The Trance 1 is a hard-charging XC bike with the speed, power and suspension to land highlight-reel jumps. Its climber-friendly aluminum frame churns out power with zero pedal bob, while offering 100mm of fully active travel front and rear.
Submitted by
Scottay715
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2011
Strengths: The suspension rocks. I've only had hardtails so comparitivley this thing just east up the techy stuff during my decents. Also, the brakes are awsome and the drive train provides silky smooth shifting.
Weaknesses: The crappy gound clearance is a real issue with me. I like the tough technical sections but every time I try to muscle over or up some rocky technical stuff I get launched off the bike when the pedals hit. I'm going to try to ad some more pressure to the shock to see if that fixes the issue but if it doesnt then I'm going to sell it and get an X1.
Bottom Line:
Refer to what I said about the ground clearance. Other than that this is an awsome bike. Hopefully the X1 doesnt have the same ground clearance issue.
Submitted by
illganjalli
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2010
Strengths: Frame, shifting, handling, weight.
Weaknesses: Cranks, the race face cranks that come on the 2007 Giant Trance x1 are horrible. They use the ISIS set up which requires the self extracting nut to remove them. I bought this used and it didn't have it. Needless to say, I went with SLX and never looked back. For all who have the pedal clearance problem, your crank arms should really be 170mm and the rear shock should be pumped all the way up. My bike I felt had the same problem so I changed crank size and added alot of air to the rear shock. Never really had a problem. Just know what it can/can't handle.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, this thing handles awesome and looks amazing. The stock brakes, crankset suck. Otherwise, this bike is awesome.
Bike Setup: Stock except for, SLX crankset/BB, Kenda tires, SLX Brakeset, spacer in rock shox fork removed for a 120mm travel fork (awesome).
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
bholton
a Cross Country Rider
from Ancaster
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2010
Strengths: Bomb proof. Great standard equipment. Geometry suits the bike for a wide range of riding. Really well balanced. Great bike for long days in the saddle or short fast XC races/ rides.
Weaknesses: It's too good. I can't justify getting a brand new shiny bike when my three year old Trance still bashes with the best of them.
Bottom Line:
I submitted a review [below] 2.5 years ago 6 months into riding this bike. This bike is fantastic. Just replaced the drive train and rear wheel bearings [DT Swiss]. Fork and shock [Fox F Series and RP2] are in for service now. Three years of riding almost everyday and this is all I've had to do, other than cleaning and lubing. Bike has about 8000k on it. The pivots are all sealed bearings and still roll [pivot] smoothly.
I ride in the rocks of Hilton Falls, the speedy tracks of the Hydro Cut and the Dundas Valley. This bike fast, very responsive, and climbs like a mountain goat.
Bike Setup: Ergo grips, Race face Deuc Cranks, Kenda Tomac Small Block Eight 2.35, SRAM X9 rear, DT Swiss hubs, WTB laser rims
Basically stock except for Tires and drive train
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Submitted by
Holdsy
a Cross Country Rider
from South Austraila
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2009
Strengths: Great climber (billy goat stuff), Good shock set up, great specs, Excellent bike geometry,
Weaknesses: None that I can think of, been a little to early to judge that, I will see how long it is before I have to replace or service some of the parts.
Bottom Line:
A fantastic Bike, really Climbs well,,No pedal bob what more could you ask for ...maybe all XT stuff but the sram seems to match the model well. I would definitely recommend this bike to any would be mountain biker, trust me it will serve you well 15 minutes on the bike told me that.
Top stuff Giant outstanding bike!!!!!!!
This is a review for a 2008 Trance 1.
Lighter and betterthan my 2005 Trance. The suspension is very smooth and feels like you have more than 4 inches of travel. The bike is light and has decent components. The breakes seem iffy so far though. Amazing value for the money!
Bike Setup: Changed seat, seatpost, bars and stem.
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Submitted by
newtranceFan
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2009
Strengths: This bike is realy nimble and fast, really comfy on downhills at higher speed and so nice to look at when waiting for slower friends. XC riders look no further this is your bike!
Weaknesses: Like everyone says, low clearance! Gotta be proactive with pedal position on rocky uneven turns. Pedals are guaranteed to scrape when you fall asleep on it.
Bottom Line:
Best bike build me and my buddy have done so far, definitely worth your money when you buy the whole bike and invest on upgrades like we did. It will make you feel like a superior rider. This bike is definitely a keeper for me.
Similar Products Used: specialized fsr, ironhorse sinister
Bike Setup: xt drivetrain, 80-120 'zocci bomber fork, kenda nevegals, Ti saddle
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
presa
a Cross Country Rider
from Miami
Date Reviewed: December 9, 2008
Strengths: Everything
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
This bike is sick!
It has the ride of a Cadillac and the nimbleness of a Porche. I replaced the stock wheelset with a sturdier pair (read the WTB speed disc wheels are weak, didn't give em a chance to disappoint). Got a Thomson laidback post to give a little more arm room( felt a little cramped. I'm 5'11, frame is 18") the stock rear tire is a semi-slick, so that had to go, The Hutchinson Barracuda up front worked fine, riding panaracer fire xc now.
the Rock Shox Reba is a great fork and the Fox RP2 is smooth as butter. The Maestro suspension is the best I've had the pleasure of riding.
This bike has turned me into a loyal Giant fan!!
Kudos to Giant, they really nailed it with this one!!
Similar Products Used: Specialized FSR, Gary Fisher Sugar, Cannondale Scalpel
Bike Setup: 2007 X1 Reba Race 100mm,Mavic crossride Wheels, fire xc tires,Race Face Evolve cranks + stem, Sram x-9 rear der.Thomson Post, WTB Devo saddle,Crank Bros Smarty pedals,
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
xkikasskid1593x
a Racer
from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2008
Strengths: I do not actually compete, this bike (06) is so great, it lets you go as fast as you want to, I have had some pretty grim wipe-outs because of that(a little too FAST, airborne in the middle of a turn, landed in a tree) but the bike is good. I went past my personal limits, of vision, but the bike held its grip and its exceptional balance, and it is truly meant for DH/XC, the things I do, it is brilliant at high speeds. I had an FSR and I hated it for its lack of grip, and balance, it was REALLY hard to turn, so I trashed it on an eight foot drop off on purpose, had a little fun, and got this one. Best decision I have made about bikes.
Weaknesses: None, except for nearly treadless stock rear tire, but I had Kenda Nevegal Stick-E s from the FSR that I destroyed.
Bottom Line:
Recommended purchase, great in downhill, the 06 is hard to pedal uphill, not like in 07 or 08, but there is lots of grip, if you can get the tires turning enough to make it up the hills on the 06. Best downhill bike I have ever ridden and I have ridden a $2000 Downhill specific bike.
Favorite Trail: Hysro Cut (voted second best mountain biking trail in North America
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At: Gears and Grills
Similar Products Used: Specialized FSR Enduro (that did not endure me)
Bike Setup: lock in pedals, Kenda rear Stickies, doctor prescribed gel seat
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
bholton@apotex.com
a Cross Country Rider
from Ancaster, ON, CDA
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2008
Strengths: Well built, super solid, decently spec'd bike. Effortless handling. Best value for the money on the market. Great bike out of the box, although I did change a few components, minor.
Weaknesses: Spec'd grips, chain, tires. I switched to Ergon grips and don't fault Giant for not including these with the package. SRAM 951 chain. I want a chain with easy removal for cleaning. Swithced tires to my favorite Hutchinson Pythons.
I haven't had a problem with clearance as mentioned in some of the other reviews. I ride in rock gardens and pretty technical single track where clearance is an issue.
Bottom Line:
Great Bike! Awesome value! This bike handles technical climbs better than my NRS did, and the weight penalty is negligable. The bike is really fast. Pro pedal certainly enhances the speed on smooth single track. This is a fast bike, that climbs well and bombs downhill single track with confidence. The suspension system keeps the wheels in full contact with the ground so you can really lay it into the corners.
With the 2008 model frame change the rear shock no longer protrudes through a 'glory' hole. This really helps keep it clean and facilitates the cleaning process.
Bike Setup: Pretty much stock except as noted above. Chopped the handle bars down 7cm. Now I can thread the tighter needles.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
seaclasper
a Weekend Warrior
from Encinitas, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2008
Strengths: Takes a while to get dialed in, but the shocks are great and responsive in a lot of riding conditions. Not super light, but climbs great, and takes the downhills a hell of a lot better than my old hardtail used to! I find myself 'floating' down singletrack in a way that is very pleasing!
Weaknesses: A lot of the stock components suck. Seriously. The tires are a joke, I would buy Kendas and put them on immediately. The saddle needs instant replacing as well. I'm not thrilled with the shifters that don't tell you what gear you're in. I thought something was really wrong with the bike for the first month until I replaced the chain and it ran smoothly. My local bike mechanic today told me I should probably replace the disc brakes! Did not come with pedals, and the grips are pretty lame. So just be aware that you'll need to spend a bit more $ to get the most out of this bike...
Bottom Line:
I can't compare this to any other full suspensions, as I just did a lot of research online and then bought this model. It's not too pricey, and great for the XC stuff I do. Handles technical climbing a lot better than my hardtail, and downhills fairly well. For a first timer like myself on full suspension, it was frustrating having so many stock components that needed replacing, and the shock setup is not all that intuitive (i.e., takes some experience before you have a clue what you're doing). Overall, I enjoy it a lot when everything has worked the way one would imagine it is supposed to for almost 2 grand, but that hasn't been often.
Submitted by
Paul0geetar
a Cross Country Rider
from BC interior
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2008
Strengths: All around performance, particularly climbing. Great spec for price. Very nimble.
Weaknesses: As mentioned before, low clearance (this might also be a strength, it does handle nicely through corners)
Bottom Line:
I've put a lot of km on this bike now, and am quite happy with it. The Nevegals that came with it work well on anything that I've tried it on except mud (they don't seem to hook up well in mud at all). It's a very stable descender for it's travel and head angle. Climbs, without a doubt, better than my hardtail. The only exception to that is when I stand and crank, and it's pretty close even then. The bb clearance is regularly a problem, my new pedals look pretty beat, but we are pretty rocky here so I suppose that's not a big surprise. Bars are pretty wide, but I haven't decided yet whether or not to cut them down. It was like a year of training for free to switch to this bike.
Submitted by
ozzyguy3
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia, Victoria,
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2008
Strengths: Great all round XC Full suspension bike. Plush forks and rear shock. just point and shoot at anything and it rides up the other side. Great climber, Pro pedal is awsome. SRAM Running gear is responsive, I just love it
Weaknesses: low Ground clearance, but is traded of foor great handing with lower centre on gravity and for climbing. Hard to clean around many pivot points (But worth it for GIANT's rear linkage)
Bottom Line:
Love the bike, its light, responsive and just looks damn good with the fluid formed frame and top tube (better in real life than in pictures), test rode numerous similar products. Got on the Trance and rode it around the car park of my LBS, then took it home.
Bike Setup: Stock with saddle change. (Standard saddle is great race saddle)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
George
a Cross Country Rider
from Athens, GR
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2008
Strengths: Control, comfort, climbing. Good components.
Weaknesses: Ground Clearance. My pedals hit stones all the time that I used to pass with my HT. Rims are also on the cheap side :(
Bottom Line:
Very comfortable and good climber! I don't get the back pains that I had with my HT. Also steep climbs are easier. Much faster in trail and downhill although in flats and uphill "feels" slower than my HT. Ground clearance is low...I have stop pedaling when there are rocks around!
Submitted by
George
a Cross Country Rider
from Athens, GR
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2008
Strengths: Control, comfort, climbing. Good components.
Weaknesses: Ground Clearance. My pedals hit stones all the time that I used to pass with my HT. Rims are also on the cheap side :(
Bottom Line:
Very comfortable and good climber! I don't get the back pains that I had with my HT. Also steep climbs are easier. Much faster in trail and downhill although in flats and uphill "feels" slower than my HT. Ground clearance is low...I have stop pedaling when there are rocks around!
Weaknesses: Axle crlkearance off the ground is only about 250mm so you hit a lot of stumps. Like getting knocked off the bike. I guess it keeps the centre of gravity low for better handling. THe Spec Stumpjumper clearance is about 350mm, clears a lot more obstacles.
Bottom Line:
Big trade off - clearance/ handling. Interested in any comments on this.
I'm having the ground clearance issue with my 08' Giant Trance 1 and was wondering whether or not the Giant Trance X1 has the same issue. Is there anything I can do to fix the iss Read More »
Hi friends, I'm writing from south america! I would like to know if I can use a non tapered 1.5 steering tube fork (all the tube is 1.5") in a 2009 Giant Trace X ???
The size of Read More »
Hi Guys,
Just after some help for my wife. She has the opportunity of getting either a 2010 Felt Virtue 1 or a 2011 Giant Trance X2 for basically the same price. She loves ridi Read More »
Hi Guys,
Just after some help for my wife. She has the opportunity of getting either a 2010 Felt Virtue 1 or a 2011 Giant Trance X2 for basically the same price. She loves ridin Read More »
This *seems* like all I need, but an online search is giving me all kinds of stuff about running reducer headsets and not a lot of info on this particular part.
FSA Integrated Read More »
