A week ago I had to buy a bike in a hurry after cracking my 3rd GT frame in three years. Of those three bikes the one that lasted the longest was my first one, an entry level Karakoram 3.0 trail bike. With that in mind I started looking for a new bike Since I would buy the new bike on debt I wanted it to cost as little as possible, my requirements were simple : large frame 29er with disc brakes. The Giant Revel 0 29er fit these requirements perfectly and the LBS less than a kilometre from my house had one at the right price, they retail for R6895 but I got some discount. First impression in the parking lot was positive except for the Tektro HD300 brakes. Having used Tektro Draco II brakes for more than 10,000km on my GT's I have come to expect more from Tektro, the HD300s are usable and functional but a little too soft for me. This was the only part I changed on my new bike and it was replaced with 9 month old Deore brakes from my old bike. The next day I took it off-road for the first time on the 53km Hex Valley Autumn Splendour ride. It was my 4th time on the ride so I had a good idea of what to expect from the route. The bike feels very solid on all surfaces, even in loose sand and gravel it feels surprisingly in control for an entry level trail bike. This is most likely due to the weight of the bike, with tool bag fitted it weighed in at just under 20kg. Dealing with the first climbs on the ride was very hard for me, I was used to a lightweight 6069 Aluminium "Speed Metal" GT Zaskar with Raidon X1 air shock. The Girant required plenty of effort to get it up the hills. The 9 speed Shimano drive-train could just as well have been an 8 or 7 speed because it only goes from 11t-32t. I found myself working hard in granny gear on a few climbs. A Deore 12t-36t cassette was promptly ordered after the ride. On the single track this bike is sure footed and gives you some level of confidence to take on switchbacks at acceptable speeds. The Suntour XCM travels the full 80mm as claimed but it is a chubby fork and you do feel the weight of it when manoeuvring fast turns. The stock Giant tyres offer acceptable levels of grip, more than enough for the novice or beginner riders which this bike is aimed at. The seat is comfortable and you will often find yourself having to sit down firmly on it as you pedal up lose gravel roads and the rear wheel spins without grip. At the price the Giant Revel 0 29er is a very good bike and while it is easy to complain about the heavy XCM fork it does an honest job. I took it over a fairly long section of river rocks on the North bank of Eersterivier and managed to ride the entire stretch with ease. Coming down the rocky path at Coetzenburg was also a pleasure and I did not have to use the brakes too much. If you are looking to get into mountain biking and have close to R7k to spend, this is what you want. Even if you have been riding for a few year and want a backup bike that won't break the bank I can recommend this Giant.
