The offside seatstay gets a reinforcing plate to combat disc brake torque and Giant have removed the redundant V-brake mounts from the original STP frame. A massive machined chainstay yoke tucks the rear wheel right in while sneaking the rectangular to round chainstays between the fat tyre and chainset. The top tube also splays into a broad triangulated stub for the wishbone-style rear stays, with the seat tube penetrating through it for a super strong joint.

The hydroformed down tube includes a long moulded throat gusset for extra reinforcement. The inset headset head tube is ring-reinforced to prevent it from getting distorted if you insist on pulling nose landing drops on a regular basis and the Giant logo is moulded into the front for a subtle look. Giant are one of the world’s biggest and most advanced alloy frame producers and they haven’t skimped on the plumbing quality of the STP. Giant’s standout stp is an agile yet surefooted trail bomb: giant’s standout stp is an agile yet surefooted trail bomb Steve Behrįrame: Top quality, stable yet agile frameset The tight frame and bolt-through fork keep line choice crisp and precise too, although again, the hyperactive steering means it’s always a radical rather than restful ride. The rest of the frame, stiff cranks and the Maxxis Holy Roller tyres, along with a light complete weight for such a burly bike, maximise the power-to-speed translation so you’re never short of acceleration or momentum. The super-short rear end snaps round very quickly on the ground or in the air and power delivery is immediate. The forward weight distribution and instant handling can make the front wheel turn inside the natural corner line and tuck under the frame, and this jack-knifing effect makes novices nervous.īut once you’ve bitten the dust a couple of times as a result of this, you’ll be more aware of the STP’s limits, and the generously long top tube does keep it feeling stable and surefooted even when you’re sliding through a gravel turn. The super-short stem and low bar let you spin and stir the front wheel around for the tightest line or slide correction in any situation.

The STP is a cracking example of that with an immediate, agile and reflex reactive ride that grabs you and shakes you awake straight away. Despite being a massive global brand, Giant have a reputation for getting their specialist bikes bang on – often with a radical edge that you might not have expected such a big company to take a chance on.

Giant stp 1