Trance 27.5 2 - Now with added Flow

Antm81

After a good month at work I've decided to treat myself. This has just arrived


Untitled photo by antm81, on Flickr

Feel like a kid at Christmas.

Antm81

Also got these included free, using pedalon's podium points


image by antm81, on Flickr

And had a set of superstar grips arrive this morning too


image by antm81, on Flickr

Antm81

And now built, the contact switch will have to wait as although I've read you can route it with the bb in place I haven't managed it and I don't want to remove it yet.


image by antm81, on Flickr


Spec as standard is:


Frame: ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 140mm Maestro Suspension
Rear Shock: Fox CTD Evolution
Forks: Fox 32 Float CTD Evolution , 15QR Axle and OverDrive 2 Steerer, 140mm Travel
Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX Shadow +
Front Derailleur: Shimano SLX
Shifters: Shimano Deore 20 speed
Chainset: Shimano SLX 24/38
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Press Fit
Chain: KMC X10
Freewheel: Shimano HG62 11-36
Stem: Giant Connect
Handlebars: Giant Connect SL, Low Riser 725mm
Front Brake: Shimano M446, hydraulic disc, 180mm
Rear Brake: Shimano M446, hydraulic disc, 160mm
Brake Levers: Shimano M505
Rims: Giant S-XC2
Front Hub: Giant S-XC 15mm
Rear Hub: Giant S-XC 135mm QR
Spokes: Stainless steel
Tyres: Schwalbe Nobby Nic, 27.5x2.25" TL Ready Performance Folding
Saddle: Giant Contact Upright
Seatpost: Giant Connect

All thought the bars are actually 730mm.

Changes so far are:

Superstar suppagrippa grips with blue collars and end caps
Superstar nano tech pedals (off my old trance)
Hope seat post collar (off my old trance)

Future planned upgrades include:

Fit a set of racematrix pads once they arrive
Fitting the contact switch (I may wait till it's time to change the bb)
Fit the bontrager xr4 team issues that I got free
Looking at 1x10 with a superstar I/O narrow wide ring
Go tubeless
Possibly fit my charge spoon depending on how I like the stock saddle
Possibly a set of SLX brakes (depending on how the current brakes perform with the racematrix pads)

CitizenLee

I like this a lot. When's it's first outing?

As for the dropper post, can you not just run the cable along side the front mech or back brake cable for now? Gonna be a while before you need to change the BB on a new bike + press fit BBs are a cinch to remove and refit

Antm81

Should be out tomorrow, the only external route runs along the downtube and under the bottom bracket, nothing on the top tube. I may have to sort something though soon, maybe some stick on cable guides.

Dawesy92

That does look a very very nice bike mate, love the colour of the frame too!!

Antm81

Thanks, to be honest I chose this model over the trance 1 due to the colour, the matte black looks even better in the flesh.

CitizenLee

Just velcro strap it on for now as stick on guides may mark the finish.

Be sure to post a ride report tomorrow! Have fun

Rambo_123

I have one myself, i would recommend changing the tyres though if you plan on riding it over rocky terrain as the sidewalls are shoot. Also i felt there was a general lack of grip.

Hope you enjoy it as much as i have!

Antm81

Don't expect the nobby nics to be brilliant, hence the xr4s.

Pads have now arrived, time to get them fitted and get out and ride.


image by antm81, on Flickr

Antm81

Well first ride done and I love it.

Went to sherwood pines doing the red and blue routes (I know it's not the most demanding but it's fairly local and I rode the old trance there a fair bit).

Despite the heavier wheels and lower level drivetrain it rolls really well. However I noticed I can't take as tight a line as I did (this may be down to the performance compound nobby nics which don't give huge amounts of confidence). I was never out of the 38t big ring either which surprised me, the saddle isn't too bad either, probably as comfy as my charge spoon. The low level shimano brakes were adequate too(not fitted the racematrix pads as I made a boo boo and only ordered one set).

On the blue run I had strava on and compared myself with the time on my old trance from when I was training for an event. I knocked a whole 4 and a half minutes off (over 10% of my previous time) so although ultimately I personally can't tell a huge difference between 650b and 26" I was considerably faster on the 650b bike.

Standard dirty bike pic.

image by antm81, on Flickr

Rambo_123

How much sag have you got set up? I was all ways blowing through the travel when i had it set up with the recommended 25%.

*AJ*

Nice bike!

I don't mind Sherwood Pines to be fair, I also tend to do the red and blue route as there is some good bits on the Blue route! its just joined together with boring bits!

Antm81

Set sag at 20% roughly 10psi above what fox recommended and I used 70% of my travel at most, only used descend too, going to drop the pressures by about 5psi I reckon. Rebound was probably a little fast though. If I'm honest I'm not sure these are any worse than the 2014 revs on my old trance.

Yeah I quite like the blue, some bits on both the red and blue are a little overgrown at the moment though.

Dawesy92

Pines is my local trail centre dude, drop me a pm if your going again, always good to get to know other for riding!!

If i can keep up with you that is hahaha

Antm81

Will do, it try get up there at least once a month but looking at heading out in to the peaks more in the future.

TheGava

Hi, great bike I have one myself ;/)



Just a little heads up/advice!! The cable that runs under the BB on mine was tight up against the frame and caused some bad cable rub... I only noticed it after 5 rides!!



Solution is to pull a little more cable though so it's not tight up, it's doesn't look that bad in the pic as it covered with some heli tape but it's cut into it a quite deep (

Enjoy....

Antm81

Thanks for the advice, I'll be having a look before my next outing for sure.

jonesmrjones

The same has happened on my Trance 2.

Antm81

Checked mine, there was plenty of cabled pulled through with about a cm of clearance between the cables and bb shell. Will be even better when I remove the front mech too.

Antm81

Just picked up a p-xc2 wheelset, I know it's not a huge upgrade over the s-xc2 but it was a good price and included the slx cassette, rt66 rotors and evolution series pacestar Nobby nics (will be kept as spares but an improvement over the performance compound ones fitted as standard).

Hopefully setting these up tubeless tomorrow, so should be a slight drop in weight.

Antm81

Set up tubeless with the XR4s and fitted it all,weight saving = 0g, probably down to the more substantial tyres. The sidewalls are so much thicker than the Nobby Nics.

Meirion658

I have the same bike and wonder what the best tyres to have on this bike. I have been looking at the Maxis high roller II

BloggingFit

Antm81 wrote:

Set up tubeless with the XR4s and fitted it all,weight saving = 0g, probably down to the more substantial tyres. The sidewalls are so much thicker than the Nobby Nics.

You'll find they will roll better than the nics even if they weight save is negligible.

Antm81

I hope they do. I'm expecting a lot better grip even if they don't roll any better.

On another note, got the opportunity to buy a pike for £350, it's not new and got some cable rub. It would mean I need a new upper headset and stem though, plus I'd want to reduce it's travel to 150mm and I'm not sure about the cable rub etc as the bike looks so good right now, plus justifying a new fork after 3 weeks isn't easy.

rockmonkeysc

Go for it. The Pike will be a massive improvement over the Float evo.
Don't worry about the cable rub, it's a mountain bike so it's not going to stay in showroom condition for ling if you use it.

BloggingFit

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Go for it. The Pike will be a massive improvement over the Float evo.
Don't worry about the cable rub, it's a mountain bike so it's not going to stay in showroom condition for ling if you use it.

Yes.

My FIT Performance sucked donkey dick on the Remedy. Fitting a Pike was the best singular purchase I made and completely transformed the bike.

Antm81

Unfortunately it seems the steerer may be a little short so looks like I might be saving my pennies for a new set. The stealth nomad graphics from slik would look great too.

Antm81

Bit if an impose buy last night, ordered an rct3 revelation, guess I best order a new headset and stem.

Rambo_123

you got it yet?

Antm81

Not yet, need to pick it up from the post office when I get home tomorrow. Then I need to finally decide on a new headset and stem so I can fit it.

Bike is currently at the LBS, didn't fancy removing and fitting the press fit bb myself so I could route the dropper cable properly. Should have it back tomorrow with the dropper fitted.