A lot will depend on the reviews that people read or watch. If the influential few say it's a great bike then I'm sure a lot of us sheep will follow up on that and buy one.
Regarding competing directly with the competition, I reckon it's going to be increasingly difficult for the big players to remain at the head of the pack as the numbers of bikes that they commit to building is going to dictate how nimble they are in reacting to the new tech that is now constantly coming through. It's going to be much easier for smaller players building less bikes to react quickly and remain at or near the cutting edge.
Today's hot new bike is going to be at the back of the pack in four years time if it's relatively unchanged.
Well, it also depends on what the rider needs. For those who want an 800–1000Wh battery, this bike won’t fit. Same for riders who mostly ride fire roads or long-range trail rides...it’s not the match either. This is a long-travel enduro bike.
The range depends a lot on your own weight and the level of assist you use. Giant allows the rider to adjust the motor’s assist and torque, so the range might be enough for some riders but not for others. In my case, I’m not looking for very long rides(30–40 km is fine) and I’m a “light” rider at 70 kg, and I really prioritize how the bike handles: how light it feels, how much fun it is to ride downhill, jumps, etc. I have a Trance Elite, around 20 kg, with 160mm travel front and rear, a 400Wh battery, plus an extender if needed. That’s good enough for me as I’m not trying to climb super fast without stressing my legs. Of course, more battery would be nice, but right now this setup matches my needs.
But yes, I totally agree: small companies are much more dynamic and quicker to bring new stuff to the market. The tech is crazy these days; too many new things in such a short time, and it all gets old very quickly. That doesn’t help prices go down… so I guess we’re paying the cost of evolution.
I was seeing only an integrated battery that isn't easily changed. Am I mistaken because that would easily change the equation? Do a number of 35+ mile rides a year with 6-7K elevation gains, usually limping in on less than 10% in both the battery and extender.
It’s removable, very easy, no tools needed. You could get a second battery for loop rides, maybe it’s a good option.
Also from looking at the battery spec, it's 3.2 kg which is heavy for the wh rating so it wont be a real light bike (unless the motor is very light).
I hope
@Endorium is right and the tech has gone to a point where a 560wh battery lasts as current gen
700wh. It means we will finally have the breakthrough we all been waiting for (doubt it though).
If not, than Giant has a full enduro ebike with a small battery, weak(ish) motor and nothing really special going for it.
When is the reveal ?
The battery weighs around 2.7 kg, and the motor has a magnesium housing, weighing 2.6 kg.
The total bike weight will be around 21–22 kg, depending on size and equipment.