Fork and shock upgrade help - 2014 Giant Trance 27.5

[Ricker]

So I'm riding on a 2014 Trance 27.5 1, which has fox evolution talas 140mm forks, and fox float rear. I've changed their seals twice, but not interested in spending the money to get the internals serviced as they don't seem like the most amazing suspension out there. Could never dial the small bump compliance to my liking, would always just blow through travel if you ever got it remotely close...

I'm thinking I'd like to upgrade to something sweet.

This would be my first suspension upgrade, so I'm not sure what I have to look out for in terms of sizes with Giants steerer tubes (over drive??).

I'm thinking either a fox 34 factory float 140mm, or an RS pike solo 150mm...

I do find the talas to be handy at times, but never liked that the spring rate seemed to get changed.... does that occur on these new forks as well?


On the rear, I liked the look of the new Fox float X2.

What do I have to look out for specifically when getting things to work with my bike? Is there heaps to setting them up (tuning?) for my frame geomtery?

 

[SF Trailboy]

You can get a pike in dual position (DP)

 

[pink poodle]

Succumb to the conventional wisdom of the forum...get the pikes and never complain. While I personally run and enjoy a fox fork, the ongoing service intervals are a bit of a kill joy. While all forks need servicing, the pikes are considered a lower maintenance option than fox.

On adjustable travel forks, I don't notice a different in my 2014 36 Talas. But apparently it is there...

 

[The Duckmeister]

This would be my first suspension upgrade, so I'm not sure what I have to look out for in terms of sizes with Giants steerer tubes (over drive??).

There are two versions of Overdrive; Overdrive 2 is the funky one with 1 1/4" upper steerer that you can't get forks for. Regular Overdrive is bog-standard tapered steerer. IF you have OD2, it's not the end of the world, you just need a new upper headset assembly (but might as well get the full kit 'cos the lower bearing could be full of shit too) plus spacers & stem above it to suit the normal 1 1/8" upper steerer. For a couple of years pretty well everything from XTC up was OD2, but by the time the 27.5" bikes came around it was only used on some models in each range. It will be printed on the headset cover and possibly spacers if it's Overdrive or Overdrive 2.

 

[grumpy]

just upgraded from 140 mil revs to 150 mil solo pikes on my 2014 trance. no more flex in the front end great on the small bumps and takes the big hits really well.

 

[grumpy]

my trance had overdrive2. replaced it with a hope headset it's easy to change it yourself or get your lbs to do it if not confident.
you will need a new stem and spacers as well. or you can get a shim from giant if you want to use your current stem.

 

[Ricker]

my trance had overdrive2. replaced it with a hope headset it's easy to change it yourself or get your lbs to do it if not confident.
you will need a new stem and spacers as well. or you can get a shim from giant if you want to use your current stem.

Hey man, can you send us a link to the hope headset stuff? I'm happy to do it myself, I've replaced my wheels with hope hubs and am very happy with them.

I did size down my stem to 70mm as I'm on an XL frame, and I like this length. Whats a decent stem replacement brand?

Did you replace your rear shock as well? The fox float evolution seems to be the worst shock for subtleness.

 

[Warp]

Just throwing the odd X-Fusion Sweep HLR Roughcut into the mix. Cheaper than Pikes (not by a long shot, though).

 

[BIG RUSTY]

I have a 2014 Trance advance 2

I upgraded the Sektor fork for Pikes 160mm over 1 year ago and that made a huge difference to the front end. Having the front end not diving all the time is a huge upgrade for me.

and i recently upgraded the Monarch rt to a Fox Float X which gives me heaps better small bump and grip performance.

the bike feels awesome to ride at the moment.

 

[kl3ggy]

Fork: 160mm Dual Position Pikes
Rear Shock: 200x51 RockShox Monarch RT3

:llama:

 

[grumpy]

got the hope headset from merlin cost about $100. haven't done anything with the shock I have the advance 0 so it came with the rs monarch.
went with 785 mil renthal fatbar and 60 mil stem.

 

[grumpy]

should put up before top headset is hope 2 ZS44/28.6 bottom is hope E ZS56/40 is what you need. doesn't come with top cap or bolt.

 

[JTmofo]

should put up before top headset is hope 2 ZS44/28.6 bottom is hope E ZS56/40 is what you need. doesn't come with top cap or bolt.

OP actually only needs a top cup and bearing. (About $50 for a Hopetech one)
Bottom cup will already be suitable for 1.5" tapered steerer.

OD2 is a ball ache...... if your changing, just get a standard 1.5" to 1.125" steerer fork so you can least run a multitude of stems.

 

[simon21]

I changed to 150 DO Pikes and a DB Inline on me 2014 trance, so much more capable decending but a bit more sluggish up hill. I'm glad I didn't go 160mm also, I think it would change the head angle to much and you'd lose that snappy handling.

 

[Ricker]

OP actually only needs a top cup and bearing. (About $50 for a Hopetech one)
Bottom cup will already be suitable for 1.5" tapered steerer.

OD2 is a ball ache...... if your changing, just get a standard 1.5" to 1.125" steerer fork so you can least run a multitude of stems.

Do you think its worth just replacing the bottom cup with a hope one? Or these kinda parts last lifetimes and not gonna make a big enough difference to be worth the $50?

So far I got this on the list:


Hope Space Doctor Spacers Pack - 1.1-8"
Blue, 1.1/8"
Now A$14.49

Hope Head Doctor Headset Adjusters
Blue, 1.1/8"
Now A$26.99

Hope Pick n Mix Headsets - Bottom Cup
Blue, 1.5", ZS56/40 - Type E
Now A$53.49

Hope Pick n Mix Headsets - Top Cup
Blue, 1.1/8", ZS44/28.6 - Type 2
Now A$53.49


For front fork I'm trying to work out whats the better option between:
1. 150mm Rockshox pike air solo
2. 160/130mm Dual position rockshox pike

I do ride a fair bit of XC style trail so would love the 130mm part for that I reckon. 160mm could be nice for more gnarly stuff. Does the compression damping change when using the lower height of 130mm? I found it did alot on my talas and dont like it at all for that reason?

For rear shock, I still dont know what to go. What is the best rear shock that works in the giant trance, which sounds like its a 200 x 51?
What do I need to do to properly set up a rear shock, like tuning wise and such, this is all new to me? Will I need different eyelet bearings if switching to rockshox from the stock fox? Would the fox x2 fit? Thoughts?