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Average Rating
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4.14/5
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# of Reviews
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28
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MSRP
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$ 1090.00
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Weight
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More Products from Giant
Submit a Review
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Description:
- Frame: ALUXX SL aluminum
- Shock: Fox Float R
- Handlebar: Easton low rise
- Stem: Easton 6061 alloy
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Submitted by
Tiva
a Cross Country Rider
from Lubbock, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Appears to have been built very solidly as I have had many crashes and it is still intact (except one of the knobs on the chainstay broke off one day NOT after a crash). Other than that I can not say as it is my 1st Mountain bike. | | Weaknesses: | Seems heavy. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded to Rock Shox Reba SL, Thompson seat post, WTB velociraptors, Truativ Firex crank, Avid BB5 brakes (soon: FSA K-Force carbon riser bar, FSA OS-170 stem, 2007 SRAM X-7 rear derailler, and 2007 Avid BB-7 rear brake) | | Bottom Line: | I'm having fun riding it and upgrading it. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark smith
a Racer
from morristown,tenn.usa
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | maple arch loop@panther creek state park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Purchased At: | ski country | | Strengths: | reliable and durable,used and abused straight off the showroom floor and hasnt flinched yet.I ride hard ,jumps,humps,roots and rocks.Fully upgradeable if you want to. | | Weaknesses: | handlebars too wide, front fork stiff(worked better after I put 3 in 1 oil on outside of fork upper tube).Rear shock lower end exposed to rocks and dirt(made my own plastic guard for it). | | Similar Products Used: | Kona Cindercone | | Bike Setup: | totally stock | | Bottom Line: | Burns up the trail without me having to worry about breakdown(I ride pedal to the metal)! Get one if you can find it since Giant no longer makes the trance 4. I would recommend this bike for anyone from beginner to expert. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Cross Country Rider
from Macon, GA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Fox rear suspension, good entry level FS Bike | | Weaknesses: | Manitou Axel fork, little on the heavy side | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR | | Bottom Line: | great bike to buy and upgrade as you improve...easy to upgrade...has great starting kit! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Kennesaw
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Blanket's Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Purchased At: | Mama's Board n' Bike | | Strengths: | Frame, rear shock, upgradability. | | Weaknesses: | Fork, V-brakes, tires | | Bike Setup: | RockShox Revelation 426, Avid Juicy 7 brakes | | Bottom Line: | This is a great bike for the money. It seems as thought it was made specificaly for upgrading. With the new fork and brakes this bike absolutely rocks. I plan on changing the tires soon and the components as the break. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Dulac
a Weekend Warrior
from Wirral, England
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Llandegla | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Paul's Cycles (UK mail order) | | Strengths: | Sweet rear suspension for price. Plenty of upgrade potential. Fantastic fun "do-it-all" trail bike - more comfortable and robust than all out XC bikes and lighter and better at climbing than most "All Mountain" bikes. | | Weaknesses: | Manitou Axle fork stinks, Easton kit is a con. | | Similar Products Used: | Marin FSR DH, Specialised Hardrock Pro. | | Bike Setup: | Rockshox Reba fork with remote lockout, Hayes HFX9 disc brakes, Truvativ FireX crankset, Crank bros Candy SL pedals, XT/LX mechs, Carbon low-rise bar, Panaracer Cinder 2.1 Tyres, Mavic Crossride Wheels. | | Bottom Line: | I got the Trance 4 with upgraded brakes (Hayes HFX9) at a really good price so I could upgrade the components bit by bit over time. On my first ride I knew the bike was a dream, the Hutchinson Bulldog tyres were a nightmare and the bars were far too wide. Axle fork was usable on a temporary basis but is heavy and has limited adjustability - now use Reba with lockout which is a LB lighter and transforms the ride of the bike. Was initially concerned that better Trances come with Fox Float RP3 which is as Float R but with lockout - I now feel that the Maestro suspension system works so well with Fox's Propedal shock that between them they virtually eliminate almost all pedal bob so the lockout of the RP3 is not really needed on a Maestro equipped frame. You should note that the Easton parts (bars, seatpost, stem, etc) are not their usual off-the-shelf models - the cheapest of which is the EA30 which I think can be found on older Trance 3s. The 2005/2006 Trance 4 has dodgy "no model" Easton parts that really let a good company down. I took the bar off to cut it down (as most people do as it is far too wide) and found it to be really heavy and VERY thick in cross-section so instead of cutting it down I threw it away and got something else! This experience has made me wonder about the quality of the other Easton parts that come OEM on a Trance 4 and have no model name. Overall, I love my now "Custom" Trance which has only really been affordable by initially buying a Trance 4. Except for the Bulldog tyres and the wide bars the Trance 4 is a fantastic all-round trail bike for the price and is highly recomended if you want to upgrade as you go. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington D.C. USA
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$849.00 | | Purchased At: | Hudson Trail Outfitters | | Strengths: | 1. This bike was very reasonably priced and the maestro suspension is very nicely designed. Even with the Stock Fox Float R shock (properly adjusted) there is virtually no "pedal bob" in the rear.
2. All Deore or better components... perfect for the level of bike and the use. As components break down or get damaged on the trail I may upgrade, but it is not necessary out of the box. | | Weaknesses: | 1. As strong as the rear suspension with Fox shock is, the front suspension is at the completely opposite end of the spectrum. My Trance 4 came with the Manitou Axel Elite 100mm shock. It is horrible (I weigh over 200#) and I replaced it with a Fox Float RL 100mm air shock. It completely changed the bike for the better.
2. I also left the store with upgraded tires... I ditched the stock one without even trying based on reports here. | | Similar Products Used: | Stumpjumper FSR | | Bike Setup: | Stock + Avid BB7 disc brakes, Fox Float RP3 (slightly stiffer pedalpower settings than the stock shock), Fox Float RL 100mm front fork. | | Bottom Line: | You can't beat the Maestro design. With any good Fox pedalpower shock it works superbly, smooth over rough terrain and almost no power loss on hill climbs. I bought this bike after reading the reviews here and knew I would be changing a few things... the basic platform and components (aside from the fork) are great and with a few tweaks this bike can be truly killer for XC. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kiddo
a Weekend Warrior
from Georgia
Date Reviewed: January 16, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Bike One | | Strengths: | Maestro Suspension and ability to upgrade | | Weaknesses: | side-pull brakes, fork, wide handle bars | | Similar Products Used: | Giant Reign and Specialized Stumpjumper | | Bike Setup: | stock with upgrade on the side-pull brakes to avid mechanical discs | | Bottom Line: | This bike flat out does not suck. The Maestro suspension provides enough travel without pedal bob. It's perfect for attacking uphills. I live in a hilly region of west Georgia and was worried about attacking these climbs with a full suspension; I barely noticed any difference. I got up the hills with ease and went down the descents with much stability. The 4 inches of travel is just enough for trails saturated with rocks and tree roots, so if you ride fairly rough XC terrain this bike is a perfect choice, but I wouldn't recommend this for anything beyond cross country, for that you may want to try the Reign (it has more travel). The Manitou Fork is decent for me because I'm 6'2" tall and weigh 160 pounds. If you weigh much more than that, you may want to upgrade it to something that better fits you. Eventually, I'll make the upgrade myself, but for now, the stock Manitou fork does the job. The Deore components are okay, but they could eventually require a change, luckily the bike is easily upgraded. The handlebars are also a tad wide. I tend to grab a couple of trees occasionally, so those will be trimmed down soon enough.
All in all...the Trance 4 is a solid bike and the ability to uprade make the weaknesses seem nonexistent. I do, however, deduct a chili for the brakes and the wide handle bars. I still recommend this bike to anyone in the market for a solid XC ride with a sweet suspension.
Cheers
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andee
a Weekend Warrior
from Oviedo, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Santos | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Strengths: | The ability to upgrade. The frame is the same as a trance 1... | | Weaknesses: | Wide handlebars, tires, fork | | Bottom Line: | I recently upgraded from a hardtail Gary Fisher Wahoo to the Trance 4 by Giant. This is my first full suspension bike.
I love this bike ALOT, but after I made some modifications. I had read the reviews about cutting the handlebars down and found that it was true that they were too wide for me. I had them cut down 3/4 inch on both sides. I changed out the peddles *(They came with clipless, which I dont use at the moment)...The tires definately need to be replaces right away! And finally, we upgraded the fork, which made the bike ride super smooth. It is an awesome ride. Im so glad that we went with this bike... My husband, who is an expert rider, agrees that this is an awesome deal and a very smoothe ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ropie
a Weekend Warrior
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2600.00 | | Purchased At: | L.B.S | | Weaknesses: | SHOCK!!!!! CUSTOMER SUPPORT!!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Rocky Mountain, Specialized, Yeti, Kona... | | Bottom Line: | I purchased the bike because of the deal. Rode it about 5 times started to have issues with the shock. Rocks and mud were eating it up due to it being exposedt to the front wheel. I called Giant on the matter and they proceeded to tell me that I was the only one having the problem. Which is nonsence because the started installing a guard on all the new bikes from about mid year on. When I called them out on this they stood to their word and told me that I would have to pay 40.00 for the guard. WHAT!!! they expected me to pay to fix a problem that they new they had... Whatever. I sold the bike and bought a Yeti. Do yourself a favor do not buy a Giant. The company has some issues, more importantly they do not back their product. There is no room in our industry for this.. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Don
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque, NM
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Cedro | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Purchased At: | Az Bike Outfitters | | Strengths: | Good beginning F/S mountain bike | | Weaknesses: | Parts, especially fork, need upgrading fast | | Similar Products Used: | lots of F/S mtb's wit 3-5" travel | | Bottom Line: | Rented this bike for a 4 hour ride in the Scottsdale AZ mountains. The Fork was a Maintou Splice - this was hard on the hands, wrists, and arms. The Rear Shock tracked and performed well. This would be a great bike to get the ball rolling into mountain biking, with parts upgrades, it could be a fun bike. As it sits stock, it weighed over 35 lbs; put it on a diet and it would be much more fun. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ydns
a
from Rochester, NY
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Humpty Dumpty (Dryer Road Park) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Towners | | Strengths: | Upgradability to Trance 1 parts as your skill/wallet ups! customizable suspension. Good (not great) traction on uphills. Great control with the wide handle bars (cut'em if you want) | | Weaknesses: | The chain pops off (only) in low gear alot on bumpy rides. Not sure if its my setup or what, but this can be scary in the middle of a run. Some issues with changing gears, but could be my aggresive rding style. | | Bike Setup: | stock. | | Bottom Line: | The 2005 Giant Trance 4 is my first mountain bike. I have no real complaints except the chain popping on rough terrain - which can be avoided by using middle or high gear. I would recommend this bike to any newbie looking for full suspension. It is a touch heavy as are many full susp., but that helps you get in shape quicker. I love the bike and the fact I can upgrade components (up to Trance 1) makes this a no brainer for a beginner. I've even won 2 MTB race series with this bike, so it isn't that heavy. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bernard Escandor
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Wilder Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | The Off-Ramp | | Strengths: | Maestro Suspension design; Price. | | Weaknesses: | None. The stock components on the Trance 4 are great for beginners. For those intermediate or experienced XC enthusiasts, this bike has plenty of room for upgrades. | | Similar Products Used: | Intense Tracer; Giant NRS Air | | Bike Setup: | '02 Intense Tracer; Shimano XTR spec drivetrain; Shimano XT disc hubs w/Mavic 317 rims; Shimano DX60 pedals; Avid BB7 mechanical brakes; Easton MG60 stem, EA50 riser bar and seatpost; WTB Rocket V saddle; Chris King headseat; '02 Manitou Black Elite Air | | Bottom Line: | The Maestro Suspension design is incredible. There is no "pedal-bob" when I took this bike on climbs. You can just attack the climb without having to worry to lock out the rear shock, which I'm used to with my Intense Tracer. The Giant NRS Air is another bike I've used in the past that has a similar effect. The stock components on the Trance is fair if you are a first time rider looking for a full suspension bike, so in my opinion, the Trance 4 is a great bike for beginners. Off the bikeshop, you get rim brakes, but the wheelset has a IS (International Standard) 6 bolt hub which gives you the option to get disc brakes. This gives plenty of room for upgrades on components. Another thing that comes to my mind are the pedals. The're actually clipless pedals with a flat platform adapter connected to one side. They can be a bothersome if you're not familiar with clipless pedals. If you plan to buy the Trance 4 make sure to ask the shop people to change out the pedals you are comfortable with.
Overall, I've been very impressed with the performance of this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark wheeler
a Weekend Warrior
from vero beach fl usa
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | frt pierce trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | bicycle sport vero beach fl. | | Strengths: | first time owner of full suspension bike. I am a 6ft 2in 210lb rider, so the bike set up took a little work but after that the bike is great, climbs well great pedal efficentcy, | | Weaknesses: | Did notice tires are a little weak does not like wet slippery terrain, | | Bottom Line: | would like to replace tires soon, possably upgrade brakes, and front schock, bike far serpased my expectatsions, great bike for the money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
arkitonik
a Weekend Warrior
from burbank, ca
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | tech. single track , downhill aka all mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$999.00 | | Strengths: | excellent bike to upgrade, but stock is already amazing except for tires and front forks..amazing maestro design..climbs really good and goes down really good (as long as you have good tires), price | | Weaknesses: | tires, front forks | | Bottom Line: | I did not get to apprecaite this bike until I replaced the stock tires with WTB Velociraptors. The combo was like love at first sight. For the price, you can't beat this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | 24hr course in Canmore | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Pedalhead Bicycle Works | | Strengths: | real efficient pedal stroke, climbs like a maniac, descends like a maniac | | Weaknesses: | front fork, v-brakes, tires | | Bike Setup: | i upgraded to a Marzocchi Gran Fondo, and Avid BB5 disc brakes, i also purchased some beefier tires | | Bottom Line: | I love this bike, i've raced with it a few times this year and i am very impressed. with proper suspension set-up it eats up roots an rocks while flying down single-track, and the meastro system makes for an excellent climbing bike, even better than my old 25lb hardtail. the pedal stroke is super effiecient and the rear tire never leaves the trail on the climbs. awesome bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | 31LBS | | Strengths: | Great geometry, plush suspension feel, no pedal bob, feels like it has more travel than 4". Awesome climber for the weight, especially on steep technical climbs. Confidence inspiring when using better tyres and benefits greatly from adding a 100-130mm fork. Upgraded from V Brakes to El Caminos, a smart move considering the speed it'll allow you to comfortably ride. | | Weaknesses: | Collapsed top suspension bearings after 2 months of Scottish summer riding, bearings are really tiny and will probably go again before the end of the year if this is anything to go by. Rear wheel bearings failed in similar short period, stem too long (changed it), for a 4" travel bike its a bit on the heavy side. Stock forks (manitou Axel) are rubbish. | | Similar Products Used: | Rocky Mountain ETS-X, Santa Cruz Blur, Specialized FSR | | Bike Setup: | Deore and LX groupset, Alex Wheels, Easton EA30 Bar stem and seatpost, Hutchison Bulldog tyres, Manitou Axels. Upgraded to Pace RC40 XCAM, 65mm FSA Stem, El Camino Brakes, Maxxis Minion 2.3 tyres. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike to begin with for a rider on a budget or newcomer to suspension. For me it was a perfect staring point for upgrading and the improvements complimented the ride no end.
A little on the heavy side but you'll not complain too much riding it as the suspension works so well. Just when you have to carry you really notice!
And the bearings!!! Duffed after 2 months, ridden regularly but I'm no Steve Peat! The top two ball races are tiny and were completely disintegrated on inspection. Still looking for after market upgrades.....
That said, despite the problems still a very nice bike to ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Erasmus
a Cross Country Rider
from Delta BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Cypress Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Sports Pacific | | Strengths: | 2006 Model is fan-tastic, great for single track and fire roads and trails. Decents are very stable with NO pedal hop. Since the bike frame is the same as a top of the line Trance 1 all you need to do is upgrade a few components over time and you will definately have a great bike for many years. | | Weaknesses: | Firstly the bike dealer was totally NO HELP, had to get my local bike shop to set bike up for me. Great Job done once shock and fork were properly adjusted. At NO CHARGE and the maint info was invaluable . . . | | Similar Products Used: | Ironhorse Warrior DS | | Bike Setup: | Changed tires to WTB Veloceraptors, brakes switched to Hayes XC 9 | | Bottom Line: | Great value for an entry level bike
NEVER Buy From BICYCLE SPORTS PACIFIC in BC Canada IF YOU CAN AVIOD THEM POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE . . . | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, VA
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike Shop | | Strengths: | sturdy frame, i'm happy w/ the derail, smooth Deore shifters,good rear shocks, great first-time off-road/trail bike | | Weaknesses: | Hutchinson tires are less than decent w/ traction (They spin back on uphill gravel trails), fork only feels like it only goes down 2/3 the way, v-brakes | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | My friend that I go biking with got this bike about 8 months ago and he really liked it. Around January, when Performance was having a clearance of Giant bikes, my dad went in and got it because he knew an employee there and got an extra discount. In the end, we got a Trance 4 that was $1200 for $800 (sweet)! I've been doing off-road riding at Wakefield and on trails, and I love this bike. I feel like I can do anything on this bike, from doing tricky rock sections to going off good-sized jumps. The only things holding me back are the tires and the brakes. The fork is okay, but I'll upgrade it in the future. I was thinking of getting 160-180mm disc brakes and get tires that have better stud placement. When my fork gives in, I'll probably get a good-quality Fox fork. Besides those parts, if you're a biker who is thinking of getting their first full-suspension bike, this is a great buy AND a great ride!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan Louis
a
from London,Uk
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Surgery | | Strengths: | Great ride at a great price,easily upgradable,great geometery,Great looks... | | Weaknesses: | Stock tyres are no good,need immediate upgrade...
Axel forks are a little to plush for my liking. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Rockhopper | | Bike Setup: | Stock except upgarde on tyres-Specialized adrenaline,Stem-Race face evolve XC,Bars-truvativ hussefelt,Brakes-Shimano xt hydraulic disk brakes,New wheel set and pedals-Shimano DX | | Bottom Line: | A great bike overall,wasn't bad out of the shop at that price,since it is my first upgrade to a full sus only time will tell but for now it's smiles all the way.Am hoping to change the forks soon to something in the fox range,but for now the axels are handeling whats being thrown at them...
If you're looking for a first time full sus at a good price look no further.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Harrison
a Downhiller
from Bay Area, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Northstar | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bikes | | Strengths: | No Pedal bob, great frame, good starter parts. | | Weaknesses: | Tires are mediocre, handlebars are so wide I could barely get them through my door, not much travel on the rear shock. | | Bike Setup: | Custom CUT DH handlebars, STOMP pedals, Haro Dirt Jumper seat. | | Bottom Line: | I used to dirt jump and downhill on my crappy Specialized Hardrock Sport. One day I did a drop a little to high at Northstar and hurt my family jewels when the crank on one side just snapped off. It was that day that I decided I would be a new bike, and DEFINETLY not another hardtail. When I got home I went over to Performance Bikes during one of their blow out sales. I stole this bike away from them after testing it out behind the shop by dropping off some 5 foot loading ramps, I immediately knew that this was the bike, especially for the price. Even with the shock a stiff as possible I did notice that I bottomed out even if I hopped off a curb. I have been riding it dirt jumping and I must say that it is GREAT. I love this bike while I ride up to the jumps their is NO pedal bob and the front shocks for the most part are pretty good. Although I still bottom out on the jumps and drops I'm never afraid to go higher than my friends. Because the frame is the same as the Trance 1 it is available for many upgrades. I plan on putting on a Marzocchi Junior T front fork and Marzocchi Roco RC rear shock. Although I am sad that i will have pedal bob again I am happy that I have this bomb proof frame and overall great bike. Although it is an XC/ All mountain bike I think everyone can use it, and after a few upgrades I cant wait to go to Northstar this summer and go even higher than before. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al Painter
a Cross Country Rider
from Mtn View, CA
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | baseballbert@hotmail.com | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$899.00 | | Purchased At: | The OffRamp | | Strengths: | Price, Frame, weight, easy upgrades, color, strength, lack of pedal bob, comfort, geometry, flies off of jumps further than any bike I've ever had. | | Weaknesses: | Rear Shock not as adjustable as Cloud Nine I had on other bike. Did order one for the Trance. SD 5's are adequate, but SD 7's have treated me better. Hutchinson Bulldogs aren't good on slick rocks, fork. | | Similar Products Used: | Giant Warp DS 2, Specialized Rockhopper | | Bike Setup: | SRAM x9 Drivetrain, RaceFace Evolve X-Type Crankset, Rock Shox Duke XC U-Turn, Avid SD7 brakes/levers, RaceFace Deus Bar/Stem/Seatpost, Candy Bros C pedals, Alex Rims, Maxxis ADvantage 2.1's, WTB Laser saddle, XT Chain, Cane Creek Cloud Nine rear shock on the way, Oury Grips | | Bottom Line: | I had a sweet gruppo on my other bike that I transferred over to the Trance. I could beat the price, and my LBS swapped all of my parts for free! I would highly recommend this bike to anyone. I love the way it handles, and now that I've got the SD 7's, speed downhill is no longer an issue. I may upgrade to BB7 discs at the end of the summer. I had Deore Mechanicals on my other bike, but I like the lightweight and modulation of the SD 7s. I don't ride on the east coast in the winter, so the V's should be cool. The other reviews I've read support not switching back for a while.
GREAT BIKE! GET ONE! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc
a Weekend Warrior
from Oberlin, OH USA
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Alum Creek | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$99.00 | | Purchased At: | Tri-a-Bike (one week rental) | | Strengths: | Brakes (Avid Single Digit). Shocks (front and rear, yes, the Axel is extremely plush). Very agile. Good climber, excellent descender. No pedal bob when seated. Nice paint job. | | Weaknesses: | Too much pedal bob when standing. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Fuel 98 (tested only, another great bike). My bike at home is a Trek 4900 (hardtail). | | Bike Setup: | All stock (it was rental), but the shop put some Hutchinson tires on the bike that worked real well for the loose conditions in the desert. I also had the shop put on my own Crank Bros Mallet C pedals. | | Bottom Line: | I rented this bike for a week to ride on trails and on the road while vacactioning in Rancho Mirage, CA (near Palm Springs/Palm Desert). At first, I was disappointed with the bike because when I stood up to hammer I felt a lot of pedal bob, this was not the vaunted Maestro suspesion I had heard about. Then again, I remembered that I was riding the entry level 4. When seated, there is no bob at all, in fact, I kept up with a guy on a road racing bike. The bike was not heavy to me as the other reviewers noted. I had to push it up to the top of the hill that I was riding down two days straight for about a mile. It did not feel heavy at all. Plus, it climbs like a dream, just as good if not better than my hard tail at home.
Descending on this bike is unbelievable. I was coming down the "Bump and Grind" trail in Palm Desert. It is supposed to be an intermediate trail, but the top part is very technical and rocky. I would not even attempt the top part of this trail with my hard tail, but with the Trance, it was like butter. This is an unbelievable descending machine. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a
from Spokane, WA
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1350.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Butler | | Strengths: | No pedal bob. Really wide handle bars, that I like, but anyone could chop 'em down. Same frame as the Trance 1 makes the bike a good investment. | | Weaknesses: | Little heavy, same tire wear as everyone but I like it, especially at the price | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Enduro, GT Avalanche 1.0 | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | Awesome investment, upgrades available but ready to ride at stock. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Margaret
a Weekend Warrior
from Liverpool, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1350.00 | | Purchased At: | Dicks Wheel Shop | | Strengths: | NO PETAL BOB!!!!! Excellent handling, and comfort. The 14.5" frame size is perfect for me, a 5'5" woman rider that prefers an aggressive, strong stance while riding.
| | Weaknesses: | The weaknesses are nothing that couldn't be adjusted but, they were: tires (no traction, especially when climbing), On a 14.5" frame the handle bars and seat post are way too big. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized XCR (womens & mens), Trek Fuel, Cannondale ???, Gary Fisher Cake (womens & mens) | | Bike Setup: | Stock with the exception that I switched the tires to WTB's, upgraded the rear derailer to LX, had to have the handle bars & seat post cut down, and switched the seat (not comfortable for a woman, but husband loves it and is very happy having it). | | Bottom Line: | I am new to the Mountain Biking world and dove in head first. The Trance is the perfect bike for comfort and performace. I had read reviews about the tires in the Trance being non-desireable, but I figured that I would give them a shot. It was a waste of time. Control was gained for me once the tire and handle bars were adjusted. Now I LOVE IT!!!!! My husband is considering getting the 2006 model. Happy Riding! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JOHN
a Cross Country Rider
from SEATTLE
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | any dry trail, and some muddy ones | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Strengths: | A combination of smart design (no rear suspension jamming under heavy braking, barely noticeable bob when pedaling staying seated, rolling over bumps on technical climbs), and a versatile angle (it climbs great, descends with precision and lands like a 5-6"er). I see the beefy/slightly heavy set as a guarantee for long-lasting use. Stunning Value. | | Weaknesses: | So far I have nothing to complain. Based on other reviewers feedback, I have replace the tires, though. | | Bike Setup: | Stock, except WTB Velociraptors tires, Avid BB7 Mechanical, and a $ 20 Thompson-like seatpost. | | Bottom Line: | I had heard great things about this bike, but I was not imagining it to be beyond any expectation. this bike has been really fun to ride (see strengths). And I am sure it can only get better as you go up-scale (3-2-1). The Trance 4 is the absolute must for anybody approaching the sport, or just to have a bike in every port. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sid llook
a Cross Country Rider
from canada
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Strengths: | I've upgraded to a Marzochi Bomber MX Pro w/ ETA fork which gives me a good balance for climbing and downhill. I Ride approx 200k a week. Every ride is a combination of Rode, Xcountry, and Downhill. I've also changed to Hayes Mechanical Disc and clippless pedals(ya i do rails in clipless Doh!)Very very little bounce in the saddle with i high spin going. | | Weaknesses: | A little to much bounce when standing and hammering on the pedals unless concentrating on staying smooth | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 trek Fuel 80 UPGRADED | | Bottom Line: | A totally worthy all round bike. I climb with the greatest of ease and feel confident on rough downhills. Hard Talis are a thing of the past with inventions like Giants new floating shock design. Stiff on rode rides, plush on singletrake and safely landing decent drops why Wouldn't you want full suspension on your MOUNTAIN BIKE. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Niagara Falls
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | Good value - Great frame at an affordable price.
Axel is not bad.
Shifts well. | | Weaknesses: | V's and no discs
Heavy | | Similar Products Used: | Sugar, NRS, Cake. | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | The fame I demmo'ed was too small, like a 16 er 18. I would need about a 20. Anyways, i was still able to get a feel for the suspension and stuff. It was around $1500 canadian, which is a very fair price i think. It seemed to shift smooth, and the v-brakes stopped well. The fork was not even that bad either. Plusher than my 80 mm '02 EXR air, it was not the best, but don't have a lot to compare it too other than my dad's black comp.
Now for the maestro. Again, not much to compare it to other than cheap crap fs and my dad's sugar. The sugar has considerably less sag, and therefore to me feels like it has more travel than the trance, even though they are both 4". The trance did seem quite smooth. It did not react much to load on the chain, but when standing naturally there was suspension movement. I am used to just standing and hammaring sometimes on my HT, and have grown rather accustomed to the solid feeling, as opposed to the squish. Perhaps i could have used a littl more air in the rear shock, but i did not have all day to play with it.
Is it the bike for me? I don't think so. It would be perfect for the trails, but i ride 8km of road on the way to my usual ride, which is not even that rough in most spots. I have grown to love my ht, and i think maybe the NRS would be better for me with its no sag settup. When i ride rougher trails, i crave fs, but i just did not quite fall in love with the trance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve `
a Weekend Warrior
from Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Flagstaff AZ area | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1599.00 | | Strengths: | Good sturdy tuff bike that can take a beating. Rides nice shift extreamly well even when in diffucult places. | | Weaknesses: | Its a little bit on the heay side. Easton handal bars feel to wide. | | Bike Setup: | just stock | | Bottom Line: | Nice bike, if your not to extream and just want a fun ride its a good full suspension bike at a good price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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