[Stanceslao]

So I returned my Stance 27.5 because of some issues .

Is the Trance 27.5 for $2,500 a significant upgrade to the above? Or shall I spend a little more for the Trance Advanced for $3,650 ? Are there better alternatives which give more for the buck?

I don't really go to trails, in fact I only bought the bike just to cycle around my neighborhood for exercise, and just in case, I decide to go with my friends mtn biking.

Thanks

 

[d4nt3ch]

The trance is a beefed up stance with more travel on the suspension and chunkier, aggressive tires. The stance is a low travel trail bike that can still xc. The trance is strictly a trail bike and sucks for xc.

If you don't trail, the trance is a waste of a purchase. The trance advanced is 3lbs lighter due to its carbon frame and potentially better drivetrain groupset (Shimano vs SRAM etc).

If all you do is light riding, I'd get a cheap hard tail or at most, a giant anthem.

This is my 2018 trance 2 27.5

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View attachment 1956277

 

[Skeeno]

Honestly, if you're just cruising around the neighborhood I'd get a hard tail like the Fathom2.

Trance Advanced is a sweet bike, though. I have one.

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[noapathy]

Buy the Trance. I'll trade you for my gravel (road) bike.

 

[Stanceslao]

The trance is strictly a trail bike and sucks for xc.



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I can't see the pic, and can you please elaborate on your comment saying Trance sucks for XC ? Thanks

 

[d4nt3ch]

I can't see the pic, and can you please elaborate on your comment saying Trance sucks for XC ? Thanks

The trance comes with maxxis high roller 2 tires, size 2.4 front and rear. They are chunky. They do great in aggressive trail riding but xc isn't bumpy. I ride a lot of xc with my trance. I swapped out the rear hr2 tire for a contennental crossking 2.3 for less rolling resistance but still enough rubber patch to maintain grip in aggressive trail riding.

The trance comes with 140mm travel on the rear shock and 150mm travel on the fork. The fork has a stancion diameter of 34mm. This is not ideal suspension for xc. The bike at stock is too heavy and too grippy for xc. The geometry is also pretty slack in my opinion, for xc. You'll be doing roller coaster climbs while your xc buddies blast those inclines.
Could you xc it? Sure, I do. But you'll damn work for it.

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[cvbrewer]

What issues?
Based on your description of your needs, the Stance sounds like a good choice. Are you a Clyde (big rider)?

 

[Stanceslao]

What issues?
Based on your description of your needs, the Stance sounds like a good choice. Are you a Clyde (big rider)?

chain dropping which scratched the paint, squishy fork which was getting louder. I already have my refund from Giant.

 

[cvbrewer]

That is a real pain because it sounds as if the bike would be a good fit for your needs. The fork on that bike is known to be problematic, and they use the same one on the Fathom. It is a new proprietary Giant fork that had pretty good potential but poor execution it seems. You seem to prefer a 27.5 to a 29?

Though they are hard to find, the Vitus Sentier (hardtail) line are very nice and an especially good value in the more expensive models (VR $1500 and VRX$1800). They are similar to the Ragley Marley, which are also hard to find and a good value.

 

[Doublebase]

Well, I did something similar this summer...started out in June with the Stance (27.5)...good bike, but it just couldn’t handle what I was using it for (technical single track that is very chunky). It was a fun bike, it was fast, it was twitchy and flickable. But it also also was too short, too steep at the head angle, and the suspension just wasn’t going to cut it - the front fork was twitchy and the rear shock was a pogo stick that loved to squeak every second, every bounce. But for the right application, this bike is darn good for the money.

Switched to the Trance X3. Love this thing. Absolutely made for technical climbs and chunky single track. Slack, low, long...stable going downhill and up. Feels a lot like my Santa Cruz Tallboy 3, but with more travel. For only $2,550 this bike is ridiculously reliable and capable. I’ve beaten the ever living tar out of it for over 500 miles now, knock on wood nothing has broke - and it even has the cheap SRAM NX 1x12, and it hasn’t broke or gone out of adjustment yet. And I Love the fork and shock. Very happy with this bike.

 

[mewatkins33]

I agree the Trance X3 is an amazing bike I got my used and I am super impressed with the suspension. I only problem was the sx derailer it is trash it needs to be switched to GX immediately. But that is not too pricey to switch out mostly I noticed it on super high-speed descents. Besides that the Trance X is amazing.