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Alright, folks, it’s a whirlwind week, and today we have the Giant Trance X. It’s new for 2024 with a bit of a departure from the previous version. It’s now quite a bit better on the descents without giving up all that much on the climbs. It’s still quick and sporty, but it packs a bigger punch these days. Stick around to see what it’s all about.

Let’s chat about a few features before we get to the meat and potatoes. The Trance X now has 140mm of rear wheel travel and comes with a 150mm fork and two 29” wheels – which we have today. There is also an SX version, which rocks an MX wheel setup and brings an additional 5mm of rear travel and 10mm up front to the table. All models can be run in an MX configuration and feature a three-position flip chip as well as adjustable reach headset cups — Interesting to see this popping up more and more these days. 

Let’s get into it.

Giant Trance Ride Review

Uphill

I found the previous Trance X to be one of the best technical climbers I had ever ridden. It brought a lot to the table when climbing in rough terrain. It offered excellent efficiency (maybe too good) and good traction paired with agile geometry to help you pick your way through the roughest and weirdest bits. The new Trance X does give up a bit of efficiency, but it more than makes up for it with increased traction and comfort. It’s still a great climber, especially on the tough parts. 

The new Trance X’s suspension platform is a bit more active. You’ll notice a little less pizzazz while on the pedals. That said, for the category, it’s still one of the more efficient climbers. The benefits of the new suspension kinematics were probably mostly intended for DH gains, but I think the Trance benefits on the climbs a little, too. It comes in the form of more traction and comfort.

The climbing position feels rather neutral on the Trance X. It’s interesting to think about the combinations you could get here with different stems as headset cup positions. I’d probably like to go about 10mm shorter on the stem while adding 5mm or reach for a net wheelbase increase but a shorter seated position. There are tons of combos here to really dial in the fit, feel, and ride quality.

Downhill

The Trance X now separates itself a bit more from the regular Trance 29 and Anthem. It shifts toward the descent side of the scale ever so slightly. I’d still say it has a balanced ride quality — it hasn’t gone full gravity. I really like where this bike sits now in terms of DH performance. As a guy who typically rides longer-travel bikes, I like my trail bikes to still provide confidence and comfort on the DH. The Trance does just that while maintaining the quick and zippy handling you’d expect out of a trail bike. I think it would be completely happy doing laps in the bike park, hitting jumps on your favorite flow trail, or out for a quick rip in some technical and chunk terrain. It’s a versatile little platform.

Let’s start with the suspension performance. Giant has revised the leverage curve quite a bit here. It’s softer off the top than the previous version, and the rate of progression is fairly flat. That offers a predictable feel while still getting the bottom-out control you need when riding a bike hard. The biggest difference I’ve noticed so far is in the amount of traction offered. The Trance X is much easier to trust in those bad, loose, and flat corners. I found myself pumping corners where I’m typically a little nervous and trying to tip-toe through them. Paired with agile geometry, that traction makes for a great cornering ride.

The geometry on the new Trance X loosens up quite a bit. The head tube angle is quite a bit slacker, with the high setting now being slacker than the previous slack setting. All in all, it’s about a degree slacker. That’s an appreciated change for me. It makes the bike more comfortable at speed and better in steep and rough terrain. In this specific case, I don’t think it hurts the Trance much, if at all, in the handling department. The previous version would tend to get a bit nervous on steep terrain — now, it feels right at home. It still changes lines quickly and feels pretty sharp in the corners.

Giant Trance X Comparisons

Who is the Giant Trance X for?

As with most bikes in the category, it’s an easy recommendation for just about anyone. It strikes a nice balance between uphill and downhill performance, so no one should get too offended by it. It skews a little less toward the climbs than the previous version, which I think opens up some rougher terrain for riders who are interested. The previous edition would probably get a little gun-shy in double black diamond terrain. I think this new version would handle it just fine, especially in the right hands. So, with all of that said, if you care about the climbs but you also care about the descents, you’ll likely be pretty happy aboard the Trance X.

I also think it works well as a “little” bike for someone who typically rides big bikes. It brings enough confidence to the table that it will suit those riders well, all while being a big improvement on the climbs and in the fun factor.

That’s going to do it. See you next time.