Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

TRANCE - The Official thread, pics and info inside.

Jump to Latest
41 - 60 of 4,020 Posts
#42 ·
Keep that 18" KIVA !!!
How would you feel when you going down over the rock, or in the air, or making difficult and danger jump or screaming down on very tight curve, on something which feels "kind of unstable" or "feels nimble"????.
Be realistic most important is how stable you feel and how much control you get on you bike!!.
I'm 6"2' and I ride 22" Trance 2. Some guys with my heights feel good on 20" but for me 20" feel "nimble".
Dirt is good! :)
 
#43 · (Edited)
Trance float r setup

Hi!
I ride a T2 size 18 (I'm 183cm, 79kg) and I think it fit's perfectly. I ride it pretty much stock setup except for HFX-9 carbon brakes, XT-cassette, RE-1 pedals and Nokian NBX/Conti exploder supersonic tires.
My question concerns pressures for the rear shock. What kind of pressures are you riding with? I've experimented with 150-190psi so far. I'll post a better pic soon. Here's a link to one (never mind the saddle position, which is now further front)..
Image
 

Attachments

#44 · (Edited)
Strange, by me, you should be on "Large", mean 20" Trance, because you exactly 6' tall.
Weight that's another important factor, people who weight less, like you (79kg = 174lb) are more flexible and feel more "comfy" on any bike.
But most imported is, that you feel good on that size.
In case of pressure of the rear shock, you can find set up procedure at maestro suspension web site:
http://www.suspensionmadeharmonious.com
under HOW IT WORKS and SET UP GUIDE.
I found this setup to really work and help to eliminate so called "...low BB and pedal clearance to ground.." experienced by many riders.
Hope that helps.
Meak
 
Discussion starter · #45 · (Edited)
meak said:
Strange, by me, you should be on "Large", mean 20" Trance, because you exactly 6' tall.
Weight that's another important factor, people who weight less, like you (79kg = 174lb) are more flexible and feel more "comfy" on any bike.
But most imported is, that you feel good on that size.
In case of pressure of the rear shock, you can find set up procedure at maestro suspension web site:
http://www.suspensionmadeharmonious.com
under HOW IT WORKS and SET UP GUIDE.
I found this setup to really work and help to eliminate so called "...low BB and pedal clearance to ground.." experienced by many riders.
Hope that helps.
Meak
Click to expand...
We don't weigh less, we're not overweight is all :D we're pretty much smack on (maybe 5% light)

The Giant site is a bunch of crap to be frankly honest. I've found that I run my FloatR around 190-210lbs and I'm about 175-180lbs, w/ gear maybe 185-190. 190 feels kinda squishy soft for me and is good for real off-road trails w/ loads of bumps. 200-210 is prob a much better all round setup for me as it will handle the rough stuff pretty nicely but also make climbing a bit nicer/easier. Can't wait to get the money and for the FloatR to actually need servicing to send it to PUSH and get it set up custom.

Niku What sort of noise/sound are you getting? On occassion I can get a kinda clank sound which I think is the rear suspension bottoming out - only have heard it on really rough roads w/ deeps holes and/or if I run the pressure to low and hit some air.
 
#47 ·
niku said:
Lynx I've had no extra sounds thus far. I only wanted to know how you guys set up the shocks to get the suspension to work optimally.
Click to expand...
Well.. "optimal" depends on your type of terrain.

On smoother flat and fast courses I will run 180psi, 4clicks from fast on the rebound and medium setting.

On rough rock garden rides I run the soft setting

When i climb long ****... hardtail mode for the shock.

If i know i am going to be hitting some drops or small jumps - 195psi, run on the medium setting
 
Discussion starter · #48 ·
GiantDS3 said:
Well.. "optimal" depends on your type of terrain.

On smoother flat and fast courses I will run 180psi, 4clicks from fast on the rebound and medium setting.

On rough rock garden rides I run the soft setting

When i climb long ****... hardtail mode for the shock.

If i know i am going to be hitting some drops or small jumps - 195psi, run on the medium setting
Click to expand...
What weight are you? Remeber he's running a T2 which only comes with the FloatR, NOT the RP3 so he can only adjust pressure and I'm not sure how that compares from the RP3 to the FloatR. Yes I agree with changing the pressure depending on what I know I'll be riding.
 
#49 ·
frame size 16'' or 18''

I have the same problems. I'm almost 5' 7'' with a inseam of 28'' my torso is proportional. I cant not decided if i have to take a 16'' or a 18'' for my trance2. I ride more often on long fire road than on single track. I can only try the bikes on the parking lot. Can someone help me please. (sorry for my english cause i'm french speaking.
GiantDS3 said:
Well, my conclusion from comparing the geometry data from the website, is that for us guys right in the middle, it shouldn't make a LOT of difference.

The differences in Geometry (as published mind you, Giant might make the bikes not per specs given on their website).

Top Tube is 0.8 inches longer on the 18"
Wheel base is 0.9 inches longer for the 18"

So that should explain why the 18 would feel more stable, it is a little longer... but the differences are not that substantial and you could replicate the geometry with careful part choices e.g. a longer stem, layback seatpost, long fork.

I prefer the 16" myself, where I ride in Texas we have a fair amount of rocky ledges to assend and descend and I feel that I can come out of my riding position faster to deal with that terrain then I could with the "racier" cockpit position the 18" would put me in. Now if you look at my bike, you can tell I have the seatpost pretty high which is an indicator that I am at the upper size range for the 16"
Click to expand...
 
#50 ·
GiantDS3 said:
Well.. "optimal" depends on your type of terrain.

On smoother flat and fast courses I will run 180psi, 4clicks from fast on the rebound and medium setting.

On rough rock garden rides I run the soft setting

When i climb long ****... hardtail mode for the shock.

If i know i am going to be hitting some drops or small jumps - 195psi, run on the medium setting
Click to expand...
175lbs is my riding weight. I think the FloatR is similar in pressure setup as the RP3 it just does not have the propedal adjustment.
 
#51 ·
Anyone running 130mm adjustable travel forks on their Trance? I'm thinking of fitting either some Manitou Mintute 3:00s or some Fox Talas to mine and was wondering about the handling and of course whether or not Giant would warranty my bike based on this mod. Reason I'm thinking about adjustable is so that I can guarantee climbing ability. For info I've currently got some Fox Vanilla R (100mm).
 
Discussion starter · #52 ·
Yes actually there have been several people mention that they've put up their Trance's using a 125mm fork. As for warranty I am also interested in this. DOn't think one inch more would throw off the geometry enough to cause structural frame problems myself.

Mars2003 said:
Reason I'm thinking about adjustable is so that I can guarantee climbing ability. For info I've currently got some Fox Vanilla R (100mm).
Click to expand...
How are you going to guarantee climbing ability with a fork ??? :confused:
I thought it was the rider that was what made the bike climb using proper technique and body position.
 
#53 ·
LyNx said:
How are you going to guarantee climbing ability with a fork ??? :confused:
I thought it was the rider that was what made the bike climb using proper technique and body position.
Click to expand...
I think he means that both of those shocks have adjustable travel, so to aid in climbing you dial the travel to near zero and thus you get much better climbing ability with a near-rigid fork. This is very common, when i know i am going to be climbing around here in texas I usually run my RP3 on the stiff setting and raise my fork pressures also.
 
#54 ·
That's exactly what I mean. I've tested a couple of bikes with forks that are travel adjustable and if left in the longest travel setting wander all over the shop when you're doing steep climbs. I test rode a Scott Genius when they fist came out with a Fox Talas, and the shop guy didn't mention you could drop the front for climbing so I had it set at maximum travel for my 4Hr test ride :mad: It was great at descending but was a nightmare for going up.

So to sum up, I could get my vanillas set at 125mm, but I wanted to see if there would be a trade off, or I could get a trail adjustable fork, or indeed I can stick with my Vanillas at 100mm.
 
Discussion starter · #55 ·
Mars2003 said:
That's exactly what I mean. I've tested a couple of bikes with forks that are travel adjustable and if left in the longest travel setting wander all over the shop when you're doing steep climbs. I test rode a Scott Genius when they fist came out with a Fox Talas, and the shop guy didn't mention you could drop the front for climbing so I had it set at maximum travel for my 4Hr test ride :mad: It was great at descending but was a nightmare for going up.

So to sum up, I could get my vanillas set at 125mm, but I wanted to see if there would be a trade off, or I could get a trail adjustable fork, or indeed I can stick with my Vanillas at 100mm.
Click to expand...
I'd say stick with the Vanilla if you already own it and it's working good. The Trance is just sweet on decents, even the steep as hell ones. NO need for anything over 100mm on the Trance unless it's mainly DH you're doing, or at least no reason I see to buy a fork when you own a perfectly good one already. If it was for having lock-out for climbing etc I could understand.
 
#56 ·
Mars2003 said:
Anyone running 130mm adjustable travel forks on their Trance? I'm thinking of fitting either some Manitou Mintute 3:00s or some Fox Talas to mine and was wondering about the handling and of course whether or not Giant would warranty my bike based on this mod. Reason I'm thinking about adjustable is so that I can guarantee climbing ability. For info I've currently got some Fox Vanilla R (100mm).
Click to expand...
I really doubt you'll have any issues with warranty with that fork. It's not like the fork is going to break the bike, so no worries there.
I have a Reba U-Turn on mine, and while it only goes up to 115mm, I really do notice the different feeling on the longer descents. I almost always have mine set at 100mm, though I have occasionally lowered it on a couple of steeper climbs. Plus, when I ride in Santa Barbara, I'll usually kick it up to the max travel for the extended downhills. It really does make the bike just that little bit faster. I think it's a mix of the slightly more travel, and the slightly slackened head tube angle.
Granted, 15mm isn't a whole lot, a tiny bit more than half an inch, but still, it's the little differences. I think having 130mm for the longer downhillls would be fantastic, like getting whipped cream on top of a milkshake, or that $2 shot with your beer at the LAX Gordon Birsch (used to be $1, sigh...). Just that little bit extra on top that Americans love.
I say do it!

BN
 
#57 ·
Finally got a chance to grab a pic of my bike; it's been in a state of constant dirtiness due to semi-weekly use on a wet trail.

Except for the front disk/rear rim brake, the bike build is pretty common with XT/X.9-level componentry. The fork is currently set-up for 110mm of travel, although it may go back to 100mm soon.
 

Attachments

Discussion starter · #59 ·
tanbin said:
what pump can I buy to setup my front and rear shock on a trance 3? what do you use?
thanks!
Click to expand...
I'd say the one you got with the bike :D Seriously I got a pump with my T3 and then when I bought my REBA I got a pump with that also. I hope you guys got treated as good as I did and got all that was due you.
You should be able to either get it from you local shop or get them to order one or order one online. They're special shock pumps that go up to 300 PSI and it should look somewhat like this.............

Image
 
#60 ·
pump

The shop where I bought my bike said that with the bike I was NOT entitled to a pump. That they never give pumps to anyone. they also do not sell shopck pumps here. I'll have to buy it online. I was also a bit surprised at my "T3" (T4???) setup. the frame said T3, the color was T3, but all the components including the front shock where from the T4 setup according to the giant US site. Is this normal?????
regarding the pump, can I use that pump for my front and rear shock?
 
41 - 60 of 4,020 Posts
About this Discussion
4K Replies
682 Participants
Last post:
tomnation374
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
posts
16M
members
534K
Since
1990
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Discussion Downhill - Freeride California - Norcal Shocks and Suspension Passion