{"id":55994,"date":"2023-11-02T17:00:15","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T16:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=752708"},"modified":"2023-11-02T18:46:07","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T17:46:07","slug":"new-giant-stance-promises-smoothness-of-multi-link-suspension-without-the-maintenance","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/new-giant-stance-promises-smoothness-of-multi-link-suspension-without-the-maintenance\/","title":{"rendered":"New Giant Stance promises smoothness of multi-link suspension without the maintenance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated short-travel trail bike gets 140mm fork for less \u00a32,000 <\/p>

By Nick Clark\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 02 November 2023 at 16:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Giant has released its new Stance mountain bike, now featuring increased suspension travel and more aggressive geometry.<\/p>\n

The new trail bike<\/a> continues to use Giant\u2019s Flexpoint flex-stay suspension system, which has been upped from 120mm to 125mm, with the fork increasing from 130mm to 140mm of travel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new range starts at \u00a31,999 for the Stance 2, which is available in 29in and 27.5in wheel sizes, while the Stance 1 29 is priced at \u00a32,399.<\/p>\n

Giant has yet to confirm international pricing.<\/p>\n

More travel and inherited hardware<\/h2>\n
\"Giant\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
The Stance is Giant\u2019s short-travel trail bike.<\/span><\/figcaption> Giant<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The Stance is Giant\u2019s entry-level full-suspension mountain bike platform, sitting below the Trance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new Stance is made from Giant\u2019s ALUXX aluminium, which it says offers high levels of stiffness and durability, while remaining lightweight.<\/p>\n

\"Giant\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
The rocker link has also had a redesign, making it look more sleek than the previous bike.<\/span><\/figcaption> Giant<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Its updated frame sees an increase in travel, up 5mm to 125mm, and still uses Giant\u2019s FlexPoint flex-stay suspension system.<\/p>\n

Flex-stay suspension is seen most commonly on smaller-travel cross-country bikes<\/a>, because the system requires fewer pivots, making the frame lighter and more responsive due to the extra rigidity.<\/p>\n

Giant says the FlexPoint system reduces the amount of maintenance needed, while maintaining the smoothness of multi-link suspension linkage.<\/p>\n

\"Giant\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
The addition of thru-axles should provide increased rigidity in the rear end.<\/span><\/figcaption> Giant<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The bike now features a thru-axle drop-out on the rear, which should make it compatible with the best mountain bike wheels<\/a>, should you wish to upgrade.<\/p>\n

The Stance has also inherited new cable and house ports from Maestro suspension-equipped bikes such as the Giant Reign<\/a>. These enter the frame on the down tube.<\/p>\n

\"Giant\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Mounts under the top tube enable carrying cages to be fitted to the Stance\u2019s frame.<\/span><\/figcaption> Giant<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Under the top tube, there is now a mount to secure accessories too, such as a spare inner tube<\/a>. There\u2019s also a new chainstay protector, which should keep noise from chain slap to a minimum.<\/p>\n

All bikes in the Stance range use Giant\u2019s own Crest 34 SL RCL fork, which has 34mm-wide stanchions and is said to have customised negative coil springs for dedicated small-bump support.<\/p>\n

The fork also features a dedicated mudguard<\/a> mount, which should be useful if you\u2019re riding in rainy climates.<\/p>\n

The Stance gets Giant\u2019s new Contact Switch AT dropper, which offers 30mm of tool-free travel adjustment and features a rotatable actuator, which can be flipped 180 degrees to reduce the bend on the dropper cable.<\/p>\n

Longer, slacker, better?<\/h2>\n
\"Giant\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
The new Stance features more aggressive rubber than the bike it replaces.<\/span><\/figcaption> Giant<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The geometry on the Stance has been slackened dramatically, with head angles on both the 29in and 27.5in frames reducing by 2 degrees to 65.5 degrees.<\/p>\n

A slacker head angle should make the bike feel more stable, especially on steeper trails, because the wheel will be pushed further away from the centre of the bike than a bike with a steeper head angle.<\/p>\n

The reach measurement has increased by 16mm to 470mm on a 29in size-large bike, and chainstay lengths have increased by 2mm to 440mm.<\/p>\n

<\/colgroup> \n
S <\/th>M <\/th>L<\/th>XL<\/th><\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Seat tube length <\/b> (mm)<\/td>400 <\/td>425 <\/td>450 <\/td>475 <\/td> <\/tr>
Seatpost insertion <\/b>(mm)<\/td>217<\/td>242<\/td>268<\/td>293<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube angle <\/b>(degrees)<\/td>76.50 <\/td>76.50 <\/td>76.50 <\/td>76.50 <\/td> <\/tr>
Top tube length <\/b>(mm)<\/td>563 <\/td>595 <\/td>622 <\/td>654 <\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube length <\/b>(mm)<\/td>100 <\/td>110 <\/td>120 <\/td>125 <\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube angle <\/b>(degrees) <\/td>65.50 <\/td>65.50 <\/td>65.50 <\/td>65.50 <\/td> <\/tr>
Fork rake <\/b>(mm)<\/td>44 <\/td>44 <\/td>44 <\/td>44 <\/td> <\/tr>
Trail<\/b> (mm)<\/td>124 <\/td>124 <\/td>124 <\/td>124 <\/td> <\/tr>
Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>1,164 <\/td>1,198 <\/td>1,227 <\/td>1,260 <\/td> <\/tr>
Chain stay length <\/b>(mm)<\/td>440 <\/td>440 <\/td>440 <\/td>440 <\/td> <\/tr>
Bottom bracket drop<\/b> (mm)<\/td>40 <\/td>40 <\/td>40 <\/td>40 <\/td> <\/tr>
Stack<\/b> (mm)<\/td>614 <\/td>623 <\/td>632 <\/td>636 <\/td> <\/tr>
Reach<\/b> (mm)<\/td>415 <\/td>445 <\/td>470 <\/td>500 <\/td> <\/tr>
Standover height <\/b>(mm)<\/td>735 <\/td>734 <\/td>753 <\/td>758 <\/td> <\/tr>
Handlebar width <\/b>(mm)<\/td>780 <\/td>780 <\/td>780 <\/td>780 <\/td> <\/tr>
Stem length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>40 <\/td>40 <\/td>50 <\/td>50 <\/td> <\/tr>
Crank length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>165<\/td>170<\/td>170 <\/td>170 <\/td> <\/tr> <\/tbody> <\/table>