Giant's 2026 Explore E+ 1 lands in Australia at $7,299

Giant's 2026 Explore E+ range has reached Australian dealers, and the top spec Explore E+ 1 is listed at authorised Giant retailers for $7,299. It sits in Giant's trekking category, built for commuting and multi day touring rather than trail riding.

What is new for 2026

The headline change is the motor. The Explore E+ 1 runs Giant's SyncDrive Pro 2, an 85Nm unit developed with Yamaha, paired with an EnergyPak 800Wh battery that Giant rates for around 2,300 charge cycles before capacity falls off. Shifting is handled by a Shimano Cues Di2 electronic drivetrain, a step up from the mechanical shifting common at this price. Braking is Shimano hydraulic disc, with a 203mm rotor up front and 180mm at the rear.

Built for distance

Giant has specced the bike for comfort and security rather than speed. There is an SR Suntour air fork with 100mm of travel, a Giant dropper seatpost, integrated lights, mudguards and a rear rack rated for panniers. It ships on 700x57c tubeless ready gravel tyres, wide enough for mixed surfaces. Giant also fits its Aegis package: a frame lock with alarm, Apple Find My tracking, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

What it means for buyers

At $7,299 the Explore E+ 1 sits above entry level commuter e-bikes and below high end e-MTBs, aimed at riders who want one bike for the daily commute and weekend touring. The larger battery and electronic shifting are the real upgrades over the previous generation, not just a spec bump. If you are cross shopping this against 2026 trekking e-bikes from Trek, Merida or Cube, compare motor torque, battery capacity and drivetrain type side by side, which is exactly what the BikeFinder directory is for.