[Xioz]

So I've been looking for a Giant Trance 2 for a long long time.
My LBS hasn't been able to provide me info about deliver-date or pricing for some time.
I've been looking on the web and I found what it seems like an amazing offer.

It's the Trance as seen on the picture:

Here's the link for the picture in large:
https://www.s-tec-sports.de/media/cases/giant_trance_blk_gross.jpg

The website says it comes with a FOX Talas RL, Ritchey Pro, XT, Magura Louise FR and optional Mavic Crossmax. The price is €2399,- or €2699,- if you want it with the Crossmaxes. (€2399,- is $2835,- USD).

The bike looks absolutely amazing. Well-equipped, plus I find this the best-looking Giant Trance 2 I've seen thusfar. I don't see many downsides, except that the shop is located in Germany about 250 miles from where I live.

Are there any other things to consider? Do you see any conspicuous things? Do the components look like 2006 components to you? Good deal?

Replies are much appreciated!

 

[Benno]

Hey, 250 miles is not that far.......I live in Canada and that's about the distance to my corner store. I say go for it, beats waiting 6 months to get one ordered........components spec is very good too.

 

[Xioz]

Hello Benno,

Let me respond to your initial post (the one delivered in my mailbox, before it was edited ): The good thing of living in a EU-country with the Schengen-agreement is that we don't have to pay any import costs. So I will actually pay only €2399,- for the bike + fuel costs for driving to the shop. I don't think I would let it ship, but instead go over the border by car & buy and test and check it before I pay.

But you also mentioned: "Then there is the fact that you dont have a bike shop to bring it back to to get your parts warrantied." That is true, and that is the only thing that worries me a bit.

It is indeed a 2005 build frame, however in Europe all 2005 bikes are sold as 2006 models. Including components. That gives the bike on offer another advantage; as it looks it's equipped with 2006 components, while the 2006 Giant Trance 2, distributed by Giant Europe, is fully 2005 equipped. But please correct me if I see this wrong.

I also got a reply from the German bikeshop which sells the Trance:
"We have the GIANT Trance 2 in black with Fox Talas RL , Ritchey Pro Stem , handlebar and seatpost , SLR saddle , Shimano XT group complete , Magura Louise FR disc , Michelin tyres , Mavic Crossmax XL for 2699 euro. With Mavic Crossride wheelset for 2399 euro. We have the frame and the parts on stock , so the delivery time is 1 week"

It almost sounds too good to be true...

 

[LyNx]

Xioz, you may be getting this offer because you aren't close and therefor the shop might not think they'd have to deal with you for warranty or the normal 1 month maintanance check etc - it is factored into most bike's prices bought from Bike Shops.

I say 250 miles is nothing (even though I live on a small island) it's as far as Edmonton to not even Calgary (bout 2.5-3 hours drive) and for that steal of a price (that's a damn good price BTW) it's worth the drive. Just make sure and print out the e-mail correspondence you have and make sure that it's a NEW bike/frame and componenets that they're offering and not something that's used.

BTW it is a built up frame, not a complete bike as would come from GIANT (that's a T2 frame) so not sure how the warranty would be on it. For anything major 250 miles isn't a whole load to drive for warranty. Trance1 in the US MSRP is 3600 and that's "basically" what they're offering you for the 2699 Euro (kind of a cross between T2 & T1 build) Check the site carefully for complete specs.

All in all if your local shop is saying 6 months and or doesn't even have any info then I'd say go for it and get riding. Just maybe make a check with the local Better Buisness Beareu (or whatever you call it in Europe) on the shop and how long it's been operating etc.

 

[Benno]

Yeah sorry, I pulled a MTBR faux pas..........I posted before reading the entire original post. I was under the impression that you lived in the USA and were importing from Europe. The fact that you really only live 250 miles from the shop and not 10, 000miles means that if anything ever did go wrong and you needed to warranty then you would have to drive a scant 4 hours or so or just ship the part that needs fixing to the shop... no biggie. Not to mention your LBS should understand that you tried to order the product through them but they just couldnt get ahold of it, as long as you are still a regular customer there they should take care of you still. I still say go for it.

 

[Xioz]

Xioz, you may be getting this offer because you aren't close and therefor the shop might not think they'd have to deal with you for warranty or the normal 1 month maintanance check etc - it is factored into most bike's prices bought from Bike Shops.

I say 250 miles is nothing (even though I live on a small island) it's as far as Edmonton to not even Calgary (bout 2.5-3 hours drive) and for that steal of a price (that's a damn good price BTW) it's worth the drive. Just make sure and print out the e-mail correspondence you have and make sure that it's a NEW bike/frame and componenets that they're offering and not something that's used.

I found out the company is located only 150, and not 250 miles from my place. The company exists for 8 years now and on a Dutch forum I've seen some other people who bought their bike their. Most were satisfied, but there were a few complaints also. I'll register there and ask them for advice. More on the company; they are a bikesport center. They only sell race and mountainbikes. Other mountainbikes they sell are Tomac, Yeti and Rocky Mountain. They seem to do a lot of postal order bikeselling, but they have a big showroom too.

Here's the link to their site: http://www.s-tec-sports.de/

On warranty: Good point. I'll check it out. The tip about printing the e-mail is a good one either.
The Trance as offered by this company, is the way they build it. All their bikes come as new, not used.

Thanks for your replies thusfar!

 

[Benno]

If the bike is brand new than all the warranties will be done through the manufacturer not the bike shop. So since Giant now offers a lifetime warranty on their frames, if it breaks you can get your LBS to send it back to the distributor.........same with the fork, brakes, wheels, ect....any part pending the warranty period. Even if a part breaks after the warranty, most companies offer crash replacement prices.

 

[Xioz]

If the bike is brand new than all the warranties will be done through the manufacturer not the bike shop. So since Giant now offers a lifetime warranty on their frames, if it breaks you can get your LBS to send it back to the distributor.........same with the fork, brakes, wheels, ect....any part pending the warranty period. Even if a part breaks after the warranty, most companies offer crash replacement prices.

So here are some things I found out reading the German Giant warranty on the Trance:
- Frame warranty on the Giant Trance is 5 years. Not lifetime;
- Component warranty is 2 years. Only for Giant's 'own' componentry (like Giant MPH-brakes for example);
- "All warranty claims should be made valid with that Giant dealer, with whom the bicycle was acquired." (German - English translator) So my LBS can't send it back to the distrutor in case anything breaks. I have to go/or send the frame to the German shop instead.

More info:
- The German bike shop gives 24 month warranty. But it's not very clear to me; "on what".

So the questions for the German shop remain:
- Are they an authorized Giant dealer? (I'm pretty sure they are).
- Does my bike have the 5 year warranty eventhough the bike isn't fitted with the standard Trance 2 component set-up?
- The 24 month warranty the bike shop offers; what does it include?
- Is a service-check a requirement to have the full 5 year warranty? (Since it's a 150 mile drive).

Any other suggestions?

Giant warranty page: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/de/045.000.000/045.250.000.asp
German shop warranty page: http://www.s-tec-sports.de/media/content_media/contact/contact_agb.pdf

 

[majura]

I agree with Benno and Lynx, I think that you've got a great deal there- go for it!