
It excels most off-road, handling non smooth surfaces with ease and finding grip easily in places where a more road orient bike would struggle.
Single track trails, gravel paths, unsurfaced roads, grassy fields, mountains and hills can all be conquered with the talon 2.
The frame is built to be lightweight and has many mountain pins. This makes it a good platform for loading panniers, mudguards and frame bags for carrying large loads.
As a mountain bike you’ll not have to worry about overloading as they are built tough to take big impacts and sudden forces in their stride. The Talon 2 is no different here and makes for a reliable platform to keep you bike packing confidently for miles.
Who is it Meant for?
- Great for Beginner Mountain Bikers
- Good Choice for Heavier Riders
- Capable Bike Packing Bike
The Talon bike is aimed at beginner riders giving them everything they will need to successfully tackle the majority of mountain bike trails.
If you want to take your first steps into mountain biking then you couldn’t ask for a better first bike. The 1X drivetrain is an advantage for off-roading making your gear shifting experience simpler. It also means one less component to be maintained (front derailleur).
If you do commute in an area where the terrain doesn’t consist of smooth tarmac then this bike could fit the bill. The front Suntour fork can completely smooth out road surfaces. You can save your joints from the pain of jolting forces making your commute much more comfortable and enjoyable.
Accommodates Heavier Riders
- Supports rider weight
- Less flat tires
Heavier riders will have a much better experience on a mountain bike with a strong frame, strong wheels and wide tires. The confidence in the durability of the bike is a big contrast compared to a bike frame with skinnier tires that sacrifices strength to be more lightweight.
The bike will feel much more stable beneath you and the chances of getting flats will decrease.
This is a result of the fork doing its job by absorbing some of the forces from being concentrated at the wheels that cause pinch flats.
It is a bike packers dream. The long, spacious frame with numerous mountain points is capable of carrying a variety of load types Fully loaded up the Talon will not miss a beat, excelling when you need it most, giving you peace of mind to focus on enjoying the experience rather than worry if the bike will hold up.
Climbing is a joy, being a hardtail mountain bike you’ll get great efficiency. In addition the carefully considered geometry means you’ll be in a good position to attack steep uphill sections.
The lockout fork means you can stiffen the suspension to further improve efficiency on climbs when you don’t need the extra cushioning.
12 Excellent Triangle Frame Bags
How Does it Compare to the Competition?
- Excellent Value for Money
- Design to Conquer Trails
Giant are known for beating out the competition when it comes to value for money. We’ve compared the Giant Talon with the Trek Marlin, the Giant excels on single track trails and downhill sections with carefully considered geometry to provide stability.
For most bikes at this price point they’ll come with a similar fork and 1x drivetrain. Where the giant excels though is the good tire choice and the frame design being more downhill oriented with good climbing ability as opposed to being design only for more flatter terrain.
This is a result of the slacker 67.5 degree head angle and the steeper 74 degree seat angle when compared with most of its other competitors at this price point.
Things to Consider Before you Buy
Warranty on the bike
You are covered with a lifetime warranty on the frame of the bicycle when buying new from an authorized Giant dealer. You’re covered for a year on replacement parts and accessories.
You can take a look at the full warranty policy here.
Don’t regret your purchase
Think carefully about what type of riding you’ll likely be doing. If you think you’ll be doing long journeys in the city the majority of the time then this bike may not be for you.
In conclusions you should purchase based on the riding you’ll be doing 90% of the time and not the 10% where you may need something lighter, something quicker or something more robust.
Cool factors
While specs may be what makes a bike good, every time you look at your bike it should inspire you to ride it.
This may be as simple as it having a paint job you love or a frame shape that makes you turn back in admiration.
The 2022 colour ways, don’t disappoint coming in a cool knight shield silvery-blue or a stealthy phantom green.
Giant Talon 2 Specifications
| Sizes | 27.5: XS,S,M,L, 29: S,M,L,XL,XXL |
| Colors | Knight Shield, Phantom Green |
| Frame | ALUXX-Grade Aluminum, disc |
| Fork | SR Suntour XCM30, QR, steel steerer XS: 80mm travel (27.5) S: 80mm travel (27.5) / 100mm travel (29) |
| Rear Shock | N/A |
| Handlebar | Giant Connect Trail, 31.8mm XS: 730mm (27.5) S: 780mm (27.5) / 780mm (29) M: 780mm (27.5) / 780mm (29) L: 780mm (27.5) / 780mm (29) XL: 780mm (29) XXL: 780mm (29) |
| Grips | Giant Sole-O |
| Stem | Giant Sport, 7-degree XS: 40mm (27.5) S: 50mm (27.5) / 50mm (29) M: 60mm (27.5) / 60mm (29) L: 70mm (27.5) / 70mm (29) XL: 80mm (29) XXL: 90mm (29) |
| Seatpost | Giant Sport, 30.9 XS: 300mm (27.5) S: 300mm (27.5) / 375mm (29) M: 375mm (27.5) / 375mm (29) L: 375mm (27.5) / 375mm (29) XL: 375mm (29) XXL: 375mm (29) |
| Saddle | Giant custom |
| Pedals | MTB caged |
| Shifters | microSHIFT SL-M9295, 1x9 |
| Front Derailleur | N/A |
| Rear Derailleur | microSHIFT Advent M6195M |
| Brakes | Tektro HDC M275, hydraulic, Tektro rotors [F]180mm, [R]160mm |
| Brake Levers | Tektro HDC M275 |
| Cassette | microSHIFT CS-H093, 11x46 |
| Chain | KMC X9 |
| Crankset | ProWheel Charm, 30t (27.5) or 32t (29) XS: 165mm (27.5) S: 170mm (27.5) / 170mm (29) M: 170mm (27.5) / 175mm (29) L: 175mm (27.5) / 175mm (29) XL: 175mm (29) XXL: 175mm (29) |
| Bottom Bracket | cartridge |
| Rims | Giant GX03V 29 or 27.5, alloy, double wall, 21mm inner width |
| Hubs | alloy, sealed bearing |
| Spokes | stainless, 14g |
| Tires | Kenda Booster 27.5 or 29x2.2", wire bead |
| Extras | 2.4" max tire size |
