When Giant released the original Trance 29 in 2018, I bet most people thought it would look something more like this. The Trance X 29 more closely matches the intended purpose of the old school 27.5” Trance. It now rolls on 135mm of rear travel and 150mm up front. The geometry is very modern and hits the nail right on the head for an all-purpose trail bike. 

What’s new about the Giant Trance X 29?

A lot actually. It’s a complete overhaul from the original Trance 29. It looks like it pulls more of its design aesthetic from the Reign 29. The geometry more closely resembles that of the Reign as well. The Trance X is big. The reach in size large is either 486 or 494, depending on which adjust mode it’s in. That’s right; the New Trance X has a flip-chip for adjustable geometry. Going from high to low changes, the head tube angle about .7 degrees, from 66.2 to 65.5. The seat tube is rather steep, something that we can really appreciate. In high mode, it is 77.9, and in low, it’s 77.2. We would imagine that most folks in Utah will probably end up in the lower setting. The 65.5-degree head tube angle will probably be a better fit for the bike’s intentions. Although, people with twisty, tight and technical terrain might appreciate the high setting more. What are its intentions? Well, it falls between the short-travel Trance 29 and the enduro sled, Reign 29. It’s going to be that jack-of-all-trades bike for folks looking to have a quiver killer.  

Build Kits

Here’s the best part. Builds start at $2,300 for a well-though-out kit on an aluminum frame (Trance X 29 3). It comes with a Sram SX 12-speed drivetrain, Giant house-brand cockpit, wheels and dropper post, and a Rockshox Gold 35. The next build up, Trance X 29 2, might be the best value with a Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain, Fox 36 Rythym, and a Fox Float DPS, all for $3000.

 Who is The Giant Trance X 29 for?

We have a pretty good feeling that the Trance X is going to be for just about everyone. It’s the type of bike that goes uphill well, downhill well, is reasonably light, and does just about everything you ask of it. It’s even more versatile with the adjustable geometry. It falls right in line with the Yeti SB130, Santa Cruz Hightower, and Ibis Ripmo. Sounds like a showdown might be in order…

We can’t wait to throw a leg over the new Trance X 29 and see what it’s all about. We have floor models as of today, and demos are on their way.