BROOKLINEBIKER

I'm looking closely at buying a new Giant Fast Road E (2022) for year-round daily, all-weather (rain, snow, sleet) commuting. See https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/fa...eplus-ex-28mph. What do people think? Is this a reliable, robust bike? How many years should I expect motor and battery to last?

veganbikes

Yamaha isn't bad but I don't think their customer service is totally up to snuff. Like I said previously and will continue saying go with something with Bosch, Brose or Shimano as they have good service in the U.S. Bosch probably being the absolute best.

The bike itself looks like a bike that is reasonably costlier than the parts on it but they aren't the absolutely worst parts so it would be a functional bike. Reliable and robust probably not but not complete crap.

fooferdoggie 

yes you can get a trek Allant 8 for about that with a bigger battery and better components.

BROOKLINEBIKER

Thanks for the replies. I ask that people focus their replies on the individual merits of the Giant

FYI: I have tried out the Trek Allant and the Giant performed better.

veganbikes

So basically you want us to shower praise on Giant to confirm your decision. Not really going to happen. if you want someone to say Giant is the best you might want to go to a Giant dealer. if you want honest opinions on the bike we will give them to you but you have to be willing to accept them.

Giant makes mediocre bikes. It is just the nature of what they do. They are the largest manufacturer so it is more about volume than quality these days. Like I said not terrible parts but nothing worth that amount of money.

$500 less with better brakes. better quality tires and a better seatpost (round and easily replaced):
https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-us/g...blue&frame=mid

$300 less with bigger battery, larger rear rotor and 11 speed parts:
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/tu...=348393-206161

There are other great options out there but just wanted to give a couple different options.

2old

Giant's bikes are premium IMO (which might be why some OEM's have theirs made by Giant), and I love my 2022 Stance . The "FRE" hasn't been mentioned here AIR, but there are a couple of YouTube reports. If you've ridden it and like the fit/performance, you should be happy with it. Some may question the Yamaha motor, but the one on my 2017 Haibike has been solid..

BROOKLINEBIKER

Thanks everyone!

veganbikes

Tiagra and Deore are not quite premium components they aren't the worst components but not premium. OEMs do use Giant factories again they are the biggest manufacturer wouldn't be terrible to build there if they know what they are doing. Giant can make a higher end bike if they so choose but in the end the are more volume than higher ends of quality. The Stance looks like a solid full suspension bike, don't love press fit but that isn't a Giant thing. Overall it could be quite fun on the trails but again not premium just solid entry level stuff which is perfectly fine. Heck the price point isn't terrible on it either but premium would be something carbon with XTR or XX1, Fox Factory or high end Rockshox or something similar and probably a non-single pivot (though not always).

Yamaha is not a terrible motor but their support could be better. The Haibike I rode years ago was fun to ride and the motor didn't feel bad but having to deal with Yamaha recently for some customers it was rather less than helpful.

2old

I always appreciate Mr VB's courteous replies, but he's carbon fiber/XTR and I'm aluminum or steel/Deore. Also, he's a bit disingenuous since he frequently bashes what his shop doesn't sell (AFAICT), like Trek and Giant.

veganbikes

I am actually not carbon fiber, I am titanium and steel and XT but calling low to middle level groups and parts, premium is disingenuous. The reason I mentioned Carbon Fiber and XTR is because it is premium.

Yes I don't like Trek and Giant but I was actually a Giant dealer for a long while and I have knocked brands I sell. The reason I tend to go after Trek is their pricing is high for what you get and their logos have grown larger, you can get a better deal on other bikes with similar specs. I did enjoy the ride on the Allant and wouldn't oppose owning one at the right price and I had a vintage 520 and liked the 520 until they moved to aluminum fork. I am a realist, Specialized which I sell makes a ton of bikes that don't make sense (zertz???)and are a little overpriced and their current business practices are the worst and they lied to us and have made some angry customers.

I mean realistically $200 more for a Trek with a worse motor and no frame lock just because it says Trek on it is just silly. If Trek wasn't doing that sort of stuff, they would be a much better option sure the iso speed decouplers are stupid but Specialized did similar things with the Zertz back in the day companies love this sort of stuff.

2old

Since you mentioned XTR & Carbon, it made sense that you associate with them, and I didn't mention anything about XT, so your characterization of me as disingenuous is ridiculous. Also, I may have missed it, but have never read about your dissatisfaction with Specialized until now. Anyone can nitpick about a given part on some specific product and say that it makes the whole unit unworthy. Looks like you have nothing to offer but criticism.

veganbikes

You did at the very least allude to Tiagra and Deore as premium components that is why I threw the disingenuous comment back at you. I said I was XT and Steel and Titanium. I don't really care for carbon and XTR is fine but XT is I think better for the price.

Oh you have missed a lot I talk about dissatisfaction with Specialized especially these days. Also yes you can nitpick a part on a product but in some cases if that part is on a bike it can make the bike less than worthy. In some cases it doesn't but for what we are talking here criticism makes some sense. Not all criticism but expensive bikes with cheaper parts warrants some criticism.