A staple in Giant’s line-up, the Trance Advanced has undergone a major overhaul for the new season, now sporting more travel, revised geometry, and what is arguably a more exclusive spec. But is it enough to hold its position in the upper echelons of the trail bike world?
Most of the upgrades to the Giant Trance Advanced aren’t that obvious at first glance, and you could be forgiven for overlooking the revised 148 x 12 mm hub spacing that lends more stiffness to the rear. But then there’s the overhauled Maestro suspension setup, where Giant have gone for a RockShox Super Deluxe rear shock with a trunnion mount that should take its damping to new frontiers and lend the bike more grip and control. Giant have blindly batted away fears over budget when it comes to the spec, indulging the € 6,799 bike with a SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain, a RockShox PIKE RCT3 fork, Guide Ultimate brakes, and lightweight carbon wheels. But while their component choice is spot on, they’ve skimmed over the details and given the bike an anemic cockpit (long and thin with a 70 mm stem and 740 mm-wide bars) and pretty wishy-washy Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires that limit its control on technical ground.
The updated Trance has made impressive gains on the climbs when compared to its previous iteration, and it’s all aided by the steeper seat tube angle and optimized rear end. There’s the same need to shift your weight to the front of the saddle to stop any unwanted wheelies up the hills when the gradient hits high double figures; however, tilt the bike downhill and the Trance pulls out its trump cards of agility and directness. It masterfully maximizes every millimeter of its travel without over-indulging on big hits. The suspension delivers a controlled and efficient performance with a lot of feedback and composure over hits in quick succession. As the 67° head angle is pretty modest, this translates into twitchiness at high speeds. Unlike its big brother the Reign, the Trance isn’t just a simple point-and-shoot bike; it’s way more playful and direct, which makes it something that so many riders will want to get their hands on.
Giant Trance Advanced 0 in Detail
Fork: RockShox Pike RCT3
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe RC3
Brakes: SRAM Guide Ultimate
Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Eagle
Seatpost: Giant Contact SL 150 mm
Stem: Giant Contact SL 70 mm
Handlebar: Giant Contact TR Carbon 740 mm
Tires: Schwalbe Nobby Nic Evolution
Wheels: Giant TRX0 Carbon
Giant have massively upped their game on the Maestro rear end with a carbon rocker arm and a trunnion-mounted rear shock, which lets them have a shorter length with the same stroke, allowing better weight distribution and more consistent damping behaviour.
Narrow bars and long stems are a relic from the past, and the cockpit on the Giant Trance Advanced is basically an infringement on its trail-crushing potential.
The Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires are quick rolling, but they lack the grip and puncture resistance that the bike needs!
Compared to its previous iteration, Giant have lowered the bottom bracket a little, which lends itself to far better handling – especially when cornering. The Trance also features a bashguard to protect the chainring from trail debris.
Conclusion
There are so many reasons to love the new Giant Trance Advanced 0: its agile handling, great suspension, and wealth of high-end components all impress. However, there are some minor yet avoidable limitations in its spec that pull the cord on its potential. The Trance is certainly on the right track, but there’s still room for improvement.
Strenghts
- A super-fun and agile bike
- Efficient suspension
- Stylish
Weaknesses
- Flaws in the spec
- Lacks stability at high speeds
For more information head to giant-bicycles.com!
For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: A Bike for All Situations – 9 of the most exciting trail bikes of 2017
All bikes in test: FOCUS JAM C Factory | Lapierre Zesty AM 927 Ultimate | ROSE ROOT MILLER 3 | SCOTT Spark Plus 700 Tuned | Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29 | Trek Fuel EX 9.9 29 | Yeti SB5 TURQ X01 Eagle | YT JEFFSY 29 CF Pro
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