Giant Trance Travel

aber said:

Does anyone know if it is possible to change the travel of RP3 in Giant Trance (2006 year model)? I'd really like to change it in 130 mm!

Thanks

Click to expand...

Gday Aber . The Trance is quoted as having either 4" (101.6 mm) or 4.2" (106.68 mm) of rear wheel travel. Having had the shock out of my Trance recently, I would say the frame and swingarm are physically just capable of making 130 mm of travel.

The problem lies in the shock. I seem to remember that the standard shock dimensions for the Trance are 1.5" stroke by 6.5" eye to eye . Assuming the leverage ratio of the Trance to be 2.8:1 (4.2" travel / 1.5" shock stroke), one would need a 1.828" travel RP3 to get the 5.118" (130 mm) of travel you desire.

The next stroke size of RP3 is 2". You would thus get about 5.6" (142.24mm) of travel but also run the serious risk of the swingarm and main triangle making physical contact. These 2" stroke RP3's also have longer eye to eyes of 7.5" and 7.875", which is sure to cause other problems.

I think the only way to achieve the 130 mm travel is to find a shock from another company with a 6.5" eye to eye and about 1.8" of stroke. Either that or talk to PUSH industries or MOJO suspension for a custom RP3.

Anyway, I entirely agree, a 5" (127 mm) travel Trance would be almost perfect :thumbsup: .

http://www.foxracingshox.com/fox_bicycle/bike_index.htm
http://www.pushindustries.com/
http://www.mojo.co.uk/

aber said:

Thanks a lot!
So, if I understood correctly, I can change my RP3 with a 5" travel shock without any problem?
One more thing, a friend of mine is going to buy a Rochy Mountain ETSX-TEAM ( http://www.bikes.com/bikes/2006/etsx/etsx-team.aspx frame ) , if you read in the specs you can find that it has a Fox RP3 shock with a travel of 101.5 - 127 mm. How is it possible? Can you change the travel like you con with Reba U-Turn?? I think that the frame is 101.5 mm standard, but if you want you can change the shock in 127 mm (with another model, of course).

Bye!

Click to expand...

Aber, I think that there may be some misunderstanding. I was only making suggestions as to how you might achieve 130 mm of rear travel on a Trance. I have not tried any of my suggestions so I have no idea if they would work.

The rear suspension on the Rocky Mountain ETSX does have adjustable travel, but it is most likely that this is achieved with a geometry change of the rear suspension linkages. The upper shock mount / pivot link looks as though it has an adjustment arc, thus, although the shock stroke remains the same, the leverage ratio and travel of the rear suspension changes with each shock mounting position . This adjustment would probably require tools to effect whilst you are off the bike .

I changed mine

I found on ebay a 6.75 eye-to-eye shock with 1.75 in travel. It is a Fox Vanilla with no shock adjustments. I also ebayed a spring - 850 lbs. per inch.

This longer shock raised the back of the bike a little.

I have a Manitou Minute fork on the bike. It adjusts from 4 in to 5 in travel. The 5 in travel position raises the front of the bike. The Fox shock raises the rear of the bike, bringing the geometry back to near normal.

I have not ridden this setup enough to learn if these suspension changes improved the performance of the bike.

Here is what I do know: the Fox with coil spring weighs more than 1 lb more than the original rear shock, the Manitou Minute (with coil spring) weighs more than 1 lb more than the Manitou Elite air spring fork that was on the bike, and the rear shock cycles up and down a little with each pedal stroke (original shock does not do this).

Also, a 7 in eye-to-eye shock will not fit - the spacer between the two rocker arms with hit the seat tube.

Hope this helps.

Terry