Lapierre Spicy 527 or Giant Trance 27.5 SX

Pennar

Hello,

Advice please. Stuck between these bikes. I owned a Spicy 516 and loved it but am tempted to go for the Trance because it's slightly cheaper and possibly more pedal friendly especially with the Talas fork (140-160). Downsides are the Trance is mid Feb delivery (Spicy in stock) and the Spicy looks absolutely stunning in the flesh. Any opinions really appreciated.

Thanks.

97th choice

Stick some links up so people can review them. You'll be very lucky if someone comes along who has ridden the trance SX yet.

rockmonkeysc

Trance comes with a terrible fork which also has a non standard steerer so if you upgrade to a better fork you have no hope of selling the old one.
If you can stretch the budget to a Trance Advanced they come with a better fork.
Its very annoying because I really wanted a Trance but the Fox CTD forks aren't up to the job and I couldn't afford to just bin a fork.

Pennar

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 002/66617/

http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/mtb-big ... /spicy-527

Thanks for the tip. I doubt many have ridden either yet but hoping to get opinion on spec. I think I'll have to go for the Trance due to budget. I think I'm hoping someone will post saying it'll be a good bike and not a disappointment after my last Spicy 516.

rockmonkeysc

Also worth checking out the Nukeproof Mega TR. I bought one after being put off the Trance and to be honest I'm really pleased that I ended up with the Mega.

97th choice

I'd buy the trance 27.5 2 instead and throw a dropper on it.

Pennar

Thanks for help. I'll check the links. Lapierre will have to wait for 2015 I think. Is the Fox Evolution fork that different to the Performance then?

rockmonkeysc

The evolution has a very basic damper with only three compression settings. It cannot be tuned because it's a sealed unit. Getting an up rated damper fitted will cost over £300.

I really wanted to buy a Trance so researched every option.
If you don't like the fork you won't be able to sell it because the only bikes it will fit are the Trance SX and Reign X.

chrisrobs

Wouldn't buy either, the trance looks rubbish and I can imagine electronic suspension being really erm pointless and expensive if it breaks.

Go for a nukeproof with a pike fork.

rockmonkeysc

In what way does the Trance look rubbish?
A review of the top spec model described it as one of the best trail bikes they had ever tested.
As far as I can tell its a great bike let down by a hopeless fork.
Thats why I bought the Mega TR instead.

chrisrobs

its brown

rockmonkeysc

chrisrobs wrote:

its brown

I have seen one in a shop. It's more of a copper colour and looks a lot better than in the photos.

Pennar

The Spicy comes with or without the Ei suspension. If I stretched to a Spicy it wouldn't be with the Ei. Was expecting a barrage of messages telling me how awesome the Spicy is.

CitizenLee

I'll give my usually unpopular reply of with that budget I'd find a frame I like and build my own

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Trance comes with a terrible fork which also has a non standard steerer so if you upgrade to a better fork you have no hope of selling the old one.
If you can stretch the budget to a Trance Advanced they come with a better fork.
Its very annoying because I really wanted a Trance but the Fox CTD forks aren't up to the job and I couldn't afford to just bin a fork.

Surely it's just a case of waiting for OverDrive 2 compatible headset to appear and these forks can be sold on easily enough? Giant haven't patented it so anyone is free to make them. I know that's not ideal in the short term.

rockmonkeysc

Overdrive 2 has been around a few years now and there's no headsets available yet to fit overdrive 2 forks in to other frames. It would still make them hard to sell if the buyer has to get a new headset fitted as well.

CitizenLee

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Overdrive 2 has been around a few years now and there's no headsets available yet to fit overdrive 2 forks in to other frames. It would still make them hard to sell if the buyer has to get a new headset fitted as well.

Ah, I thought it was a more recent thing they were touting.



Also applicable to bicycles

chrisrobs

CitizenLee wrote:

I'll give my usually unpopular reply of with that budget I'd find a frame I like and build my own

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Trance comes with a terrible fork which also has a non standard steerer so if you upgrade to a better fork you have no hope of selling the old one.
If you can stretch the budget to a Trance Advanced they come with a better fork.
Its very annoying because I really wanted a Trance but the Fox CTD forks aren't up to the job and I couldn't afford to just bin a fork.

Surely it's just a case of waiting for OverDrive 2 compatible headset to appear and these forks can be sold on easily enough? Giant haven't patented it so anyone is free to make them. I know that's not ideal in the short term.

Yeah buy your own frame and build it yourself, so much more rewarding.

rockmonkeysc

chrisrobs wrote:

CitizenLee wrote:

I'll give my usually unpopular reply of with that budget I'd find a frame I like and build my own

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Trance comes with a terrible fork which also has a non standard steerer so if you upgrade to a better fork you have no hope of selling the old one.
If you can stretch the budget to a Trance Advanced they come with a better fork.
Its very annoying because I really wanted a Trance but the Fox CTD forks aren't up to the job and I couldn't afford to just bin a fork.

Surely it's just a case of waiting for OverDrive 2 compatible headset to appear and these forks can be sold on easily enough? Giant haven't patented it so anyone is free to make them. I know that's not ideal in the short term.

Yeah buy your own frame and build it yourself, so much more rewarding.

Also more expensive unless you already have some parts to re use.

chrisrobs

Beg to differ you can get an slx groupset for 350 nukeproof frame for 900 and a decent fork 400 reverb 150

Pennar

Could someone list the required parts for a self build? Big ask I know. Enjoyable challenge?

chrisrobs

enjoyable challenge building a bike, not an enjoyable challenge listing the parts im afraid

rockmonkeysc

I have just built a Mega TR. It's surprising how fast the cost builds up. Not so much the big items but the minor things really add up to a surprising amount if you want a nice build.