GIANT Revolt X – Put to the test in our big adventure gravel bike shootout

With the Revolt X, GIANT take on the competition with a more capable version of their gravel bike. In contrast to the well-known GIANT Revolt, the X suffix presents a big off-road upgrade with a mechanical dropper post, RockShox Rudy suspension fork, and wide-range mullet drivetrain. Is it too much of a good thing?

This bike was tested as part of our 2024 adventure gravel bike group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the test field here:

There won’t be many cyclists who haven’t heard of GIANT – they’re a huge player in the bike business. It’s hard to say whether the Taiwanese brand are the largest bike manufacturer in the world, but they’re definitely one of the biggest… Other than cargo bikes, they produce models to suit almost every discipline and target group. Besides that, GIANT also offer in-house components, accessories, and clothing. For our adventure gravel bike group test, GIANT sent us their most capable gravel bike, the Revolt X. For just under € 6,000, it pulls out all the stops with a mullet drivetrain, dropper post, and RockShox suspension fork. How much adventure lies hidden in the GIANT Revolt X?

GIANT Revolt X – More than enough for more adventure?

The GIANT Revolt X looks rather reserved and clean cut, with an unusual dark brown and copper colour scheme. As for branding, it isn’t immediately obvious that you’re looking at a GIANT – rather than plastering the brand name down both sides of the down tube, they tastefully hide it on the underside, so it’s only visible from certain angles. You’ll also find a few small decals scattered around the frame, but you have to go looking for them. Overall, it makes for a reserved, low-key look, especially in combination with the colour scheme. The frame design is coherent and well-proportioned, with smooth transitions between the tapered tubes. The huge cassette, dropper post, and suspension fork make it look like a capable off-roader, leaving little doubt about who the GIANT Revolt X is targeted at. With mounting points in the front triangle, on the bottom bracket, and on the top tube, it has plenty of cargo capacity, and the dark colour scheme keeps the bosses nice and discreet.

GIANT have gone all-out with the drivetrain, speccing a 12-speed mullet drivetrain with a SRAM GX Eagle AXS derailleur, paired with a 10–52 t cassette and 40 t chainring. As such, it offers plenty of reserves on steep, technical climbs or long, loaded slogs. The drivetrain is completed with SRAM Rival eTap AXS controls and brakes. Not surprisingly, GIANT source most of the remaining components in-house. The handlebar (and tape), stem, saddle, CXR X1 carbon wheelset, 45 mm CrossCut grip tires, and even the dropper post seat post come from the Taiwanese brand themselves. Along with the groupset, it’s only the 40 mm travel RockShox Rudy suspension fork that doesn’t come from GIANT. Depending on the frame size, the GIANT Contact Switch Vario dropper post offers between 75 and 100 mm of travel, and can also be exchanged for a rigid D-Fuse post from GIANT. The GIANT dropper post offers two functions in one thanks to integrated suspension, providing 25 mm travel when fully extended, and thereby offering a big plus in comfort. A flip chip at the rear dropout allows you to adjust the wheelbase – shorter for more manoeuvrability, or longer for improved straight-line stability – which should make the bike very versatile. Considering the off-road build spec, the total weight of 10.06 kg is not unreasonable.

Tuning-Tipp: reposition the dropper remote, or try a different model with better ergonomics

Size (short)	XS	S	M	L	XL
Top tube	553 mm	560 mm	575 mm	585 mm	600 mm
Seat tube	450 mm	470 mm	490 mm	510 mm	530 mm
Head tube	100 mm	115 mm	130 mm	145 mm	160 mm
Head angle	70°	71.5°	72°	72°	72°
Seat angle	73.5°	73.5°	73°	73°	73°
Chainstay	425 mm	425 mm	425 mm	425 mm	425 mm
BB Drop	68 mm	68 mm	68 mm	68 mm	68 mm
Wheelbase	1,024 mm	1,026 mm	1,031 mm	1,041 mm	1,057 mm
Reach	387 mm	389 mm	393 mm	399 mm	410 mm
Stack	560 mm	576 mm	692 mm	607 mm	621 mm

GIANT Revolt X – Where are we going and what are we doing? Doesn’t matter!

On our first test rides, we had the flip chip in the longer setting, which made the bike loads of fun. In that setting, the GIANT Revolt X will put a smile on your face from the get go. The riding position is compact and balanced, giving you full control. No matter the terrain we were riding on, the handling proved to be agile, without feeling nervous or twitchy. It remains composed enough to stay off the brakes on fast straight-line descents. With these handling characteristics, the bike doesn’t take any getting used to, and the incredibly efficient power transfer makes it even more fun to ride. Flip the chip forward and the handling sharpens up, becoming a little more lively and agile on twisty woodland singletrack.

With this in mind, the GIANT Revolt X is already a force to be reckoned with, but the compliant ride kicks things up another notch. Of course, the Rudy suspension fork absorbs a lot of the impacts, but the frame, wheels and tires also offer a lot of cushioning. The damping offered by GIANT’s in-house dropper post is particularly noteworthy. It performs brilliantly, matching the damping of the suspension fork up front, resulting in a balanced ride. Therefore, the GIANT Revolt X doesn’t just excel in rough terrain, but fares just as well on smooth gravel tracks, making you want to just keep on riding. Nevertheless, there are two small issues with this gravel bike: a persistent rattling noise, which we just couldn’t find the source of, and the dropper remote, which is difficult to operate but gets in the way on the hoods and in the drops if you’ve got big hands.

The moment you get on this bike, you won’t want to stop.

The perfect adventure with the GIANT Revolt X

The GIANT Revolt X is an excellent all-rounder, suitable for off-road adventures, relaxed post-work rides, and multi-day epics. We just wouldn’t recommend it for fully-loaded bikepacking adventures with a 4-man tent, stove, and camping gear, because of the dropper post. Thanks to the flip-chip, the bike can be used as both an agile trail graveler, and a relaxed touring all-roader. It’s incredibly capable and a blast to ride on all kinds of terrain.

Our conclusion on the GIANT Revolt X

The GIANT Revolt X stands out tall from our large and diverse test field. It’s fun to ride on a wide variety of terrain. The value for money is good too – for € 5,999 you get a very attractive build with an impressive list of components. The combination of a suspension fork and suspended dropper post works excellently and provides ample comfort. Apart from the somewhat lacklustre colour scheme and the cumbersome dropper post remote, it’s a real adventure giant.

For more information visit giant-bicycles.com

The testfield

This bike was tested as part of our 2023 adventure gravel bike group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the test field here:

All bikes on review:Argon 18 Dark Matter | BMC URS 01 ONE | Cannondale Topstone Carbon 1 Lefty | Canyon Grizl CF SLX 8 Force AXS Trail | Falkenjagd ARISTOS TRAIL GRAVEL | Focus Atlas 8.8 | Ghost Asket Advanced | Giant Revolt X | Merida Silex 10k | Mondraker Dusty XR | Orbea Terra M21e Team Custom M | Ridley Kanzo Adventure | Rose Backroad AL Plus | Santa Cruz Stigmata | Scott Solace Gravel eRIDE 10 | Specialized Diverge STR Pro | Trek Checkpoint SL 7 AXS | Wilier Adlar | YT Industries Szepter Core 4

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Words: Martin Staffa Photos: Jan Richter