Giant Talon 29 4 (2022) - Review

The Talon 29 4 comes with a Giant's exclusive ALUXX grade Aluminium frame. The hardtail frame has a slanting top tube, which provided an aggressive position yet gives the rider supreme control on trails. Both the top tube and bottom tube aren’t circular, they are flat which makes the tubes sleek and keeps the weight in check.During the test ride the Suntour XCE 1mm front suspension worked well both on harsh urban roads and rough trails. Although, a Suspension lockout could have been included for the price of this bicycle.

The gearing in the Talon 29 4 is handled by a Microshift 2-Speed at the front and a Shimano Altus 8-Speed at the rear. These gears shifted smoothly and had enough range for climbs and acceleration. The Microshift 16-Speed gear shifters were easy to use.

The 222 Talon 29 4 which we test rode came in a full Black gloss finish primary colour on the frame with Light Grey as the secondary colour for text. The internal cable routing made the Bicycle look neat and the colour coordinated rims and suspension made this Mountain Bike look aesthetic.

The stopping power on the Talon 29 4 (2022) is taken care of by a powerful Tektro TKB 172 Mechanical Disc brakes at the front and back with 16mm rotors. These Disc brakes are powerful and balanced which felt safe to engage even at high speeds during the test ride.Giant is known for their in house componentry which is used in a majority of their Bicycles. One such component is the handlebar. The Giant Connect Trail Alloy handlebar is lengthy with a very slight rise from the middle. This is a perfect MTB handlebar which means a comfortable and open chested riding posture giving much better control over the Bicycle during fast paced trail rides.

The Kenda branded Booster MTB tires impressed during the test ride. The 29” x 2.2” tires were heavily treaded with bulky buttons and covered the edges as well. These tires were fast rolling on flatter surfaces and could handle rough patches with ease.The Giant upright saddle is wide with enough cushioning for a comfortable ride on trails.