Trance 27.5 2 - Now with added Flow

Antm81

Revs have arrived, look great, not ordered the headset and stem yet but glad I've waited a little for the extra £5 off at CRC. Decided to go with just a hope upper headset to keep costs down and will keep the original lower. As for the stem I think it's between the nukeproof warhead and raceface evolve. Need to decide on length though, wether to stay at 70mm or drop to 60 or 50, don't want to make it feel cramped.

rockmonkeysc

Raceface Chester stem is quite nice. Nukeproof stem bolts start to rust very quickly.

Antm81

The Chester does look good, I'd love an easton haven, I reckon in all black it would look good, out of my budget though.

skywalker99

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.

How do you find XR4s so far? Considering changing Nobby Nic(s)
Not sure whether I should / can go tubeless.

Antm81

To be honest I've not yet used them in anger due to work and family commitments. They're pretty draggy on the road but that's to be expected and heavier than the nics.

As for going tubeless with them it couldn't be easier, got thick strong sidewalls (that's where the extra weight has come from) so no sealant leaking from them and held pressure on the rims (not ust or even tubeless ready) without sealant. Only needed to run a layer of gorilla tape in the rims to seal them too.

skywalker99

Antm81 wrote:

To be honest I've not yet used them in anger due to work and family commitments. They're pretty draggy on the road but that's to be expected and heavier than the nics.

As for going tubeless with them it couldn't be easier, got thick strong sidewalls (that's where the extra weight has come from) so no sealant leaking from them and held pressure on the rims (not ust or even tubeless ready) without sealant. Only needed to run a layer of gorilla tape in the rims to seal them too.

Cheers. I have Maxxis High Roller II and Bontrager XR4 on my shortlist. Will choose one for the front and leave NN at the back I think. Tempted to go tubeless and your comment is encouraging.

rockmonkeysc

Antm81 wrote:

The Chester does look good, I'd love an easton haven, I reckon in all black it would look good, out of my budget though.

Try looking on Merlin Cycles website. They usually have Easton bits cheap.

Antm81

Already looked, can get the silver haven cheaper and cheaper again on crc but it's wether my bike vanity could allow me to have a silver stem.

Rich9

I've got a 70mm chester stem for sale on here, if you're interested. Bars too

Antm81

Cheers for the offer.

Got hold of a second hand atlas stem for a good price, will see how I get on with it then maybe go for something else when I'm feeling a little more flush.

Antm81

Finally fitted the revelations, so latest change to the spec is a hope headset, RaceFace atlas am stem and a set of revelations.


Untitled photo by antm81, on Flickr

You'll have to excuse the mess, in my accommodation at work and I'm currently a little short on space.

rockmonkeysc

Now that the Fox forks are gone that's a bike I would like to have in my collection. Very nice.

Antm81

Thanks. Current spec is now

Frame: ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 140mm Maestro Suspension
Rear Shock: Fox CTD Evolution
Forks: Rockshox Revelation RT3 140mm, 2015 model using bottomless tokens like the Pike.
Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX Shadow +
Front Derailleur: Shimano SLX
Shifters: Shimano Deore 20 speed
Chainset: Shimano SLX 24/38
Headset: Hope integral ZS42/56
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Press Fit
Chain: KMC X10
Cassette: Shimano SLX
Stem: Raceface Atlas AM
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 P-XC2
Front Hub: Giant P-XC 15mm
Rear Hub: Giant P-XC 135mm QR
Spokes: Stainless steel
Tyres: Bontrager XR4 Team Issue, tubeless using gorilla tape and Joes sealant
Saddle: Giant Contact Upright
Seatpost: Giant Contact Switch R stealth
Grips: Supertar
Pedals: Superstar Nano

Antm81

Got the possibility of a set of crests on hope hubs, very tempted. Any thoughts? Strong enough?

rockmonkeysc

Good, light xc wheels. Whether they are strong enough depends on how you ride.

Antm81

That was my thought, I probably lack a little bit of finesse at times so I may be better looking at either the arch or flows like I had before, possibly the hope enduro wheelset too.

rockmonkeysc

Hope Tech Enduro wheels are very good. Lighter than Flows and absolutely bombproof. They would look great on an all black bike as well

Antm81

Well I was pretty set on going single ring on the front and had all but decided on running a 34t superstar NW as I was spending a lot of time in the 38t front ring, but after a recent trip to lee quarry where I spent a fair amount of time in the 24t ring I'm no longer sure if I'll cope with the single ring, wouldn't want to go as low 30t but I'm not sure even a 32t would be low enough.

rockmonkeysc

It's surprising how quickly you adapt to single ring.
A 40t cassette expander helps a lot.
I'm no more than averagely fit and managed a week riding in the Lake District without wishing for a granny ring. I wouldn't have a front mech again.
The Superstar ring is pretty good, I'm happy enough with mine, it actually seems better than my mates Hope ring. It's looking less worn from similar use and he seems to drop his chain occasionally, mine stays on even with the clutch off.

Antm81

Unfortunately the expander isn't really an option right now as I don't fancy taking a hacksaw to my slx cassette and as it is all but new I don't really want to replace it yet either

Antm81

Well as it seems i have a 150mm air shaft from the revs off my old trance lying around, I've decided that come service time on the revs ill be fitting it and giving 150 a chance at the front, if it has a similar effect to upping the front to 140 on my old trance x it will improve an already good bike.

Now also waiting for superstar to release their sub £30 range expander to go with a single ring at the front.

Part of me is also hankering for a monarch or monarch plus for the rear, heard good things about the plus on the trance, although the trance should have a 200 x 51 shock fitted, the fox shocks where fitted seem to be 200 x 57 with a 6mm spacer fitted internally to reduce travel, so if a 3 mm spacer can be found for either the rear can be uppped to just about 150 (a 200 x 57 gives 158mm of rear travel). Although 50% of the reason i want to witch to a monarch may be to match the black stanchions on the front, i think this makes a bit of a tart possibly.

Antm81

Just given the bike a decent clean and although I've scuffed the lock rings for the grips a few times, I just found the first chip to the paintwork on the frame. Felt like crying.

Possibly got a few changes happening after Christmas, may be minor but got to wait and see what santa brings.

Antm81

Santa has delivered some presents for the Trance


Untitled photo by antm81, on Flickr

A set of SLX brakes, 32T superstar narrow/wide ring and a botlt up hope seat post clamp.

I'm ditching the blue slowly and going for more of a stealth look.

Won't get fitted till the new year as the bike is at work.

The Rookie

Lucky boy, 1x is the way forward if you can cope, I seem to manage OK with 32 and a 34 (9 speed still), so younger and fitter should be just fine!

Rambo_123

What diameter of seatpost does this bike use? I ordered a dropper but ordered the wrong size (34.9mm) and I don't want to make the same mistake as the options are 30.9mm or 31.6mm and with less than a millimetre between them I don't trust my measurements!

Merry Christmas!

Antm81

Seat post is 30.9 mate. Merry Christmas to you too.

Antm81

That's me now 1x10.

Weight saved:

Chainrings 120g (old rings and bolts 180g - new ring and bolts 60g)
Front mech 170g
MRP 2X chain device 120g
Front shifter and cable 210g

Gives a nice 520g saving but more importantly a much setup and less cluttered bars.

At the same time I've fitted an ispec b SLX front shifter and slx brakes.

Not quite finished yet, need to index the rear mech and I need a new rubber plug for the internal routing to route the rear brake.

Cqc

Antm81 wrote:

Now also waiting for superstar to release their sub £30 range expander to go with a single ring at the front.

Anyone have any idea when this is going to be? I want to go 1x but dont want to spend £45 on the current ones out there...

Antm81

By the end of this week according to their facebook page

Cqc

Awesome! That's far sooner than I expected, thanks.