Giant Drops a Full Suspension MTB Under $2K Capable of Keeping up With the Rest

Folks, what you see in the cover photo is the 2021 Stance full suspension MTB from Giant Bicycles. But why show you an MTB that comes in with a price tag of $1,650? Well, exactly for that reason, the price. It’s true that common people don’t usually need such massive components as found on higher priced MTBs, and so, let’s see what one of the more affordable propositions has in store for us.

To understand the bike better, we first need to look at its creators, in this case, Giant. This team has been around since 1972, which means it has nearly 50 years of experience in designing and building bicycles and gear. Today, this crew’s work can be seen both on the street and world championship races. It has over 12,000 retail stores worldwide, which should give you an idea of what we’re dealing with.

As with most other bikes we feature, the frame is the main point of interest, so we can start there. First on the list is the material used in its construction. The price is a clear indicator that aluminum is the material used, and that’s true. Giant uses its ALLUX aluminum that offers a lightweight frameset using 6061 aluminum with single butting. It predominantly features press forming to obtain the shape we see. It may not be the best of the ALLUX series, but it’s still good enough to handle like a champ.

Speaking of frame shape, I particularly like how the top tube sags a bit to offer some dropping clearance when coming off a ledge or drop, and the seat sits nice and back over the rear tire, giving you some nice control on descents. That bottom bracket sits high, too, offering good ground clearance but maybe not the best control. It depends on how you like to ride, really.

The rear of the frame is set up using a FlexPoint suspension with 120 mm (4.72 in) of travel. A Suntour Radion R XC and trail shock, custom tuned for Giant, is there to smoothen out bumps, while still offering enough stiffness to keep the rear sticking to the ground. As for the front suspension, we find an in-house Giant Crest 34 RCL with 130 mm (5.11 in) of travel.

The drivetrain comes from Shimano and is a Deore setup. The shifters, rear derailleur, and cassette are all tuned to 12 speeds. Even braking is offered by this powerhouse with a pair of MT200 hydraulic disc brakes clamping down on a 180-mm (7.08-in) rotor at the front and a 160-mm (6.29-in) rotor at the rear. Throw on a pair of Giant AM 27.5-in wheels with Maxxis Rekon tires to match, and you’re on for a decent time.

Here’s the thing, Giant calls this a full suspension MTB, but components such as the rear shock and swingarm are only rated for light to medium trail riding. So, make sure that’s the kind of riding you’re into before grabbing this relatively capable beauty. Because let’s face it, for this price, and with these components, it’s a decent buy.