I'm with you brother, my analog bikes are just collecting dust, I'm up to 3 ebikes and will probably add a few more. I seriously question whether I need to keep the clockwork bikes for any reason other than: ebikes will get banned (unlikely) or an apocalypse will make electricity unavailable, unless of course I go solar and off the grid.

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Funny you mention that, I was just wondering what would be involved in building a panel to solar charge the ebike. I have no idea how many watts or amps or volts or squirrels it takes.

You sound like a few other ebikers I have met. They all have multiple ebikes now.

Maybe I am doomed as well. LOL

 

Awesome, man. I hope you enjoy your new ride for a long time.

Have fun!

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Awesome, man. I hope you enjoy your new ride for a long time.

Have fun!

Sent from my SM-J710MN using Tapatalk

Thank you Sir. More riding should lead to better health which should lead to a longer life which should lead to more riding......

 

SECOND RIDE OBSERVATIONS:

Today I went out for a short 10 mile ride and ended up doing 20 miles. I think that is kind of the point with an ebike, they help you go farther than you normally would.

I was experimenting with the power levels today. I initially set it on "automatic" and rode about a 2.5 mile loop. I then rode the same loop in the second power level and again in the third power level.

I already said I really liked the automatic mode from my first ride. It really feels like the computer and motor are working with you, feeding off your lead. It provides more power when you need it and then backs off with you don't.

The second lap was in level two. Meah. Level two was kind of like riding a tandem bike with a person who is just fit enough to carry their own weight but not fit enough to add anything to the trip. Level two made up for the extra weight of the battery and motor but other than that, I did not feel like it was helping out very much. I felt myself shifting a lot as I would on one of my other bikes.

I did not ride the loop in power level one. I can only see myself using one or two on the way home from the beach with a tail wind to help me pull a gear or maybe two taller than I normally would but not being in a hurry.

So the third lap was in level three. Bike says you are getting level three power whether you want it or not. L3 too weak to pull this hill the way you want? Tuff. It's all you get. L3 too much for this down hill? Tuff. Cover your brakes. Just kind of felt like I was shifting to please the motor for the given terrain.

So I did not try level one. Level two I was shifting for the terrain. Level three I was shifting to match the motor and terrain.

Levels four and five are for making time, at least for me. They definitely allow me to pull taller gears and ride faster than I normally would. They make the bike feel "serious" like OK guys, it's been a fun ride but the sun is setting and we need to get to our camp so it is time to grind. Let's go!

So now that I have ridden a bit with all of the power levels except One, I have pretty much confirmed my first impressions, I will be riding this bike primarily in the Auto mode. It gives just enough help when I need it and backs off when I don't.

Range to day was about the same. First light went out right after I hit 10 miles and second like went out at about 19 miles. This was not a really long ride so it is tuff to just range. I have to assume that if I rode 40+ miles in L1 I would use less battery than if I rode the same 40+ miles on the same day in similar conditions in L5.

BICYCLE STUFF

I am REALLY happy with the Shimano drivetrain. Most of the time the only sound it makes is the click of the shifter. The chain moves from cog to cog both up and down silently. Of course I let off slightly when I shift.

Front fork is perfect.

I need to add some additional air to the shock. I rides great and does not bounce while I sit and spin but I can tell it would bounce a bit if I were standing and grinding. I'm talking tuning here, not a weak or inherently bad part.

I know it has only been 50 miles but I am THRILLED with this bike. It just feels right for me.

YMMV

Ride Safe

 

I'm glad you like the Trance and thanks for doing this review. I'm currently saving up money for an e-bike and the one I've decided on is the Reign E+ 1 Pro, which shares a lot of the same components as your bike. Matter of fact, I think about the only real difference between the two bikes is geometry and an extra 20mm of suspension travel. I had initially put your bike on my list, but decided on the Reign because I'm a bigger guy who could use the extra 20mm of suspension, and I like the red color better than the yellow/green combo of the Trance. If you don't mind, keep the reviews going on this bike as you get more miles on it and get more used to it. Thanks.

 

Will do. I'd be out on it right now but life gets in the way. I am stuck at home at least for a little bit today.

I was/am a HUGE fan of the blue on last year's TE+2. I wasn't too keen on the yellow/green combo and basically bought the bike on feel and components. But I will tell you now, I LOVE the paint on this thing.

Kind of like the girl who you think is sort of cute but once you get to know her she looks beautiful to you. So you marry her and have kids and the next thing you know 30 years have gone by.

 

Yeah, the color isn't the main reason I chose to go for the Reign over the Trance, it was just one of the reasons and probably the least important reason. I just wish I could find a Trance or Reign somewhere close to me to take for a test ride. My local shops don't really keep any ebikes on the floor. The Trek store keeps an ebike marketed toward bike cops, but that's it. The local giant store has no ebikes on the floor, so I can't really test ride one before I buy it. I just have to choose the one with the closest reach and stack to my current bike, buy it, and hope I like it.

Can you tell me what length stem your Trance came with? The specs on Giant's website says both the Trance and the Reign come with the contact SL 35, but the stem looks longer than a 35mm stem to me on some of the videos I've seen on the bike.

 

Mine came with the Contact SL35. I took it off and replaced it with a Bevel 30mm in 31.8mm diameter. I have ordered a Giant Contact SL40 in 31.8mm diameter which I will install once it arrives so I can keep the bike as "Giant" as possible.

I did/do not want a longer stem but I use 80 mm rise bars and no one makes those in a 35mm diameter. If anyone ever does, I will buy new bars just so I can go back to the original Contact SL35.

 

Mine came with the Contact SL35. I took it off and replaced it with a Bevel 30mm in 31.8mm diameter. I have ordered a Giant Contact SL40 in 31.8mm diameter which I will install once it arrives so I can keep the bike as "Giant" as possible.

I did/do not want a longer stem but I use 80 mm rise bars and no one makes those in a 35mm diameter. If anyone ever does, I will buy new bars just so I can go back to the original Contact SL35.

So is that stock stem length actually 35mm on the contact SL 35? I swear I saw a review video of the bike, and in the closeup shots they got of the cockpit, the stem on the bike looked to be quite a bit longer than 35mm. Maybe this shop had put a longer one on it for someone to ride with before they shot the review video, but it definitely didn't look short enough to be a 35mm stem.

 

Yes, the stock stem was for a 35mm diameter bar and it was 35 mm long.

You might consider going to your LBS and test riding the ebikes they have. Even though they are not what you are looking for, you might at least get a feel for the motor and controller.

I don't know if you read my other thread where I was looking at Giant and Haibike but I was able to ride 19 Haibike, 19 Giant and 20 Giant and I could definitely feel and hear a difference between each one. The 2020 Yamaha in the Giant was sooo much smoother and quieter. Now the 2020 Bosch might step it up even more. But I am happy with my purchase.

 

Yes, the stock stem was for a 35mm diameter bar and it was 35 mm long.

You might consider going to your LBS and test riding the ebikes they have. Even though they are not what you are looking for, you might at least get a feel for the motor and controller.

I don't know if you read my other thread where I was looking at Giant and Haibike but I was able to ride 19 Haibike, 19 Giant and 20 Giant and I could definitely feel and hear a difference between each one. The 2020 Yamaha in the Giant was sooo much smoother and quieter. Now the 2020 Bosch might step it up even more. But I am happy with my purchase.

Man I'd love to do that, but there's no LBS that carry them around here. I did ride the one trek police electric bike, and the bosch motor felt really fast to me. It was a police bike in the parking lot, but I could tell having that kind of power in a mountain bike on a real trail would be a blast.

 

ANOTHER UPDATE:

I just returned from a ride on my local "trail" Fullerton Loop. For those not familiar it is not really a MTB trail but more of several hiking and horse back riding and park paths that someone connected and mapped out years ago. It is about 90% dirt with a little pavement. No real rocks but some good climbs and decents.

I have never been able to actually ride the whole thing. I am just not fit enough to make the climbs and have to do a bunch of walking.

NOT TODAY BABY!!!!!

Rode the whole thing. A few spots I was in max power and lowest gear but I spun right up. I am loving this bike.

From a handling standpoint there were a couple of spots that were only several feet in length in which I felt the steering head angle was a little steep. And there were a couple of climbs in which I was seated on the VERY front of the seat. But remember, I SUCK as a MTB rider and I am running 80mm rise bars.

Range dropped a bit. I noticed the first light went out right at 7.4 miles but remember, I was using max power to climb some very steep hills. I also used the max to climb some lesser hills that were part of the rout. Most of the time I still tried to keep it in the auto mode which is still my favorite for general riding.

The whole loop is only 12 + miles long so I am still showing four lights or 80% of battery charge.

I for sure need to add air to the rear shock.

I am loving this bike.

 

Hey OP,
You mentioned you could not hear the motor on the road (you heard the tires)

What about on dirt climbing?

and......

did you hear the motor on dirt at the different power levels?

 

Great question!

Yes, I can hear the motor on the trail. The sound / volume does not change at all with the power level. It is very consistent. But the tone of the sound seems to change based on the gear that I select and the strain I put on the motor. I felt like the sound was actually helping me select the most efficient gear both for the motor and for me.

Overall, it is VERY quiet.

 

ANOTHER UPDATE WITH RANGE INFO

So yesterday I rode 12+ miles in the hills and parked it last night. I did not charge it. Today I had an errand to run so I took the ebike. I have never taken my other bikes to do this before so having an ebike is already getting me to move more and pollute less.

Anyway, it was a short errand and I knew I would ride some more afterwards but wasn't sure where. I decided to hit the train tracks and use that route to get close to home and play with the suspension. More air in the rear shock is much better for me. I'm fat. Think a dude who already lost 40 pounds but is still 100 pounds over weight. So stiff shock works well for me. I also played with the adjuster on the fork. Turning it down definitely softened the ride along the tracks.

After that, I just hit the streets near my house racking up the miles. These are all gentle hills with about a 300 elevation change from one end of a street to the other.

Well I predicted that I would have a range of about 30-40 miles and I was right on the money. At a combined mileage of right at 32 miles the last of the white battery lights turned red. I kept riding but headed home and just as I was riding up my street, the little red light started to flash and the computer cut my power down to level one. Near as I could tell this was just as I hit 35 miles of riding between the two days.

I'm going to give it a rest and then recharge it later tonight and hit the trails again tomorrow.

FWIW I've had it for a total of seven days, I have ridden it four of those days and have put a total of 85 miles on it.

I am getting all of my mileage from my Garmin watch.

 

You'll get better range in the summer; the air is less dense and the battery functions better. Steep climbs at high assist are a real battery charge killer for me; electric motors get much less efficient at high torque because of I-squared-R losses.

Glad you're enjoying the bike - I had 15 minutes of trail riding on that model and it was way better than my SDURO, especially the suspension. What I like about my SDURO is the short front end which fits me better but I think you've fixed your fit with a high-rise bar.

 

NEGATIVES:

Went out on another ride today and decided I would spend some time trying to think of the negatives of this bike. I set out to ride 10 miles but then rode 15. It that a negative? It could be. I know I am kind of neglecting some stuff around the house. I keep thinking there is time to do everything but biking comes first. Then I turn a one hour ride into a two plus hour ride. Not sure it is a negative but something to think about.

You definitely have to plan your ride(s) around battery life and charging cycle. Unless of course you don't mind riding home on a dead battery. But I'm not sure this is much different than riding an analog bike. I'm not going to do Fullerton Loop on my analog because I can't climb the hills so I have to plan a different ride etc....

Of course while it is easy to charge the battery, it is one more item of very regular maintenance that must be done.

Absolutely do not regret the purchase.

 

I went to the local Specialized/Giant bike shop today to see if they had anything in on the floor. The last three times I went by there last year they had no ebikes in the store. To my surprise, they had a Spesh Levo on the floor today, and I got to take it for a spin. Holy smokes that bike was fast on the second and third power levels!!!! I'm hooked now. Going to get a Reign E+ or Trance E+ soon. Can't decide which bike would bike or size I need though.

I'm 6'2" tall, which is right in between a L and XL frame size. I'm currently riding a large Timberjack, but I had to move the stem up the fork about 20mm from stock and get 35mm rise bars to make it more comfortable. Wondering if I should get which ever one has the closest top tube length as my current TJ.

Wondering if I should go with the Reign E+ since I do like to hit every jump or drop I come across on the trail. Then again, where I normally ride, the jumps and drops are really not that big and there isn't a ton of them, so maybe I should go with the Trance E+ since it's closer to an AM bike, which is what I'd consider most of the riding I do. Decisions.....

 

Well one thing I have NOT found - a person who bought an ebike and then decided they hated it and went back to analog.

FWIW I am between a SM and a M. I was leaning towards a small and the LBS owner said no way. Medium all the way. So I reluctantly got the medium and boy am I glad I did. Small would have been too short and cramped when turning.

 

WATER BOTTLES DON'T FIT

So far I have tried three different cages (two front loaders and one side loader) and two different water bottles and none of those combinations fit in my size medium frame without force and rubbing on the underside of the top tube.

Also the bike comes with spacers for the cage. I have removed those but still do not have enough room.

I have too much invested in this bike to scratch up the paint from using a water bottle. Crashes are one thing, especially if they have a cool story to go with it, but to tell someone I messed up my bike by using the water bottle just isn't going to cut it for me.

I did find another bottle on line with a tapered top that might work. But I only need so many bottles and I don't want to keep buying them to try them out.

Might stop by the LBS today after my ride and just see what I can find and try there but I think I am going to need something a bit more exotic than the standard bottle.

I am sure a standard bottle and cage will work fine in a large or x-large frame.

In the meantime, I will continue to carry my Camelback.

 

Just went through this on a Medium Trance 2+E. Also tried side loader bottle holder but still touched bottom of top tube. Ended up buying the Fidlock. Works perfect even though only only 450ml and $40.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BMTYN9L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Another benefit of the Fidlock bottle is that you can use a Camelbak Podium mud cap.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HGSJ4K.../B07HGSJ4K9/?coliid=IXP76D2VHTLMM&colid=L9FXLJFDF4R5&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

Awesome great reading (and riding) and well done. I have the same bike but 2019 model so different lol. Orange and black best value for specs in New Zealand that I could find.
I am just wondering what the auto mode is. I have 5 levels of power assist which are just 5 little led lights is there something different on your controller?

 

Thanks for reading. I am glad you have enjoyed it.

So the Auto Mode is new here in the States for 2020. If your bike has it the way you get to it is to turn on the bike. Once on, if it is like mine, you will see battery level lights on the right and power level on the left and only the first, or lowest, power level light will be on. Hit the down button and that lowest power level button will turn off. Hit the down button once again and now the third or middle power level light will come on but only the third one. All other power level lights will be off. If your bike does this you will be in Auto Mode.

To get out of Auto Mode push the Up button once - the bike will still be on but all power level lights will go out and the motor will not provide assistance. Push the Up button again and you will get Level 1 power, push it again for Level 2 etc....

The 2020s also got Walk Mode in the States.

Hope this helps, if not let me know and I will try to explain it better.

Good Luck.

 

RANGE AND POWER ON/POWER OFF INFO:

So yesterday I hit the Fullerton Loop with my buddy on is 20 year old rigid 3x7 with cracked tires. I had to ride slow and I had to stop at the top of all the hills and wait for him. He rode as much as he could but had to walk a lot. I didn't mind because the last time we did the loop together I was on my Timberjack and walked a TON.

Anyway, I never shut my bike off and I kept it in Auto mode the entire time. Never used any other power level. Let him test ride it after we got back to the car. Brought it home and parked it. Did not charge it as it was still showing 4 lights.

Took it back to the loop today alone. Turned it on and it was still showing four lights of battery charge. I hit the trail hard and rode faster than I normally do. Second light went out right quick. At about the five mile mark, the 3rd light went out which left me with two.

Now the entire loop is only 12-12.5 miles long so with two lights left and only about 7 miles to go, I am sure I had enough juice.

But I'm not wired that way. Once I get down to half a tank of gas I am looking for the next station because I have "only" 20 more miles of range left.

So in an effort to deal with my internal demons and irrational fears I tried turning the bike off and riding it with no power for a while.

That SUCKED.

Even on the flat and down hills and forget about climbing like that. No way. So I tried power level one for a while and that seemed to give me just enough to overcome the added drag of the motor. I bumped it up to three for a couple of very short climbs but basically kept it in one until I got past the golf course and started up the climb to Brea Bl. There I put it back in my favorite Auto Mode and spin right up. Of course when I got back to the court house and my car, it was STILL showing 2 lights of battery charge so in the end, I am sure I have enough on one full charge to make two trips around the Fullerton Loop which would be right at 25 miles.

For those of you not familiar, as I mentioned already it is about 12-12.5 miles, maybe you could stretch it to 13 with the right off shoots and it has about a 1,000 foot elevation change.

YMMV

Ride Safe

I love this bike.

 

Thanks for the awesome thread and updates! I'm only just beginning to explore (and save for) an e-Bike, so this is definitely a good inspiring. Keep it up.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the awesome thread and updates! I'm only just beginning to explore (and save for) an e-Bike, so this is definitely a good inspiring. Keep it up.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

You are welcome and I am glad you are enjoying it. I have tried to give and honest and transparent review of the bike. Good luck in getting yours.

 

Awesome thanks, no very good explanation of how to find auto. Seems I don't have auto mode though but thats fine. Thanks again happy riding

Yep got walk mode
cheers

 

WATER BOTTLE(S)
So I received and installed the Fidlock bottle and mount as suggested above. Fits great. But.... I'm a bit uncoordinated when it comes to remounting the bottle as I ride. So I removed it and will use it on another bike.

I picked up a small ABLOC bottle https://www.abloc.com/ and use it in a side entry cage and it works better for me. Does not rub the top tube and I can slide the bottle into the cage while riding easier than I can re-align the Fidlock mounts.

Also, while waiting for bottle deliveries I picked up a Camelback waist pack

https://www.camelbak.com/en/waist-p.../bike/R01094--Podium_Flow_Hydration_Belt?color=d3d9ceb5d9964eae9bd790590affbe17

Podium Flow Belt.

Man I like this thing a LOT. Doesn't bounce around at all for me and the bottle is very easy to pull out and replace while riding.

I used a Camelbak hydration pack for years out in the desert on my dirtbike and it never bothered me. Used it more recently on my bike and it also never bothered me. But what did bother me was trying to clean out and dry the hydration pouch every other day or so. When I was dirt bike riding I only went out 4-6 times a year for 3-4 days at a time. So cleaning and drying the pouch when I returned was not that big of a deal.

On the E+1 I am riding almost every day so the hydration pouch never really gets clean or dry. With the Poduim belt I can just pull the bottle and throw it in the dishwasher to keep it clean. Or rinse it out with some bleach and let it dry. No need to try to prop it open and hang it up.

Only negative is that I am thinking the pouch(s) for the belt might be a smidge too small. But I can probably re-arraign my wallet, glasses, phone, tools etc to make it all fit the way I want.

My ultimate goal is to have no bags or packs on any of my bikes. To be able to just put Podium belt on (or maybe another waist pack) and go for a ride regardless of which bike I take and alway have everything I need right with me.

Anyway, thank you for all the suggestions.

 

Hi,

I have a 2019 E+1 Pro (orange/black) and appreciate your views. My thoughts are similar, in that I love the bike. Had some issues initially with the controller, which was replaced, but things are going well. I'm coming off riding a 1989 Raleigh hard tail so the differences are HUGE.

I find that if leaving the power mode in 1 or 2 can significantly lengthen the battery life.

Have you downloaded the App and adjusted your power levels? This will also provide another way to extend battery life.

Cheers
Randy

 

Hi Randy. I am not yet strong/fit enough to ride in my local hills with the power set at 1 or 2. Leaving from my house, riding to the trails, riding the trails and then riding home is right at 20 miles total so in the Auto mode I have plenty of battery, usually still showing three lights on when I get home. I bet I could make that distance in 4 or even 5 but the lower Auto mode is fine with me.

I have not downloaded the app but I have heard of it.

I wonder if the power levels are adjustable on the US bikes.

I have been using my Garmin 245M watch to record all of my biking data.

Thank you for your input and ride safe.

 

@jminhudson

Very cool and good for you! Thanks for adding to the thread. I am hoping folks from around the globe will chime with with their experiences and opinions and modifications to the the Giant Trance E.

Sooooo glad I don't have to deal with snow, although it is beautiful.

Riding the E bike has quickly become my daily priority in that I plan every thing else around it and get bent when I can't ride. Thankfully my wife supports this addiction.

 

New Trance owner...first post.

Liked your report - it's a great bike! I got the '19 E+2 for a really good price, stoked!

Took it out yesterday to ride the Fullerton Loop and got lost big-time. I guess you need to turn left at that first park trail to make the loop. I ended up at Imperial Hwy, way way north. LOL

Would love to tag along one day if possible. We've lived close by for thirty years and I never knew any of that was there. Beautiful place to ride!

I was going to buy a E+1 from Ricardo at FB, but found a leftover at a big savings. But I got my Explore from him, love it as well.

Have you done anything for flat protection? Got one first ride - looked like a thorn or something. I'm looking at Tannus Armour.

 

New Trance owner...first post.

Liked your report - it's a great bike! I got the '19 E+2 for a really good price, stoked!

Took it out yesterday to ride the Fullerton Loop and got lost big-time. I guess you need to turn left at that first park trail to make the loop. I ended up at Imperial Hwy, way way north. LOL

Would love to tag along one day if possible. We've lived close by for thirty years and I never knew any of that was there. Beautiful place to ride!

I was going to buy a E+1 from Ricardo at FB, but found a leftover at a big savings. But I got my Explore from him, love it as well.

Have you done anything for flat protection? Got one first ride - looked like a thorn or something. I'm looking at Tannus Armour.

That 19 E2 is about the best looking bike I have ever seen. Congratulations.

So, yes, I am VERY familiar with getting lost on the loop the first time out. I had very detailed directions and a GPS and ended up cutting about 4 miles out of the loop. So the next time I went with a buddy who assured me he knew the way. Well, he did but it turned out the four miles I cut out were mostly hills and there was no way I could ride up them. That was what inspired me to finally get the ebike.

I usually ride from my house, up over Idaho from Imperial, catch the loop, ride the loop and then ride home.

However, if you want a guide, send me a PM and LMK. I'd be happy to meet you at the court house and show you the standard route.

I am unemployed for the duration so I usually ride during the week to avoid the weekend crowds but I am flexible. I am planning to ride it tomorrow.

My bike is set up tubeless with Stans No Flat or whatever they put in it at the time of purchase I have a solid 400 miles on it now with no flats.