New Giant Yukon

I can't see them removing features, don't bikes normally get better not worse? :P. I do have Giant's 05 range booklet here somewhere though, I'll did it out and tell you exactly what has changed.

If you are in Melbourne, Lygon Cycles have the '05 Yukons in stock. Their display model has disk brakes too 🙂.

I bought an '05 Rincon ($500), partly because of my budget, and partly because things like disc brakes... well, whats the point of disc brakes? If rim brakes can skid your back wheel in a fraction of a second and throw you over the handlebars even faster, why get discs?

SomeGuy said:

I can't see them removing features, don't bikes normally get better not worse? :P. I do have Giant's 05 range booklet here somewhere though, I'll did it out and tell you exactly what has changed.

If you are in Melbourne, Lygon Cycles have the '05 Yukons in stock. Their display model has disk brakes too 🙂.

I bought an '05 Rincon ($500), partly because of my budget, and partly because things like disc brakes... well, whats the point of disc brakes? If rim brakes can skid your back wheel in a fraction of a second and throw you over the handlebars even faster, why get discs?

The value is that disc breaks are:
1) Relatively unaffected by water and mud
2) Don't melt when you do a lot of downhill/hilly riding
3) Don't tear up your rims
4) Easier to adjust than v-breaks requiring 3rd and 5th and tools.
5) Metal/Ceramic lasts longer than rubber.
6) Unaffected by wheels going out of true.

Regarding the Giant Yukon ... I have a 2004. The crank on my bike seriously sucked. The granny sucked up chain when exposed to any mud whatsoever. And I wore through the middle chainring after on 3 months of use.

The replacement (Shimano Deore Octalink) cost me $90 American as I had to replace the bottom bracket, crank and the silly derailleur using a hanger integrated with the bottom bracket. The good news is the chainsuck and slipping crank arms are all gone now.

In retrospect, I wish I'd have bought the next higher bike with the Trutativ crank. That level also dispensed with the crappy Hutchinson Scorpion tires in favor of WTB Weirwolfs.

Also, Alivio shifter pods are prone to getting torn apart. They have a little decorative tab that will rip open the cover if they get snagged. Anything lower than Deore level is [censored] for enthusiast mountain biking. Myself, I've replaced the entire drivetrain (SRAM X-7, Shimano Mega-rage, Shimano Deore Octalink Cranks, Deore front derailleur).

Upgrading the original purchase is a LOT cheaper than upgrading the bike itself. So you might consider a bit more expensive bike than the Yukon.