Not too long ago, kids’ mountain bikes were limited to low-end hardtails. Parents had to get creative with custom builds, leading to the birth of numerous small brands specializing in higher-end kids’ bikes, some even with full suspension. Many bigger brands have taken notice and now offer shrunk-down versions of their full-sized models for kids.
Giant is the latest mainstream brand to throw its hat into the ring with its Faith line. The new range includes two models—one with a 27.5-inch front wheel and 26-inch rear, and a smaller, lighter model with 24-inch wheels. We got our pint-sized wrecking crew on the Faith 24 model to see what it’s all about.
FRAME
Giant builds the Faith with a high-performance ALUXX SL aluminum frameset with youth-specific trail geometry. Like its adult bikes, the Faith features an oversized bottom bracket area with a fully integrated, 92mm-wide design. Asymmetric chainstays are designed to provide additional stiffness on the drive side and increased stability on the non-drive side.
A large rectangular-shaped downtube and oversized top tube are designed for front-end lateral and torsional stiffness.
The drive-side chainstay and downtube feature built-in protection against rocks and debris, while a clear 3M protective strip on the underside of the head tube/downtube junction protects the frame when it’s loaded onto a shuttle vehicle.
SUSPENSION
Faith models feature the FlexPoint rear suspension system, which is essentially a single-pivot design with flex stays that allow it to behave like a four-bar design without the added complexity or weight.
The 130mm suspension system is paired with a Giant-designed and in-house-built Crest FloTrac Lite shock and a 140mm-travel Crest TR Elite Lite fork. Both are designed to complement the bike’s suspension platform kinematics for lightweight riders. Giant claims that custom tuning and a low-friction design create a responsive damping and spring that requires less force input.
The shock and fork are both tuned for riders weighing under 46 kilograms (less than 101 pounds).
COMPONENTS
There is only one build offered for the Faith 24. It comes with a 10-speed MicroSHIFT Advent X Trail drivetrain—a lesser-known brand, but it worked fine for our test riders. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes offer good power and have a nice lever design with reach adjustment for smaller hands.
Giant’s new youth-specific TRA WheelSystem wheels feature lightweight, tubeless-ready alloy rims with hollow construction and beefy 5mm rim walls. The rear wheel features a 72-tooth freehub that helps maximize power transfer for quicker acceleration, just like it does on big bikes. One key spec on this bike is its Maxxis Minion 2.4-inch tires, which offer the same great all-around performance that has made them legendary on adult bikes.
Another key spec is the 100mm-travel Contact Switch AT Lite dropper seatpost. It has a lower-pressure cartridge designed to make it easier for kids’ thumbs to engage the lever, and it requires less weight to lower the saddle, too. A dropper post is essential to maximize bike capabilities and rider confidence. The 100mm drop ensures it doesn’t extend too high for smaller riders, but still provides adequate clearance when down. It has a light lever action, goes up and down smoothly, and works well overall.
CLIMBING
Fit is good for our 8-year-old, 4-foot-5 primary test rider, who found the overall fit is good with a nice reach and adequate standover clearance. A relatively short head tube to help keep the bar height down is helpful on steep climbs. So is the 77-degree seat tube angle, but it’s one of the steepest for kids’ bikes in its class. It helps keep the rider centered on steep climbs, but some of our test riders had to slide the saddle far back on the rails to achieve proper fit.
Our test riders had no issues scaling even steep climbs. The suspension stays relatively quiet, but there is a very firm-feeling lockout lever on the shock for smooth road climbs. There is also a fork compression damper knob, but it’s way too tight for a kid to turn, so they won’t be using it out on the trail. Overall bike weight is on the lighter side, and a lot of that is from the wheels and tires compared to other bikes we have tested, which gives the bike an even faster, lighter feel on the climbs since it’s rotating weight.
DESCENDING
Giant really nailed the suspension tune on this bike, and that shows on the descents. It is active and plush even for light riders, helping them with traction and control on rough trails. There is hardly any friction from the fork or shock, so both are super supple.Geometry is dialed in for aggressive riding, and the 24-inch wheel-specific chainstay length makes it easier to get the front tire off the ground than bikes with longer stays to adapt to 26-inch wheels.
The bottom bracket height is similar to most other bikes in its class, but when combined with the short cranks, it puts the rider a bit higher on the bike. Some thought that the bike could benefit from the added stability of a lower bottom bracket or slightly longer cranks. A higher bottom bracket adds clearance, but lessens standover and raises the center of gravity. We thought it could easily be .25 inch or more lower, especially with the short cranks. Still, it handles quite well overall.
WHAT DID WE LOVE?
A lot of kids’ bikes don’t come with a dropper post, so it’s great to see one come standard on this one. Giant’s suspension setup guidelines located on the fork leg (and online) offer optimal air pressure and damper setting recommendations based on rider weight, making it easy to set the bike up and get things in the ballpark quickly. Test riders loved the overall looks of the bike and thought it was cool.
WHAT DID WE HATE?
Kids need to drink water on the trail just like adults, so we were happy to see bottle cage mounts in the front triangle. Unfortunately, those mounts are located high enough on the down tube that bottles are a tight fit. Even a 450-millilter Fidlock bottle was a tight squeeze. We would like to see these mounted lower on the downtube since there is plenty of clearance with the shock.
BOTTOM LINE
Giant’s first attempt at a high-performance kids’ full-suspension mountain bike is a solid one, but it shouldn’t really come as any surprise. The brand has a long history of producing excellent adult versions. Still, we give Giant credit for producing a kids’ bike with an excellent frame, suspension that’s easy to dial in and name-brand parts where it matters. The Giant Faith 24 all adds up into a package that encourages kids to ride and fall in love with the sport for years to come.
GIANT FAITH 24
www.giant-bicycles.com
CATEGORY: Youth Trail
SUSPENSION: 140mm (front), 130mm (rear)
TIRE SIZE: 24″
Price: $2,700
Weight: 29.1 pounds (without pedals)
Sizes: One size (tested)
Frame tested: 130mm travel
Shock: Crest Crest FloTrac Lite, 165/45mm, trunnion mount
Fork: Crest TR Elite Lite, FloTune Lite Damper, 140mm
Wheelset: Giant TRA WheelSystem, alloy, tubeless, 30mm inner width
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF, 24×2.5″, 60 tpi, folding front/Minion DHR II, 24×2.4″, 60 tpi, folding rear
Seatpost: Contact Switch AT Lite, (100mm travel)
Saddle: Selle Royal Vivo Jr
Handlebar: Giant Contact TR, 20mm rise, AL6061 aluminum, 680mm
Stem: Giant Contact, 8 degrees, 40mm
Grips: Giant small-hand
Headset: Giant
Brakes: Tektro HD-J285
Rotors: Tektro 180mm (f)/160mm (r)
Rear derailleur: Microshift Advent X RD-M6205AM
Shifters: MicroSHIFT Advent X Trail trigger shifter SL
Crankset: ProWheel Charm, 140mm
Bottom bracket: Press-fit
Cassette: Microshift Advent X G-Series 10-speed, 11x48T
Chain: KMC X10
Chainrings: 30-tooth
GEOMETRY
Head tube angle: 64.5°
Effective seat tube angle: 77°
Reach: 377mm (14.8″)
Stack: 535mm (21″)
Bottom bracket height: 318mm (12.5″)
Chainstay length: 390mm (15.4″)
Wheelbase: 1054mm (41.5″)