Giant Stance E+ 0 Pro review: Great E-MTB at a fair price

Test / E-MTB: With the Giant Stance E+ 0 Pro, we tested a real mid-range E-MTB that offers a lot for its price of just under 5.500 euros. The modern frame with sporty geometry and a well thought-out package of components show that it will still be possible in 2023 to build powerful eMTBs in the mid-range price range.

At least since the pandemic years, solid mid-range eMTBs have become increasingly rare. For trail-ready bikes with a full-fledged motor and large battery without painful compromises in the components, you have to shell out 7.000 euros or more in many places today. With the new Stance E+, Giant shows that things can be done differently. Like its predecessor, the bicycle giant locates the entire model series in the middle or even lower price segment. Starting at 4.000 euros, there are a total of six models up to the top model that we tested. Even for that, “only” a fair 5.499 euros will be due.

As with its predecessor (and many other e-bikes in the portfolio), Giant divides the Stance E+ range into two sub-categories: pro and 'non-pro'. The difference here lies in the drive system: While the models with the name suffix Pro get a SyncDrive Pro2 with 85 Nm maximum torque and an 800 Wh battery, the 'non-Pro' variants have to settle for a SyncDrive Sport2 with 75 Nm and a 625 Wh content the battery. Kudos to Giant for making it easy for customers to spot this key difference in the model name instead of hiding it deep in the specs.

The frame is identical on all Giant Stance E+ models - apart from the color design. Unsurprisingly for this price range, aluminum is used, but the workmanship is consistently excellent. With 125 mm of travel at the rear, there is a little more than on the direct predecessor, and it is still 140 mm at the front. The E-MTB, which is only available with 29-inch wheels, fits into the "Trailbike" or all-rounder category. The rear end is also not based on the Maestro system for which Giant is so well known and which is used on all other E-MTB fullies in the range. Instead, this listens to the name Flex-Point, which was also used in the predecessor. There is no bearing in the rear wheel area, instead Giant uses the natural flex of the rear triangle to compensate for the movement. This saves costs and weight, and there is one less bearing that requires maintenance. However, that should also be the reason why the E-MTB has to be content with “only” 125 mm of travel.

Strong drive system with large battery

The drive system of the top model we tested has meanwhile proven itself many times over. The Giant SyncDrive Pro2 is based on the Yamaha PW-X3 motor, which is equipped with its own sensors, software, control panel and battery. Giant specifies 85 Nm as the maximum torque, and the drive ranks well at its maximum output according to our test bench measurements in the lower midfield, but the gap to popular drives such as the Bosch CX or the Brose Drive S Mag is not large. In any case, the motor has the weight of approx. 2,75 kg, which is a good 100 g less than most other mid-motors in this segment.

The 800 Wh battery is integrated in the down tube and can be removed via a flap. To do this, a screw must first be unscrewed by hand and after removing the cover, the battery can be removed by loosening another 4mm Allen screw on the side of the down tube. This works reliably and the energy storage is also firmly in the frame, but removing it takes a little longer than with many other e-MTBs. If the ample 800 Wh is not enough or if you own one of the cheaper models with 625 Wh, you can also take a look at the range extender. This contributes another 250 Wh and can be mounted on the down tube.

The drive is controlled via the Giant RideControl Dash 2-in-1. The combined unit of display and control panel is ergonomically successful, and the color display is usually easy to read. The screen could only be a bit brighter in direct sunlight, and not everything can always be seen well here.

Equipment: successful!

The Giant Stance E+ 0 Pro that we tested has consistently solid, partly high-quality equipment for its price of 5.499 euros. The scales remain at a decent 25,1 kg for frame size L and without pedals. The highlight of the components is perhaps the gears: The Shimano XT Linkglide only has eleven gears, but it still has a sufficiently wide range for the E-MTB and, compared to the regular 12-speed version, can boast of robustness, durability and better shifting behavior under load score. We were surprised by the brakes, at best we had expected cheap 4-piston versions from Shimano. 4-piston brakes from Shimano are also installed, but these come from the SLX series and are combined with large discs at the front and rear - great!

The rather low price of the bike is most noticeable when looking at the chassis. The combination of RockShox 35 Gold in the front and Deluxe Select+ in the rear is solid, but by no means high quality. Adjusting the air pressure is of course just as possible as regulating the rebound stage and rudimentary adjustments to the compression stage are also possible. The tires used deserve special praise: Maxxis Minion DHF in front and Dissector in the rear, both in the sufficiently stable Exo carcass, are an excellent choice. In particular, the DHF at the front offers a lot of grip and is also in good hands on an E-MTB with rather little spring travel.

Geometrie

The geometry of the Stance E+ 2023 makes a significant leap compared to its predecessor. The e-trail bike is significantly more modern, significantly more progressive and also significantly sportier than before. With a long main frame, long chainstays and an average slack head angle, the bike should also feel comfortable on steep trails and score points with its smooth running. The steep seat angle also places the rider centrally above the bike, which should be a plus on climbs.

The Giant Stance E+ 0 Pro on the trail

The Giant Stance E+ 0 Pro is just plain fun on the trail. Again and again you catch yourself asking why you should spend so much more money on other E-MTBs. On moderate terrain, the sporty geometry really invites you to shoot, although at high speeds a few deficits in the chassis become noticeable. The RockShox 35 Gold at the front sometimes reaches its limits when it comes to stiffness and performance, and the 125 mm travel of the rear triangle always reminds you to take a more leisurely pace. However, this is only noticeable because the bike otherwise does so many things right and encourages you to keep your finger off the brakes a little longer. For an E-MTB in this price and travel range, the Stance E+ 0 Pro cuts an excellent figure on the trail.

The bike can underline its versatility when the tires touch firm ground and comfortable pedaling is required. The extremely responsive SyncDrive Pro2 motor offered us enough power at all times, provided you adjusted the cadence. On climbs, you get the most power out of the drive when the cadence is somewhere between 80 and 90 – the system doesn’t like heavy gears that much here. The background noise is there, downhill and uphill, but not disturbing. A faint rattling can be heard here and there on the trail, but depending on the surface, this is even lost in the road noise. The motor itself has a rather high-frequency tone, but it is quieter than, for example, a Bosch CX or a Shimano EP8.

Apart from a few small things, the built-in components do not give any reason for criticism. The XT Linkglide gearshift does not change gears under load and has more than enough range and the reliable SLX brakes really bite when you want them to. The tires with a lot of grip, especially at the front, also ensure a lot of safety in all driving situations. It's incomprehensible why so many e-MTBs cut corners in this respect - it's nice that Giant does things differently. We found the fly in the ointment with the in-house dropper post, which offers a lot of lift, but is a bit stubborn in operation and cannot always be lowered completely smoothly.