Pumping It Out – Through the Winter – More Mountain Bike Videos

http://www.thevo2sportive.co.uk/

Giant Defy 1

The Giant Defy 1 featured in February 2012 Cycling Plus – and the all-new AluxX aluminium Giant blew some big contenders (including a carbon competitor) out of the water.

“Superbly rersponsive yet fluid ride backed up with an excellent spec for the money – 4.5 stars”

See what Bike Magic have to say. – Wet or Dry?

Giant Trance x 1 2012

Giant Trance X1 – First Ride Review – BikeRadar

The 2012 Giant Trance X1 is a bike that’s more than comfortable in a surprisingly broad array of situations. While many of the latest ‘do-it-all’ machines have trickled down from big-hit design and emphasize descending prowess over climbing ability, the 5in-travel Giant feels like a true mountain bike. It’s reminiscent of the days before having a quiver of bikes for different disciplines was really an option.

Ride & handling: Top all-rounder, now with improved front end stiffness

By today’s frame trends, the Trance X1‘s 69.5° head angle is relatively steep. But somehow the Giant never felt like a wound-up catapult on descents, save one or two extremely steep drops that were luckily made but categorically beyond the intended use of a 5in-travel trail bike. On climbs, the head angle offered great steering.

The bottom bracket is high enough that you can pedal through an impressive amount of rough stuff, but low enough to offer a nice, anchored feeling through turns and on steep trail. Similarly, the 17.1in chainstays are short enough to give the bike a playful feel but long enough to keep the rear end stable at high speeds.

Read the review on bike radar for more.

Or Buy the Giant Trance X 1 online!

http://www.thebicycleacademy.org/

The Bicycle Academy is a new enterprise providing people with the skills and facilities to design and make their own bikes. Frame building will be taught by the legendary Brian Curtis as evening classes or short weekday courses. As part of the learning process each student will make a frame designed specifically for use in Africa. Once graduated students will be able to use The Bicycle Academy workshop to hone their skills and build their own frames.

They need your help. We have pledged already, now it’s your turn.

http://www.peoplefund.it/the-bicycle-academy/

Giant Trance X4 2011

The May edition of MBR Magazine features their annual 6 bike ‘Budget Bouncers’ test – and with the 2010 Trance X 4 running away with last years ’1K Wonders’ full-suspension test it was time to see how the new 2011 model compared.

“This year it’s back to defend it’s title and first impressions are that it’s better than ever.”

For the 2011 model the Trance X frame has seen some big changes – it now boasts an OverDrive tapered steerer tube for increased front end stiffness, a push fit bottom bracket for pedalling stiffness and a flat top tube like the shorter travel Anthem X. All in all it’s the same great Trance X ride but it’s now lighter, and stiffer. And the testers loved it!

“The new frame feels stiff and reassuringly solid and it’s lost none of it’s playful demeanour.”

“Like all great bikes it excels in every department: the front doesn’t wander on the climbs…and the suspension feels incredibly well-balanced while offering amazing grip front and back.”

“Best of all, though, there is nothing about this bike that interferes with your riding and you can hammer it every bit as hard and fast as your ability and fitness will let you. It makes you feel confident, cocky even…”

The verdict?

“There simply isn’t a better riding £1,300 bike than the 2011 Giant Trance X 4.”

Giant Twist Esprit

Giants’ hybrid technology made an appearance in the national press in February when the Twist Esprit Power featured in the Sunday

Times as part of Matt Rudd’s ongoing and highly amusing ‘Cycle Guy’ blog.

Rudd adopted Giants hybrid technology for one week and when comparing the Twist Esprit Power with electric bicycles of the past claimed that Giant are now doing it ‘properly’!

Rudd describes the bike as ‘simply joyous’ and how it ‘feels like magic’ to ‘glide up hills you normally wobble or walk up’

The Cyclist wins!!

Time to get on your bike and save some petrol money.