Joshman380

So I've been riding a 2014 Giant Revel for a while now, and realizing maybe I want a little better. Rather than just picking a bike, I'd rather ask a few questions first.

I'm into trail riding, nothing too intense, not into scaling rocks or boulders. I'm looking for a bike that can handle the impact of a jump without the front suspension bottoming out, or the entire fork breaking. I also want a bike that's stable on offroad terrain at higher speeds. I don't want to worry about eating dirt because of catastrophic failure.

I'm pretty sure I want front and back disc brakes..seems to be the better way to go vs your typical cantilever brakes.

As far as suspension, full, would be nice, but I'm finding they tend to be a little more expensive than a hardtail. That being said, I'm not opposed to a hardtail either. Familiarity with the ride is a good thing.

Back to the forks: It seems most of the reviews of the SR Suntour line of forks seem to suggest that they are unfavorable for the type of riding I like. Unfortunately, most of the bikes I've ever considered seem to all have sone version of SR Suntour forks. Am I misinformed about their products?

And finally, budget. I certainly don't want or expect "cheap" by any means. But any more than $700 is out of my budget. Used bikes are acceptable as long as they don't seem thrashed, so I often skim the local ads.

Thoughts? TIA!!!
Josh

Cpn_Dunsel

Maybe the Giant Talon 2 would be a good fit here and you could update the fork at a later date.

Very difficult to hit all the needs here and still be under budget. Some compromise will likely have to be made unless you stumble upon someone really underselling their used bike.

The Talon 1 does sport a better shock but is over your budget number.

Miradaman

I rented a 2020 Talon 2 last summer on a trip to Colorado. Did some pretty challenging trails with long steep ascents and fast, rocky, rooty descents. The Talon 2 was perfect for a guy like me who wants to have fun without doing anything insane — no big jumps or drops, etc. I actually liked it a lot better than the much pricier Co-Op DRT 3.2 full suspension bike I had rented for a previous trip out west. The Talon felt lighter, climbed better and I noticed no significant improvement in comfort or handling with the full suspension bike. Certainly not worth an extra $1,500 for what I used it for.

prj71

$700 doesn't get you much. And yes...Suntour forks are junk. The cheapest Rockshox fork is better than the most expensive Suntour fork.

Joshman380

First off thank you all for your suggestions. Spent a little time looking for a used Giant Talon 2..hard to find it seems. New is $650..a little too much for my budget.

Just today, I found a 2007 Giant Ranier for initially $520, but I got him down to $450. Bought it from a bike shop, so it was all tuned up and ready to go. It came with half clip, half flat pedals, and wanted full flats. Got a set from him for an extra $45.

I look forward to taking it on the trail. First impressions versus my 2014 Giant Revel are night and day. Much better forks, adjustable 100mm travel. Plus the frame is the proper size for my height, whereas the Revel has an XL frame with 26" tires. Workable but awkward for a 5'9 guy.

Bigbus

I have a Giant FS and really like it. But if I were to replace it, I wouldn't waste my money on Full Suspension again. A hard tail, for me anyway, gives me much more control when thrashing down mountains. And yes, disc front and rear are a must these days. You got you a good one there. Enjoy and Merry Xmas!

mack_turtle

$700 for a bike with a fork that will handle jumping means you need to stick to the used market. most of the new bikes in that price range come with a flimsy pogo stick of a fork. if you want a new bike that checks those boxes, you'll need to double your budget.