Giant Trance 650 or Stumpy 650

jonnyboy66uk

So I am in a dilemma, Have been in the market for a new bike for a while, But a new house and the obvious teething troubles with a 1930s house has meant I havent got round to getting one yet.

I was pretty set on a Giant Trance 650, Solid reputation and reasonable equipment, But then the new stumpy 650b came out and I am torn... I have had a brief ride on the stumpy and it felt amazing, but has anyone got any reviews on teh Trance? I am in sheffield tomorrow so will pop into the giant shop but stock seems limited...

Antm81

You can arrange demos from Giants website I believe, might be worthwhile

TheGava

I too was having the same dilemma, about the same bikes!! As the post above Giant do demo bikes and Specialised do also! But we have a Giant shop in York and a Spesh concept store in Harrogate so I got to demo the Trance 2 650b and the stumpjumper 29er as they couldn't get the 650bs yet!!

After contemplating the two bikes I've decided to go with the trance 2 in stealth black, had it upgraded with a full xt groupset Giant dropper post hope pro 2 evo wheels stans rims! The cost is a little more but ill be selling the SLX groupset that the bike came with and the price will work out roughly the same!

So I'm I happy with my choice? YES the giant is an awesome bike and came alive at Hamsterley forest last week, I'm very happy with it and in my opinion it looks far better than the spesh! Fox shocks with the CTD are excellent, although a little hard to adjust the rear when traveling at speed as it low down on the frame to reach! Internal routing for the dropper keeps it clean! Never used the stock wheels so can't comment!

Edit..
Here's a little pic with the upgraded bits

jonnyboy66uk

Yeah I know the trance in stock option is far cheaper do that is a good idea... I also like the trance 2 in stealth black.. Do you mind me asking how much it was to upgrade to all those bits you had added?

TheGava

PM'd you Jonnyboy!

One other thing to mention, when I had the Giant Trance 2 on demo the stock brakes were absolutely shocking!!! Awuful.....

jonnyboy66uk

That is one good looking bike.... Im just hoping the sheffield store has one in stock to look and hopefully have a little spin on!

TheGava

Thanks, give them a ring! Shame you can't travel 50 miles up the M1 to York as the York store has a L trance 2 demo bike! And the guys that work there are excellent... Very helpful

jonnyboy66uk

Well I may make the effort, I am up in york anyhow in the next couple of weeks looking over proposals for the new football stadium.

Its a shame the trance 1 is such awful colours!

rockmonkeysc

As much as I liked the old Trance I was put right off the new one with a demo ride on the Trance 27.5 1. The bike is almost perfect, possibly the best frame I have ever ridden but the fork is terrible. Really poorly damped, similar quality to the very bottom end Rockshox forks. To make it worse the fork has a weird size steerer tube which won't fit any other bike so you can't sell it. Getting it tuned is over £300 and replacement means a new fork and headset.
I would go for the Stumpjumper or a Nukeproof Mega TR.