KEYSTONE, CO (BRAIN)—Giant Bicycles emphasized weight and rigidity in its 2010 line of full suspension mountain bikes, which includes three new long-travel aluminum frame sets and two new short-travel carbon fiber bikes.
Giant showed the new product to about two-dozen international and domestic editors this week in Keystone, Colorado. The media event was in advance of Giant’s Link event next week where 400 retailers are expected to gather in Keystone to see and ride new product.
The new bikes all use Giant’s proprietary Maestro suspension technology, which it developed in 2005 to replace NRS.
On the long travel side, Giant re-introduced the Faith 7-inch travel freeride bike after taking the bike out of the line two years after its introduction in 2005.
“We had so many consumers e-mail us, call us and contact us saying, ‘Why’d you get rid of a dedicated freeride bike? Why’d you make Faith go away?’ So it’s been a long time coming,” said Kevin Dana, Giant’s global category manager for mountain bike.
The new Faith weights in at 36.8 pounds—21 percent lighter than the original version. It’s also 7 percent stiffer than the 2005 model.
Giant also redesigned the frames for its Reign X all-mountain bike and the Glory competition DH bike, shaving significant weight on both models.
Another highlight for 2010 is Giant’s greater emphasis on composites with new carbon fiber versions of the Anthem X cross-country bike (pictured) and the Trance X trail bike.
The 4-inch travel Anthem X Advanced SL weighs 21.8 pounds, 8.7 percent lighter than the 2009 aluminum version, and the 5-inch travel Trance X Advanced SL, at 24.5 pounds, is 15.1 percent lighter than its previous model.
The carbon fiber models are made at Giant’s C-Tech composite facility in Taiwan where Giant controls the entire process from start to finish, including weaving the composite sheet and blending its own resin.
“These are things that no other bicycle manufacturer in the world can lay claim to,” Dana said.
For specifics on Giant’s complete 2010 line, be sure to read the September issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
—Nicole Formosa
