Are Giant Mountain Bikes any Good?

You probably heard of a few mountain bike brands that have a solid reputation and if there’s one that get the most bang for you buck it’s Giant.

Giant are great mountain bikes when you look at the design and the quality of components. Giant is a leaders in the industry and has a good reputation. A Giant MTB is a solid choice as long as you don’t go for the cheapest models. Giant offers lifetime warranty on frames and several years on other parts and components.

Giant nowadays offer the best mountain bike you can buy. It’s a huge company that is able to buy in large volumes which allows them to offer great value bikes. So let’s go a bit into the quality, what you get for your money and warranty.

Are Giant MTB’s Worth the Money?

It’s safe to say a Giant MTB is worth the money, many people ride them and they offer a great warranty on frames and components. Although they never really have been a trendsetting brand they follow others once new improvements catch on. They cover a wide range of bikes and there’s always a bike for everyone.

Not everyone is a fan of their designs but that’s a subjective matter you shouldn’t worry about. I personally care a bit about design and paint jobs because somehow a rad looking bike gets me more excited and motivated to get out there.

Like any brand, around $500 you won’t get a decent MTB, at least not one suitable for trails. Anything in that price range should only be used for commuting. It’s fair to say that anything under $800 won’t be a very good trail bike. If you want something worth the money you should at least think of spending $1000. I’m talking about a hardtail here, you can add another 1k if you’re looking for a decent full suspension.

You can always save yourself a good amount of money by looking for an older model or buying a used one. Just make sure you know what to look for, check out my guide on how to buy a used MTB. MTB’s lose half of their value in just one year!

Giant MTB and Quality

When it comes to quality Giant has a great reputation. They build their bikes in-house and even build MTB’s for other brands. Their bikes are produced in huge factories located in Taiwan. You might think this could cause quality control issues but this is a misconception. Their quality control is top notch and Taiwan actually has a good reputation when it comes to producing quality products.

Their bikes are durable and last for many years given you service them regularly and treat your bike well. Giant is the world’s biggest bike exporter and are good for over 10% of the market.

I have an older Giant still in my garage and I still take it out for a spin. This bike is almost 15 years old and I still like riding it every now and then. Sure it can’t compete with my other MTB that’s just 2 years old but it gives you an idea about quality and durability. I just like how responsive it is and I still can keep up with 29ers on my local trail.

Warranty and Customer Service

As aforementioned, Giant offers a lifetime warranty on their frames and rigid fork. This means they will replace your frame if it, for example, shows signs of corrosion even after a decade. I had a friend who had his entire bike replaced when his frame started to corrode. The bike was more than 5 years old and he was pretty surprised to get a complete new bike!

So you get a lifetime on frame and rigid forks if anything went wrong during production, or there are signs of failure which aren’t caused by abuse. You get limited warranty on the paint job and other gear like brakes, shifters, etc if a defect is caused during production or shipment. For further details, it’s best to check Giant’s terms and conditions

I’m sure there are people who have good and bad experiences, I guess this goes for every brand. The level of service might also depend on where you live and if your local bike shop has a good relationship with Giant. Don’t expect to get a bike replaced if you throw it under a bus though.

MTB Types and Costs

If you’re new to the game I’d suggest looking for a hardtail first to get to know the sport. Full suspension MTB’s are way more expensive and what if you decide mountain biking isn’t for you? Make sure to ask yourself what type of riding you want to go for. Downhill, cross-country, only trails or just daily commutes. Giant doesn’t offer a 0% interest rate financial plan unlike Trek, but third parties do offer some at varying interest rates.

Hardtail MTB’s are great for cross-country and mellow trails. Full suspensions for more gnarly trails and downhill. You can save yourself money by getting last year’s model (if it fits right). In general, you will pay between $1000 and $1500 for a decent hardtail.  Looking at the higher end hardtails you’ll need to drop $2000 to $2500.

Full suspension entries start around $1500 to $2000 but that’s still entry-level. A $1500 FS has poorer performance compared to the more expensive bikes. You’ll pay at least $2800 for a decent FS. Anything above that will get you into the higher-end segment which can go up to $8500 (!).

Mountain biking startup costs are significant, it’s not just the bike you need to buy. Apparel, a helmet, pedals, shoes and perhaps some extra protective gear will all add up. Once you have your gear, you only pay for maintenance and replacing parts now and then. Always take good care of your bike to prevent major replacements!

Helmets go between $50 and $300 depending on which type you need. Full face helmets are quite more expensive than regular helmets. Don’t cheap out on helmets though, they can save your life.

Conclusion

If you’re on a limited budget but still want to get the best gear in your price range Giant is an excellent choice. Due to their ability to mass produce in-house and buy parts in large volumes, they offer the best MTB’s on a budget.

You get a very reliable bike with lifetime warranty on the most expensive parts and in terms of riding experience it will make a great MTB. Make sure to take one for a ride and buy one at your local bike shop. A MTB should fit your body type and your LBS can tell you all about that.

Make sure to get a bike that will fit your riding style, don’t go for a full suspension if you just want to commute or ride mellow trails. In general a hardtail is always a safe and less expensive choice. Don’t cheap out when you want to ride trails, you’ll need a reliable bike that keeps you safe. Cheaper mountain bikes are fine for riding a bit of gravel and roads though. Don’t skip on a helmet and make sure it’s comfortable.