2013 Mtb Giant Trance X3 Review | $1,550

Giant Trance X3 They asked five bike companies to send their best trailbike in this price range. Giant chose the Trance X3 to represent — and guess what the MBA Wrecking Crew found?  This is the best all-around trailbike. 

With a shade underneath $1,550 price  in your case you’ll score the Fox and Shimano SLX-equipped Trance X2, however the X3 substitutes a coil RockShox fork and own-brand rear shock – and, in doing thus, shaves a 3rd off the value. The question is, ar the kit changes a compromise too so much, or is that the Trance X3 extremely the cut price that it appears to air paper?

Ride and Handling :

The Trance X has matured graciously, seguing showing neatness from its original role as husky bike to do-it-all mid-travel machine because the years have passed. It’s not most that the bike has modified, a lot of that riders’ perceptions of suspension travel have shifted.

The Trance X’s 127mm (5in) of travel accustomed look radical. Now, it’s the trail-riding norm. There’s enough bump-swallowing movement at every finish to gnaw most United Kingdom trails and spit them call at simply edible chunks, however you wouldn’t understand it from the primary few pedal strokes.

The Giant’s relaxed, stretched-out cockpit offers lots of space to breathe, whereas the forepart strikes exactly the proper reasonably balance between high-speed unconcern and intuitive, dropped-shoulder shenanigan.

More significantly, that bum behaves impeccably at any speed, and in spite of a shock that’s on the essential facet of easy. invariably active however ne’er wallowy, it’s particularly spectacular on the type of technical climbs which will have less capable bikes scrabbling for grip. there’s a {small} trace of pedal bribe within the small chainring, however nothing to induce upset concerning – the Trance X may be a bike that’ll climb higher than you’d imagine.

It’s not too shabby on the descents, either, and it dishes out measured chunks of rear wheel travel during a means that simply lets the rider get on with the work in hand. Inevitably, the rather basic fork is that the limiting issue here. It’s okay as budget coil units go, however that’s not a really gymnastic apparatus to crawl over. a higher fork would extremely let the Trance X shine.

Frame and Equipment :

Giant’s proprietary creative person platform underpins their entire full mammal genus line-up, from the 4in travel cross-country race machine to AN 8in travel downhill sled. From the driveside it’s sort of a typical single pivot swingarm with a rocker-activated shock.

Take a peek at the opposite facet, though, and you’ll see the game-changing linkage connecting the lower a part of the swingarm to rock bottom of the shock mount. It’s this further linkage that gives a virtual pivot purpose, tuned (say Giant) to scale back the impact of pedal input and braking forces on suspension action.

Giant square measure among the world’s biggest bike frame producers, thus it’s no surprise that the Trance X3’s frame is neat, well finished and festooned with current details.

The curved, hydroformed down tube provides a stiff backbone off that to hold everything else, saved by the tapered head tube and a comparatively slender prime tube. Tidy cable routing keeps gear and brake lines far from rock bottom bracket, and there’s a group of cable guides able to install a remote-operated pipette post.

There are not any corners cut on the frame then, however with a decent budget one thing had to relinquish – which one thing was the bouncy bits. Speccing a coil-sprung RockShox XC32 TK up front saves a number of pennies, although it’s sensible to examine that it’s a tapered steerer to form most use of the frame’s outsized head tube.

As with several coil forks, adjustment for various rider weights and riding designs is restricted, significantly for lighter riders, though you may amendment the spring if necessary. Giant’s own-brand air shock brings up the rear, however – as you’d expect – it’s a comparatively unsophisticated unit and lacks the refined damping management of higher, costlier, massive complete alternatives.

Giant’s product team clearly couldn’t realize enough cash down the rear of the lounge to stretch to 10-speed, however the Trance X3’s nine-speed transmission offers a equally wide unfold of ratios. Most riders won’t notice the distinction.

ON THE RIDE:
Best all-around bike by a long shot…This bike does it all…a solid pedaling platform that’s also confidence-inspiring on the descents…a great bike simply because it works.

ON THE SPEC:
Giant’s best-in-class components for a given price have always earned them points with the Wrecking Crew…Fox suspension front and rear, including a 15QR front axle, 3×10 drivetrain and Schwalbe tires right out of the box. There might be something on the list you want to upgrade, but you certainly don’t have to.

BUYING ADVICE:
Simply jump on it and ride. The Trance will have your back no matter what the trail looks like, and we love that.

SPECS :

 Image Credit © Giant