Giant ATX 1 (2018) - Review

The ATX 1 comes with a Giant's exclusive ALUXX grade aluminium frame. The hardtail frame has a slanting top tube, which provided an aggressive yet supreme control on trails. Both the top tube and bottom tube aren’t circular, they are flat which makes the tubes sleek and keep the weight in check.The SR Suntour XCT HLO front suspension fork comes with a massive 1mm travel. During the test ride the suspension worked well both on harsh urban roads and flat trails. The suspension lockout feature was easy to operate and helpful to ride faster on flatter roads.

The ATX 1 (2018) comes with Shimano Tourney at the front and Acera at the rear as derailleurs. Yes, the Tourney is an entry-level MTB derailleur but the Acera as a mid range derailleur at the rear made the gear transmissions smooth. During the test ride when I needed a bigger change in speed the front derailleur wasn’t thee smoothest or fastest to shift when compared to the Acera. The 24-speed Shimano EF5 shifters were basic triggers and were easy to use.

Giant is known to keep experimenting with their designs and colours. The ATX 1 which I test rode came in a bright red colour with black graphics mainly for the logo and model name. The matte finish paint job was of top quality and gives a smooth outlook to the frame. The matching red colour graphics on the rims and suspensions forks made the bicycle look colour coded.

The ATX 1 comes with Tektro TKB172 Mechanical Disc Brakes at both the front and rear. During the test ride these brakes worked efficiently on both fast turns and also when coming to a sudden halt. The brake levers were easy to reach from the grips and easy to operate.The Giant Sport low handlebar was lengthy with comfortable grips giving an aggressive and supreme steering control for the rider on challenging trails.

The Giant Sport 27.5” x 2.1” tires are on the ATX 1 and are treaded heavily to tackle both wet and dry surfaces on trails and harsh urban roads. During the test rides jamming the brakes were well balanced by the tires. The stock Giant Contact comfort neutral saddle was ergonomically designed to keep my sit bones on the widest parts of the saddle. The dotted patch pattern on the sides keeps you from slipping off on aggressive trails. The overall ride quality was comfortable on trails and urban roads.