Bike Build Story: The first part of our build story for our XC hardtail. The heart of our structure is the Giant XtC Advanced carbon frame, which offers a lot of variability with many clever details and plenty of tire freedom.
Like few other bikes, the Giant XTC has been at the forefront of cross-country hardtails for years. In the past, race bikes were really only suitable to a limited extent for use away from the racetrack. In the 2017 model year, Giant rethought something and took the blinkers off the XTC. Thanks to the large tire clearance and the Boost standard, the current model is not only compatible with 29″ and 27,5+, the adjustable dropouts even allow it to be set up as a single-speed bike. This versatility was one of the main reasons we chose the XTC Advanced for our build story.
At just under €1.500, the Giant XTC Advanced is an expensive investment, but it is still within the range of what other high-quality carbon hardtails cost. However, the aforementioned versatility opens up a number of options when purchasing the XTC Advanced: With a second wheel set with wide plus tires and a dropper post, the race bike quickly becomes a potent trail hardtail - it is not surprising that the bike is also available from Giant in both versions as a complete bike is.
Giant XtC Advanced: dropouts offer a lot of variability
The sliding dropouts are highly unusual in such a frame. The axle can be pushed forwards or backwards on both sides by loosening two Allen screws. This flexibility primarily enables the XTC to be set up as a puristic single-speed – if you have really fat legs and say to yourself – gear shift? I do not need it! However, this construction has one disadvantage that should not be underestimated - the additional material, the screws and the inserts in the frame weigh heavily. In any case, the XTC Advanced is no lightweight for a high-priced carbon frame: In size L, it weighs 1702g in our case – including axle, seat clamp, but without the integrated headset that is included in the scope of delivery.
The processing and equipment of the frame are appropriate for the high price. The chainstay and down tube protectors, which are made of thick rubber in both cases, are a very nice solution. The underside of the strut protection also accommodates the casing for the gear cable that runs on the outside of the rear triangle. Clear: Cables and lines run inside the main frame. This is a nightmare for many mechanics, since the installation takes a lot of time and patience, depending on the frame. To get straight to the point: Giant has done an exemplary job here and the installation went almost as quickly as with externally routed lines. The openings on the down tube and the top tube are large enough and can be easily closed with rubber plugs.
Giant XtC Advanced: Lots of accessories, clever details
In addition to the obligatory thru-axle, the aforementioned rubber plugs and the integrated headset, the lavish scope of delivery of the Giant XTC Advanced also includes foam coatings for the cables running in the frame. This costs an extra minute or two during assembly, but you are guaranteed to have peace of mind later and you don't have to worry about rattling cables inside.
The clamp for the seat post, which is located in the seat tube, is elegantly solved on the Giant: A plastic wedge is clamped against the post by tightening an Allen screw and thus holds it in place. This not only ensures a tidy look, but is also much gentler on the material than with conventional clamps due to the large contact surface - a good argument, especially with high-priced carbon supports.
In terms of geometry, Giant chooses a middle ground somewhere between tradition and modernity for its new XTC. While many other race bikes are following the general trend and are growing significantly in length, while slack steering angles are a concession to increasingly technical XC World Cup courses, the Giant remains rather compact, the steering angle is a bit slacker, but remains the same compared to the competition always quite steep. So agility is very important here.
Geometry Giant XTC Advanced
| XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| seat tube (in mm) | 350 | 390 | 440 | 490 | 520 |
| Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 555 | 575 | 595 | 615 | 640 |
| head tube (in mm) | 95 | 95 | 100 | 110 | 120 |
| chainstay (in mm) | 430 | 430 | 430 | 430 | 430 |
| Wheelbase (in mm) | 1053 | 1073 | 1088 | 1109 | 1134 |
| Steering angle (in °) | 69,5 | 69,5 | 69,5 | 69,5 | 69,5 |
| Seat angle (in °) | 73,5 | 73,5 | 73,5 | 73,5 | 73,5 |
| Reach (mm) | 383 | 403 | 416 | 433 | 455 |
| Stacks (in mm) | 580 | 580 | 585 | 594 | 604 |
In the coming days and weeks we will present the other components for the planned construction. First comes the suspension fork, then the drive, wheels, brakes, cockpit and seating area. At the end of course you can expect a test of the complete bike and all the technical data. If you have any requests or suggestions, let us know in the comments or on Facebook.