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Talon owners .....

684K views 3K replies 373 participants last post by  Shinscrape 
#1 ·
post up , likes and dislikes , would you recomend one to a friend or family member ? any issues ? pics would be nice too
 
#3,232 ·
I've only had my Talon 1 out a few times too and the comfort is amazing compared to my road bike as you'd expect but it's also better than an old 26" wheel Trek 3700 hardtail I have and that has bigger tire volume.

For me a hardtail meets my needs perfectly, some light trails and along a non-paved canal route and leisurely social family rides. A FS bike would be another step both in comfort and capability that I wouldn't need or could justify the additional expense but who knows, if the MTB bug bites like the road bike did then I'll be looking to upgrade within 12-18 months.

My son has a Trek Marlin 7 and the Talon 1 much nicer to ride, I could end up upgrading his Trek before I get to my Talon upgrade!
 
#3,231 ·
Due to weather, I have not had enough chance to fully explore my bike, but I have taken it on two of my regular routes. In all honesty, I could kick myself for not getting a hard tail before. In many countries ppl buy them as their do-it-all bike, especially 29r, and I can now see why. Maybe I am getting older, but the comfort even on the street is far superior to the tires of my 28mm fitness hybrid and my 32mm "gravel". I live in the city and we have a lot of uneven, cracked pavement. Rail trail - same thing. I should have not jumped on "gravel" bandwagon 2,5 years ago and should have bought Talon/Tempt/Rockhopper. It is far more suitable for the roads around where I live.
Our city is hilly and windy. The experience of going downhill on Tempt is completely different from going down on gravel bike, where sometimes I was clutching the breaks and praying for my life. Tempt is far more stable.
 
#3,246 ·
It was my first attempt of going tubeless….. standard rims but ripped off the original rim tape as I didn't know if it was up to the job or not. I used this in in 19mm diameter….. Schwalbe Tubeless Rim Tape (10M) | Chain Reaction Cycles. It wasn't cheap and I did consider using gorilla tape but as I have never done these before so I thought I ought to avoid short cuts!!!

Used these 45mm valves - LifeLine Universal Tubeless Presta Valves | Chain Reaction Cycles.

The new Aggressor went on like a dream and inflated first go, which built up a false sense of security as the used Ardent was a real pain. It had only covered about 200 miles so cleaned up to look like a new tyre but it just wouldn't seal round the bead for love nor money. It took about an hour of frantic pumping and lots of swearing before it just popped together when all hope looked lost - No idea what stopped it sealing or why it suddenly worked.

Sealant wise I used this - Muc-Off No Puncture Hassle Tyre Sealant (1L) | Chain Reaction Cycles after a recommendation from my cycling buddy, some good reviews online……. Oh….and because as it was on sale!

So far so good - I'm about 300 miles in, running them at between 25-30 PSI off. In the 200 miles prior to going tubeless I had 3 punctures on the same terrain but with slightly more pressure - so I'm guessing that this was worth the grief….. more grip and less punctures.

Photo wise, I was hoping I could post some dramatic scenery shot but instead here are a couple taken on the drive at the first opportunity without rain!

1912618


1912619
 
#4 ·
I would recommend it to anyone on a budget.

Dislikes: fork, crankset, saddle, headset, seatpost and bar/stem combination.

Likes: feel, frame, wheels, brakes.

Have changed many of the dislikes since I got it and is my favorite ride, the only item pending is the headset.



Future changes: ust tires, tubeless conversion kit.
 
#114 ·
I just bought a new star nut, and put a screw in the nut, then hammered it down. It was a pain to get started, but it wasn't too bad. I would try it yourself before paying someone. You'll love the new fork, that was a good deal on Amazon. The best I found was getting an RLT with poploc on an ebay auction for $420. I swear I'll take pics one day and post them up...
 
#226 ·
I'm a new MTB owner with a Talon 29er 0 (as of late June). I've made a few mods and have Maxxis tires on the way. Those Kenda SB8's that come with it are NOT confidence inspiring (2 crashes later). I run through a trail that has sandy sections in it, and with the midwest drought it's even sandier at times.

I'm posting some pics as suggested and included a pic of the PVC stand I build to house the bike when not in use. I weighted the stand with sand and spray painted it black. Holds all of my gear. It was a fun project.



 
#344 ·
Just an fyi to Talon owners who are looking to upgrade the stock Suntour fork, this was posted by a user in a thread I made about advice on a new fork:
SRVancouver13 said:
Hi All,

I just wanted to chime in here briefly about our product. We understand that not all bikes come with a fork that meets a riders style, terrain or expectations. SR Suntour makes forks at every level to meet a riders needs. Now I realize we are fighting a bit of a battle to get consumers to try our higher end product so we have launched a new program.

We are happy to provide a customer loyalty upgrade program that allows end users to upgrade to a fork of their choice from SR Suntour. Forks start at the Raidon level with an air cartridge, adjustable rebound and hydraulic lockout. Pricing starts at $150-$175 depending on the wheel size.

Best regards,

Nick
Could be a nice program/opportunity for people looking to upgrade...ie: me.
 
#347 ·
if you run 160mm rotors like the ones that came on it stock then most forks will allow direct bolt on. if going to bigger rotors you will need adapters from the brake company to allow for the growth in circumference. oh once you upgrade that fork you will ask yourself why in the hell you waited so long. ride a buddies bike with a plush fork and you will know in the first hard corner and chatter.
 
#373 ·
If you're on a limited budget, scour ebay and click and pink bike and you might be able to find something great at a discount. Just remember you need the steerer tube to be at least 7 3/8" long to fit. If you want a fork with a warranty that isn't used, then check out Suntour customer loyalty upgrade plan. You can get an air fork with lock and rebound damping for $175. Most bike shops will only charge around $40 for a fork install. There is a thread in the beginner's corner forum titled "so you want to upgrade your Suntour fork"... Definitely worth checking in to... The program seems to be getting great reviews.
 
#540 ·
Left chunky monkey 2.4 with the dual compound vs right 2.4 ardent exo


ardent/2.2 ikon exo/chunky monkey
you can see the dual compound well in this pic.

Finally you can see the side wall in this pic, its the ardent 2.4 casing so its the same size.


It grips quite well. I have only ridden on it a couple times but I like it just as much as the ardent if not more. I dont think it will last as long since I got the dual compound version but at half the price im more than happy with that. Weight is comprable to the ardent (give or take 10g).
 
#646 ·
2013 Giant Talon 0

I have had my new 2013 Giant Talon 0 out on 7 or 8 times so far (14-16 hours of single track). I am really digging the overall geometry and being able to run a lower tire psi is a big plus as is the lockout on the fork. I ditched the seat right away for a WTB Rocket V but otherwise running all stock for now. Coming from a Giant 26er to this bike I can really feel the forward momentum that builds up in a 29er rig. I can tell by the sections of trail that I would normally be pedaling but the larger diameter wheel just eats up the trail. The rear brake can be bit noisy at times and I don't understand why yet but overall I am all smiles on the trail and no regrets on the purchase.:thumbsup:
 

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#710 ·
Awesome, thanks for all the responses guys. I had planned on replacing the largest ring with a bashguard, as well as removing a few links from my chain. What size bashguard did you all go with?

I'm guessing removal is relatively straight forward? Am I going to have to remove the cranks? Looking at the chainring, there seems to be a plastic plate over the largest ring so I can not access the bolts..
 
#737 ·
only thing remaining is the frame... Down to 24.5 lbs.

- Stans Arch-Ex 29er wheelset (Custom blue decals)
- RockShox Recon Gold TK 100mm (Custom blue decals)
- E-Thirteen XCX crankset
- E-Thirteen blue 34t chainring
- SRAM X9 Type2 rear derailleur & shifter
- Shimano XT CS-M771 10sp Cassette (11-36t)
- Easton EC70 carbon handlebars
- Velo Attune lock-on grips
- ISM Century saddle
- 60mm Kore Durox stem
- Hope Tech Evo X2 brakes (w/braided hoses)
- Shimano RT-86 icetech rotors
- Cane Creek 3G Thudbuster LT seatpost
- Origin 8 Proform pedals
- Rocket Ron Snakeskin front tubeless tire
- Kenda SB8 rear tubeless tire




Took it on a road trip from Toronto, out to BC, then through the states back home. Pic was taken at Yellowstone Lake.
 
#836 ·
Yes, front chain rings. It happend to me the other day only on climbing, small ring up front/big in the back and there was 4" of snow. I had thought that I was collecting ice / mud, etc... Thanks for the link and I have looked at that. What I might do is diagnose and measure. I am betting that it is the chain is streched.
 
#842 ·
The hubs on this bike are garbage. I already replaced the wheels on mine and it was well worth it. Looking to do the crankset and fork eventually depending on which one wears out first. Love everything else about the bike.

I put Easton EA70s on my bike. Couldn't be happier with them. They are stiff, light, they roll forever and I got a great deal on them. Plus, I can go tubeless without and fuss whenever I choose.
 
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