GIANT XtC-850

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- From the seat downwards this bike is as sturdy and well manufactured as they come. This is a full blown Cross Country Bicycle,able to withstand all the hard knocks you can throw at it. Cross Country Attributes and Faults ------------------------------------ There is no better bike in its weight class that can perform so well and effortlessly as this machine. Its Tyres are made by Michelin and are of the soft knobbly rubber type,giving excellant grip on gravel,dirt or any loose terrain. The Gearing as you would expect is made by Shimano and ...  Read the complete review

I'm impressed - Advantages: Brakes - Disadvantages: Suspension

Giant are one of the biggest manufacturers if bikes in the world, producing a range of machines from kids bikes to mountain bikes and ranging in price from £200 to £4,000. The XtC series has been designed for cross-country use and comes in either front-suspension or full-suspension flavours. The XtC 850 on review here is a mid-range front-suspension (commonly known as a hard-tail) model. A quick run-through of the specifications reveals a none-too-shabby set of components for a bike costing £600. Frame: Oversized compact AluxX 6061 frame, 1600g Oversized but compact? Surely a contradiction of terms... not quite. Oversized refers to the tubes from ...  Read the complete review