Giant SyncDrive Sport

Giant's SyncDrive Sport is the brand's Yamaha-built mid-drive (a re-badged PW-ST) found on its trekking and sportier touring e-bikes rather than its hardcore eMTBs. Quiet, smooth and easy-going, it trades outright punch for refinement, and it has since spawned punchier Sport 2 and Sport 3 successors.

Synthesised from Yamaha PW-ST cadence figures (no independent dyno exists for this exact unit): brisk low-end ramp toward the 70 Nm torque ceiling, a broad usable plateau around 60-80 rpm, then a gentle taper toward the 110 rpm support ceiling. Power is bounded by the 250 W nominal rating; no peak-watt figure is published for the base PW-ST.

The verdict

Giant SyncDrive Sport is the workhorse of Giant's Yamaha-derived line-up, sitting below the full-fat SyncDrive Pro and above the lightweight SyncDrive Life. Mechanically it is Yamaha's PW-ST unit wearing a Giant 'Sport Series' cover, paired with Giant's own Smart Assist / PedalPlus 4-sensor firmware. This page describes the original SyncDrive Sport: Giant's showcase quotes it at 70 Nm with a 350% maximum support ratio (Eco 50% to Sport+ 350%), a 250 W nominal rating, 36 V and a unit weight of about 3.48 kg, matching the underlying Yamaha PW-ST (70 Nm, 250 W, 3.4 kg).

Giant has since launched two newer generations that should not be confused with this one: the SyncDrive Sport 2 (75 Nm, 400% support, 600 W peak, 2.8 kg) and the SyncDrive Sport 3 (85 Nm, 400% support, 650 W peak, 2.8 kg). Those are lighter and stronger; the 2.8 kg weight quoted for them does not apply to this original PW-ST-based unit. If you are cross-shopping, check which generation a given bike actually carries.

On the trail or towpath the original Sport is defined by smoothness rather than aggression. The Smart Assist algorithm reads cadence, torque and slope and ramps power in progressively, so it feels natural and unintimidating instead of shoving you up the climb. Velomotion's Giant tests of PW-ST-class bikes (AnyTour E+, Fathom E+ 2) praise how willingly it supports higher cadences and how composed it stays, which suits the trekking and commuting bikes it is fitted to. It is rated at 250 W nominal; Yamaha does not publish a peak-watt figure for the base PW-ST, so we quote no peak here rather than invent one.

There is no independent ebike-lab dyno trace for this exact unit, so the curve below is a representative shape built from Yamaha's cadence figures rather than a measured graph, and we leave measured peak power blank. Treat the headline torque as a current manufacturer claim (70 Nm for this generation), and remember the newer Sport 2/3 motors carry the higher numbers.

“A Yamaha PW-ST in Giant clothing: 70 Nm, 350% support, quiet and harmonious, built for trekking rather than trail combat.”

Character

Rider input

Giant's official SyncDrive Sport showcase quotes a 350% maximum support ratio for this generation, scaling from 50% in Eco through to 350% in Sport+ mode, with Smart Assist reading cadence, torque, slope and speed to blend the modes. The newer Sport 2 and Sport 3 raise this to 400%.

On the trail

Smooth, harmonious and unintimidating. It ramps in progressively and happily supports high cadences, so it feels natural and easy rather than punchy or grabby. Suited to trekking and touring duty rather than aggressive trail riding.

Noise

No independent dBA measurement is published for the SyncDrive Sport. Giant describes the unit as 'sonically tuned', and reviewers consistently rate it among the quieter, more refined trekking mid-drives in subjective listening; we present that as a qualitative impression, not a measured figure.

Efficiency

Paired with Giant's large 500-875 Wh EnergyPak batteries it is praised for strong real-world range; no independent Wh/km efficiency figure is published for the motor in isolation.

The case for and against

Strengths

Quiet and refined for a trekking mid-drive (subjectively among the quietest, though no dBA is published)
Smooth, natural Smart Assist power delivery
Solid 70 Nm torque and 350% support for relaxed trekking duty
Not known to derate on normal trekking loads
Pairs with Giant's large EnergyPak batteries for strong range

Compromises

Lower output (70 Nm / 250 W) than eMTB-focused rivals and the newer Sport 2/3 (75-85 Nm)
Heavier (about 3.48 kg) than the 2.8 kg Sport 2/3 successors
No independent dyno, peak-watt or thermal data published
Yamaha PW-ST platform is now several generations old

How it stacks up

Against eMTB heavyweights the original Sport is deliberately gentler: 70 Nm and a 250 W rating sit well below a Bosch Performance Line CX (85 Nm, ~600 W peak), a Shimano EP8/EP801 (85 Nm) or Giant's own SyncDrive Pro2 (85 Nm). Even within Giant's own range the newer SyncDrive Sport 2 (75 Nm) and Sport 3 (85 Nm) outgun it. Where it wins is refinement, quietness and easy delivery, making it a better fit for trekking and touring than trail combat.

OWNER INTELLIGENCE

Most owners report no problems · 4,536 posts from 668 members analysed.

66Bearings and water: the repairer's verdict on the PW-X generation · typical onset: Bearing complaints from ~2,000-7,000 km; water deaths are seasonal (after…

29Speed-sensor and wiring faults misdiagnosed as motor failures · typical onset: Any time; often after assembly or wheel/rotor work.

24Noise: high-cadence squeal, clicking, knocking (common but not normal) · typical onset: From new to ~650 miles; mostly stable rather than progressive.

✓18,953 miles on a 2016 Haibike Full FatSix's original, never-opened Yamaha PW motor - original everything except consumables

Read the full owner report →

Sources: Giant - SyncDrive Sport showcase (70 Nm, 350% support) · Giant - SyncDrive Sport 2 (75 Nm, 400%, 2.8 kg) · Giant - SyncDrive Sport 3 (85 Nm, 400%, 650 W peak) · Yamaha - PW series ST (70 Nm, 250 W, 3.4 kg) · Velomotion - Giant AnyTour E+ test · Velomotion - Giant Fathom E+ 2 test.