Test Giant STP 20: The children's mountain bike from the world's largest bike manufacturer impresses with its solid frame and long service life. In view of the wide tires, the inexpensive bike is of course rather heavy.
The largest bicycle manufacturer in the world has an extremely wide range, which naturally also includes children's bikes. However, Giant sees the genre as more sporty and only offers mountain bikes, including a 26-inch fully and even two e-bikes.
Models like the STP 20 have been on the market for around eight years and have now become widely accepted. With a rigid fork, wide tires and mono chain ring, they have largely supplanted the old-school children's MTB, which lured in with three chain rings at the front and a simple suspension fork - technology that attracts children, but is not necessarily useful. Instead, the Giant relies on ease of use and mounts a seven-speed shifter with twist grip on the compact aluminum frame, and with a rigid fork it is of course lighter than a bike with a typical, simple steel spring fork.
Giant STP 20: Not a lightweight with wide tires
Without pedals, the STP 20 weighs a whopping ten kilos, and those responsible are quickly identified: It's the wheels with 66 mm wide tires and correspondingly wide rims. A large tire volume is good because it improves traction and comfort with adjusted traction and can make up for the lack of suspension to some extent. Of course, fat tires like this seem exaggerated on a 20-inch wheel; 1,9 inches instead of 2,6 should be thick enough. Then the wide rims could be replaced by narrower, lighter ones.
Child-friendly frame shape and long service life
But of course the Giant also has good sides, and that includes the child-friendly frame shape with an upright sitting position and a short seat tube. Giant specifies a minimum height of 115 cm, but smaller children can also get along well with the bike. Assuming an average height, the Giant can be ridden from about four to nine years.
At a glance: Giant STP 20
10 kg (without pedals) / 529 euros / for children between 115 and 130 cm
+ Solid frame set with child-friendly geometry
+ Long service life
+ Fenders and carrier can be retrofitted
– Slightly simpler components
– 2,6 inch wide tires not absolutely necessary, but heavy
Our test driver Alois is four years old and 107 cm tall.
Can the rather simple equipment cope with this long period of use? The seven-speed circuit with 12 to 32 teeth at the rear and a 30-tooth chain ring is simple but functional; the mechanical disc brakes do their job, but are inferior to a hydraulic brake system in terms of ease of maintenance and metering. If at some point both assemblies show signs of wear, you could upgrade - a ten-speed gear set and a set of hydraulic disc brakes together cost just over 200 euros.
Space for fenders and carrier
There is nothing to improve on the Giant's aluminum frame, which pleases with solid cable routing and can be retrofitted with mudguards and even a rear carrier. A bottle holder can be mounted on the down tube. Chain catcher and protective disc prevent the chain from falling off the blade; the wheels are fastened with quick-release axles. A quick release on the saddle clamp ensures easy height adjustment.
And otherwise? If you want, you can also get the STP 20 with a steel spring fork – then it costs 50 euros more and is around 450 grams heavier; as a bonus, it is equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. Giant also has the 20-inch ARX 20 model on offer, which clears up one of the criticisms mentioned above: Suitable for children from 120 cm, it only weighs around 8,6 kilos and is an interesting alternative if it is not a real mountain bike must.
