Affordable Talon 1 XC MTB Is Bent on Ending Up Under Your Christmas Tree

Whenever you look for a bike, it really depends on what sort of riding you intend to do. But if you want a machine to ride around just about anywhere you find a road or path, a cross-country bicycle is an obvious choice.

One reason why you should consider the Talon 1 for your next low-budget bicycle acquisition is the 960 USD (851 EUR at current exchange rates) MSRP. That's all you need to dish out to get yourself a pretty decent bike that will do more than your average cycle could. Time to see if this trinket has what it takes to land under your Christmas tree this year.

First off, the frame. For the tubing, Giant is using their Aluxx-Grade aluminum and shaping the bike with an XC geometry. The dropped seat stays, angled top tube, and solid headtube construction, not tapered, should steal the eye of cyclists no matter their experience level.

Even though the frame is a hardtail, some suspension is found in the form of a fork and tires. Talon 1 is equipped with a RockShox Judy with 80 millimeters (3.15 inches) of travel for bikes with 27.5-inch wheels and 100 millimeters (3.94 inches) for bikes sporting 29-inch tires. As an option, Giant also offers an SXC32 fork with the same travel configuration as the RockShox fork. Nice to have options in this price range. Since I also mentioned tires, a pair of Maxxis Reckon pieces with wire bead will be offering cushioning and control.

Now, here's where things start taking on a low-budget hue. For a drivetrain, Giant has chosen to drop a Shimano Deore setup to help you along. Sure, it's not the most capable out there, but I've seen Deore on bikes three times this price, so something has to be right. Overall, the Deore is tuned to the sound of ten speeds and features an 11-42T cassette. a ProWheel Charm crankset and KMC chain complete this powerhouse.

To adequately control this bike in the eventuality you do take it off the streets, a set of Tektro TKD143 hydraulic disc brakes with a 180-millimeter (7.1-inch) rotor on the front and a 160-millimeter (6.3-inch) rotor at the rear, more than enough to handle anything within the bike's intended limits.

All secondary components are furnished by Giant's own. Stem, seat post, saddle, handlebar, wheelset, and hubs, all in-house gear. As for how heavy this bike is with components, the manufacturer states that you should head down to a local shop to determine this. I think it's just a trick to get you to see and touch the bike, knowing you'll probably leave riding it home.

I really shouldn't have to say what I'm about to, but a low-priced anything doesn't mean it's not capable. Seeing as how Giant is a crew that's been around since the 70s, the golden days of cycling, that should be your last worry. And, components like these have been seen on bikes with a much higher price tag than the Talon 1. Write Santa that letter and see what happens. If all goes well, you'll have a bit of cash left over for milk and cookies.