Question for Giant Trance x29er owners

Re-Cycle

I have just bought a Giant Trance X29er 1 and was wondering if there are any other owners on here who had changed the stock stem and bars for a shorter wider set up. If so what set up did you opt for. I am replacing the brakes for my juicy carbons so thought I might experiment with the stem and bar at the same time.
Thanks

rockmonkeysc

Get cheap ones from ebay to experiment with length/width/rise.
Whats comfortable for one person can be all wrong for someone else.

Re-Cycle

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Get cheap ones from ebay to experiment with length/width/rise.
Whats comfortable for one person can be all wrong for someone else.

Appreciated just trying to get an idea of what some owners opted for.

RandG

Just got one last week, bike feels great stock, so nothing to add here, so I'll get my coat.

Re-Cycle

RandG wrote:

Just got one last week, bike feels great stock, so nothing to add here, so I'll get my coat.

Nope thats interesting. Test ride was enough for me to be happy with the bike especially at half price but not had much saddle time yet and i have seen some reviews that claim with the stock stem it can be a bit to much up front. Ultimately I'm going to get a few trails done on it before i start any fettling.

RandG

i also read the reviews about the stock stem, can't see what they were all on about tbh.

Re-Cycle

RandG wrote:

i also read the reviews about the stock stem, can't see what they were all on about tbh.

Thanks may just change the brakes for now and see how it handles the trails. I would like to think that the collective minds at giant know more about geometry than me. I take you dont have an issue lofting the front wheel or manuals then?

rockmonkeysc

The Trance has had long (100mm) stem and narrow (685mm) bars for years. It's what American xc riders like so the rest of the world get it as well. They can't make it suit everyone. I thought the standard set up was horrible when I had my Trance X, like an old style xc bike.

RandG

I only got mine last Thursday, had a brief shot of it Thursday night, and haven't had a chance to use it since, so maybe not in the best place to offer an opinion but as I said, it felt great on that ride. I'd suggest doing what I shall be doing is, have a good few shots on it, then decide from there.

Re-Cycle

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The Trance has had long (100mm) stem and narrow (685mm) bars for years. It's what American xc riders like so the rest of the world get it as well. They can't make it suit everyone. I thought the standard set up was horrible when I had my Trance X, like an old style xc bike.[/
How did you change the set up cockpit wise?

rockmonkeysc

720mm bars with 20mm rise and 60mm stem and removed nearly all the spacers under the stem.

spit50

I've a Trance X29er 1 and have left it exactly as bought (well besides running the brake hoses through the frame, why don't they do that as they build it :? )

I found for the first few rides that I was getting a bit of understeer so had to think a bit more about getting my weight forward a bit to get the front wheel to get a better bite. It didn't take long and I love the bike particulaly after an alpine downhilling week where it really felt fast and jumpy.

Anyhow my point is that a shorter stem might not be the best option straight away as it will take some weight and bite out of that front wheel.

Andy

rockmonkeysc

Removing the spacers under the stem puts you in a better position for cornering. Your weight shouldn't be over the front as it will cause understeer.
29ers don't steer as well as 26ers.

ednino

RockmonkeySC wrote:

720mm bars with 20mm rise and 60mm stem and removed nearly all the spacers under the stem.

Sounds awful to me lol

Its an XC bike, not a DH bike. 600mm flat bars & 100mm stem for me

rockmonkeysc

ednino wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

720mm bars with 20mm rise and 60mm stem and removed nearly all the spacers under the stem.

Sounds awful to me lol

Its an XC bike, not a DH bike. 600mm flat bars & 100mm stem for me

I like my bike to steer properly. Its still good for climbing.
On my DH bike I have 780mm 15mm rise bars and a 40mm direct mount stem.

600mm bars are proper old school. I have a mate who has 580mm flat bars and 120mm stem, it feels aweful to ride.

ednino

RockmonkeySC wrote:

ednino wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

720mm bars with 20mm rise and 60mm stem and removed nearly all the spacers under the stem.

Sounds awful to me lol

Its an XC bike, not a DH bike. 600mm flat bars & 100mm stem for me

I like my bike to steer properly. Its still good for climbing.
On my DH bike I have 780mm 15mm rise bars and a 40mm direct mount stem.

600mm bars are proper old school. I have a mate who has 580mm flat bars and 120mm stem, it feels aweful to ride.

I think it depends what & where you ride. For a 50 mile XC marathon, i'd want flat bars with bar ends

For just throwing down trail centres i'd want riser bars & a quick stem

rockmonkeysc

Over the last year I have done more 50+ mile rides than trail centres. I have a real hate for trail centres.

Re-Cycle

Bike already has a 730mm handle bar so going to drop down to a 70mm stem and see how i get on.

Butterd2

Not a direct comparison but I took all the spacers and the extra conical spacer out of my 26" Trance X. Bars just felt stupidly high otherwise.