A few weeks ago I entered the Giant 2W Enduro down in Rotorua, and after asking around at my sponsor's store R&R Sport Auckland I was lucky enough to get hold of a bike for the weekend, as I didn't fancy riding hard down hills for hours on my super stiff hard tail. Enter the Trance SX; a 160/140 mm traveled downhill destroyer that was my steed for the weekend.
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| Image courtesy of Giant Bicycles |
Dressed out in a faintly sparkling golden paint job that has to be seen to fully appreciate, the Trance SX is decked out to the nines with everything you could want out of the box; there is nothing you would immediately think was substandard or worth replacing. A largely Deore spec drivetrain gets an SLX Shadow Plus derailleur and Zee crank as noteworthy upgrades, and comes set up as 1x10 with an MRP Chain guide holding the chain on through the rough stuff. I did have a little bit of trouble setting the correct number of spacers to get the chain guide perfect, but once set up it performed perfectly for the duration of the test.
The in house Giant branded components punched far above their surprisingly reasonable weight, with the P-TRX1 wheels the highlight of the package. Light feeling, stiff, and capable of being set up tubeless should you so desire. The DT Swiss based hubs were responsive and offered a nice smooth feel, but missed out on the jackhammer sound that other options possess, something some riders may or may not miss. Combine this with the Shadow plus derraileur though, and you have one stealthy ride. It was also nice to see Giant supplying a 60 mm stem with 730 mm wide bars, plenty wide enough for this tester and offering plenty of control. The new generation Contact Switch dropper post now has internal routing and performed on par with the rest of the components, with its internal cable routing going a long way to preserve the clean look of the bike.
The real highlights, though, were the tyre and suspension choices. Schwalbe's Hans Dampf and Rock Razor tyres made a perfect match for all round trail bliss, in a healthy 2.35 width for better traction. They were both in the "Evo" compound too, which means they can be set up tubeless with minimal preparation; a nice match for the wheels.
The Fox suspension came loaded with goodies; TALAS, CTD, 15QR and other acronyms graced the lowers of the 160mm fork that had 34 stanchions for extra stiffness. It did miss out on the top end FIT damper and Kashima coat though, making do with the open bath Evolution damper that was still smooth and controlled throughout the test period. The TALAS did come in handy during some of the steeper transition stages, although for the most part I just left the fork in its longest setting.
The Ride
From the get go, I was impressed with the Giant. It passed the car park wheelie test with aplomb, feeling very neutral and balanced beneath me. Getting up to speed was easier than expected given the weight (it is a solid bike designed to be ridden hard), with the middle sized wheels rolling quickly and efficiently. I was surprised to find myself passing riders of similar ability and fitness on some of the climbs; many of them on shorter travel rigs of varying wheel sizes. I attribute this partially to the great tyre selection, with the Rock Razor on the rear looking stupidly fast rolling whilst still having meaty side nobs for getting rowdy in the corners. This has piqued my curiosity regarding the 'tweener size and I will be following its development closely.
Once the trail started pointing downhill, the Trance SX really came into its own. It remained composed through the bumpiest trails I could offer it and took it all in its stride. Yes, it may lack a little bit of the zing that its predecessor the Reign had, but in return it sticks like plasters to leg hair in the corners and really encourages the rider to dip the bars a little lower in each turn; really pushing the limits of traction.
Smooth would be the best way to describe the Trance SX in the rough stuff. Although there is only 140mm travel in the rear, it doesn't feel unbalanced with the front and soaked up whatever I could throw at it. Giant's maestro system really is a great design, remaining neutral when pedaling but opening up when things get fast. It was nice to see the inclusion of a 142mm rear axle to stiffen things up even more as well. For all but the steepest climbs I left the CTD shock in the descend setting and just let it rip. After all, it is rare to see a VPP System on anything other than a boutique brand such as Santa Cruz or Ibis, so for Giant to include it across their entire range is a real treat.
I will admit though, that I did miss the liveliness of the Reign a little bit. Sure, the Trance SX feels like it can take just about everything and never knocks a hair out of place, but it does so at the price that you never feel truly unsafe. Much like a roller coaster, it is thrilling and exhilarating, but no matter how fast it goes you feel as if you are never truly in danger, lest someone in the engineering department go and do something stupid. If your aim is to go faster than should be humanly possible, then this is not a problem, but if you like having your heart in your mouth and leaving your clothes a kilo heavier after each ride with fear induced sweat, then the shorter traveled Trance might be more up your alley (more on that another time).
The Bottom Line
The Trance SX is a remarkably capable bike. It takes everything in its stride and keeps looking up at you as if to say "you happy yet? I can go faster if you want." For the price, it is a bargain on two wheels and I can understand Giant's commitment to the 650b/27.5 wheel size. The 26er may not be dead, but as far as I can tell the 27.5 is certainly going to rule the roost when it comes to mid travel bikes for the majority of people.
A wonderful bike that will make a lot of riders very happy indeed.
Great write up!
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