Nick reviews the Giant Stance 29

The Giant Stance sits as the entry-level dual suspension trail bike in the Taiwanese brand’s lineup, and with a price tag just under $3K AUD, it’s a popular option for beginners who are looking for a well-priced, do-it-all trail bike. For 2025 Giant has revised the Stance 29, boasting the same excellent value, along with some worthy refinements across the board bringing it more in line with the popular Trance and Trance X range.

Last time we reviewed the Stance in 2021 we were pleasantly surprised with the overall package, although some details left room for improvement. To see how the latest updates shake out on the trail, we got our hands on the 2025 Giant Stance 29 and have been putting it to the test over the last few months.

Watch our Giant Stance 29 review here:

An overview of the Giant Stance 29

While at first glance the Giant Stance 29 appears the same as its predecessor, the frame is actually all-new for 2025, with refinements throughout to improve capability and frame stiffness. The Stance 29 now comes stock with a 140mm fork, a 10mm increase from previous generations. To balance things out, rear travel has also increased from 120mm to 125mm, though it still features the same FlexPoint suspension design as years past.

Most notably, the rear swingarm of the 2025 Stance 29 now sees a Boost 148x12mm thru-axle, doing away with the flimsy quick-release system. While this may not seem that much of a big deal, the Boost axle standard is by far the most common across the industry and delivers a stiffer and stronger wheel-to-swingarm interface. This is paired with a matching Boost 15mm axle on the fork, improving the overall stiffness of the chassis. Removing and installing the rear wheel is just as easy, and ensures the brake disc is in exactly the right spot every time to avoid brake drag caused by misaligned wheels.

The frame is only available in aluminium, and sports internal cable routing up at the headtube for a clean aesthetic. There is plenty of room within the front triangle for large-sized water bottles, and Giant has even included additional mounts on the underside of the top tube for mounting accessories. Other frame details include a threaded bottom bracket, a tapered head-tube with a sealed bearing integrated headset, along with generous frame protection on the chainstay to prevent chain slap.

Geometry & sizing

Along with the more obvious changes to the frame, the geometry of the Stance 29 has been completely revised, bringing it more in line with modern geometry trends. The Stance 29 rolls on a pair of 29in wheels, with no flip-chips to accommodate further geometry adjustments or mixed wheel compatibility, which are features seen on the burlier Trance and Trance X models.

Sizing ranges from S to XL, with reach numbers ranging from 415 to 500mm. Compared to the previous iteration, the head angle has been slackened by a whopping 2° from 67.5° down to 65.5°, and the reach numbers have grown by 9 to 29mm depending on the size. All four sizes share the same 440mm chainstays, only a 2mm increase from the previous iteration.

Overall the numbers are within a millimetre here and there of the Trance 29, and should lead to the Stance 29 being a more well-rounded trail bike that is confident and stable on burlier terrain compared to its predecessor.

Giant Stance 29 price & specs

In for testing we have had the Stance 29, which is the only model available in the Stance lineup within Australia, which retails for a very reasonable $2,999 AUD. It sports a sturdy aluminium frame, and is fitted with a well-considered component package including Giant’s in-house TRA Alloy wheels and a Shimano Cues 1×10 drivetrain. Braking is taken care of by a pair of Shimano MT420 4-piston Hydraulic brakes, combined with 180mm rotors. Contact points are all in-house Giant offerings, including the brand’s own Contact Switch AT dropper mentioned earlier, with a drop length of 140-200mm, depending on the frame size. It’s worth noting that the Stance didn’t have a dropper post when we reviewed it last in 2020, which is a huge improvement and a must-have for any mountain bike tackling anything more than mellow XC trails.

Giant has taken things into its own hands when it comes to the fork, with the brand fitting its own STL 34 RCL 140mm travel fork. The STL 34 RCL is sprung via an air chamber, and features rebound adjustment and a compression dial with 5 clicks of adjustability between open and firm. This is paired with a Suntour Raidon R air shock in the rear to control the 125mm of rear suspension, which has a single rebound dial and no compression adjustability.

2025 Giant Stance 29

• Frame | ​​ALUXX-grade Aluminum Frame, FlexPoint Suspension Design, 125mm Travel, 12x148mm thru-axle
• Fork | Giant STL 34 RCL, 140mm Travel, Boost 15×110
• Shock | Suntour Raidon R, 190x45mm
• Wheels | Giant TRA 29in Alloy, Tubeless Ready, 30mm Inner Width, Giant Boost Sealed Bearing Hubs, Sapim Race Spokes
• Tyres | Maxxis Minion DHF 29×2.5in WT EXO TR Front, Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4in WT EXO TR Rear
• Drivetrain | Shimano Cues U6000 1×10, 30t Chainring, 11-48t Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano BR-MT420 4-piston Hydraulic, Shimano RT-26 180mm Rotors
• Bar | Giant Contact Trail, 690×31.8mm
• Stem | Giant Contact, 50mm
• Seat Post | Giant Contact Switch AT Dropper, 140mm (Size S), 170mm (Size M), 200mm (Sizes L & XL)
• Saddle | Giant Romero
• Confirmed Weight | 15.24kg (Size XL)
• RRP | $2,999 AUD

Sizing & fit

At 188cm tall, I’ve been riding a XL size Stance 29 that Giant recommends for my height, which sports a 500mm reach and 636mm stack height. When in the seated position, the 75.5° seat tube and 50mm stem provide a comfortable and spacious cockpit. However the 690mm handlebars gave me flashbacks to pin-balling down fireroads on an XC hardtail over a decade ago, and really have no place on what is otherwise a rather capable trail bike in 2025.

It’s excellent to see Giant speccing full-length droppers even on its entry-level bikes, with a 200mm Giant Contact Switch AT being fitted to size L and XL bikes, with 170mm and 140mm posts being fitted on sizes M and S, respectively. All of the posts are internally adjustable, allowing riders to fine-tune the amount of drop the post has if the seat is too high at maximum insertion. The Shimano brake levers are relatively long, which benefits less experienced riders who might prefer using two fingers for braking. However, they can still be easily adjusted closer to the handlebar for one-finger braking.

Although both the rims and tyres are tubeless compatible, the Stance 29 comes with inner tubes installed. For newcomers to mountain biking, a tubed setup is definitely less of a hassle—it eliminates the need for dealing with messy sealant and reduces the frequency of tyre inflation. We did however set the Stance 29 up as tubeless, and ran the Maxxis tyres to 22psi in the front and 26psi in the rear. There are a whole host of benefits to running tyres tubeless including increased puncture protection and being able to run lower pressures for increased traction. If you’re curious, head over to our handy Tubeless Guide which covers all of the details.

Suspension setup

There is little information on Giant’s website as to recommended suspension settings for the Stance 29, leaving riders on their own to figure out the puzzle. However, baseline settings are provided on the back of the leg of the STL 34 RCL fork, which will work well for the majority of riders.

The initial setup of the rear shock is made a little tricky by the lack of any indicators or o-rings to set the shock sag. While we don’t recommend this as a permanent fix, a loosely secured cable tie around the shaft of the shock can serve the same purpose, and in this case, did the trick just fine.

Thanks to the alloy flex-stays, the rear end feels very lively and springy, however this did mean running the rebound dial to just a few clicks from the slowest setting; any faster, and I found myself bouncing all over the place.

After making a few adjustments, I settled on the following settings, with all clicks measured from the fully closed position;

Fork

• Pressure | 72 psi
• Compression | 0/5 clicks
• Rebound | 21/28 clicks

Shock

• Pressure | 200psi
• Rebound | 2/15 clicks

Giant Stance 29 weight

On the scales, our XL sized test bike weighed in at 15.24kg, which as usual is set up tubeless and without pedals. This is no featherweight, but certainly not a heavyweight either, and on the trail the Stance 29 rode lighter than the scales would suggest. In comparison, bikes that fall into a similar category include the Polygon Siskiu T9 or the Norco Fluid FS A1 which weighed in at 15.92kg and 15.38kg respectively, and both of which have higher price tags.

What do we dig about the Giant Stance 29?

The first characteristic that stood out on the trail was how efficiently the Stance 29 climbed. While the 15.24kg weight and burly Maxxis tyres might suggest otherwise, the Stance happily meanders up the climbs and maintains speed with ease. The lack of lockout or compression adjustability does mean there is a small amount of bob in the rear suspension when pedalling, however nothing excessive that would warrant racing out to upgrade the shock.

On the descents, the Stance 29 was surprisingly capable, and the increase in travel and frame stiffness has done wonders for the overall confidence of the ride. It was equally as happy riding machine-built flow trails as it was riding hand-cut singletrack, and would happily get airborne when asked to do so.

The full suite of geometry changes has injected a whole new level of capability into the Stance 29, which brings it more in line with modern geometry figures. The 440mm rear centre length is plenty playful, and the Stance changes direction quickly and predictably. The most notable change is the slackening of the head angle to 65.5°, and when paired with the 500mm reach, the Stance is stable at speed and confidently tackles terrain that would have made its predecessor nervous.

The Boost thru-axle both front and rear is a welcome addition, and there was no notable flex which often plagued the older quick-release axle systems. This also makes it significantly easier to remove and install wheels, and ensures correct alignment of the wheels and brakes.

What does it struggle with?

While the overall package of the Stance 29 is quite refined, there were a few standout parts or characteristics that we noticed that left a little room for improvement. The Suntour Raidon R shock does an admirable job of absorbing the hits, but has no compression adjustability. Along with the light compression tune, the little shock lacks mid-stroke support, and eagerly blew through a fair portion of the precious 125mm of rear travel. And as I noted earlier, with the flex-stay rear suspension being very active and lively, I ran the rebound setting almost all the way closed, leaving little room for fine-tuning.

On technical singletrack, the high front end and narrow bars made it tough to properly load the front tyre. Not only did it feel less stable overall, but I also had difficulty navigating sharper corners.

To address this, I switched to a 780mm wide handlebar and a shorter 40mm stem. This increased the front-end footprint, improving stability, and also lowered my chest closer to the stem, which extended the reach and lowered my centre of gravity. It may not seem like a major change, but the extra width completely transformed the Stance 29’s handling.

Component highs & lows

Dropper posts have been a point of many frustrations over the years, with cheaper alternatives deteriorating rather quickly. Thankfully, Giant’s own Contact Switch AT post has performed flawlessly throughout the test, and its 200mm drop length is a welcome addition to the Stance 29. We did not experience any excessive side-to-side or fore-aft play, and the return action is fast and smooth. Previous generations of the Stance 29 didn’t come with a dropper post at all, so this is a very welcome addition to the build package.

There isn’t much that needs to be said about the iconic Maxxis Minion DHF, but with the Maxxis range being so broad, in recent years it has been overshadowed by newer tread patterns. The Minion DHF however remains as an excellent front tyre, that delivers exceptional grip in all types of terrain. When we last tested the Stance it came with the older generation of the Maxxis Forekaster tyres, and while they are an excellent trail bike tyre, can limit the capabilities and front end traction.

Downgrading the drivetrain from the 1×12 Shimano Deore on the previous generation to the 1×10 Shimano Cues seen on the 2025 model can only have been an effort to maintain the price point of the Stance. The Cues drivetrain however has delivered smooth shifting and plenty of range. There are some fairly large jumps in gear ratios between cogs, although this never bothered me on the trail. We haven’t noticed any durability issues through the test period, and if the older generation 10-speed drivetrains are anything to go by, this will be bulletproof.

The component choice that baffled us throughout the test was the 690mm wide Contact Trail handlebars. Funnily enough, we had the exact same gripe with the Stance when we reviewed it back in 2020, with the same 690mm bar being far too narrow for the terrain it is intended for. It’s a shame Giant hasn’t jumped onto this, as the narrow bars make the ride out of the box rather nervous and challenging to ride on singletrack. We can see them being suitable for riders who will stick to rail trails and fire roads however, although it’s easier to start with a wider bar and trim it to the desired width. Thankfully it’s an easy and relatively inexpensive swap, and boosting the handlebar width has a drastic impact to the overall handling of the Stance 29.

Flow’s Verdict

For an entry-level dual-suspension bike, the Stance 29 represents excellent value for money, has a solid build package and is a blast to ride. There is no reason why entry-level bikes should have outdated geometry, and we are pleased to see Giant bringing the Stance 29 in line with current trends. These changes have significantly increased capability and confidence on the trail, making the Stance an even better choice for beginners looking for their first dual-suspension bike.

It’s not all sunshine and roses, however, and it is frustrating to see the brand continually using handlebars that are far too narrow for the bike’s intended use. Increasing the width of the bars would have negligible cost implications from the factory, but instead, buyers need to purchase a wider bar separately, adding to the total investment.

With the handlebars sorted, however, the Stance 29 covers terrain efficiently and confidently and proves that you don’t need to have a bike that is worth a small car to have fun on the trails.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER - Nick Martin

Hometown

Bright, Vic

Height

188cm

Weight80kg