# Giant Trance X 29er - long...



## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

For those that have been wondering if there are full suspension 29ers out there that will fit you, the answer is YES! It seems that more and more manufacturers are hearing our pleas to provide those of us who may be eh hem, vertically challenged, with big-wheeled options. Kudos to Niner for offering some of their models in xs (wish it were all of them!). I know there are a few boutique brands out there with some options that may also work, but my budget simply couldn't be stretched that far. 
Last year, one of my good friends purchased her first full-suspension 29er - a Giant Anthem X. She's ~ 5'2" with a 29" inseam. Her biggest issue with the bike initially was the reach, which was corrected with a shorter stem. She plain rips on that thing. Her skill level has increased dramatically. Is it because of the larger wheels? Maybe. Maybe, too, it's the confidence that they have inspired in her. I've pretty much been jealous since the day she got it . 
I, too, have a 29er, a Misfit Dissent, and I love it. It's been my go-to bike particularly in the late fall, winter and early spring. There is nothing to get really gummed up on it or much to maintain and I appreciate it's simplicity. But, it's singlespeed and (for me), has its limitations. I do enjoy my suspension and gears. 
My current full-suspension bike was purchased directly from on online distributor. It was a lot less expensive (in the grand scheme of things) and had good component spec for the price it was being offered at. But, it was heavy - really heavy. I've learned a lot on that bike and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, parts are beginning to wear, and it comes down to, do I want to put more $ into that bike, or concentrate on something new? I began weighing the pros and cons. Meanwhile, Giant announced they were coming out with their Trance in a 29er version. Cool! I hesitated getting too excited and waited until some #'s came out for the geometry. I was pleasantly surprised to see it available in an xs version and tons of standover. As luck would have it, our local Giant dealer arranged for the demo truck to coincide with our club's fall mtb festival and I had the opportunity to throw a leg over one myself. 
I was disappointed to learn they did not have any available in xs, and after reading a lot in the forums about them running on the larger side, I was worried. For comparison, they did have an XS Anthem 29er for me to try, and that definitely felt cramped. So, they wheeled over a small Trance X and I hopped aboard. They had the saddle all the way forward and the stem inverted. They had also placed all of the spacers on top of the stem. After raising the saddle to the appropriate height for me, it came dead even with the handlebars. I pedaled it around the parking lot and was surprised by how well it seemed to fit, and when I stopped, the amazing amount of standover clearance I had. Of course I needed to try this thing out on the trail and see for myself!
Unfortunately it rained, but I was able to demo it the next day. There was virtually no acclimation needed for me, much to my surprise. In fact, I didn't really feel like I was pedaling bigger hoops - until I went over things, that is. I took it purposely through a lot of tighter/twistier sections of trail to see how it handled when the going got slow and technical. I thought it steered remarkably well. Next I took it on a climb that I have consistently had trouble with on my 26" steed. I didn't experience any front wheel lift or the sensation of wandering - something I'm accustomed to on my other bike. I did scoot up toward the front of the saddle and did put weight on the front, but it didn't feel exaggerated to me - it just was something I naturally do on my other bike. Traction felt great with the Nobby Nics. 
Next was a nice flowy section of trail. The bike got up to speed, and just like my other 29er, once some momentum has been achieved, it doesn't want to stop. It soaks up everything in its path. The combination of the XT drivetrain and Maestro suspension had me in awe. Shifts were speedy and seamless. I detected little to no pedal bob when out of the saddle. And it loves to corner. Cornering has always been one of my weak points. I have trouble leaning the bike and really trusting my wheels and tires. To my amazement, I railed through a corner without even putting much thought into it - it just sort of "happened". Next came a descent. It felt very sure-footed and confident going down. The XT brakes felt fantastic. I was beaming when I returned the bike. Not since I demoed a Pivot Mach 5.7 had I felt that good on another bike. Granted, the Pivot has 26" wheels, but in terms of confidence and comfort - the Trance X 29er just "did it" for me. Alas, I knew there was no way I was going to afford the spec I demoed though. I decided to kind of mull it over in my head a while.
Fast forward a couple of weeks. As much as I liked the X0, I talked to my Giant dealer about getting the X1 and possibly upgrading to XT brakes. He thought he might be able to get me a good deal on the X0, but would let me know. Imagine my elation when he called last week to say there was a small available in the X0 within my price limit. It only took me a few seconds and some deep breaths to agree. Three days later I was the proud owner of a new Trance X 29er!! My LBS generously routed all of the cables internally and did a super job trimming everything up and keeping it looking really clean. To top it off, he set up the wheels for me tubeless!! I had a serious case of permagrin the entire time I was in the shop getting everything fitted and the suspension set up. I couldn't wait to get it out this weekend and ride one of my local trails.
The only change I made to the stock setup was to swap out the Fizik saddle for a Specialized Ariel I had. The ride went very smoothly, with the exception of some pedal strikes. I didn't recall having that issue during my demo so when I finished the ride I checked the air pressure in my shock and fork and added a bit more. That seemed to do the trick. I kept both the fork and the shock in "trail" mode for the entire ride. I think next time I'll play around a little with it and see what my impression is. 
For those of you who have been wondering about a 29er trail machine for smaller folks, give this one a try!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Introducing "Merlin" :thumbsup:


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

do you have any toe overlap in platforms?

i'm a tad smaller than you. i WAS looking at this bike, but still weighing my options. Now that they have shorter top-tubed big wheelers, they are becoming an option, but toe overlap is a real concern. I'm thinking of having Ventana make me a bike, i've already talked to them. He thinks he can do it with my measurements.

oh, and i read your "woes" about the bash guard. this came up when my bf and i were looking at that bike. he said there may be a way to rig something, but it would involve buying new parts. perhaps a whole new spider or front chainrings, etc. i'll see what he says. i THINK he said he saw a way around it.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

I only had minimal toe overlap with flats when I didn't have my foot positioned correctly. I had on different shoes yesterday, too, and no issues at all. 
When I picked up the bike from the shop, they had the saddle shoved almost all the way forward. After riding it more on Sunday, I realized I could actually slide it back a little bit more. It feels great! I'm just amazed at how this bike does not feel like I'm riding bigger wheels. I feel like I'm "in" the bike, not on it. It's more confidence inspiring and handles better than my 26" FS bike this will replace. 

Yeah, for the bashguard, I don't know if they make a press fit bb crankset with bashguard already attached? Normally I've just removed the 3rd chainring, but obviously can't do that with this bike. It's the one thing I hadn't considered. Maybe it won't be an issue with the bigger hoops ;o) - we'll see. I just spent a lot of $ on this bike though, so I do not want to spend even more swapping out parts at this time. It'd be super if Giant came up with some sort of adapter solution. I realize they don't feel like there is a need for the ISCG tabs with the shadow plus derailleur, which is supposed to eliminate chain dropping. BUT that doesn't take into consideration those of us who want to run a bashguard. Time will tell if this will be an issue or not. And this doesn't detract, to me anyway, from the overall appeal of the bike.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

one more question. even though there are no bottle mounts, can you physically fit a bottle (where one normally would be) with any ease? they do have bottle adapters....

i'm a bashguard fan too, i wouldnt want anything else. i'm hearing you actually have to replace the whole crank now. though, i'm sure you could easily sell it. (still sucks to spend more money)


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Nicole - I'll have to check and see. I don't use bottles - can't stand them rattling around when I'm riding the trails and I use a Camelbak, even if it's a short ride because I always carry tools and a first aid kit and extra tubes, etc. with me. I figure it'll just add to my fitness ;o). Don't discount this bike yet, see if you can swing a leg over the extra small.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

i put "stuff" in my water which has helped me a lot! so on longer rides, i do both a bottle and 'back. 

wouldnt ya know...my LBS just got an extra small! and he thinks he can work a bottle on there somehow. i'm pretty excited! i personally dont like the graphics/paint job (i guess i'm just being "a girl" and i love the way my current bike looks) and my possible future Ventana would look ultimate sex, but quite pricy. a lot more money than this Trance, with even lesser components. this is gonna be a toughie!!!

how much do you think your small weighs?


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

You have to check it out at least! Well, according to what I've read, the mediums are coming in around 28# w/o pedals. Mine is a small...so I don't know how much more that would take off? I did swap out saddles, and not sure how much the one I put on weighs. I have no idea how much it weighs and I don't have a scale at home. 

Yeah, Ventanas are nice...but for the $ you'd save, you could probably upgrade a few things? Maybe swap out the crankset for something with a bash? See how it feels. Maybe you won't like it, and your decision will have been made for you .


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

my bf is test riding it around the shop right now (XS). he says it would fit me awesome. he's short like me, (couple inches taller, but prefers a smaller bike) and says it feels awesome. (yes, i WILL have to swap the entire crank and sell it for a new one, but he says i'd like the 3-ring gearing better anyway. i agree). 

with the Ventana, i'd have the frame only. Then i'd swap over my parts from my current bike (all except for wheels). which means i'd have almost nothing to sell to finance it. And my current parts are decent (SLX, XT) but the Trance is even better. The whole point of the Ventana was to custom fit it to my body, but if this Trance fits, then that wont matter. the only thing i worried about is toe overlap. we have some slow/very tight stuff around here, and kicking the front wheel while trying to clean a technical corner sounds like a drawback! XS is even shorter of a TT than yours, so the risk is even a bit more. 
I'll swing a leg over that bad boy on Saturday AM.

28 pounds isnt terrible. that's two pounds heavier than my current bike, but thats what you get with big wheels and a beefier trail bike i guess. Looks like unless i decked the thing out with carbon, i'm not getting it any lighter.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Got my second big ride in on the bike last night. WOW - I'm still grinning! I got to the parking area ahead of my friends, so I decided to do a quick loop to warm up. Much to my surprise, I was able to do that in far less time than I normally would. I let my friend hop on in the parking lot and she took it up the trail a bit. Right away she commented on how comfortable it felt to her - fit-wise, and how plush it felt. She's currently riding an Anthem X 29er (and is one of the reasons I was so excited to demo this bike). She's an inch or two shorter than I am, but had plenty of standover room. She said the only thing she noticed was that the bars felt wide. But, when comparing them to her bike, they were only about an inch wider. That seems to be one comment people have been making - the bars seem wide. I have to say, for me, they are perfect. I honestly don't think I would trim them down at all. 
I had added more air to my suspension after my first big ride as it seemed a bit soft. Last night it felt spot-on. I had plenty of tight/twisty stuff and I had no incidence of toe rub. I had actually moved my saddle back a bit and I may move it back just a hair more - not sure yet. I'm not sure if I have long arms or what, but compared to my friend, I seem to be able to get away with a longer top tube for my size, LOL.
My friends let me lead the ride and commented on how much faster I seemed on the climbs. People keep saying how the front end feels light to them and they struggle to keep it down. I'm honestly not sure where that is coming from - I had no trouble keeping the front end glued to the trail and it never felt like it was wandering - something I experience a lot on my other bike. I never felt like it was hard to scoot up and weight the front end when climbing. To me, the bike felt like it just scampered up the hills - and I HATE climbing. When I got out of the saddle and stood, pedal bob was so subtle, I wasn't even sure if it existed. The suspension is very efficient and acceleration is incredible. I never felt like it was soaking up my energy on climbs. 
The traction on the tires was incredible. Our trails were wet and slippery and yet I rarely had any incidences of slipping. I felt confident and glued to the trail. Cornering was a blast and it felt so natural to lean the bike and just go. The descents were amazing and so much fun! And I was surprised how many times I would think, uh oh, I'm not going to make this turn when the trail got twisty and was actually surprised when it stayed on course and never felt like I had to muscle it around. It simply does not behave like a big-wheeled bike (at least that I have experienced before). 
As far as the weight? I never felt like it was heavy at all. Of course it's several pounds lighter than my last bike, but I had no issues at all keeping up with my friends. 
As far as room for a water bottle, I don't think there is any way you would fit one on the downtube. I don't know if it's possible to put a cage on the top tube at all?? I know (Nicole) you mentioned something about some kind of adapter or something. My friend said she will carry a water bottle with her right in her pack - so maybe it's something you could consider? 
I'll look forward to hearing your impressions after you demo the bike on Saturday! Hopefully you'll like it just as much as I do. I literally cannot wait to get back on the trail again...


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

^ this is all good stuff! sounds like you and i ride similar trails, and have similar style riding. i too tend to slow down and not trust my cornering. its not that i dont know how to corner, i just never trust my traction. Sounds like this bike is good for cornering and traction.
As for toe rub, i (mostly) ride clipped in, but there are those moments, you know, when you are on top of the pedal, not quite clipped in yet, or resting atop, (not that it happens often, but you know what i mean!) where i'd be afraid of kicking the wheel so hard that it would screw me up, or worse crash me. however, looking at the specs between SM and XS, the top tub length is a half inch longer, however, the wheelbase is nearly the same. (.3 cm at most) so i'm sure overlap would be the same for me and you, since my feet are slightly smaller. That's encouraging. Apparently, there is on ONE XS X0 trance left in the country!!!! so i need to test ride this beast asap. My bf said on the bottom of the downtube you can get a bottle adaptor. it should fit (hopefully even with the suspension compressed). Also, i've been doing research to see if a bash ring can go on this bike as is. I"m not getting any results, and i'm hearing new crank and chainrings are the way to go.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

I sincerely doubt you'll have issues with toe rub. Like I said, I know mine was from improper foot placement on my flats - I'm still kind of getting used to riding with them again. I imagine you probably have a smaller foot than I do, too - I wear a size 8 shoe. 

I highly recommend setting the bike up tubeless. HUGE difference, IMO, in traction. I test rode this bike and it wasn't set up tubeless and I definitely noticed a difference in traction as the trails were wet that day, too. Last night I was just flying through the corners. Like you, I've never really trusted my bike or traction and have always slowed down considerably before entering them. I've envied people who could let go of the brakes and just let 'er rip. Last night, I was able to do that! It was sooo much fun! 

I may go to a different crankset in the future so I can have a bashguard, but I'm going to ride it as is for a while and see how necessary it is. Someone suggested trying to find one with shorter arms, too. I've always ridden with 175s...and not sure I would want to go with shorter arms, especially on a 29er? 

I hope your test ride goes well for you - I'll be anxious to hear your impressions, too!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

i ride with 170 cranks. thats what's on my current bike, and it eliminates toe rub even more. Whatever crank i buy, will have 170. And yah, love tubeless!!!! though, i ran mine TOO soft recently, crashed, and destroyed the tire :/

i was running around 15 psi!!!


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## BullitGrrl (Aug 22, 2006)

Congrats on your new bike! I have a stumpy evo 29er. Cornering for me has been frustrating. What tires are you using? I have tubeless and I think I might have to much air. Do you know what air pressure you're running? Amazingly I'm still trying to dial the bike in!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

I think I'm running around 17 or 18 psi on mine right now. The Giant came with Schwalbe Nobby Nics on tubeless-ready rims so the shop set it up tubeless for me. I'll be taking it out again tonight and adding more impressions.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

BullitGrrl said:


> Congrats on your new bike! I have a stumpy evo 29er. Cornering for me has been frustrating. What tires are you using? I have tubeless and I think I might have to much air. Do you know what air pressure you're running? Amazingly I'm still trying to dial the bike in!


frustrating because of the tires or wheel size? i plan on keeping my nobby nics, but i've run mountain kings for most of my bikes. amazing grip as long as you get the black chili compound. but sadly, me and a friend had a few problems with the new design, warping them. i'll hold off on getting new mountain kings any time soon.

btw, tubeless is very much recommended! if you're a small person, you can get away with under 20psi.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

So here it is!!!. it looks better in person because the silver is actually polished aluminium and very shiny. i already put that orange seat clamp, and spare pedals, but i have an orange bar coming in. i wasnt able to take it on real singletrack because the bars are freakish wide and we wont cut them till my new ones come in.

first thing i noticed, it feels "big". not in a bad way, just felt big compared to what i'm used to. but it just billy goats up hills! also, i swear it just rolls forever, barely losing speed, even if you're just coasting. i think the big feeling will calm down when i get appropriate sized trimmed bars.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

^ Nicole, what bars did you end up ordering? I see that you have all the spacers below the stem, have you thought about putting some on top? I'm curious about your ride impression with the stem stacked up that high - if you feel like your front end lifts more or not. I totally agree with how it billy goats up hills and how easily it rolls. I am riding the bars stock and actually like them wide. But, I have wide bars on my other bikes, too. I think these are a bit wider but I hesitate trimming them down. So far they haven't been a real issue for me.

Congratulations! If your experience is anything like mine, this bike is going to be a "game changer" for you!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Had my third long ride on the Trance last night. I continue to be amazed and impressed. We started off with a long, switchback-filled climb and I must say it handled beautifully. I keep expecting to have issues when I going at a slow speed through technical corners and yet this hasn't been the case at all. It's just handles so smoothly. 

Once at the top of the trail, we hit a flowy section which is just a blast to hum along on with this bike. I feel like it just floats beneath me. Despite the bigger wheels, I feel like I'm riding "in" the bike, not on top of it. As such, I have a lot of confidence in it and it's definitely translating to my riding. I used to feel like I was fighting the bike and really having to work to get it to go where I wanted it to go. For the first time, I honestly feel "one" with the bike. I've never experienced this before. 

The next section of trail we hit was a very rooty downhill with lots of switchbacks. I am usually very slow through this section, which I know, probably has not helped, as momentum is usually your friend in these situations. Well, last night, it was like an epiphany, I got through the entire section much faster than I ever have before and felt no hesitation in the corners. For the first time, that section was actually fun! 

I'm still getting used to the 2X10 gearing, but it's starting to fall into place and become more intuitive. The XT brakes are a thing of beauty. I've yet to experience any brake fade, even on long descents. And the silence is glorious! While everyone else in my group was squealing away, mine were blissfully quiet. Same with the derailleur. I've never ridden a bike more quiet, except for my singlespeed. Wow! 

I continued along the trail and wasn't thinking (for probably like the first time) about what was next or what logs I wanted to avoid. I just allowed my bike to go with the flow. I was carrying some pretty good speed when I approached a log that I normally avoid. I had forgotten why - until I approached the top. While on the one side it's got a couple of logs leading up to the top, there is no backside to this - it drops off a couple of feet. I had completely forgotten about this until it was too late. I was positioned with the intent of just rolling up and over the log, but I quickly realized I was not going to roll the other side. Mind you, I do not know how to wheelie drop or anything like that. It was almost shear panic that had me pushing forward on my bars at the last instant and hanging myself off the back of the bike as I made my way over the top. You know how they say things happen in slow-motion? Yeah, that's how this felt. To my complete amazement, the bike went airborne and landed - STILL ROLLING forward. The guy in front of me had paused to warn me that there was no backside so he saw the whole thing. Both of us were like, "holy cow - did you see that???" I couldn't believe it! It's like, are there no limits? I will be the first to admit, I have a long way to go in regards to skills, but I'm confident this bike is going to get me there and I'm going to love every minute of it!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

getting a race face bar. more for color  

havent experimented with the stem yet. it looks higher than it feels. actually, when i put it next to my BMC, the bars were almost the same. My short torso likes a really high front end, even if it hurts climbing. it will be a few days before i can take it on real singletrack. i did a 5 mile easier ride on it last night, and immediately smacked my bars against a fence when riding along a narrow path.

i could already tell that i'll be able to keep up momentum better, which will help immensely when i'm out riding with the expert boys that i ride with. usually i'm chugging with all my might just to stay within a mile of them! then i get burnt out sooner. this should help. i couldnt really wheelie with this bike...well, maybe a tiny bit, but i was never good at wheelies anyway


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Yes! I'm finding I keep up with my crowd a lot better now, which is nice. As far as lifting the front end, I'm still working on that, my technique needs work ;o). I'm going out for another ride tonight. I think I'm going to bump up my shock pressure just a bit more. So far, I'm really enjoying this bike!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

^Nicole, out of curiosity, do you have any toe overlap issues? I haven't found this to be a problem, even with flats, but was curious what your experience has been seeing how you have a xs frame and flats? You may have seen the video posted on the Giant forum with the guy that goes into a 15' ravine with his bike and all the comments that went flying around about how it was obvious the bike was "too big" for him and that's why they make bikes with 24" wheels for children and women. Not sure why people seem to think that 29ers should only be for certain people. If it fits and it's comfortable, who cares what someone else is riding??


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

well this is my worry, and i havent tested this yet. With flats (as they are on the bike now, my clippy shoes were wet so i didnt put the clipless on yet) i didnt have overlap assuming my feet were in the right spot. Thats good, but....

sometimes, as we all know, you may emergency dab, then frantically put your foot back on the pedal, and you dont land in the correct spot. Typically, this may happen in a messy technical spot. i could see the potential to lose proper foot position in an emergency and kick the tire. My bigger fear is, this happens when unclipped. Somtimes i'll unclip (emergency dab) and not get the foot back clipped in right away. so in essence, i'm "riding on top" of the pedal until i can find a good moment to clip back in. This also especially happens in a technical or scary downhill area. if i am on top of a pedal, and not clipped in, i'm slid way forward and would almost certainly kick the tire. this is not something you want to happen when going around a super technical corner. Therefore, i'm gonna have to pay attention to where my crank is if that happens.

some people may think i'm being over paranoid, but for instance, i was on a nasty technical trail the other day, (something i would have rather ridden in flats, but i had no idea how the trails were going to be, so i rode clipped). i found myself dabbing a ton because the trail was that hard, and not always getting back in the pedal in a split second. Toe overlap could be a real risk on a trail like that.

top tube doesnt matter as much as wheelbase does. The small is only .3 inches longer than the XS, because the XS has a steeper seat tube, therefore shortening the reach. So you and i would be dealing with similar overlap potential.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

and i agree with you about wheel size, vs body size. it would make NO sense to put a short woman on 24 inch wheels because it would make riding harder. Its not like a very tall man cant find a 26er to fit, he'd just need a bigger frame. Frame's should fit the body, not the wheels! (unless a wheelsize cannot physically fit on the frame)


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

^ Exactly!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

we have a guy in our group who's 6'4, and he's only ridden 26ers (like everybody did before bigwheels showed up). Technically, the bike "fits" him. Its not like it's too small because the wheels are small. Perhaps his stability and center of gravity would improve on bigger wheels, but its not like he HAS to get bigger wheels.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

Do we even know the crank arm length? my bf says it would be silly to put 175s on a small bike, so he says they are likely 170 stock. but we've never measured them yet. i already ordered a new crank in 170


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

I just think it's such a silly thing to get into to try to tell people what they can and can't ride. With that mentality, taller people shouldn't ride a bmx because obviously it's way too small for them. Now, if you are trying to make something fit that simply doesn't just for the sake of having it, well, that's something different. But there ARE 29ers out there that fit smaller riders just fine. I also own a Misfit Dissent and that thing had TONS of standover room and is a lot of fun. Even Niner is offering some of their bikes in an xs frame now, because they recognize that smaller riders want to experience and enjoy the benefits larger wheels have to offer. And they do!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Honestly, I don't know, but for some reason I thought they were 175's on there.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

check the back of the crank arm. mine says 170


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

This bike IS a beast! Had another awesome ride last night. I still can't get over how much more confidence I have on this bike. The fit just feels spot-on for me and I have no desire to change anything (well, aside from adding a bashguard). The bike just seems to float over the trail. I find myself tackling a lot of the technical sections with a grin - it's almost like cheating.

Had several climbing sections while it may not be the fastest, it's by no means the slowest, either. But, I'm not a racer, so I don't really care how fast I go up a hill...just wanted it to feel easier, especially when going over exposed roots. Once those wheels get going, they do not want to stop and I found myself catching up to my friends on several occasions where before they would have to wait for me.

I said after one of my first rides that this bike could definitely get me into trouble. I say that because it's making me want to see how far I can go. I know I haven't even come close to reaching the limits of this bike, and thankfully it's been there to save me when I've gone beyond my own skill level. Case in point - I went over a log pile with no backside to it last night. I used to avoid that (although a few of my friends tackle it regularly). Once again I found myself heading toward the top of it before realizing (too late) that I needed to get my weight back if I had any hope of landing without going OTB. I'll admit, the landing was far from pretty, and by rights, I SHOULD have crashed. Amazingly both myself and the bike stayed up and kept rolling. My friend, who was riding behind me, paused for half a second before bursting out laughing when she realized I wasn't going to crash. Lesson learned: don't try stuff in the dark. I look forward to checking this feature out when it's light outside and working on my technique more.

We decided to end the ride by going down a steep and curvy "downhill" section that some freeride friends like to session. They have some stunts built up but there are go-rounds. There are lots of fast, banked turns and sudden dips. This time of year it's hard following the trail because of the leaves. As it was getting pretty nippy out and dark (I had a light, but will admit not the best night vision) and I elected (much to my friends' surprise) to lead. It was the first time down this trail on the Trance and I was excited to see how it would feel. This trail has intimidated me in the past and it was only within this past year that I started to go down it without having to dismount for the majority of it. Again, I was astounded at how well this bike handled! The brakes (can't say enough about them!) were flawless and quiet. The bike feels so maneuverable and I have no problem getting back behind the seat on the steep sections. The bike rolled down this trail like it was made for it. It literally made it feel almost effortless.

My friends were equally impressed. First, I pretty much never elect to lead down any trail - let alone something like this. Secondly, they said I looked really smooth and like I'd ridden it dozens of times. They commented that they couldn't believe I was the same rider and I have to agree. I feel different - more confident and assured. I think I owe a lot of it to this bike and how it makes me feel. Doesn't get any better than that! :thumbsup:


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Something else I've been trying to work on - unweighting the front when going over logs/obstacles. I'll admit, I am not the best at this, but I've been working at it. Initially I was having trouble getting the front end of the Trance up - but I am pretty sure that was just technique failure on my part. So this last ride, I really concentrated on putting weight on the front end and then shifting my weight back as I drew close to the log I wanted to go over. Wow - what a difference! So, you can definitely get the front end of this bike up - in fact a lot higher than I had anticipated, LOL - but you have to have the right technique.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

what a fecking bike!!!

took it on a real ride today, with my new crank and bars. sadly, it was really wet out, so i couldnt ride at my best, but the bike rode beautiful. it just claws up hills. I was so worried it would handle like a pig, but it actually feels super close to my BMC....which makes sense because i forced that poor BMC to be a very slack trail bike with lots of travel. Thats what this giant handles like, a 26er with more travel, if that makes sense. i had no complaints so far. At first i was getting so many pedal strikes, i was like uh oh...until i realized i was in descend mode and practically sunken to the ground. when i put it back in trail, i was fine.
but yeah, the whole center of gravity thing, its feels so much better to be "in" the bike, rather than perched on top.

haha, and not to sound creepy, but i feel like we are riding twins. you and i have the same riding style and needs in a bike, and same worries and technique, teeheee.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Glad you like it! I still haven't even really messed around with the different travel modes - can you believe it? Probably because I haven't wanted to stop riding long enough to do that. That's exactly what this bike reminds me of - 26er with more travel. It's definitely agile and easy to maneuver. And I definitely get the sensation that I'm "in" the bike, too, and not on top. There is nothing about this bike that feels "big" to me at all - except when going over stuff - then it's amazing! 

Yeah, it's fun having someone else to compare this bike with that has a similar style (although I don't quite know if I have a style? LOL). Did you say you got cranks with a bashguard? I'm looking into getting a Blackspire bashguard.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

i got a raceface 3 ring crank and raceface bashguard. apparently shimano derailurs and raceface rings dont play nice always, so i've had a couple wierd shifting noises. i may have to buy a new front derailur at some point, but so far so good.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Had some fun the other day using the self-timer on my camera in an attempt to get some "action" shots of me on the new bike. I had the camera set up on a little tripod to capture me riding through a little bowl. Fun solo ride!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Nicole - I checked on the crank arm length, and it is 175 for the small.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

nice! i need new pics. nobody i rides with wants to deal with the camera. i guess your method is the way to go


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## BullitGrrl (Aug 22, 2006)

NicoleB28 said:


> frustrating because of the tires or wheel size? i plan on keeping my nobby nics, but i've run mountain kings for most of my bikes. amazing grip as long as you get the black chili compound. but sadly, me and a friend had a few problems with the new design, warping them. i'll hold off on getting new mountain kings any time soon.
> 
> btw, tubeless is very much recommended! if you're a small person, you can get away with under 20psi.


I'm frustrated because of tires. I'm not confident that they will grip when cornering. It did take me a while to get the bike dialed in. I had to keep lowering the height of the stem. I felt like I was riding with my shoulder shrugged. But now that parts fine.

The tires I'm using are schwalbe racing ralph 29. I think I need to lower the tire press and just start riding!

It's been great catching up on both of your posts about your 29ers!!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

BullitGrrl - I am not running any spacers underneath my stem, which is how it was set up when I demoed the bike. The stem had also been inverted (flipped), too. I have Nobby Nics on my wheels and I think I'm running about 18# of pressure? They seem to grip great! Are you running tubeless or tubes? I have mine set up tubeless, but yeah, you could be having issues if you have too much air in your tires? Also it can depend on how you are weighting your front wheel going around a corner. I'm trying to get better at weighting my front wheel when cornering. It's not instinctive for me, but seems to be going much better on this bike.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

my guess is, racing ralph is less aggressive than the nobby nics. i tend to choose grip over speed, because i like the best traction possible


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

NicoleB28 said:


> my guess is, racing ralph is less aggressive than the nobby nics. i tend to choose grip over speed, because i like the best traction possible


+1 :thumbsup:


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

just looked at the racing ralphs. definitely smaller, closer knobs. Get yourself some big beefers if you want to corner confidently


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Hmm, mojo was definitely "off" last night. Managed to crash going over a log pile that has to this day still eluded me. I took the brunt of the fall - along with my saddle - bike is fine :thumbsup: However, I managed to do this to my saddle. Not a scratch on it. Seatpost and clamp were fine - everything was intact and in working order, but explain to me how I managed to do this!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

i dunno man, but what are the odds...that we have the same saddle?! haha. i have that same saddle on my other bike. i've been meaning to transfer it over. i have the black version on my current Giant


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Ha ha ha, I LOVE this saddle! I've tried others and nothing compares (for me). I also use the same saddle on my other bikes and have now ordered a replacement (in the black and white of course ;o) )
One of my co-workers is taking it home and seeing if he can fix it for me. I'm not holding out a ton of hope, but maybe? In any event, if it works, I'll have a spare.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

I decided to get out and do a solo ride today. We got some rain last night and with the fallen leaves, the trails were slick. Merlin gives me lots of confidence, though, and despite the slippery roots and logs, I set up my camera to get a few more shots. I got my timing down much better than last week and got (I thought) some pretty good shots. The trails were pretty quiet and I welcomed the solitude. I'm still loving how this bike feels and moves. I've toyed with the idea of trimming the bars down a touch, but I'm just not sure. The leverage the wider bars provide is awesome on the climbs. Standing and pedaling barely any noticeable bob.


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## BullitGrrl (Aug 22, 2006)

Nice pics! I'm running tubeless. Well, sort of. My front tire's sidewall has a hole in it now, so I have a tube in it. So I'll need to replace it at some point. I think I'll try the nobby nic.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Got another great ride in on Saturday! We hit a few different trails this time, including one that has given me particular trouble in the past. It involves a pretty tight, technical downhill switchback with large step downs created by thick roots. I can't tell you how many times in the past I have gone down this trail and either overshot the corner or panic-braked and did a nose wheelie the instant my front wheel dipped down over a root. So frustrating! I have managed to clean it a time or two on my old 26" bike, so I know it's possible (and plenty of others do it), but my confidence was always severely shaken by that trail.

This weekend our small group decided to veer down that trail and I figured that was as good a time as any to put the Trance to the test. First off, having a dropper post is awesome. Being able to get really low and a bit back on the bike did wonders. The slacker head angle is also confidence-inspiring. I just don't feel like I'm going to be pitched forward when the descents get steep. As such, I'm less likely to want to grab the brakes. 

I know what plenty of people say about how tricky 29ers can be in tight corners and okay, I get it, but with this bike, it simply has not been an issue for me. Yes, I have to give it a little more input. Yes, it's a bit slower. Despite that, I have tackled more switchbacks with confidence on this bike than with my 26ers. Period. My friends are noticing a difference. I'M noticing a difference. 

The only change I see making (well, two) would be to add a bashguard on it and trim up the handlebars just a bit. While I do appreciate the leverage and control the wider bars provide, I have clipped them numerous times already in several tight areas between trees. I'm also toying with the idea of maybe getting a bar with a little more rise - but we shall see. 

Choosing this bike, for me, wasn't about color, or the name, or anything else. Truth be told, I originally thought my dream bike was going to be something else entirely - which I had also demoed a couple of years ago. But after riding this bike for the first time, for me, it was about how it made me feel and where I felt it could take me. Oh, the places I'm going to go!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

loving the dropper post as well  i figured i'd forget it was there most of the time, but on my last technical ride, it came in handy. there was a steep rock roller that some people had stalled at. probably wouldnt have ridden it...but i was feeling saucy so i dropped the post and rolled it. success


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

^ Yeah, the dropper post is so sweet! Just trimmed my bars down a tad. I believe they are 720mm stock and I trimmed them down to 680mm. We'll see how it goes. Doesn't seem like much, but I can get the bike through my doors a lot easier now and hoping it translates to the tree squeezes that have managed to take me out a few times already. I really liked how the wider bars felt, but our trails have so many tight spots through trees that they were becoming more of a hindrance for me. How wide are your bars, Nicole? Have you noticed any difference in how the bike handles between your new bars and the stock bars? Also you got riser bars, correct? Are they low riser or high? How do you like them? I've been contemplating maybe getting a bar with a bit more rise. We'll see.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

it only has a slight rise. maybe the same or slightly more than stock. mine are down to 660, which is what all my bars have been previous. Some people said i'd need wider bars to steer the big wheels, but i havent had a problem at all. i have a natural spot that i like to keep my hands, regardless of the bar's width. any extra hanging off the sides are just branch grabbers. i hate wide bars!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Had another great ride today at one of my favorite spots with the woman I'm selling my full-suspension 26" bike to (that the Trance replaced), her step-daughter and husband. It was just 36 degrees, overcast and spitting rain and snow but it felt great to be outside. There is something just so invigorating riding this time of year! My friend is just starting to really get into mountain biking and the bike she purchased from me replaces a heavy hardtail. I'm so glad my old bike could to go someone who's going to love it and progress with it. I thought Nicole's bars were narrow, but my friend had me cut the bars down to 600mm, to match the width of her hardtail's bars. She has narrow shoulders hated whacking the wider bars on trees. I can understand that.

So, I did end up cutting down the stock bars a bit from 720mm to 680. I thought about just going down to 700mm, but wasn't sure if I would really notice a difference in the narrow spots on the trails. I guess despite clipping the bars on trees the last couple of weeks, I had come to appreciate the leverage they provided. Hitting the singletrack I was able to get through some tight spots that I previously had either clipped my bars on or had to really slow down to go through. So that part was good. I'm just not sure yet, though, that I like the way it feels overall. Maybe I just need a little more time to get used to it.

Other than that, everything else was golden! Climbing went very well and again, that dropper post on the techy descents is awesome! It's been wet here in the NE this whole week (as probably many of you are aware) and with the leaves on the ground, traction gets pretty sketchy. I made all the tight, downhill switchbacks, which historically I've had tons of problems with. This bike just breeds confidence!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

oh it does! i had a great ride today. i stumbled (just barely) on one super tight corner where i can clear on a 26er. but was just one of the many corners that i encountered. again, i'm amazed at the traction of this bike too. i feel like i can cut the wheel really hard and the bike grabs the traiils and doesnt feel jumpy.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Finally getting a bashguard installed this week, just in time for the weekend! Went with the Blackspire Defender, as someone had suggested in the Giant forum to me. Need to protect those rings!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

funny, there i was, buying a whole new 3x10 crank, and i've barely taken it out of the granny gear. i gotta make that badboy worth it!


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2012)

NicoleB28 said:


> funny, there i was, buying a whole new 3x10 crank, and i've barely taken it out of the granny gear. i gotta make that badboy worth it!


ya think?


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

well if those damn boys would stop taking me on climbfests!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

NicoleB28 said:


> well if those damn boys would stop taking me on climbfests!


:thumbsup: You'd fit right in with my friend Brenda and me on our group rides.

I had another enjoyable ride in spring-like temps here in Upstate, NY. Here's a few shots I took using the self-timer.


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## aybarssurucu (Oct 16, 2007)

*Giant Trance X 29er - 0 - XS*

For couple of weeks I'm following this topic.

I had ordered my Trance X 29, on the day of first official release but couldn't get it yet; since Turkish agent doesn't import that model, I ordered via a friend from abroad who is Giant dealer but I had some financial issues and have just solved them, now waiting to receive the bike.

I'm 167cms / 5' 5" and my inseam is 78cms / 30.6". Ordered XS size, since I have a shorter torso. I also like to ride smaller frames.

2 questions at the moment;

- Has anyone replaced dual crankset with a triple? And is it working without any issues? Since our city is surrounded with mountains 1000mts. at summits, we have long long climbs.

- How Fox shox are reacting on Climb position for you on long climbs? I love to ride hard standing up like a roadie.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Hmm, good question about the triple crankset, I don't know, but I don't see why not unless there is an issue w/ spacing or something? There shouldn't be though. I have never put my bike in climb mode, I never felt like I needed to, even when standing.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

aybarssurucu said:


> For couple of weeks I'm following this topic.
> 
> I had ordered my Trance X 29, on the day of first official release but couldn't get it yet; since Turkish agent doesn't import that model, I ordered via a friend from abroad who is Giant dealer but I had some financial issues and have just solved them, now waiting to receive the bike.
> 
> ...


yes, i put a raceface turbine 3x10 on my bike. So far so good, except that i heard random reports of raceface chainrings and shimano not playing nice, but hasnt been an issue for me really. maybe a couple awkward shifts from middle ring back into granny. if you get one, might as well get another shimano. doesnt matter really. My bf who is a bike mechanic ordered the parts for me, so i dont know if there is any sort of other "stuff" to make it work/fit, but i dont believe so.

as for the modes, i stay in "trail" almost all the time. i did bump it into climb mode when i hit some pavment roads on the way out of the trail. honestly, i didnt find much of a difference. just think of it like stiffening up the suspension a bit.

just keep in mind, if you accidently set it in "descend" you'll have way more pedal strikes! (in the rear shock)


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## aybarssurucu (Oct 16, 2007)

Thank you for your message,

This bike is like a "Ferrari" or another niche car; today my bike's shipment confirmed first week of May!!!


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

I just ordered a Trance X0 29'er. It will be here in a few days and I am pretty excited! I tried a medium at my LBS but felt overly stretched on it, so I went with the small. I am 5'7". Thank you, Petey and Nicole, for your excellent reports about this bike. I have been shopping for my perfect 29'er for the past couple of years, but nothing has felt really "right" until now.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Woo hoo!!! Welcome to the club! I absolutely love this bike and agree, nothing felt "right" until I climbed aboard. Can't wait to hear about your first ride!


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

I love, love, LOVE my new TX 29 (as they call it down in the Giant forum). It took a couple rides to get the suspension dialed in, etc. but bike rides like a pure dream... with butter. The low standover is great. Immediate changes included tubeless set-up, new saddle and my Time pedals. I have cf bars waiting for install. I've decided how much to trim the new bars based on where I keep finding my hands on the factory bars. 

Like almost everyone who goes from 26 to 29 and 3x10 to 2x10 I wondered how I'd fare on the steeps: to my amazement I scrambled up the first climbing switchback like a scalded monkey, front tire velcroed to the trail.  I dabbed coming back but I've never been great at downward left hand switchies. A big climb at the end felt fine.

The dropper seatpost performed flawlessly. However, having never used a dropper I'm not convinced I need it. Might swap it out for carbon. 

I am extremely satisfied with my purchase.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

:yesnod: That's awesome! I'm so happy you're as thrilled with it as I am! I highly recommend the tubeless route - my LBS set mine up for me and routed all of the cables internally. It's my first experience with tubeless wheels and I love them. 

As far as the dropper post - it's my first experience with one of those, too. At first I would forget it was there but now I've used it a lot more, especially on steeps or technical descents, and now I can't imagine being without one. Of course it probably would depend on what kind of trails I rode it on, but since we have plenty of techy downhills with switchbacks, and I'd like to challenge myself a lot more this year, I'm definitely keeping it.

Lol, yeah, the saddle was the first thing to go and I put on my "go to" saddle - the Specialized Ariel. Love that thing! And I trimmed my bars down to 680mm. I kept catching them on way too many things. Pedals are just some Gussett Slim Jims because I switched back to flats last Spring and I'm not sure I'll ever go back...not with this bike anyway. I have been thinking about adding some more color, though. Nicole inspired me so I think some purple bits may be in my future


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

Purelycustom.com has a lovely magenta.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

@LadyDi - oh help! One of my biggest obsessions is blinging out my bikes - I love color and accessorizing! Does it help me ride better? Eh, that may be debatable, but you know what they say about looking good increasing your confidence . I love Purely Custom, but hadn't been on their site in a while. I must have some of their magenta bits! Of course this now forces me to go with the magenta DMR Vault Pedals. Drooling!


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

petey15 said:


> @LadyDi - oh help! One of my biggest obsessions is bringing out my bikes - I love color and accessorizing! Does it help me ride better?...


It does! 
I love the colorful engraved headset caps.


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## rave81 (Mar 1, 2013)

I bought a Trance X1 29er 2013 and stripped all the groupset except the I left the wheelset with stock hub, then replaced everything with Shimano XTR and replaced the handlebar with Easton Haven Carbon Riser 711mm.

Now im planning to replace the saddle and stem, which saddle is comfy to use and which shorter stem 70mm or 80mm compatible with overdrive 2?


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## aybarssurucu (Oct 16, 2007)

Dear Rave81,

Last week I checked a shorter stem but options are really limited.

Synchros and FSA are producing stems with 31.8mm / 1 1/4inch steerer.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

I believe Ritchey also has stems that size, too.


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## Big Bald Clyde (Jan 24, 2011)

I've been following this thread for quite a while and thanks to all of you my wife picked up her 50th birthday present today. She's 5'3" and this is an XS, so far seems to fit real nice. Going to put a shorter stem on it after the break in ride tomorrow.
Thank again, and she thanks you too.


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## aybarssurucu (Oct 16, 2007)

Happy birhtday for her and both of you have fun on rides 

What's your stem choice for a shorter one?


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

What an awesome birthday present! Congratulations! Enjoy your ride tomorrow


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## Big Bald Clyde (Jan 24, 2011)

What's your stem choice for a shorter one?[/QUOTE]

Not sure on the stem choice the bike shop just said they would order one for us but I'll let you know when it comes in. Looking forward to the first ride, I think she's going to be happy with the big wheels.


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## aybarssurucu (Oct 16, 2007)

Big Bald Clyde said:


> Looking forward to the first ride, I think she's going to be happy with the big wheels.


Since Giant represented this bike to it's network, I follow most of reviews and comments. Never seen a bad one.


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## Big Bald Clyde (Jan 24, 2011)

She loves it....:thumbsup:


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Big Bald Clyde said:


> She loves it....:thumbsup:


Looks like she's having a great time!


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

Great choice, Clyde. I love my Trance X 29'er. Seriously LOVE. I need to take some pics!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

LadyDi said:


> Great choice, Clyde. I love my Trance X 29'er. Seriously LOVE. I need to take some pics!


Yes, you do!!! Where have they been?


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## Big Bald Clyde (Jan 24, 2011)

Got the new stem today, the bike shop ordered direct from Giant and it's 50mm.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

It's been a while, how are people making out with their Trances? We had another fairly mild winter (well, not much snow, anyway) in the NE and I was able to get out a few times - albeit in on my SS bike. I couldn't wait to get back out on the Trance this Spring. Well, apparently I shouldn't have been quite so gung-ho as I rode quite a lot over a short stretch of time and managed to have a first happen to me - tendonitis of my upper hamstring where it attaches to the sit bones. Yeah...not fun. I was off the bike for over 3 weeks and then tentatively went out this weekend on it. I did a six mile stretch of relatively flat trail - standing. I was so paranoid about sitting down and aggravating the tendon all over again. I figured I helped cause the whole mess when I made some adjustments to my saddle position and probably raised it a bit too high. Not enough that I noticed it at the time I did it, but I guess my body did.

So, the ride this weekend seemed okay and I decided I'd join the group ride we had last night. It was at a pretty technical trail system we have. I didn't push myself too hard and walked quite a bit. I mostly noticed things when I had to really muscle over things or climb. But, enough of that, we all go through injuries from time to time - I want to talk about the ride!

So, I have ridden this trail system a few times before, all with 26" wheels. When I say technical, I mean technical. LOTS of narrow, tight, twisty, rocky, rooty, Northeast singletrack. Lots of climbing. Lots of switchbacks and trails that skirt along steep pitches. Stuff that has always really sketched me out and I've walked before. This time, it was different! The 29" wheels got over the roots and areas I have gotten hung up on before. The switchback sections I would end up walking because I just didn't have the confidence in my bike, or skill, were actually FUN this time around. I was so surprised when I made it down each of them without dismounting. For me, this bike seems to totally disprove the myth that 29ers can't handle tight, twisty, technical trails. Says who? I'm sure part of it is I have a lot more experience than when I first rode those trails, but, it's also the bike. It just seems to have the perfect combination between geometry and travel. It's the best-fitting bike I've ever owned and plenty of standover. For me, standover has been an issue. I know people say it shouldn't matter and you can lean your bike over...but in some circumstances you don't always have time to think about doing that, you know? Sometimes stuff happens and you just come down and it HURTS to come down on the top tube. I had it happen on too many occasions and it really messed with my confidence. I don't have this issue with the Trance and as such, am willing to try a lot more on it. 

Switchbacks have always been my nemesis. Uphill, downhill, didn't matter - but especially downhill. I don't seem to have the issues I once had and have been getting progressively better. 

I really felt this place would put the bike to the test in regards to tight and twisty sections. Plenty of spots weave in and out of trees and are made more difficult by the abundance of large roots. There were times I wondered would my bike make it around this or that and each time, it did, almost as if to say "is that all you've got?" I think the parts I really enjoyed it were the technical downhills. I just dropped the seat a bit and let 'im roll. And roll, he did, over everything! I seriously could not remember a time when I thought riding downhill like that was fun. Handling was terrific and confidence inspiring. I'm eager to see how it'd be when I'm 100%.

So, how 'bout you? Now that it's getting warmer, the days are getting longer, how have your rides been?


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

still love this bike, but my only compliant is, holy low bottom bracket! i run a bash guard, but i find myself hitting it when going over log piles. sometimes enough to cause a crash. i've also been losing air pressure in the fork over time, increasing the bash strikes. i'm working on adding a bit more air, and maybe it wont compress so much. The rest is A+


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

NicoleB said:


> still love this bike, but my only compliant is, holy low bottom bracket! i run a bash guard, but i find myself hitting it when going over log piles. sometimes enough to cause a crash. i've also been losing air pressure in the fork over time, increasing the bash strikes. i'm working on adding a bit more air, and maybe it wont compress so much. The rest is A+


Yeah, I've had the exact same issues. I mostly avoid the bottom bracket/pedal strike thing by timing things pretty well, but occasionally it does catch me a little off guard. I noticed my fork losing a little air, too and was just commenting to my friend I needed to put some more air in it. But yeah, otherwise, no complaints at all, and even those are small (for me anyway).


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

petey15 said:


> Yeah, I've had the exact same issues. I mostly avoid the bottom bracket/pedal strike thing by timing things pretty well, but occasionally it does catch me a little off guard. I noticed my fork losing a little air, too and was just commenting to my friend I needed to put some more air in it. But yeah, otherwise, no complaints at all, and even those are small (for me anyway).


@Nicole, here's an interesting article - guess it's not just us experiencing this? Fox Racing Shox Changes Its Tune: CTD Gets More Compression Damping and a Progressive Spring Rate - Pinkbike


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Posted in the 29er forum, but wanted to share here, too. This bike is too much fun!


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