On Test: Entry-Level Mountain Bikes

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Giant TALON 2 (rrp £549)

The company Giant is one of the biggest players in the industry, producing good-value bikes with solid specifications. The Talon 2 is an established model from this brand.

The bike The Talon 2 looks great - understated black with small but dramatic flashes of red detail, and white graphics. The main frame tubes are hydroformed, which enables the manufacturer to produce a stress-reducing and strength-increasing shape. The minimum amount of material can be used to produce the frame, thus theoretically reducing the overall weight of the bike.

However, as I picked the bike up I was a little disappointed to find it was quite heavy. Looking deeper into the makeup of the bike I quickly found the reasons.

Component choice is enormously important when it comes to bikes, as there must be a balance between quality, weight and cost. So we expected to see a mix of groupsets throughout this test. For example, the Talon 2 runs a Shimano Alivio front mech and Shimano Deore rear - Alivio is the lowest model in the Shimano range we saw on this range of bikes and it represented a cost-limiting exercise. The kit worked just fine - Shimano invariably does - but it definitely lacked a little refinement and could be better on a bike of this price.

The brakes are Giant's own 160mm Root branded hydraulics - they worked fine, but the look of the lever-control units harked back to those of more than a few years ago. The tyres are the trusted Kenda Nevegals - while heavy, they offer all-round traction in the slippery winter conditions.

The ride All our testers found the Talon 2 to be quite short in reach and high at the front end. The frame geometry isn't noticeably different to the other bikes. However, the combination of a 100mm fork, angled stem and riser bar results in a 'sit up and beg' position. This is quite comfortable for beginners but encourages a tendency to lift the front wheel when taking on steep climbs, which could quickly knock confidence.

The Suntour XCM V2 suspension tended to pogo on the rebound, offering less control than we'd have liked. The Talon 2 certainly looks good, but the mix of components and some basic handling issues mean it finishes down the list.

Sizes 13.5, 16, 18, 20, 22 inch
Colours Black/red
Frame New Giant AluxX Aluminium, Fluid formed
Wheels CR18 double wall aluminium/ Formula disc hubs
Tyres Kenda Nevegal 2.1”
Saddle WTB saddle
Info www.giant-bicycles.com

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