I am a nine year old boy and think the boulder giant mountain bike is smooth riding, fast gear bike with suspension. it's totally comfortable and easy for kids to ride on. I recommend this bike for ages 8-12.great for dirt tracks, bumpy ground and footpaths. my giant boulder has 21 gears. I definitely recommend the giant boulder.

Had the GIANT Boulder 3, 2011 model for just over a month and loving it. It is the cheapest GIANT mountain bike you can get with front suspension - replacing the GIANT upland SE from 2010.

I ride it on Saturdays and Sundays about 50-60km each time on cyclepaths and have yet to take it on some light trails. It handles very well, smooth and quiet, smooth gear shifting. Excellent V-brakes. Front suspension is 80mm RST Capa and works well for my weight (about 75kg). Can't wait to see how it handles off-road.

Only thing is it a feels a bit heavy but this makes the bike feel solid. Very happy with it and would recommend for any beginner mountain biker or someone just after a cheap bike who wants value for money.

I have run this bike everyday for a year with no problems at all. This bike is good for on road & off road cycling. I have ridden Xc races, downhilled, dirt jumps, & pump tracks with this bike. I also run it as my get to work bike which is a 20 mile round trip mostly uphill, and apart from normal maintance no work has been needed to be done.

That said the Suntour XCT V2 fork ain't the best, but what do you expect for a bike that cost £250.00. What is good is the quality of the frame, Giant make all there own tubes for the frame so quality is assured.

all in all the bike has been a great buy, i have no regrets & i have certainly had my moneys worth out of it already & that's all you can ask for.

Very disappointing. I rushed into buying this bike without researching and after a quick trial ride. The gears are my main problem, really needed the free 6 week adjustment and now, just 6 weeks later have had to be adjusted again. Overall the bike feels a bit cheap and not one I'd trust for anything more than a short journey.

Purchasers of the Giant Boulder 2010 should be aware that earlier this Giant deleted its base model mountain bike - the Rock.

When they did this they down spec'd the Boulder by fitting most of the cheap cycle parts from the rock onto the boulder, they then added £20.00 to the price tag!. If you can, you should look for a 2009 model or earlier. I have had to up spec. mine with the original Acera Shimano derailleurs, and a Suntour XCT V2 fork.

In general this (the 2010 model) is not even a good base model mountain bike. Suitable for teenagers, but not for an adult wishing to do even mild off road stuff.

Seems others have reported breaking frames as well, which suggests hard use can affect this model. Although all frames seem to get replaced under Giants 5 year frame warranty.

I would finish by saying choose where you buy it from very carefully. Some dealers are less than helpful!

In summary bike parts are cheap, but bikme is not cheap to buy, and is not a great off road bike.
I think Giant cycles are good bikes, and this is one of two I own, but this model feels too cheap for even a base model bike given Giants reputation.

All models in their range have been cheapened to compete in the market place, but all have had a rise in price too. Do your research carefully, not sure I did enough really

I have owned my Giant Boulder just under a month from new, and over all i really like it.
I didn't have a huge budget for a top of the range model, so wanted a nice bike to ride to work on during the week, and to take down a trail at weekends.
Its not the lightest bike out there, but its no dead weight either.
As much as i enjoy my bike, sadly i have had some issues with it.
In the last 4 days my bike has been back to the shop and had the following parts replaced due to the gears or crank giving way under pressure when peddling hard:
New bottom bracket (part of the crank).
New chain.
New rear block (complete set of rear gears).
None of the above fixed the issue, so it is now having a complete upgrade of the chain set, free of charge.
Over all i would recommend this bike to anyone who enjoys a leisurely ride, but for those of us who ride them hard, maybe a model with a stronger set of gears is a better buy.

I bought this bike a few weeks ago for my 11 year old son. It has a small enough frame for a good fit, full sized wheels and plenty of room for growth. So far I have to say that I am very impressed, if a little annoyed about some of the reviews I have read putting the bike down....I dont expect this bike to perform on a par with a bike twice the price or be knocked due to lack of rear suspension. It is what it as, and that is a good value well made peice of kit, ideal for light off road and commuter use, as it will take mud guards and a panny rack if required. Overall, a great bike for the designated used, at a realistic price. Would recomend.

Bought the Giant Boulder for wifes birthday 2 days ago,had to go back to have new back wheel and pads fitted cos they were skimming metal off the rims somehow!Also gear adjustment and a problem with rear derailler hitting the casette when going over bumps.Is this normal?Still love the bike though.Hopefully last of its teething problems.If not I,ll have to buy her a Trek!

I own a boulder fs/2 from 2002, and apart from 'normal' maintenance it's a great bike; the sram 3.0 has never let me down; the suntour frontsusp. is still in good shape...and believe me: it's been used...;)

i did replaced the cassette, and the crankset; although i regret thar; the original blades a really big!

Great bike; get one if you get the change!

I have had this bike for almost a year now and has had to have lots of parts replaced. New forks, New back wheel, bottom bracket and the cranks have come loose. The gears crunch when you go in a high gear. This bike is good for people who are starting bikes

Amazing bike! Giant Boulder is great fun to ride and is good on just about any terrain, on or off-road. It is also great at uphill or downhill riding. Its speed is amazing and the brakes work really well! If I had to give any negative points it would be only that there is no rear suspension, but that's not a real problem. Overall, the bike is brilliant!

this Giant Boulder bike should not be used for downhill riding

had 2 boulders now,first one had a paint work defect so with the GIANT 5 year warranty just got it replaced,so now have a up-spec one....great
a good all round bike i the woods or paths....just keeps going.if you where to trade up to another bike you would have to spend a lot of money.....oh yes the brakes really do work !!!!

I love this bike... really suitable for anyone using recommended cycle routes/toepaths... did some downhilling with this bike perfect weight and jumps like a dream.

I've had this bike for some time now, and it makes me love cycling even much much more!