Cyclists need your input: Giant vs Raleigh

[ifiddles]

Any cyclists in the house? I need your input...hubby found a pair of Giant ATX (2021) in stock and went ahead and bought them without seeing one in person...they should be ready for pick up some time next week...we haven't ridden a bicycle in over 20 years and I've never had an expensive bike (think Supercycle from CT)...now I know that $529 isn't that expensive, however, I'm just curious from those of you that are into cycling, is it worth it to spend that on a bike?...I can't see us using them that often, but then again, who knows, maybe we will...CT is having a sale and I did find a a few Raleigh bikes that are in the $450 range...all bikes in question are aluminum frame, have Shimano shifters, gears etc...2 of the Raleighs have disc brakes, the rest are linear pull...I'm thinking a hybrid with a riser bar (one of the Raleigh bikes at CT) would be better than a mountain bike with a flat bar (the Giant)...thoughts?...input?

 

[FullMotoJacket]

Get the Giants. The Raleighs at CTC aren't a good value (or good, really). As far as a more expensive bike goes, the better the bike, the more enjoyable the ride (lighter, less rolling resistance, better shifting/braking). The more enjoyable the ride, the more likely you are to want to ride it.

 

[bitzz]

I am under the impression that most of those mid cost bikes are all made by the same Chinese company, Giant Bicycle.
So the frames were probably made in the same factory, so compare components (there is a big difference), if the components are the same, buy the cheaper one.
You don't want suspension.

 

[Fuzzbuster]

I buy mid priced giant MTb bikes. They are good bang for the buck. Only issue I had with them was the last one I bought but I think it was more the final assembly that was the issue. Crank arm was loose and dropper post had an issue. Not a huge fan of the tubeless tires either! Always have to add air and slime!

 

[ifiddles]

@bitzz are you talking about dual suspension or front forks? why not?

@Fuzzbuster how do I know if it's a tubeless tire? (other than calling the shop where he bought them)?

I'm not sold on the Giant because of 1)flat bar 2)classed as a mountain bike and I have no plans to take it onto trails 3)the parts that I was able to find listed for both bikes (the Giant and the Raleigh hybrid) are the same components and 4)I like the price of the Raleigh better ($100 less which will pay for a better seat) and 5)the Giant seat looks like a torture chamber...

 

[GreyGhost]

Buy the bike store bikes. CT used to (and probably still does) tell you to take your bike to a bike store for a once over (which costs you time and money). They have assembled the pieces but they may not be adjusted and they may have missed loose fasteners etc. Also bike store may have a selection of parts they can swap out and/or do a quick bike fit. CT will have neither of those options.

Dont judge seat comfort by looking at it. In general the less comfortable it looks, the more comfortable it is.

Don't worry about marketing terms. Put narrower tires on the mtb and it functionally becomes a hybrid.

I would be shocked if they are tubeless. They are price point bikes, I doubt that would be high on the feature list the marketing department required.

 

[backmarkerducati]

Most local bike shops (LBS) > CT (or any big box) all day long, get the Giants.

The big differences will come down to assembly and post sales support.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

Dont judge seat comfort by looking at it. In general the less comfortable it looks, the more comfortable it is.

One of the most comfortable seats I have.

 

[Dimitri]

Giants are great bikes.

Canadian Tire bikes not so much.

 

[nakkers]

Get the bike you prefer or you’ll ride the one you doubt and not be happy.

Both are decent bikes.

I’m sure the shop will be fine selling only one or cancelling the sale altogether since, demand is high.

My wife has a Specialize MTB hard tail and installed street oriented tires and bar end handles to provide different hand placement during riding.

We often ride paved trails, roads etc. And I ride single track dirt on my own.

If you find the Hybrid to be more appealing, I’d talk to your husband and let him know.

But I can tell you a MTB is perfectly fine on pavement and based on my search of the Giant ATX, the geometry looks to be relaxed and casual. The flat bar doesn’t look too aggressive.

I know some friends that got a bike they weren’t happy with and it just sits parked. So get the one you’ll ride.


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[GreyGhost]

Get the bike you prefer or you’ll ride the one you doubt and not be happy.

Both are decent bikes.

I’m sure the shop will be fine selling only one or cancelling the sale altogether since, demand is high.

My wife has a Specialize MTB hard tail and installed street oriented tires and bar end handles to provide different hand placement during riding.

We often ride paved trails, roads etc. And I ride single track dirt on my own.

If you find the Hybrid to be more appealing, I’d talk to your husband and let him know.

But I can tell you a MTB is perfectly fine on pavement and based on my search of the Giant ATX, the geometry looks to be relaxed and casual. The flat bar doesn’t look too aggressive.

I know some friends that got a bike they weren’t happy with and it just sits parked. So get the one you’ll ride.


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Giant really bailed on their weight data for this bike. "The most accurate way to determine any bike’s weight is to have your local dealer weigh it for you. Many brands strive to list the lowest possible weight, but in reality weight can vary based on size, finish, hardware and accessories. All our bikes are designed for best-in-class weight and ride quality.". At least give me a range. At this price point, I don't care about grams but if the giant is 10 lbs lighter than the raleigh, that's a big deal. From what I can find Giant ATX is ~32 lbs and the raleighs are 40 to 42 (but that may include packaging?). A lighter bike is much more enjoyable.

 

[ifiddles]

@GreyGhost agreed...I had one heck of a time finding weight information...they're all aluminum frame and aluminum components from what I can see, so they should be fairly light...

 

[JZ67]

Found ourselves in a similar spot a few years ago. We bought some bikes from Costco and it was like riding a homemade broom. We went to a proper bike store and bought $500 + bikes. There was a ton of difference. The only thing I learned from the experience, other than and obvious difference in ride quality is that it is pronounced 'Jee-Ont'.

 

[Dimitri]

At least give me a range.

Because they got tired of arguing. Like dry verses wet weights being mislabeled by automotive companies. Some bike companies were doing the same thing.

Including only the frame as the bike weight with statements such as;

Weight includes in house components, the brakes, derailleurs, tires are subject to manufacturer specifications.

Weighing the bike without tire pressure;

Weight varies depending on tire pressure.

Having quality control issues with frames all being made sightly differently, so no to bikes are the same;

Weight varies due to frame structure, paint, options, accessories and other components.

My favorite being a taller guy;

Listed weight is for size XS. Other sizes vary.

 

[Fuzzbuster]

@bitzz are you talking about dual suspension or front forks? why not?

@Fuzzbuster how do I know if it's a tubeless tire? (other than calling the shop where he bought them)?

I'm not sold on the Giant because of 1)flat bar 2)classed as a mountain bike and I have no plans to take it onto trails 3)the parts that I was able to find listed for both bikes (the Giant and the Raleigh hybrid) are the same components and 4)I like the price of the Raleigh better ($100 less which will pay for a better seat) and 5)the Giant seat looks like a torture chamber...

Take a look at the valve stem, if it’s a schrader then most likely has a tube, if it’s a presta then possibly tubeless or tube. Schrader valves are the bigger styles like on cars, motorcycle etc. Presta are skinny ones.

 

[GreyGhost]

Because they got tired of arguing. Like dry verses wet weights being mislabeled by automotive companies. Some bike companies were doing the same thing.

Including only the frame as the bike weight with statements such as;


Weighing the bike without tire pressure;


Having quality control issues with frames all being made sightly differently, so no to bikes are the same;


My favorite being a taller guy;

That's why I want a range and weight rounded to the nearest pound to give me an idea. The air in the tires, manufacturing tolerances etc would rarely change the weight in whole pounds. Ideally list a weight for the smallest bike and largest one and people will know that frames in the middle will be between those two numbers (and when measuring by whole pounds, I could see the smallest and largest bikes being almost the same weight).

 

[FullMotoJacket]

@bitzz are you talking about dual suspension or front forks? why not?

Because generic bicycles are built to a price point. 2 bikes at the same price point, one with a fork, it's going to have costs cut in other areas of the componentry to hit that mark. If you don't need the fork for your intended use, you get a better bang for the buck in better components you don't notice at a glance (like bottom brackets, hubs, headset, etc.) with the bike without it.

 

[GreyGhost]

Because generic bicycles are built to a price point. 2 bikes at the same price point, one with a fork, it's going to have costs cut in other areas of the componentry to hit that mark. If you don't need the fork for your intended use, you get a better bang for the buck in better components you don't notice at a glance like bottom brackets, hubs, headset, etc.) with the bike without it.

Agree. You are almost always better with less bling. A crappy fork adds pounds and makes the bike mushy to ride. Sadly, as the consumer has spoken it is hard to buy a rigid price-point bike these days.

I've had to recondition a few 24" bikes this year. Both had front suspension, both grip shift style, one was aluminum frame w acera x (bike shop bike), the other steel frame with tourney or below (department store bike). Blech. Steel bike was almost impossible to shift even for me. Not sure how a kid makes it work. I lubricated cables and pivots but wasnt going to replace housings on a bike I was giving away. The kid is happy with it so that's good but adults are less forgiving with an annoying bike. FWIW, both are substantially heavier than my 18 yo 29" bike.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

@GreyGhost they're all aluminum frame and aluminum components from what I can see, so they should be fairly light...

Depends. There's different grades of aluminum, different sources, and different manufacturing methods. The KB axiom comes into play. Cheap, light, strong. Pick two. At the price point you're looking at the manufacturer will likely be sourcing out cheap straight gauge tubing from some place like India with questionable certification and will spec heavier tubing to be on the safe side of failure lawsuits. It won't be any lighter than a similarly spec'd bike with a steel frame. Perhaps even heavier. Going back to the KB axiom, if you want a light and strong aluminum frame, it ain't gonna be cheap. Something made from butted individual tubes (same method Answer uses for their variable wall thickness Pro Taper handlebars) from a proven manufacturer like Easton in the USA you're looking at the same cost as 3 of the Giant or Raleigh bicycles sitting on the shop floor. Just for the frame.

 

[bitzz]

Don't get a bike with suspension because a large part of the effort that you put into the pedals goes into compressing the suspension instead of propelling you down the road.
Suspension on a bike used for down hill racing is a good idea, on any other bike it is a gimmick... a gimmick that costs effort, weighs a ton, adds cost and complexity and has NO real advantage or gain.
You legs make better shocks than anything Ohlins offers.