The Giant Talon line of bikes are known to be agile, versatile, and well built, and the Talon 4 lives up to this name and the expectations that go with it. Our expert team has found it to be a playful and nimble ride, and its cornering ability, versatility and strong and precise braking make it a top contender for anyone looking for a mountain bike in the entry level to moderate price range.
Bike Specs
Frame
ALUXX-Grade Aluminum
Suspension
SR Suntour XCE with 80mm of travel (for 27.5 inch wheels) and 100mm of travel (for 29 inch wheels)
Brakes
TKB-172 mechanical in front and rear, with RS360A mechanical levers.
Drivetrain
microSHIFT SL-M718 1×8
Tires
Kenda Booster 27.5×2.2″ or 29×2.2″ with wire beads
Bike weight
Approximately 30.75 lbs (on a medium frame)
Handling and overall bike impression
The Giant Talon 4’s handling is surprisingly nimble and capable for a bike in its price range.
Climbing
While climbing, the bike tracks the trail well and maintains good traction on both the front and rear wheels, with help from the Kenda Booster tires.
The bike is lightweight with its ALUXX aluminum frame hardtail design, and the light weight of the bike makes your climbs easier.
The microSHIFT drivetrain helps to keep your downshifting smooth and efficient, and will allow you to find the correct gear easily and efficiently – and more importantly, keep your momentum going.
Descending
The bike shines when you start your descent. It has an agile and nimble feel, even more so with the 27.5 inch version, and inspires confidence while carrying speed through tight turns.
The Talon 4 feels controlled and balanced, and the brakes have enough power and precision to give you the control and peace of mind you need to really let loose and have fun. The precision of the bike on tight turns makes it feel like a bike that could be double the price.
One area the bike does not shine as much is when the trail gets rough.
While the SR Suntour XCE fork does an okay job of damping relatively small bumps in the trail at moderate speeds, you will definitely feel the larger more pronounced obstacles like bigger rocks and roots you encounter on the trail. This makes the Talon 4 a bike you will want to steer around obstacles instead of riding right over them.
The 29 inch version of the bike, because of its larger wheels, handles a bit better over rough trails and obstacles compared to the model with 27.5 inch wheels.
Jumps and drops
Jumps
This hardtail is a decent bike to get into hitting jumps on. While you probably won’t want to be getting huge air on this bike, you can count on it to perform adequately on relatively small, well-built jumps.
The geometry of the frame, as well as the bike being a hardtail give it a sturdy feeling into the face of a jump, and while the fork is definitely a weak spot on this bike, it will still do an adequate job on landings if there is a landing ramp allowing you to transition back to the ground smoothly.
Landing on flat terrain can be rough on the Talon 4, and with the lower end suspension fork its probably not advisable if you’re getting a lot of air.
Drops
On drops the bike is a solid performer too. The modern geometry allows your body to get into a confidence inspiring position coming into drops, and the traction of the tires and the breaks help you to quickly regain control when you land.
Cross country
The bike shines in a cross country setting. With its relatively light weight the bike does a good job on all around trails that involve some climbing and some descending with lots of flats in between.
It shifts through the gears efficiently, keeping your momentum going, and allows you to exit corners nearly as fast as you went into them with its smooth handling.
If the cross country trails you are riding have a lot of large rocks and roots, you will need to be good at picking your lines on this bike because the suspension does leave something to be desired, but this can be a benefit if you’re early on in your mountain biking journey because it will teach you to pick smooth lines and help you to build up that useful skill for the future.
Looks
While most of our focus is on how the bike actually handles, it definitely looks the part too with its modern geometry, large tires and sleek black and grey color scheme, which give it the look of a stylish and capable hardtail that is ready to rip.
What we like about the Talon 4:
Pros:
- Cornering ability
- Braking power and precision
- Versatility
- Light weight
The Giant Talon line of bikes is known for their solid handling and cornering ability, and the Talon 4 lives up to that reputation. The feel the bike has while it easily speeds through corners makes you feel like you’re getting a lot of bike for your money.
The added confidence you get from this hardtail’s powerful, precise TKB-172 brakes is another thing we really enjoy about it. The bike’s braking ability gives you the peace of mind to pick up some serious speed and have a lot of fun.
The bike is also quite versatile, and will have no problem handling a wide variety of trails. You may not be setting any speed records on really rough trails, but the bike can competently handle many situations you might throw at it.
The bike climbs well too, partly due to its design, geometry, and Kenda Booster tire setup, and is definitely made more efficient by its light weight ALUXX aluminum frame.
What we don’t like about the Talon 4
Cons:
- Suspension
- No dropper post
The things we don’t like about this bike don’t make for a long list.
The weakest point of the bike (like many bikes in its price range) is the suspension. The SR Suntour XCE front fork, while serviceable, is not the most plush or responsive suspension fork out there. It can make the ride bumpy if you are on a trail with a lot of big obstacles and don’t pick your line precisely.
Another feature that would be nice to have that the bike doesn’t is a dropper seatpost, which would allow you to raise or lower your seat as needed while riding. This is a preference of ours, but dropper seatposts don’t usually come standard on bikes in this price range so we can’t be too disappointed.
Frequently asked questions
The 2022 model has 8 speeds (1×8).
Yes, Giant is definitely a solid, well respected mountain bike brand. They make some of the best bikes in the industry at a variety of price points, and their prices are competitive.
Yes, the Giant Talon 4 can be used on the road. It’s a great option for those who want to commute in addition to using it out on the trails. Just keep in mind road use will tend to wear your tires down faster.
Yes, you can take the Talon 4 off jumps. The bike is designed for cross country and trail riding, and it can handle smaller jumps and drops without much issue. On larger jumps you are going to want to make sure there is a downslope to land on, as getting bigger air to a flat transition on this bike will make for a hard landing.
Mountain bike review criteria
When reviewing mountain bikes, these are the things we look for:
- Frame quality
- Component quality
- Bike weight
- Bike style and aesthetic appeal
For a detailed breakdown of how we assess each of these criteria, see How We Review Mountain Bikes.
Conclusion
The Giant Talon 4 is a fun, capable and versatile bike and is a terrific option for anyone looking for a mountain bike in this price range.
The 27.5 inch version is a bit more maneuverable compared to the 29 inch model, while the 29 inch model will do a better job smoothing out impacts from the trail. The bike’s suspension is serviceable and adequate for an MTB in this range.
Both the 27.5 and 29 inch models will give you great cornering ability and braking, and will allow you to have a lot of fun on a wide variety of trails. Overall they are a good choice for someone just getting into the sport or more experienced riders who don’t need the advanced capabilities of more expensive models.