[Tested] Giant Full-E+ Pro LTD
Our first bike review of the year is the Giant Full-E+ Pro Ltd. The Full-E+ is a midrange emtb from Giant that is designed at the trail market and not high performance enduro riding. We have spent a few days on baord getting to know the bike and all it’s features. What is interesting now is that bike companies list ebikes at the top of their catalogue range, which shows the growing importance of this sector.
The Giant Full-E+ Pro test bike.
Specifications
The details are simple, this bike has a performance kit that will allow riders to do what ever they like but is aimed at a sensible budget. An optimal price to quality choice has been made in all cases of the parts specified. The powerful 80 nm motor is the key element here that will give riders the feeling of quality. A 500w/h battery supplies the industry standard of about 2-3 hours of ride time in turbo mode, depending on trail style and rider weight.
Sizes
S, M, L, XL
Colors
Black/Yellow/Blue
Frame - ALUXX SL-grade aluminum
Fork - Fox float 34 140mm travel
Shock - Rockshox Debon air
Handlebar - Giant Connect TR, 31.8mm
Stem - Giant Connect
Seatpost - Giant Connect, 30.9
Saddle - Giant Contact Neutral
Shifters - Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur - Shimano XT
Brakes - Shimano Deore, 203mm Disc
Brake Levers -Â Shimano Deore
Cassette - SunRace CS-MS2 11×42, 10-Speed
Crankset - Samox AONE, 38T
Wheels - Giant GE35 Disc, e-bike optimized hubs.
Tyres - Maxxis Rekon, 27.5×2.6, foldable, Double Compound, Exo protect, Tubeless
Motor - Giant SyncDrive Sport, 80Nm, Powered by Yamaha
Display - Giant RideControl Charge, grip launch control with walk assist, mini USB charger
Battery - Giant EnergyPak400, 36V, 11.3Ah, Rechargeable Lithium-Ion
Price - €3699
Weight - We’ve decided not to list the weight most Ebikes are around 22-23kilos, Giant themselves specifically don’t list the weight on their sites out of choice.
The remote is custom for Giant and very robust.
The shifting side is well laid out.
The display is centrally mounted, robust and not too big, with essential information only.
Blue lines on our test model, aesthetically a good looking bike.
Large discs and reasonable brakes mean the bike will stop when you need it too, not ideal for long descents that feature in Enduro trails.
Welcome under frame protection against rock strikes.
The Giant motor which is custom but based around a Yamaha unit.
Geometry
The Full-E+ Pro is all about trail riding, the geometry reflects this with an upright seat tube fairly mid range reach and standard head angle of 67 degrees. The comfort factor will be more than a higher performance bike. An ideal touring machine, especially for those who climb.
On The Trail
We have ridden the Giant Full-E variant bikes a fair amount over the last year and the latest 2018 version is a subtle improvement on previous years. We found trail behaviour to be docile and easy to get on with for most riders. The bike is particularly at home on flowing trails and some rocky trails. It likes the up and down nature of the ideal ebike trail.
Uphill - Its easy to negotiate turns and climbs over small rocks with out issue. The geometry balance is good enough that even unseasoned riders will be able to climb without too much stress fairly steep rough trails. The motor power prefers a 70-80 rpm cadence, which is where the torque band is at it’s most supportive. cycling through the power modes we like the top mode and the one just below, the eco modes are not our favourite way of riding ebikes. They have power so use it is our motto.
Downhill - The Full-E+ Pro is a trail bike, it is not meant for hard core enduro descents. It should be ridden within the envelope of comfort where possible. Yes is has enough suspension travel to cope with the trickier sections at speed, but flow, keep it smooth and enjoy the ride is where this bike will keep you happy. The 160mm version Giant produces is meant for more extreme conditions. Its a fairly quiet bike, no rattles and clatters, the 2.6″ tyre choice is also a good compromise of traditional tyre sizing and not bouncing. The Maxxis tyres and wheel set are made for ebike riding and the wide rims are robust enough to resist the higher system weight of the bike. The Rekon tyre choice gives a tread pattern that rolls fast and has enough grip for dry and mixed condition trail, fit a tougher tyre if you want to ride harder trails.
Conclusion
Giant have made a really well priced ebike. The performance to price ratio is high. There are few brands that can achieve this type of ratio. Normally one might have to travel a smidge over €4000 to achieve the same ride feel on other brands. This bike is meant for the rider that wants to enjoy their ride experience the route and have a bit of fun. Move to the 160mm model if you want to ride hard enduro, otherwise you have an excellent bike at a great price.
