Your review of this bike has lamented my choice in buying this bike ! I have been looking for a few months now, bouncing between bikes but your video has proven to me that this is a good choice . Thanks for making this video .
Now that is how a proper demo should be! More ride situations and performance is revealing itself also good voice discussing over ascent and descent. I am convinced it will really make buy one in the near future!
Hey Wil, I have this bike & love it! The changes i have made are 32 tooth chainring & guide RS brakes, Tyres 2.6 Forecaster (F) & Ardent Race 2.35 (R)I have a second wheelset (Bontrager Line Comp 30)running the Minions . I think it’s the best all round bike out there. Great Reviews 🤘🏻
Glad to hear you're enjoying the bike! Sounds like some cool changes and love the 2nd wheelset idea! How are you liking the 2.6in Forekaster out of interest? I haven't loved the 2.35in version to be honest, but then a lot of my local conditions tend to be pretty dusty, rocky and loose. Thanks again for watching and for the feedback - it's much appreciated! [ST Wil]
I was just after a faster, lighter rolling Tyre set, the 2.6 is a good compromise on the front ,good grip fast rolling (Trail & XC) .Then swap out wheelset for Rocky &Rowdy Terrains.
Hey there Jeremy! I prefer the DHR tyre in general - I find it has more traction on loose terrain, and it also copes better in wet conditions compared to the DHF. For me, I'd rather have the grippier and more confidence-inspiring tyre on the front, which is why I swapped the DHR onto the front wheel. [ST Wil]
Great review Will, lots of useful & insightful info. Rad footage screaming down those rocky tracks. How does it compare in your opinion to the Trek Fuel Ex 9.8. The price and components are very similar, have been debating b/n these two. Will be using it for ST hooning up and down with mates, few small jumps but nothing too radical, all day adventures and the odd shorty race like the Otway. Thanx heaps Mike P.S really liking Fresh Good Fri Down Under.
Right on - glad you liked it Michael! And you pose an excellent question in regards to the Fuel EX vs the Trance 29, because both are very good, very capable trail bikes. I've been riding the alloy Fuel EX 8 lately, which is obviously a bit heavier due to the metal frame and Line Comp 30 wheels. That said, I've been really impressed with just how plush the suspension is, and how bottomless the rear travel feels - it is very responsive and supportive on really gnarly terrain. I think it floats a little better than the Trance 29, which is partially because it does have 15mm more travel at the rear. The stock Bontrager XR4 tyres are also some of my favourites - they are such a versatile tread design with great rubber too. A little faster rolling than the Minion tyre combo on the Trance. As for doing shorty races like the Otway, that's also a really good question. I've got a couple of mates who actually did the 100km Odyssey on the weekend - both with Fuel EX 9.8s setup on the lighter side with 2.2in Maxxis Ikon tyres and a racier cockpit setup. Their bikes are around the 11kg mark, and they reckon they've been ideal - particularly when you've got that RE:aktiv damper that you can set in the middle/firm mode. I've got a similar idea for the Trance 29 test bike, which is going to get a lighter set of wheels/tyres and a longer/narrower cockpit to see if I can set it up more for XC racing. Will see how that goes :-) If I can get in some more riding on the Fuel EX, would you be keen to see a live Q&A video on it? Let me know, as I reckon I could probably get onto that in the coming week or so. [ST Wil]
Nice Vid! I'd love to see you throw some lighter wheels/tires, and maybe cranks or cassette to get weight down, and let us know how she does on the XC course!
Thanks Ryan! It's almost like you've been reading my mind - lighter tyres and wheels is exactly what I'll be doing next! There's some local dirt crit racing in Bendigo and Castlemaine that I'm planning to take the Trance 29 along to, so we'll see how it goes on the racecourse :-) Cheers for watching and for the feedback, and stay tuned for the upcoming review! [ST Wil]
@@singletrack not sure if I have missed the video....but did you ever do this? I am equally interested to know how the Trance performed on the XC course with some weight upgrades!
Hey there Andrew! We definitely do - the trails are so dry and dusty at the moment! Not sure if the trails in this video are on Trail Forks, but they are on Strava where they're labelled; 1. The Real One Tree Hill Climb 2. 29r's Are Great! 3. Lung Buster 4. Francliff Ave Descend Hope that helps! [ST Wil]
Thanks Chris, and glad you enjoyed the video! As to swapping the tyres, personally I just prefer the grip on offer from the Minion DHR II. In my experience, I find it has better braking traction than the DHF and it also gives more hold in the loose stuff, which is why I prefer it up front. In comparison, the Minion DHF feels a little faster and smoother, so it suits the rear tyre for me. The stock tyres are both 2.3in wide, with the EXO casing and 3C MaxxTerra rubber, so they're pretty flexible for being swapped front-to-back. [ST Wil]
Great review, thanks, I agree with 90% of your observations, certainly a very impressive, capable and fun trail bike. You were way too kind on the Guide brakes, they are hopeless and the only real weak link on the bike. For anyone wondering where it’s sits on the XC vs. Trail spectrum it’s definitely on the Trail side. Noticeably a little sluggish in acceleration but very fast, stable and fun on the faster and rougher stuff.
Cheers for watching and for the feedback Andrew! I wouldn't say I'm a hater of the Guide T brakes - I've ridden and reviewed a few sets now and they've all been relatively fine. It's important to remember that they're an entry-level brake though, and they just don't give you the same deep-stroke power that you get from the Guide RSC/Ultimate levers. I think it's more pronounced on this bike, given the speeds you're able to travel downhill. And factoring in the price, it is a shame to see such budget brakes on here - even if a lot of the spend has gone into the full carbon frame, Fox suspension package and carbon wheels. Without going overboard on price, I reckon it'd be sweet to see some Code R brakes on here, or some Shimano SLX stoppers. Alternatively, for potential owners of this bike, you could buy a set of Guide RSC or even Code RSC levers on their own and link them up with the existing 4-pot callipers. [ST Wil]
I’m coming from a 2017 hard tail trek super fly 6… how does this compare? I’ve really liked the hard tail cross country bikes… I enjoy earning the downhill by climbing up. How much worse is this bike w climbing than a hard tail if you can lock out the rear suspension? I’m looking at getting a used 2019 version today that looks like it’s been garaged for a while, for $1500… seems like a good deal!
How would you compare to a pivot 429 trail. Those are the two bikes I have it narrowed down to. I think the 429 would climb better but maybe not as stable going down. Do you think it would be close. What do you think of the performance fork on the giant. Do you think that may be one of the reasons for having to load the front end. Not as much mid stroke support? ???? Great video Thanks
Great question Walter! I've got a Pivot Trail 429 arriving soon for a longterm test, so I'll be able to give you some detailed feedback on how the two bikes compare. Based on riding the Trail 429 last year at the launch, I'd say it's also a very capable bike for its travel. I think your assumptions are pretty on the money - in my experience it was a great pedalling bike, and the dw_link design felt more efficient up the climbs than the Trance 29 does. The flip-side is that the Trance feels super-dooper stable at speed, and to me it's pretty clear where Giant's engineers have placed the emphasis in terms of performance on this bike. As to the Fox 34 Float Rhythm fork, it's a brilliant performer given it has the 'cheaper' GRIP damper cartridge. Out of the box it is pretty darn plush, but it can certainly dive through the travel if you leave it wide open. You might notice in the video that I have the blue compression lever set halfway - to me that gives a good balance between sensitivity and support, so the fork rides higher in its travel. I think loading the front end is more to do with the long front centre and the increased trail measurement from the slack HA and short fork offset. It is not nearly as dramatic as some of the other uber-long bikes out there though. I rode an S3 Specialized Stumpy EVO last year, and that bike was either the most confident or the most terrifying bike in the world depending on how I rode it. The front-lean required on that bike was much more dramatic than on this Trance 29. Thanks again for watching mate, and really glad you enjoyed the video - stay tuned for the full review in the near future! [ST Wil]
Cheers Kevin! That's a Lezyne Super GPS that I've had for about 3 years now. It does the trick and I find it's pretty easy to use with the Lezyne mobile app and the PC software (GPS Root). As with most GPS units, I'm not using it to half its potential - for me it's mostly about accurately tracking my ride distance, speed, elevation etc, so I don't have to rely on my mobile phone's GPS. The navigation function does leave a bit to be desired. It's really clunky trying to upload a GPX file - you have to do it via a PC and the GPS Root program, and even then it's very unclear as to how you're meant to do it. Once you work that out, you'll then have to search for the saved route in the mobile app, then pair it and upload it to the head unit. Once you're following a route, it's not too bad, but there isn't a lot of detail on the map. So if you're directionally challenged like I am, it isn't a foolproof form of navigation :-) I do like how you can pair it with your phone though, and it'll flag up on the screen if you have an incoming text message, call, or whatever other notifications you have set on your phone. I find that useful - especially when I'm test riding during a week day. If I was going to go out and buy one now, I'd be more inclined to get the Lezyne Mini GPS, which offers a lot of the same functionality in a smaller unit. If navigation was more important to me, I'd consider a bigger GPS like the Mega, or perhaps something from another brand. I've heard the Wahoo Bolt is a really good little unit. [ST Wil]
Hi mate ! Nice review and great channel by the way ! I'm so exciting to go get my bike in my bike shop ! Would you say that this bike accept great to ride a few times in a bike park ? Thanks !
Right on, and cheers for the feedback! So the Trance 29 is probably strong enough to ride at a bike park, and I'm sure it would be capable enough for the more groomed beginner and intermediate trails that you'd typically find at a bikepark. Remember though, it's still only a 115mm travel bike. It uses that travel well, and it is nice and sensitive, but if you're hitting bigger jumps and tabletops, you're going to find the end of the travel pretty frequently. If you wanted a more dedicated bikepark bike, the Reign is the bike in the Giant range you'll want to take a closer look at. Hope that helps mate! [ST Wil]
@@singletrack Thank you for your answer ! I'll probably go only sometimes in a bike park and I'm pretty glad that this bike can do that as well (not as great as an enduro bike but still do it) ! Thank you again, continue like that it's a great channel and sorry for my bad english I'm swiss ! Bye !
Hi Wil . I’m looking for a new bike . Any recommendations between the giant trance pro 29 1 vs stumpjumper st expert 29 and the trek fuel ex 9.8 ? Thanks in advance
@@tinshield - I find bar width is very bike and rider-dependent. Personally, I like the extra descending stability a wider bar provides - particularly as I'm not a pro-level rider. But going too wide can be a problem on tighter trails where clipping trees (and gates!) can be an issue. It's also possible to have too much leverage over the front wheel, and that affects steering negatively. I always try to have a variety of bars, stems, grips, saddles, droppers and tyres to flick between test bikes, which I find to be really useful in trying out different riding setups. Sometimes they improve the ride, sometimes they don't, but it's always interesting to experiment :-) [ST Wil]
Hey, I’m totally new to mountain biking. I just bought a 2018 Trance 2 with 27.5 wheels. What are going to be the pros and cons with 29 inch wheels compared to the 27.5s on these Trance’s?
Hey there Quallentino! Great question - the Giant Trance 29 and Canyon Neuron CF occupy a similar space in the trail bike market, but the two bikes are actually quite different on the trail. The Neuron CF is a much more chilled trail bike that offers excellent pedal efficiency, a comfortable riding position and easy handling. It's not an aggressive bike - it better suits riding along more groomed, undulating singletrack. It climbs well and you really don't need to touch the rear shock - it's very efficient in the open setting. In comparison, the Trance 29 is a much more aggressive bike. It's built with proper high-speed geometry and a piggyback rear shock, so it's well up for going stupid-fast on steep and rough descents. It doesn't pedal as well as the Neuron CF, and the draggy stock tyres mean it isn't the most enthusiastic climber. The 780mm wide bars and 40mm stem give you a more stable stance over the front wheel, and that helps you to throw it around more on the downs. Hope that helps paint a picture of the difference between the two, but just shout out if you've got any other questions mate! [ST Wil]
What’s is best tires of trance 2 29er 2019. Trail I bike is loose moss in the corners want to buy magic marry but what’s the best for loss and control in the curves
Hi Will, I see you're also using Fidlock magnet bottle. I'm looking for some some solution in order to place some hand pump along to Fidlock bottle mount. Do you have some ideas?
Hey there! So the magnetic carrier for the Fidlock water bottle mounts to the frame with two bolts just like a normal bottle cage does. What this means is that you can normally fit a pump bracket underneath the Fidlock carrier. I haven't used a pump bracket with the Fidlock bottle, but you might be able to see that I have a small multi-tool (Fix-It Sticks) mounted underneath the Fidlock bottle. This multi-tool uses a plastic bracket that is very similar to a pump bracket, and it simply fits underneath the Fixlock carrier. So you should be able to fit both the bottle and a pump in the same position. As for pump options, there are a load out there that'll come with the frame mount. There are some nice options from the likes of Blackburn, Topeak, Fabric, Lezyne and Crank Brothers, but there are a zillion other brands doing decent mini-pumps too. Hope that helps! [ST Wil]
This is another bike of compromise choices! To get a short chainstay and a playful bike, Instead of Giant changing from maestro to a more advanced linkage system they reduced travel! I guess we all now need to work out what kind of riders we are? Do you prefer a longer travel bike that pedals or ascends like a short travel bike. Or a short travel bike that decends like a longer travel bike. I thought that was the idea of mid travel bikes!
Is this firmer feeling rear suspension the reason I had trouble setting the sag on this bike (Base AL model)? I kept second guessing myself as it felt a bit stiff but I got it dialed in good now. love the bike.
I don't think so Uriah - the shock on the Trance 29 is quite small (only a 42.5mm stroke), so I think that just makes it a bit trickier to set sag properly. I recently spoke with Giant directly about suspension setup, and they actually recommend running 20% sag, which is a bit less than usual. 25-30% tends to be the more commonly recommended sag amount for most full suspension trail bikes. Previously I've been running the Trance 29 with 30% sag, but I've since added 20psi to lift the bike up a little, and it's now around 23% sag. The difference is noticeable - believe it or not, it's actually smoother and more active, which seems a little counter intuitive. But by increasing pressure and decreasing the sag figure, I think the shock is now sitting more comfortably in its 'active zone', rather than sitting deeper into the mid-stroke, where it starts to firm up. As such, the back end is feeling a little more lively and energetic. I've got a bit more dicking around to do with that rear shock, and then I'll be finalising the longterm review on this bike. Stay tuned to singletrackworld.com for the full review Uriah! [ST Wil]
Great review, really like how you discuss changes you've made to the bike and the effects they have. Mind me asking your height and inseam? I'm right in the middle of the size charts for this bike.
Awesome video thanks Wil - actually I'm enjoying all of your videos which are really informative and I also like the fact that you're prepared to have an actual opinion! As a result of your videos I'm deciding on either a Trance 29 2 or a Fuel EX8, which is a bit of a coin toss at the moment. My question is about size. I'm 188cm with 90cm in-seam, so right in the middle of L and XL. I'm not a particularly confident rider and do tend to get a sore lower back with a dodgy disc. Do you have an opinion on whether to size up, or down? Thanks in advance.
Hold on, are you suggesting that you're only allowed one bike?? That's horrible! Joking :-) In all seriousness, if you were looking for a trail-bike-to-do-most, then this Trance 29 would be right up there on the list. It isn't the most efficient pedaller, and it can feel a bit draggy up long climbs, so if your preference is for hardtail-like efficiency then I'd be looking elsewhere. If you're all about going as quickly as possible downhill though, the Trance is definitely on the more aggressive side in terms of geometry and riding intent, which makes it a heck of a lot of fun to ride flat-out and hit terrain that you normally would avoid on a 115mm travel bike. Hope that helps! [ST Wil]
@@mimiespiloy2547 - That's an easy one! If you want to do more XC/marathon racing, or you simply want a light and efficient bike for riding smoother and less-gnarly singletrack on, go the Anthem 29. It's a terrific bike with great suspension and a practical, well-engineered frame. One thing to note though is the Anthem's skinny 27.2mm seatpost diameter, which is more comfortable (a skinnier carbon tube tends to flex more easily), but it does severely limit your choice of available dropper posts. So that's one thing to consider. I tested and reviewed the Anthem 29 a little while ago, and you can check out my review here if you like: singletrackworld.com/2018/03/review-the-2018-anthem-advanced-pro-29er-1-is-giants-best-full-suspension-xc-race-bike-to-date/ If on the other hand you just want to ride for fun, and you're looking for something that's going to give you more confidence while descending and the ability to ride rougher trails, then go the Trance 29. It's more versatile from that perspective, and even if you're riding easier trails to begin with, it'll give you more room for your skills to grow, compared to the Anthem. Hope that helps mate! [ST Wil]
Hi Will, would you recommend this bike over the Reign? Planning to use it for local enduro races but I’m quite hesitant as it is on the short-travel side of the 29er bikes.
Hey there, That's a great question! The answer is basically going to come down to what your expectations are, what kind of bike you're on at the moment, and what sort of riding you'd like to do - not just now, but in say 6-12 months time. Looking at those two bikes specifically, the Reign is the bigger travel enduro bike, whereas the Trance 29 is an aggressive trail bike. I think if you were going to enter more than the one or two enduro races per year, and you're also likely to get away for a riding holiday to some bigger alpine terrain, you'll definitely want the Reign - it has more travel, a beefier frame, and geometry that's stretched out for riding super fast on basically DH-worthy terrain. If enduro racing is less important to you though, and most of your riding is going to be based around less-gnarly trails, then the Trance 29 may be the better pick. It'll be a more comfortable and easier bike to pedal for longer distance trails that involve plenty of climbing and traversing - not just descending. Hope that helps answer your question mate, and thanks for watching! [ST Wil]
Hey Jared! That's the Fix It Sticks Mountain Kit, with the mounting bracket for the bottle cage bolts; store.fixitsticks.com/collections/mountain/products/mountain-set-4-5-6mm-hex-t-25-with-mounting-bracket?variant=21123898369 It includes two machined alloy 'sticks', and you've got 4, 5 and 6mm hex bits, and a T25 torx bit. The two 'sticks' combine to create a T-bar style tool that is really nice to use. As well as being a lot easier to access certain bolts (compared to a flip-out multi-tool), you can also get good leverage on bolts when you need to. I find it super useful on the Trance 29 where it uses tooled bolt-up axles front and rear. Having the 6mm hex key handy makes wheel removal/installation a lot faster. [ST Wil]
Great question Brandon! The Tallboy and Trance 29 are both 29er trail bikes, and they share almost identical rear wheel travel (110 vs 115mm). The Trance 29 does have a slightly longer travel fork at 130mm (the Tallboy frame will handle a 130mm fork, but complete bikes come with 120mm). That aside, the geometry, build kits and overall ride quality between the two bikes are actually quite different. Compared to the Tallboy, the Trance 29 is notably slacker and longer in its front centre. It has a 66.5-degree head angle (68-degrees on the Tallboy), and reach on a Medium is 442mm (430mm on the Tallboy). As such, the Trance 29 tends to be a more speed-hungry trail bike, with a bias towards technical descending - moreso than its 130/115mm travel suggests. Complementing that are several key spec decisions. There's a piggyback Fox Float DPX2 shock, 2.3in wide Maxxis Minion 3C tyres, big bars, a short stem, and stout carbon fibre wheels. It feels very solid through the front-end, with stable tracking even when the terrain is steep, and the riding speeds are fast. While it wouldn't be the best tool for the job, it feels confidence-inspiring enough that you could turn up to an enduro race and not be completely out of your depth. I'd say the Tallboy is a better pedalling bike, and is more efficient on the climbs. In general, it's more biased towards all-round trail riding. Hope that helps mate! [ST Wil]
@@singletrack wow that most certainly helped. I demoed the tallboy and loved it. That was spot on. Was Just trying to get a frame of reference on how this trance would ride. Thank you so much for the detailed response...still think im gonna wait to see if they update the tallboy this year bc I was really impressed with it
Love your vids but isn’t the purpose of a review to test the bike stock / as is? You changed the tyres, dropper seat, handlebars...that’s hardly stock and kinda undermines the legitimacy of the test. My 2c.
Pretty simple - I wanted to test something a little wider than the stock 780mm bar, and I had the 800mm wide Hixon iC handy. So there you go :-) [ST Wil]
