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Giant Talon

What is the Giant Talon?

Giant made the Talon mountain bike range for suburban bike paths, rail trails, light dirt/gravel tracks and light off-road riding.

Each Talon comes in different frame sizes.

This means, the range suits everyone from pre-teens (XS and S frame sizes), teens and adults.

There are 4 Talon mountain bikes to choose from.

The range starts with the Talon 4 and tops out at the Talon 1.

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Frame size & Wheel size

Giant has changed things up a little for MY25 at least. As of writing this:

Only the Talon 4 and Talon 3 comes in 2 wheel sizes - 27.5” and 29”. And 5 frame sizes - XS, S, M, L and XL.

XS and S frame sizes come with 27.5-inch wheels.

  • This is a great option for pre-teenage riders who are upgrading from their smaller (or much smaller!) mountain bike.
  • The smaller size 27.5” wheels makes the Talon “feel” lighter and more nimble - more manageable for smaller riders.

SM, MD, LG and XL frame sizes come with 29-inch wheels.

Note how there’s an overlap with the “S” frame size - it comes in both wheel options.

The Talon 2 and 1 are only available in 29-inch wheels and S, M, L and XL frame sizes.

  • 29-inch wheels are better for adults and taller teenage riders because it’s way more ergonomic.
  • The front of the Talon is “taller” which means tall riders aren’t hunched over like they’re riding a circus bike.

The Talon Models

Riders have 4 model options.

The entry-point is the Talon 4. The best is the Talon 1.

And the difference between them?

  • Gears
  • Suspension
  • Brakes

PS: the frame is the same between all Talon models.

Giant Talon 4

The Talon 4 will suit riders who are spending most of their riding time on gentle terrain.

This includes suburban bike paths, rail trails and easy off-road singletrack and 4WD tracks.

The 2025 Talon 4 is available from an XS frame size and in both 27.5 and 29 wheel options.

The Talon 4 features:

  • Front suspension (no lockout).
  • Robust microSHIFT Acolyte gears.
  • Mechanical disc brakes.

Giant Talon 3

The Talon 3 has the same suspension as the Talon 4, but gets the following upgrades:

  • Hydraulic disc brakes. Not only is there less maintenance, the stopping power and control improves (a lot)
  • Shimano 16-speed gears (2 front and 8 back).

Hydraulic disc brakes are particularly beneficial for young riders with small hands.

We can adjust the brake levers closer to the handlebar without affecting brake power much.

And they don't need a lot of hand effort to slow down.

Like the Talon 4, the 2025 Talon 3 also comes in a broad range of frame and wheel sizes.

Giant Talon 2

The Talon 2 is a slightly more capable model for off-road use.

The parts on the Talon 2 are more robust for riders who plan to be more adventurous.

1 gear = less maintenance and simpler (there's less components).

  • Super robust microSHIFT Advent gears.
  • Bigger suspension with 32mm tubes (instead of 28mm).
  • Better chain, cassette, derailleur and shifter.

Giant Talon 1

The Talon 1 is the best in the range.

This model features a couple of upgrades over the Talon 2 that will appeal to riders who are going to spending time on mountain bike trails.

  • New Shimano CUES 10-speed gears (1 front and 10 back) is the best 10-speed gearing system Shimano has made.
  • There's an easier climbing gear for steep inclines (48 vs. 46-tooth).
  • Dropper seat post delivers much more control (and confidence) descending down trails.
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