The Pique Advanced can take on burly trails yet still deliver you to an XC podium. Highlights include a heavy-duty, 130mm-travel RockShox Pike RCT 3 Solo Air fork and Super Deluxe RCT trunnion-mounted shock that testers said doesn’t fade when you’re bombing downhill.
Giant TRX O carbon hoops help keep weight low, which is really noticeable in how easily the bike climbs, and the brand’s Contact SL Switch-R Trail dropper post is useful everywhere. In today’s era of long-low-slack geometry, the Liv’s excellent fit and shorter reach helped keep the bike maneuverable. “I didn’t feel like the front end was in another time zone,” said one test rider.
