Giant XTC 1 - 2009

chrism_scotland

Looking to purcahse a new Hardtail and I previously had a Giant XTC SE I think a 2005/2004 model, I've seen the 2009 Giant XTC1 on offer at Pauls Cycles for £850 which seems really good value, am I correct?

tredsaw

I'm in a similar quandary; I've had a look in my lbs and tried the Marin White Line (good but the frame felt a little small, L 19” and no XL 20.5” in stock – 6’3) and it is now between the Marin and the 09 offers Pauls Cycles have on the Giants the XTC Alliance 1 09 (http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p2291 ) or the aforementioned XTC1 09 - http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p2290

The Giants seem better specced bikes but I did like the Marin so will be interested as to what the much more informed have to say.

chrism_scotland

Yeah it seems a nicely specced bike and I was thinking that at its sale price its better value than the 2010 bikes at a similar price.

Northwind

Doesn't look like amazing value to me tbh. Pretty nasty rims (the worst Mavics they could choose, just so they can say "Look, Mavic wheels), nice enough drivetrain and fork... But if you look at what £850 gets you from Boardman, even at full price. Same fork, miles better wheels, X9 and X7 drivetrain, Elixir Rsinstead of Juicy 5s, it's just that step or 2 better across most of the parts.

Pudseyp

Northwind..kinda disagree on the wheel front the basic XM117's will be adequate for light XC and marathon racing which the XTC range is designed for...they can't be that bad if the guys at Orange decided to put them on the 2010 Crush which had 140mm forks and stated to be a trail bruiser...There will always be compromises on any bike..but as long as the wheel goes round and round and does it's job then that's good enough for me...

Anyway you could say the Boardman has a cheap frame compared to the Giant so it's swings and roundabouts...

Chrism and Tredsaw.....I have my Alliance 1 arriving tomorrow from Pauls so will PM you with my verdict after a quick ride...

chrism_scotland

Cheers mate, I'm going to go around some LBS tomorrow to see what I liked, I was sold on the Kona Caldera 2010 but I want to take a look at some Giant bikes and a Rockhopper to see what I think, a mate suggested to me buying an Orange are they a reccomended make? at at the £750 - £1000 price tag what would be the best HT model.

Pudseyp

Orange do make some great bikes if your prepared to pay two grand plus for the handmade bikes made in Halifax....the hardtail ranges are like most brands made in the likes of Taiwan. The P7 gets great reviews but at over a grand only has a Tora fork and basic Shimano kit

If you can get away with a small/medium frame this is a bargain:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=41725
Fox Float, X9 and FSA Carbon Cranks, XT hubs and DT Swiss Rims, Avid Juicy 7...unbelieveable spec for £899 worth more than that in parts alone...

Will let you know about the Alliance tomorrow when it arrives...but for a grand I think its a great buy...

chrism_scotland

Cheers again, I think its between a Giant, Rockhopper or the Caldera, sounds silly but I'd rather get something from my LBS. Might take a look at Alpine Bikes too they sell Trek and Gary Fisher but I don't know much about those brands and what bikes I should look at.

Northwind

Pudseyp wrote:

Northwind..kinda disagree on the wheel front the basic XM117's will be adequate for light XC and marathon racing which the XTC range is designed for...they can't be that bad if the guys at Orange decided to put them on the 2010 Crush which had 140mm forks and stated to be a trail bruiser...

Oh come on now, they're completely the wrong rims for the Crush too, Orange are constantly guilty of misspecs like that (317s on a Five Pro... Steel cassettes on Pro 2 hubs...). The only reason to use 117s is the name on the sticker so you can play speclist bingo with the easily impressed. It's like fitting an XT rear mech.

Pudseyp

well evreryone is entitled to an opinion...as long as they are built up well they should be sufficient for XC like I said..if the ones on my Giant being delivered tomorrow don't last...I will eat humble pie.

Northwind

They'll be OK, sure, but they're still a really glaringly low end bit of kit. I'd far rather have better wheels and cut a corner elsewhere. Sure, if you're going to do lightweight XC they'll be fine but the XTC's a damn nice frame and it can do a lot more than that.

Pudseyp

It arrived this morning...and boy does it look good...bars on wheel on...off to get some nice peddals soon then a brisk run around Delemere...will link a pic to my sig later..it's like Christmas !

chrism_scotland

Thanks mate glad to hear you like it, is that the XTC 1 or the Alliance?

I went in and had a shot on a few bikes today but the Kona Caldera is still the one that stands out for me, the Rockhopper was nice but nothing special, that said I haven't managed to see a Giant XTC, I'm still very tempted by the XTC1 at that price as it seem very well specced and I know how much I enjoyed my old one,.

tredsaw

Pudseyp wrote:

It arrived this morning...and boy does it look good...bars on wheel on...off to get some nice peddals soon then a brisk run around Delemere...will link a pic to my sig later..it's like Christmas !

How are you finding the bike? Had a try on a large Talon 0 but no XTC's in lbs to try. Going to be using the bike for xc + trail riding (black tracks etc).

chrism_scotland

XTC's seem to be hard to come by the the shops round me, was trying to get an idea of sizing, my old XTC was a 19" but they don't seem to come in that size anymore.

chrism_scotland

How about the 2009 Giant XTC 2- basically the same spec but with Rock Shox Recon SL Air fork and Avid Juicy 3 brakes, only £709.00 is the XTC1 worth the extra £140.00?

Just not sure how the Recon SL Air and Avid Juciy 3 brakes on the XTC2 stack up against Rockshox Reba SL Dual Air and Avid Juicy 5 brakes on the XTC1?

The Spiderman

chrism_scotland wrote:

XTC's seem to be hard to come by the the shops round me, was trying to get an idea of sizing, my old XTC was a 19" but they don't seem to come in that size anymore.

Sizing was revised a couple of years ago to S 16, M18 and large 20,which is more representative of the actual sizing.If you had 19 before you`d be fine with the 18.

Pudseyp

Well after 3 rides on the Alliance 1, my Marin Mount Vision is getting worried !!! I am over the moon with the way it looks and rides...the finish is amazing and nearly crashed as kept looking at the carbon top tube... and it is soooo quick on climbs. The only thing I have done is change the tyres to Nevegals untill Delamere drys up as the small block 8's don't like nthe gloopy mud to much..

Would highly recomened the XTC....and buying from Pauls which means you get upto 33% off so you get more kit for your money...the service from them was excellent..so I would recomend trying one for size at your LBS and getting one mail order..

Pud

chrism_scotland

Cheers mate I was thinking an 18" frame would do, I think I'm leaning toward one of the 09 Giants, Xtc 1 or 2 they seem better speed than either the Kona Caldera I had wanted or the Giant Talons range.

Pudseyp

Chris...I say do it..you won't be disapointed !!!!! For the extra £140 I would take the 1...

chrism_scotland

Cheers mate, yeah I've got it down to a 2009 Giant XTC 1 or a 2010 Kona Caldera, on paper the Giant looks better specced, but after the 11% fee for Cyclescheme from Pauls I'm looking at £943.00 for the Giant XTC 1 or £870.00 for the 2010 Caldera which seems a bit steep as the 2009 Caldera would be £610 via Cyclescheme from Pauls and I don't think theres that much spec difference between the 09 and 10,
Not sure about the RockShox Tora XC 100mm fork on the 2009 Caldera though, doesn't seem as good as the RockShox Tora SL Solo on the 2010 Model.