2015 Giant Talon 27.5 3 Review - Light, Quick, and "Playful"

The 27.5 compromise - "playful" results for the Giant Talon

Also called 650B, the new wheelsize and accompanying smaller lighter frame provides the greater stability and confidence of a the larger wheels, while creating a more "playful" feel. Don't take our word for it. Here is how BikeRadar.com reviewed the Giant Talon 27.5 3:

The Talon 4 was our first experience with a 650B wheeled bike at this price point, and we liked the outcome. 

650B makes a lot of sense at the budget price point – it provides a lighter feeling and more playful ride compared to a 29er, while still providing greater control to 26in wheeled bikes.

 Ride and handling: handling and control beyond its price

The Talon 4 is an entry-level bike that’s full of surprises. Taking the Talon off-road, we were immediately surprised by its confident handling and playful ride nature. We’d previously ridden the Talon 29er and found it slow to accelerate and hard to throw around, but the 27.5 does away with these traits.
It was sprightly and easy to get up to speed, yet never felt twitchy. This characteristic made the Talon a joy to ride, encouraging us to find the limits of the tyres in and out of every corner. Large volume tyres meant it didn’t feel harsh – they numbed much of the trails buzz. 

While the entire lineup of Talon's offer great performance, we suspect that the Giant Talon 3 will be the choice of most Pedal Power customers. We believe that the better drive train offering, with Shimano HG20 11x34, 9-speed casette and FSA Dynadrive, 22/32/44 crankset, makes it well worth a few extra bucks compared to the Giant Talon 4.  Besides, you can also buy the 3 in Yellow! What more could you ask?

Giant shows off their amazing proprietary aluminum frame design capabilities on the Talon. Giant opts to increase lateral stiffness in the headset and bottom-bracket areas, which helps to make the ride even feel more nimble.

Here are the complete specs:

Frame
Sizes	S, M, L, XL
Colors	Black/Red, Yellow
Frame	ALUXX-grade aluminum
Fork	SR Suntour XCM w/ hydraulic lockout & preload adjuster, 100mm travel
Shock	N/A

Components
Handlebar	Giant Connect XC, Low rise, 31.8mm
Stem	Giant Sport
Seatpost	Giant Sport, 30.9mm
Saddle	Giant Connect, Upright
Pedals	MTB Caged

Drivetrain
Shifters	Shimano Altus
Front Derailleur	Shimano Altus
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Alivio
Brakes	Tektro Auriga, Hydraulic disc, 160mm
Brake Levers	Tektro Auriga
Cassette	Shimano HG20 11x34, 9-speed
Chain	KMC X9
Crankset	FSA Dynadrive, 22/32/44
Bottom Bracket	FSA sealed

Wheels
Rims	Giant Alloy, Double wall
Hubs	Giant Tracker Sport Disc, 32h
Spokes	Stainless Steel, 14g
Tires	Giant Sport, 27.5x2.1

1904 Staples Mill Rd.
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 658-2126
randy@pedalpowerbicycles.com
www.pedalpowerbicycles.com

2015 Giant Trance Advanced 27.5 1 Review — Pedal Power Bicycles

The Fastest Way to Conquer Technical Trails. Stay Smooth Through Roots, Rocks and Ruts.

This composite Trance Advanced 27.5 is light, agile, and built to go fast on technical trails. Developed with input from Giant’s champion enduro pros, the Advanced-grade composite frame is engineered specifically for 27.5, the ideal wheel size for all-around trail capabilities. With 5.5-inches/140mm of smooth Maestro rear suspension, as well as an OverDrive steerer tube and a PowerCore bottom bracket for steering precision and pedaling stiffness, it’s an all-around trail slayer that climbs as well as it descends. Frame details include internal cable routing, integrated downtube protection and ISCG-05 chain guide compatibility.






"So how does it stack up on the trail? From the get-go, this is a bike that lights up as well as a lot of race machines as soon as you brace against the pedals and give it some gas. The relatively long chainstay and sensitive start stroke keep the rear wheel locked onto the ground and the impact deadening, traction boosting 27mm wide carbon rims are easy to convert to tubeless.

While it sprints and floats over rises and jumps like a cross-country bike, the Trance comes into its own when things get fast and loose. The basic looking Giant dropper seatpost is the only component that looks a bit out of place, but it gets the seat out of the way fine and it takes most restrictions on technical line choice or entry speed with it."
 - Bikeradar

Don't take our word for it, come by today to check out our full line of Giant Bikes and much much more!




1904 Staples Mill Rd.
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 658-2126
randy@pedalpowerbicycles.com
www.pedalpowerbicycles.com