Giant Bicycles Is Responsible for the Biggest, Priciest, and Fugliest E-MTB I've Ever Seen

Most of us have heard of or seen a Giant bike. If we consider that this brand is part of a global powerhouse with roots established as far back as 1972, it makes sense that they're one of the crews at the forefront of the next stage in e-bike evolution. But I never thought they would take things this far because the Stormguard is an abomination in the eyes of just about any cyclist you'll meet. That's until they understand what this beast is really for. Put on a helmet, and hang on tight because this one will take you places.

First off, I want you to take a nice long look at the images in the gallery to really get a feel for the Stormguard. Notice the massive full-suspension frame, the belt drivetrain, the floating rear cargo rack, and the overall stance of this monster. Wondering just how far you can ride with those oversized Maxxis tires? That's what we're about to find out.

To understand what's going on here, I want you to think of the Stormguard E+ as a sort of "SUV" of the e-bike world. Those are Giant's words, not mine. With that said, this whole thing is built around an aluminum frame with a full-suspension design. But it has a cargo rack! So? It's part of this beast's magic.

Overall, aluminum is used to bring this bulky Beluga to life, and the reason why a full suspension is added is that Giant wants to be responsible for that one and only e-bike you rely on for any type of riding. Judging by the images the manufacturer has in store, we can see the Stormguard performing in an urban setting, on a gravel road, on trails, and even climbing rocks. In short, it really can do it all, not so much downhill enduro racing, but I'm sure there's someone crazy enough in the crowd to do so. Considering the front and rear suspension boast 100 mm (4 in) of travel, someone is sure to try a downhill track. Just be careful; this thing is probably insanely heavy; Giant doesn't mention the overall weight of the Stormguard on their website.

As for why that frame is so dang big, it has a whole lot to do with the sort of battery pack that Giant provides, but as you can clearly guess, it's got to be one massive juice box, and it is. Overall, an in-house EnergyPak brings 800 Wh of power and is hidden in that frame. If need be, it can be taken out and carried indoors for recharging. But just how much range is this good for? To calculate this number, we need to consider the motor and controller in place.

At the base of your cycling experience sits a proprietary motor, a SyncDrive Pro2, "powered by Yamaha." with this peak 85 Nm (63 ft-lb) powerhouse, a RideControl Ergo sensor, and the 800 Wh pack I mentioned, Giant tells us that under ideal conditions and with a range extender of 250 Wh, 250 km (155 mi) of range is possible on a full charge. That's absolutely insane! So I guess the Stormguard is oversized in every sense of the word.

Down the line, a few other features are sure to have popped into view when you explore the gallery, like that carbon belt drivetrain. If you guessed that Gates has their fingers in this pie, you'd be right, with a 24T rear sprocket, CDX belt with 130T, and CDX 46T chainring. Over 10,000 km (6,213 mi) of maintenance-free riding is possible with this setup. Did I mention the Enviolo automatic shifting rear hub? Yup, it's got one of those too.

Now, all these features have got to be there for a reason, and they are; the Stormguard is meant to take you far and wide. Once we take into consideration that the rear cargo rack is suitable for around 20 kg (44 lbs) of goods, you can bet your bottom dollar that there's someone out there already planning their next adventure weekend on a Stormguard. Throw on a pair of fenders, 203 mm (8 in) disc brakes with hydraulic calipers, and a dropper post, and what do you have? Exactly what I've been talking about this whole time; a dang monster!

But how much is this two-wheeler going to run you? Well, it depends on the dealership you use to get yours, but on average, you'll be paying no less than €7,000 ($7,600 at current exchange rates). Some stores sell them as high as $10,000. My mistake in showing you this price in American dollars because this puppy is NOT available to North or South American buyers. Unless, of course, you've got the cash or connections to get one shipped over.