Giant Talon 3 27.5 (2019): ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

The Talon 3 27.5 comes with a Giant’s exclusive ALUXX grade Aluminium frame. The hardtail frame has a slanting top tube, which provided an aggressive posture 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 100mm travel. During the test ride the suspension worked well both on harsh Urban roads and Rough trails. The suspension lockout feature was easy to operate and helpful to ride faster on flatter roads.

When it comes to design, Giant always comes up with new colours and graphics every year The 2019 Talon 3 27.5 which I test rode came in a full Silver gloss finish primary colour on the frame with Red as the secondary colour for graphics. The internal cable routing made the bicycle look neat and the colour coordinated rims, fork and handlebar grips made it look aesthetic.

The gearing in the Talon 3 27.5 (2019) is handled by a combination of Shimano Altus 3-Speed at the front and Shimano Acera 8-Speed at the rear. Combining 2 different levels of gearing has become popular amongst international brands, especially in their entry and mid-level bicycles. These gears shifted smoothly had enough range for climbs and acceleration. The Shimano Altus 24-Speed gear shifters were easy to use.

The stopping power in the Talon 3 27.5 (2019) is taken care of by a powerful Tektro HDC M275 Hydraulic Disc brakes at the front and back with 160mm 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 used in a majority of their bicycles. One such component is the handlebar. The Giant Connect Trail 780mm 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 a much better control over the bicycle during fast paced trail rides.

The Maxxis Ikon MTB tires impressed during the test ride. The 27.5”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 Connect upright saddle is wide with enough cushioning to keep the rider soreness free while out on the trails.