Some questions about the Giant Trance X4

jeannot18
jeannot18 Posts: 720
edited August 2012 in MTB beginners
Looking to maybe buy this

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... 1b0s1p3504

I have some reviews and people rate the bike quite highly for the price. Don't want to sound too snoby but are the spec decent enough, I refer especially to the mech they have on it. And if anyone has that bike can they give me some feedback. The bike would be more than enough for me as my skills are far from being at the top and that budget would be really the maximum (+ they have free interest credit which would make it even more affordable for me).
Thanks
JC
Pédale ou crève
Specialized Elite Allez with 105
Rockrider 8.1 : )

Comments

  • steve_muzzy
    steve_muzzy Posts: 259
    good frame but terrible spec. however a slx group set would add a huge amount to the bike, you may find you can pick one up from Europe for a couple of hundred

    shock is lots to replace too,however i loved my trance and it was a good do most things bike
  • jeannot18
    jeannot18 Posts: 720
    steve_muzzy wrote:
    good frame but terrible spec. however a slx group set would add a huge amount to the bike, you may find you can pick one up from Europe for a couple of hundred

    shock is lots to replace too,however i loved my trance and it was a good do most things bike
    Thanks Steve, what do you mean by "a six group set"? Thanks

    JC
    Pédale ou crève
    Specialized Elite Allez with 105
    Rockrider 8.1 : )
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    He means SLX, but is wrong. Not worth spending a few hundred - you wouldn't notice much difference.
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  • bartimaeus
    bartimaeus Posts: 1,812
    edited August 2012
    Higher spec bits will be lighter and maybe feel smoother - and they may last longer, but I would not say no to the Trace just because it's Alivio/Deore and not Deore/SLX or SLX/XT. The 'terrible' Alivio is OK and is one rung down from the Deore I have on both my bikes. Deore is below SLX... above that is XT and then if you are very very rich you have XTR. And that's just in Shimano... there is a similar pecking order in SRAM.

    Better a great bike with a so-so spec that a rubbish bike dripping with bling... the Trance is reputedly a great bike and this version has a Tora coil fork which is a bit heavy but properly damped and a decent bit of kit.

    When your basic kit wears out you can 'upgrade'... but so far my Deore/SLX is showing no sign of giving me that excuse. I would love to have XT all over - I've tried most SRAM and Shimano up to X9 and XT and for my money XT is 'best'... but I won't be spending 'my money' till the Deore wears out as the more basic stuff is good enough.
    Vitus Sentier VR+ (2018) GT Grade AL 105 (2016)
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    Kingley Vale and QECP Trail Collective - QECP Trail Building
  • bartimaeus
    bartimaeus Posts: 1,812
    oops.. what was that! Double post!
    Vitus Sentier VR+ (2018) GT Grade AL 105 (2016)
    Giant Anthem X4 (2010) GT Avalanche 1.0 (2010)
    Kingley Vale and QECP Trail Collective - QECP Trail Building
  • winterhasarrived
    winterhasarrived Posts: 1
    Apart from price any reason to prefer the 2011 over the 2012?
  • jeannot18
    jeannot18 Posts: 720
    Bartimaeus wrote:
    Higher spec bits will be lighter and maybe feel smoother - and they may last longer, but I would not say no to the Trace just because it's Alivio/Deore and not Deore/SLX or SLX/XT. The 'terrible' Alivio is OK and is one rung down from the Deore I have on both my bikes. Deore is below SLX... above that is XT and then if you are very very rich you have XTR. And that's just in Shimano... there is a similar pecking order in SRAM.

    Better a great bike with a so-so spec that a rubbish bike dripping with bling... the Trance is reputedly a great bike and this version has a Tora coil fork which is a bit heavy but properly damped and a decent bit of kit.

    When your basic kit wears out you can 'upgrade'... but so far my Deore/SLX is showing no sign of giving me that excuse. I would love to have XT all over - I've tried most SRAM and Shimano up to X9 and XT and for my money XT is 'best'... but I won't be spending 'my money' till the Deore wears out as the more basic stuff is good enough.

    Thanks!
    JC
    Pédale ou crève
    Specialized Elite Allez with 105
    Rockrider 8.1 : )
  • tarbot18
    tarbot18 Posts: 531
    i have an alivio rear mech and shifters on my bike and they do the job fine ill prob upgrade to deore when they brake but until then they do the job
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  • chez_m356
    chez_m356 Posts: 1,893
    winterhasarrived wrote:
    Apart from price any reason to prefer the 2011 over the 2012?
    better fork on the 2011
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