Giant Trance 29er

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
They almost needed to do a Stumpjumper style press release/launch where they make fun of themselves for proprietary standards, naming conventions etc...but Specialized beat them to it, so it'd just look like copying!!
They’d rather not get sued.
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Yeah, I just had a chance to have a look. Poor old previous Trance 29er is getting it's arse kicked, AGAIN!!!
They're so late to the party on this, and really shot themselves in the foot with their previous stance. They almost needed to do a Stumpjumper style press release/launch where they make fun of themselves for proprietary standards, naming conventions etc...but Specialized beat them to it, so it'd just look like copying!!
Hahahaha!!!!

The first Trance 29 looks like a backwards version of what works...slack front end & steep seat tube angle.
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Late to the game yes, but they are some pretty progressive geo numbers for a big brand manufacturer.. Looks nice as well..
Giant have never been a forerunner brand in mtb always a few years behind..
 
I'm just surprised Giant hasn't come out with their own 28.25" standard*.


*The 28.25" standard is (C) db_Is_Me and may not be used by any manufacturer. Don't go getting any ideas, you muppet companies.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
I'm just surprised Giant hasn't come out with their own 28.25" standard*.


*The 28.25" standard is (C) db_Is_Me and may not be used by any manufacturer. Don't go getting any ideas, you muppet companies.
Dont jinx it
 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
I've really been having a lot of fun on the Trance X 29er I built up a few months ago. It's been a great allrounder and surprisingly capable on the downs. Sure it looks like a turd, but looks can be deceiving.

This new version ticks all of the new kool-aid boxes so I'm sure it'll be fun/better as well.

Unfortunately, Giant's are no longer the awesome value proposition they once were but the Maestro suspension is really a winner. I'd find it really hard to go back to a short travel (eg 100-120mm) faux bar, single pivot etc. bike that has to rely on many band aid compromises / gimmicks in the shock to get it to pedal well, have good small bump compliance and still have a bottomless feel on the big hits.

I'd consider this new frame if it was good value for money, but the RRP in the US looks to be US$2800. I think my next frame will probably be an Intense Sniper in the trail (120mm) version.
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Unfortunately, Giant's are no longer the awesome value proposition they once were but the Maestro suspension is really a winner.
Ever since the AU$ weakened against the US$ Giant lost that big gap in price competitiveness.. It’s hard to now justify paying the same price for a eveywhere name brand and an intense as you point out.
The big difference though is support, so much shit can go wrong with mtb these days and really giant’s warranty is one of the best going around if you don’t BS them..
Not naming other boutique brands, (maybe mentioned maybe not) the warranty process is a slow long slog even if the fault is clearly with the manufacturer.. You really want a spare bike if your buying online imo..
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
@SummitFever Do dual linkage systems really pedal any better than a Horst, Faux Bar, Single Pivot, DELTA, ABP style design with the pivot points in the right spot?
Fuck yes! Don't get me wrong, I love my SAM but having to constantly flick the climb switch is making me feel better about making it the third wheel when the Pole love-in starts. The uninvited bobbing motion unde power is the same on every faux/four/horst/lawwil I've swung a leg over.

I've owned/ridden some great single pivots which have climbed and descended well, but they've all tried to kill me when I've braked in the wrong spot.

My dual linkage experience has been limited to Maestro, Dw-link and VPP and out of those the DW-link is the best (but I could be biased by my Turner addiction). They all give up a bit on small bump sensitivity compared to faux/four but they more than make up for it in pedalling efficiency. They also don't try and kill you under brakes.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
 
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Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Yeah, I just had a chance to have a look. Poor old previous Trance 29er is getting it's arse kicked, AGAIN!!!
They're so late to the party on this, and really shot themselves in the foot with their previous stance. They almost needed to do a Stumpjumper style press release/launch where they make fun of themselves for proprietary standards, naming conventions etc...but Specialized beat them to it, so it'd just look like copying!!
It is amusing and no wonder folks get a little bit jaded. Anyhow, the marketing folks came up with this one. Surely everyone other 29'er company figured out how to make a a working 29'er with last years caveman suspension tech. At least the new 29'er Trance doesn't look like a hat full of arseholes like the previous one.

'The team at Giant say that it wasn't a matter of them not wanting to bring a modern 29er into the mix before now, it was that they were limited by the available technology and couldn't create a bike that performed up to the standard they wanted. With reduced fork offsets and other advances in suspension and design, they now feel confident that they have developed their version of an "ultimate trail bike".'

Whoa, the Stumpy in the ultimate trail bike. Says so right here.
'The new Stumpjumper is the ultimate trail bike. '
https://www.specialized.com/au/en/s...trail-bikes/stumpjumper/c/trailstumpjumperfsr

Lawyers at 20 paces throwing brief cases at each other to claim ownership of the term 'ultimate trail bike' (tm).
We know Mike is good to front up for the odd court case.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
@Oddjob

Not to mention less pedal feedback. Atleast comparing the 2015 reign and 2017 trance to my scout, which is fsr. Both remained active under pedalling better.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
@Oddjob

Not to mention less pedal feedback. Atleast comparing the 2015 reign and 2017 trance to my scout, which is fsr. Both remained active under pedalling better.
I'm with you my Lord. No matter all the stuff Pinkbike and every other mag throws into the mix, My experience with Maestro, with my 16Reign 0, is it is a very efficient system. I'm quite amazed at how well it climbs for a 160mm travel bike. I never take the rear end out of "open" unless I'm doing a road section. But I am a pauper that has to make do with one bike as a do all.... :p
In saying that I still won't make the jump to a 29er. I've ridden a few mate's bikes and really like the versatility of my 27.5
 
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