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Ex Downhiller looking for a new bike
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Hi Team..
I've been been a downhiller for most of my cycling years and have recently given it up for lack of value.. (tired of 2 minute runs and then 20 minutes pushing) 
Sooo.... I would like to buy a mid range travel bike that I can pedal some distance but still be able to bomb it down some single trail and a few jumps... I have a 2012 XTC with slicks that I commute on and rarely take to the trails (kalamunda etc) but am looking for something more fun with more travel. Anyway, with all this in mind I have my eye on this years new Giant Trance Advanced 1.
Would this be the bike for me?
thanks,
Brett
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Try a Pivot, you can choose from 429, 5.7 or the new Mach 6.0
East up single tracks, climbs well, fun ride.
Given you would have spent most of your years on a slack head angle bike.
I would recommend the specialized Stumpjumper FSR evo range.
Depending on budget, any of the models would be great.. The trance you suggested will feel a lot like the XC hard tail you already have as its a fair bit steeper in the head angle.
Hmmm I had a look at those bikes. The specialized looks very similar to the trance and shares a 67 degree head angle. I don't mind the Xtc on the trails handling wise.. It's more the fear of being bucked off with the saddle giving little room to move around on the bike in the downhill sections. Dropper post will be very handy for me... That and some rear end travel. Giant have done me well over my cycling years and I'd like to stick with them if I can. I'd probably buy another set of wheels with slicks and commute on it aswell. Must...do....wheelies...
I'm in the exact same situation. I have an XTC 0 for commuting and occasional XC ride/race and at the moment I have an STP set up for DH, etc. Thinking it's time to upgrade STP and currently looking at the option of an 'as new' 2012/2013 Reign with dropper post. Any thoughts appreciated.
I recently purchased the FSR Expert Evo 29. Does everything that is asked of it without fault, plus more. I wanted one bike to do it all. Had an Enduro and an Epic. Was also looking at SC Tallboy LT and Bronson. But got pulled back to the Spesh which is a brand i have never had issues with hard to walk away from.
But get out and test ride a few bikes if possible, our views may not be what suits you.
Coming from a DH background you'll probably appreciate something with a little more travel than a Trance. A reign is probably a good idea. Anything with 140-160mm will work.
I had the last of the 26 Trance Adv. too. Great bike and unbeatable value, but something about my riding and or rear suspension design/shock meant I was bottoming out all the time, even running 250-300 psi and ruining the general ride-ability.
29ers being mentioned also. Again, if you can DH on 26", trail riding on 26" will probably feel slow and stable enough without going bigger.
Hmmm I did look at the reign but I'd like something more long distance than jumpable. I've come to terms that I won't be able to do the same jumps I did on the glory but I can still do most. Weight will be rather different as well. Glory was a train
5" travel and still very pedal-able. One of my neighbours has the 29er version and is doing consecutive Manly Dam laps around thirty one minutes-ish per lap. Most of the real quick guys (as in podium in open or age cat marathons) are around 27 minutes.
I own a trance 29er and its an unreal bike in the do all range of bikes which are still very affordable.... I mostly ride red hill and different stuff around the beaches but i have competed FLOW trail events to 100k xc races on it ... like i said can do it all go down and come back up.. Climbs like a champion with the big 29er wheels and motors over down hill rocks with the mac truck wheels ...Oh I came off a 26er reign and for all an everything style of bike the trance smashed it out of the water for me and the 29er WOW is all I can say opened up a whole new whole of riding for my short arse!!
Thanks for the comments guys. Think the trance will be the go for value for money.. I've always had giant bikes as well and they have always seen me through. As for the 29'er.. I'll probably be going the 27.5 smack bang in the middle. Also thinking the carbon frame model. Could put carbon bars on it later. Could there be much of a weight difference between the composite and aluminium frame?
With this thread in mind I went and had a look at the Trance 27.5. (I'm on holiday at the moment).
It is a hugely different beast from the 29er. It looks like a Reign on steroids. 140-160mm fork depending on the model, long and low with slack angles.
Not what you're looking for if 27.5 is where your heart is set. I find this weird but there's no model in between the xc oriented Anthem and the burly AM beast the Trance has morphed into in the tweener wheel size.
It's got nothing kn a Dh head angle. Why would the 67 degrees and 27.5's be a bad combo? Don't like the feeling of 29's.. Rode a talon 29 a while ago and felt a bit odd to me
I'm sorta in the same boat but I am looking at going to a slack 27.5" AM hardtail, since I'm no longer gunning for a good time I just want to have as much fun as possible.
I am thinkin dropper post on a hardtail will be perfect, I see people on 5" bikes riding XC and it looks so boring unless they are pushing really hard. I am still sorta tempted by an Xprezo Gamjam but their largest fame is a medium
I thought you were after something pedalable and that a Reign was a bit too far towards the DH end of the spectrum? The Anthem X in 650B is a Reign with bigger wheels and bigger travel fork.
Or did I misread entirely?
I ride DH (devinci wilson) and AM (giant reign) and one of my mates has a Knolly Endorphin which is such a sick bike for doing AM work. Rides like it has more travel than it actually has and tracks the rough stuff very well. If I had the money id replace my reign with one.
This is correct... They don't do a reign anymore if I'm not mistaken? I thought the trance was bang in the middle and that the anthem was a 100mm all round xc rig? I think I'll need to ride them but there's only so much you can test in the lbs car park
The 26er Trance used to be smack in the middle between Reign and Anthem, and was just a brilliant all-rounder that was justifiably highly popular around Sydney's north.
With the shift to 650B it looks like Giant've shifted the Trance up to where the Reign used to sit - 140-160mm travel, moderately slack angles etc etc and there's nothing in between.
Depending on budget, a Santa Cruz Solo could be worth a look. I think they make an alloy version if carbon is not your thing.
https://secure.santacruzbicycles.com/5010/
https://secure.santacruzbicycles.com/5010_carbon/
Check out the new Kona Enduro range.
http://www.konaworld.com/enduro.cfm
That Santa Cruz is sexy but out of my budget
the colours are bold but I like it! A friend has an Jntense Carbine but again, out of my budget. I'm 6'4 and 87kg. Maybe te trance will feel right. I'll go have a pedal. I love commuting in my xtc but its too rigid offroad and in the clouds for me. Can't stand roadies. They hurt and are no fun. IMO ofcourse 
I'm having a play with a roadie at the moment. With the granny gear at the front being bigger than the big ring on my 29er, and only a 25 as the biggest cog on the back, I find I'm saying rather often...
"Shut up, legs!"
I can feel a compact crankset coming on.
Funny thing about the riding position, I find on my Scalpel 29er I feel lower and more "in" the bike than either my 26er hardtail or my 130mm trail bike
Those konas look pretty sick I gotta admit , though I've never even tryed a kona myself
Kinda surprised to see that bike prices are heading to the more expensive way again.
My 2013 Kona Hei Hei Deluxe was a lot cheaper than the 2014 model.
Hawkeye: Try an 11-28 cassette before u chop ur balls off and go compact
OP. Carbon being lighter: Most carbon components are only marginally lighter than their "metal" counterparts. What they offer (when materials, design and construction are done right) is a significant strength advantage for the same weight. This is what most manufacturers are doing. Very few are going down the 'super light' path, even for road bikes.
Cannondale Trigger. It's a 29er, but is much more affordable than SC. I did a test ride on one and it's descending manners were brilliant and it climbed really well too.
The one I rode was the Trigger 2 with Fox forks. The Trigger 1 with the lefty would be lighter and steer better.
http://www.cannondale.com/kor/2013/bikes/mountai...
Review here: http://flowmountainbike.com/tests/cannondale-tri...
Edit: Cannondale have since changed the tune on the Lefty after this review was penned, for 2014 models it apparently has restored the old small-bump compliance for which Leftys are so well regarded. Cannondale has just updated the damper tune to 2014 specs in my 2013 model for no charge. I'll pick it up tomorrow.
Check out the norco sight
Or gt sensor or for something a bit more big hit worthy the force.
Checked them out. Look a bit ugly to me
how is the trance not big hit worthy? I'm not looking to set any cliff drop records. Just some doubles and good technical trails
Trek Remedy would have to be thrown into the mix surely
Being an ex down hiller myself. After a few unsuccessful bikes for what I wanted, I ended up with an Enduro Evo. Let me just say this thing bombs on downhill and technical stuff. Forget it if you want to ride up hills quickly, but you'll get there eventually. It’s a bit of a porker and the slack head angle takes some manoeuvring to get to the top.
These "request for advice" threads always turn into a list of bike that owners have / had or what their mates have / had. If you ask why they are recommended, you will get a lot of similar responses (it handles climbs and downhill really and is easy to service) but also bear in mind that there is an element of personal preference. My current trail bike has a linear feeling rear suspension which I like. My mate has a similar style bike (similar suspension linkage) but it is more progressive. He likes his. We don't really like the feel of each others despite our similarities in build.
Also consider that one man's DH is another's slightly inclined gentle XC rumble strip so comparisons have to be taken with a salt shaker.
The truth is at "our level" (none of us are WC level pros) just about any bike in your target range is going to suit. Its often a question of just choosing your compromise (be it price, weight or various angles are measurements etc).
If you do want better advice, you need to provide a great deal more info. "mid range travel bike, pedal a long way but still hit doubles" is a bit vague. So therefore your choices are wide.
Find out who offers demo bikes (Knolly did a demo day at Stromlo back in July and I know Trek and Giant do them occasionally) and just take it out for a thrash.
Alternatively, buy the Trance and if you don't like it, sell it and then buy something based on your more informed decision.