Field Test Review: 2022 Giant Trance Advanced Pro 1 - Eat, Pray, Live Valve?

Dec 2, 2021
by Henry Quinney  

PINKBIKE FIELD TEST

Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29



Words by Henry Quinney, photography by Tom Richards



Unlike some other bikes in this Field Test, the Giant Trance it isn’t a model that was once an XC race bike, or one that has got incrementally more aggressive over the years. The Trance has always been the trail bike, sitting between the Anthem and the Reign in Giant’s range. That’s not to say it hasn’t changed with the times, though, and it recently received a little more travel and new geometry for 2022. It's also worth noting that this isn't to be confused with the Giant Trance X 29, which we tested previously. That bike is slightly longer travel and is meant for aggressive trail riding. Nor should it be mixed up with the Giant Trance X, which has 27.5 inch wheels.
Trance Advanced Pro 29 1 Details

• Travel: 120mm rear / 130mm front
• Wheel size: 29"
• Head angle: 65.5° (low)
• Seat tube angle: 76.3° (low)
• Size tested: large
• Reach: 472 mm (low)
• Chainstay length: 439 mm (low)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 29lb 9oz (13.4kg)
• Price: $7,000 USD
giantbicycles.com

Our test bike has electronically controlled suspension, but you could of course get it without. To say that the feel of this suspension didn’t somewhat dominate the conversation around the bike during testing would be untrue. However, the Trance's bedrock of good trail-focused geometry shouldn't be overlooked.

The Inclusion of Live Valve 1.5 and How We Used It

Before we get into that, let’s quickly go over what Fox Live Valve 1.5 is and how it’s changed from the previous version that was reviewed on the Giant Trance X. This new system still shares the same architecture, and sadly that still includes the unrefined, round-the-back-of-the-90s-television cabling. The new system isn’t a complete overhaul, and that’s what the 1.5 is representative of. The way it controls the suspension is different though, and that’s done on two fronts.

photo
photo

Firstly, and rather succinctly, this is far more passive than the previous version and feels like it’s less obvious. Secondly, it can now be controlled via an app. The app is very nice to use, and yes, for those of you wondering, I think it’s better than SRAM’s Flight Attendent app, and it never crashed or suffered from glitches as I used it.

In the app, you can fine tune compression levels for each setting. I think the app is executed well, but it does require a few more steps than a more 'traditional' setup. I’m used to setting damping and spring rate, not damping, spring rate, and the bias for an overriding system that controls what will happen in any number of varying situations.

There are some pre-selected modes. The two I found myself moving towards were Climb and Sport. There are others, and even the option to download additional ones. Climb mode acts like Sport on everything other than uphill sections. Fox say that Climb mode "Keeps the fork open for increased traction on technical climbing and increases rear thresholds. Sport behavior on flat terrain and descents." So, when you do go uphill, it firms up the rear but also opens up the fork and lets it sit into its travel. If there were to be a setting for a downcountry test, this would surely be it. It’s for that reason that I predominantly used this mode.

The Other Important Details

The Giant isn’t just Live Valve, even if that does grab the headlines. It’s a bike that has plenty of other things going for it, too. The other highlights include its integrated storage, progressive geometry, and an aggressive spec. The whole bike seems to place more of an emphasis on descending rather than climbing. That’s not to say it can’t climb, but it was the heaviest bike on test with the burliest spec.

That’s no bad thing, either. In fact, the geometry seems to be a near-wholesale inclusion of trail and enduro ideals. Whereas some bikes on this test have a slack head angle paired with slightly slacker seat tube angles or lower stack heights, this isn’t the case with the Giant. It pairs those enduro-like dimensions with a steeper seat tube angle. This, in turn, gives a more upright riding position. It’s quite similar to the Niner that we also had on test in this regard.

photo

The Trance also has a flip chip that delivers a solid 0.7-degrees of adjustment. This is nearly double the 0.4-degrees on the Trek Top Fuel. I’m not saying I’m ever sold on the idea of flip-chips but, a lot like the Rocky Mountain Element, at least it gives a real adjustment.

The Maestro system delivers 120mm of travel at the rear of the bike, which is paired to a 130mm fork. It also features an internally adjustable Trans-X seatpost that lets the rider fine-tune their amount of drop. It’s a good execution of the idea, and although the lever is slightly clunky it does a great job. The bike has Shimano’s 4-pot brakes on stopping duties. Interestingly, this bike came with fin-less sintered pads. I’m not sure if this is the standard spec, or they just preempted Levy complaining about the rattling.

One small criticism I have about the bike is that it kept dropping chains. We had XT drivetrains on bikes that didn’t have the same problem. This could potentially point towards the Praxis chainring or lack of a chain device being the problem.



photo
photo

Climbing

The previous version of Live Valve drew firm praise for the way it climbed on the longer travel Trance X. As previously mentioned, the new system is a lot less obvious. Mike Levy, who spent a lot of time on the original version, said that it did feel like less of a rocket ship on the climbs, but I still think it did all that it needed to quite well. That said, the big step in progress with this new system is you can fine tune its influence on your suspension.

In fairness to Live Valve, it does make the bike feel a little more spritely. However, it does feel out of place on a bike that recommends as little as 20-25% sag. If I were to ever want to bolt on self-adjusting suspension on my bike, I would want to really give it something to counteract - for instance, if this bike ran 35% sag on a coil-sprung shock the Live Valve concept would make even more sense to me.

The Trance does climb well, as you'd hope for a bike with computer controlled suspension. There is plenty of grip, but there is also the added weight. The bike is very adept at finding traction in the unlikeliest of places. It also manages to do this without inducing any energy-sapping movement from the shock. It may not be the absolute fastest bike in this category, but your weight sits in a good place and the bars are in a great position to apply weight to the front, especially in the Climb mode with the fork more open.

The steep seat tube angle plays a large part in this, too. The Trance is a fundamentally good climber, and it benefits from this very comfortable position, but it is never going to set the world alight on the way up. It was the slowest on the singletrack climb, and quite frankly I don't really know where the time went. It is a touch heavy, but it never felt particularly slow.

Running it in fully-open mode does usher in a degree of pedal bob. However, by our efficiency test the results are minimal, at around 2 seconds slower over the same course at the same power. Moving back to the timed singletrack climb, it was the slowest of the downcountry bikes with a time of 2:45 in Climb mode. In open it was even slower at 2:47. Are all these extra complications worth 2 seconds? And would it be faster if it was lighter?

I would be very curious to see how this bike compares when fitted with a standard Fox shock, and I would imagine it would offer a bit more platform than the electronically adjusted model in Open.

photo

photo
photo

Descending

Suspension aside, we’re here to talk about the Giant Trance. So, how does this 120mm bike descend? Well, I really enjoyed its geometry. Something like the Trek Top Fuel or the Rocky Element feel more like a downcountry bike. They're fast, have got quick precise handling and are some of the best working examples of that category of bike.

The Giant feels a bit different. In fact, this feels like a more classic trail bike. Its geometry offers no-nonsense stability and ease of use which, for a lot of people, is all they really want. It’s slack without being the slackest. It’s long without being the longest. However, therein lies the beauty of it. It’s a very easy bike to just get on and ride, a lot like the Niner Jet 9 RDO. Its high front end really means that it opens up what trails you can ride, as do sensible spec choices like the wide rims and powerful brakes. It would make a great trail-center weapon.
Timed Testing

The downcountry bikes were all tested on a section of trail that included a mix of everything you'd expect to find on an aggressive XC loop. The first section included a rock slab into some braking chatter, before the track opened up into fast turns and some small drops and jumps.

Don't forget that timing is just one of many ways to judge a bike, and fast doesn't always mean it's the best for everyone.


Henry Quinney: "For the timed singletrack climb, the Giant was the slowest bike on test. It didn't feel slow and gripped really well but then again it is the heaviest. It was also the joint slowest in the efficiency test.

On the timed descending portion, the Giant Trance was the second slowest bike in the test. It was only 0.2 of a second faster than the Santa Cruz Blur TR, and on the same second as the Canyon Lux Trail. With its geometry and spec, it should be blowing these out the water; I do suspect that Live Valve undermines the bike and its solid geometry."

The performance of the Live Valve does generally blend into the bike on the descents, but that’s not to say there aren’t instances where you notice it. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the unpredictable nature of the self-adjusting suspension. It sometimes felt as if the bike didn’t really know what to do with my body weight.

After trying the different available modes, I ended up predominantly riding this bike Climb mode, which firms up the rear suspension on the climbs while leaving the fork open to sit lower in its travel; the mode then automatically turns to Sport mode on flat or descending terrain. While this updated version of Live Valve is a major improvement over the first generation, there were still moments when it felt great until it suddenly didn’t. Through hard-hitting turns it often felt like I was hitting a wall of support in the shock, which would then pivot my weight forward and into my hands upon the exit of the turn. This wasn’t a one time occasion - it was predictably unpredictable.

It was the same problem with jumps. In Open mode, it takes to the air really well, but in other modes, if you have a reasonable run-in to a jump as you load the transition it will again provide you with a wall of support, sending weight into your hands and throwing your weight forward as you got airborne. I know this is only a short travel bike and you probably won’t be hitting huge booters, but at the same time, this was quite disconcerting.

Verdict

The trails in our test loop were very downcountry appropriate, and not overly technical or complicated. That said, Levy is right to point out that there are terrains and riders out there that Live Valve will likely suit—some people are really going to like it, and I think it does do some things well. A good candidate for the Giant Trance is a trail rider, not doing anything too aggressive, just someone who likes to cover swathes of ground in comfort.

Ultimately, I liked the Giant in spite of its electronic suspension and not because of it - I'd love a chance to see what this bike can really do with the system removed.

Overall the Trance has a solid foundation of good geometry and sensible parts, and for somebody who wants more efficiency while still having a bike that's very easy to ride this would do the job very well.

photo

Pros

+ No-nonsense geometry
+ In frame storage
+ Sensible spec
+ Live Valve (for riders who prioritize climbing)
Cons

- Heavy compared to other bikes in this category
- Live Valve (for riders who prioritize descending)



The 2021 Fall Field Test is presented by Rapha and Bontrager. Thank you also to Maxxis, Schwalbe, and Garmin for control tires and equipment.


Author Info:
henryquinney avatar

Member since Jun 3, 2014
316 articles

258 Comments
  • 288 1
 So to recap, more cables and more money, to add a system that makes the bike less downcountry and more XC on a bike that is meant to be more downcountry and less XC. Got it.
  • 16 0
 ^^ This guy gets it. As a current Anthem owner, I'll be looking to the new Anthem if I want something more downcountry capable compared to what I have (though I love what I have). This seems to bridge the gap between "downcountry" and Trail...which does not seem to be something we were asking for. Agree with Henry, remove the live wire (or better yet, simply remote lockout!) and this would be good to go for a nice trail bike.
  • 114 0
 Live Valve: The high tech solution for your low tech trails (TM).
  • 4 0
 @SATN-XC: live valve isn't on all the models though. Is it?
  • 4 1
 @makripper: I have no idea. As of this post, Giant's US website is not listing the new model. It has the Trance Adv. Pro 29 1 but I believe its last year's model (no live valve). www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-trance-advanced-pro-29
  • 2 2
 Lololololol well spoken
  • 10 2
 @makripper: The Trance Advanced Pro 29 0 model features Fox Factory suspension (non Live Valve) and retails for $10,500 USD.
  • 6 11
flag tonkatruck (Dec 2, 2021 at 11:43) (Below Threshold)
 Is it just me or does the 29er maestro suspension is limited to shorter travels than most competition because of possible patent infringement with other designs, ie. DW -Link . Trance at only 135mm, Reign at only 146mm. I mean you call these things mainstream and they come way undergunned than everything else
  • 2 0
 @CamNeelyCantWheelie: me finks you’ve nailed it bruv.
  • 2 1
 @SATN-XC: is between downcountry and trail downtrail?
  • 1 0
 @mr-moose: I think it would have to be "up-trail" ....its a Trail bike that's not quite as good going down but a little better going up.
  • 4 3
 Live valve make sense for the majority of riders who have no idea how to set up their suspension properly
  • 6 0
 @tonkatruck: It's just you. 146>135 and both use Maestro, so the amount of travel with 29" wheels isn't limited by patent on the Trance. The Glory, while on 27.5 wheels in it's last iteration, had 203mm.
  • 5 0
 @tonkatruck: the Glory DH bike is maestro.
  • 8 0
 @tonkatruck: interesting and unfounded conclusion to come to when the Ibis Ripmo enduro bike on DW features 147mm of travel and their trail bikes feature 120-130mm (Ripley/Mojo), nearly identical to what Giant has been doing with their range. All of these shortish travel bikes for their given intentions usually end up with those figures in an effort to achieve a certain geometry, Kona for example with the Process 111, 134, 153, 165, 167, and X landed on those travel numbers in effort to achieve a certain chainstay length and tuned the kinematics of the linkage from there to make it do what they wanted. Geometry beats travel unless all you do is huck, and even then we had a dude podium at Rampage this year on a 165mm Yeti.
  • 5 0
 @nation: geo>suspension

support>overall travel
  • 1 0
 @tonkatruck: Good question, but it won't be to do with patents. They were making Maestro bikes with more conventional amounts of suspension travel for many years.
I do wonder if they are just more honest about the suspension travel than many other brands. MBR are often measuring bikes significantly shorter than advertised, so Giant could have just said the Reign had 150mm rear travel and crossed their fingers behind their backs.
On another note - 120mm rear / 130mm front is probably my ideal for a 29er trail/downcountry bike. And this thing seems overgunned in the downcountry category.
  • 127 3
 Specialized has the swat box
Trek has the twat box
Giant can have the G spot?
  • 217 2
 The return of the Glory hole...
  • 67 0
 That's not terrible
  • 42 1
 Does that mean on some giants the spot is easy to find and on others it's much more difficult to find?
  • 16 0
 Seems appropriate... with it being smaller it is hard to find.
  • 7 3
 @m47h13u: ding ding ding - you win!!
  • 12 0
 orbea with the O-place
  • 9 0
 @heissescheisse: covered by the O-face Plate
  • 15 0
 @kcy4130: Just think about all the amateurs that won't even know to look for it at all.
  • 4 0
 could you find it though???
  • 1 0
 @big-red: A novice wouldn't know to look for it.... When it comes to that particular type of activity I am very glad to be amateur, as in the opposite of a paid professional.... Hehe
  • 1 0
 @kcy4130:
Rookie
  • 1 0
 @kcy4130: one can only find it if one knows what to look for
  • 1 0
 @kcy4130: also, with some bikes one keeps looking in frustration before finding out this model doesn't feature it...
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: terribly hard to find when it gets too bumpy
  • 113 2
 Scott better watch out. Giant is getting really good at adding a lot of unnecessary shit to their bikes.
  • 94 5
 We knock on tire manufacturers for not having straightforward descriptions of what the difference is between their casing and compound options. Giant deserves some scorn here too. The fact that you need to take the time to clarify that this review is for the Trance Advanced Pro, not the Trance X 29, or the Trance X, is ridiculous.

So a 'Giant Trance' is either a short or medium travel 29er or 27.5. If it's an 'X' model, that means it is mid-travel. 29 means it has 29 inch wheels, except for the Advanced, which is a 29er but doesn't say so, unless 'Advanced' means it's a 29er? Or does 'Advanced' indicate the shorter travel?
  • 22 1
 Advanced means carbon. This a Trance Advanced 29
  • 8 5
 Advanced means composite. Easy to figure that out on the giant website.
  • 38 2
 @arrowheadrush: Carbon also means carbon.... What would have been wrong with Trance Carbon 29?
  • 10 20
flag BenTheSwabian (Dec 2, 2021 at 10:06) (Below Threshold)
 It's actually quite simple and straight forward.

1. Trance = classic Trail bike with 120mm of suspension.

2. Trance X = burlier All-Mountain bike with 135mm of suspension.

3. Trance and Trance X are different models that have nothing to do with each other. Just similar names for two distinct bikes. Sorta like Hightower and Megatower or Stumpjumper and Stumpjumper Evo.

4. "Advanced Pro" in Giant marketing terms means it's the carbon version.

5. A 27.5" version doesn't exist. Of neither of the two.
  • 7 0
 Addendum: Huh. Apparently there is a 27.5" version of the Trance X outside of Europe.
  • 3 3
 @BenTheSwabian: Trance= classic trail with 150mm of suspension on 27.5 and 130mm on the 29r
  • 4 1
 @arrowheadrush: Ok, so this is a 'Giant Trance' in the carbon 'Advanced' frame.

So 'Pro' means what? It appears that all 'Advanced' are also 'Pro'. I don't see any non-advanced 'Pro' builds, unless I'm mistaken. Is the 'Pro' just superfluous? The build kits I guess are different levels within 'Pro'?

So you did clear up my confusion that 'Advanced' definitely means carbon, but now I don't know what 'Pro' means.

I guess if it's a 'Trance' it is a 29er by default. If it's a 'Trance X', it's a 27.5 by default. And 'X' means it has more travel than a regular Trance.

Also, if it's a 'Trance Advanced' has slightly more rear travel than an aluminum 'Trance'.

So while the meaning of 'Advanced' is clear, it's still clear that Giant is selling at least 4 different wheel size and travel configurations of bicycles all called 'Trance'.
  • 3 0
 @NinjaTheDude: Those were the previous versions though. The previous Trance 29 had 115mm of suspension, did it not? I meant "classic" as in it fits the role of what people usually talk about when they mention typical trail bikes.
  • 3 1
 @exastronaut: I've always sorta suspected that some brands strive for a certain degree of confusion in naming schemes. It facilitates (bad) shops convincing a less knowledgeable customer that the model they are/should be interested in is whichever model they (the shop) happens to have on hand and most wants to get rid of. Not that shops are struggling to shift old inventory right now. But, maybe I'm being too cynical.
  • 17 0
 @exastronaut: The use of "Pro" is used to differentiate our full-composite offerings (carbon front and rear triangles) from our "mixed" offerings (carbon front and aluminum rear triangles). As we progress into the future, all our full suspension offerings will offer carbon triangles, front and rear - which will eventually kill-off "Pro" naming. Thank you for asking.
  • 8 0
 X indicates it's longer travel (150/135 on the 29er, 160/145 on the 27.5) than the non-X counterpart (130/120 on the 29er, as of 2022 there is no 27.5 non-X Trance)

Advanced means it has a carbon front triangle with an aluminum rear (although I don't think there are any in the lineup anymore that have mixed frame materials)

Advanced Pro means it has a carbon front AND rear triangle (for MTB at least, Advanced Pro in Giant's road bikes means something else)

The number at the end refers to the build kit, 0 will be the highest, although not all models get a 0 and some countries don't bring in certain models so you may see a number or two skipped on certain bikes

It's pretty easy to tell where a bike sits in Giant's lineup if you memorize the naming scheme, but unless you either work with Giant bikes or just like to spend time researching all this stuff it definitely is a mouthful of random words
  • 30 4
 Thank you for asking.

To clarify, for 2022, our Mountain product line looks like:

Anthem Advanced Pro 29 = 110/100mm , 29-inch wheels, full composite frame (FlexPoint Pro suspension)

Trance Advanced Pro 29 = 130/120mm, 29-inch wheels, full composite frame
Trance 29 = 130/120mm, 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame

Trance X Advanced Pro 29 = 150/135mm, 29-inch wheels, full composite frame
Trance X 29 = 150/135mm, 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame

Trance X = 160/145mm, 27.5-inch wheels, aluminum frame

Reign Advanced Pro 29 = 170/146mm, 29-inch wheels, full composite frame
Reign Advanced Pro 29 = 170/146mm, 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame
  • 2 2
 @BenTheSwabian: Wrong, Giant just introduced a Trance X 27.5 bike: www.giant-bicycles.com/int/bikes-trance-x-2022
  • 1 0
 @exastronaut: The Advanced Pro versions get usually something more than just Advanced version. On road bikes it is different frame material and overall lighter frame. On MTBs the PRO means that the rear triangle is also carbon. There were some models that had rear triangle from ALU in the past and they were "only" Advanced. But these days Giant makes either full ALU (with composite rocker) or full carbon hence the PRO in all of the Advanced bikes names.
  • 2 0
 @i-am-lp: I'm pretty sure the Advanced and Advanced Pro road bikes get the same frame, the difference comes in the lighter front fork and carbon wheels
  • 2 0
 @giantbicycles: I wish you kept producing the old 27.5 trance. I guess you didn't sell many but they're still a great trail bike. Just one each of carbon and aluminium.

I'm not just saying this for parts reliability of my 2017 model...
  • 2 0
 29 is for 29", X is for more travel (more agressive bike) and advanced means carbon frame.
  • 1 0
 @arrowheadrush: and the 'X' means X-treme, right?
  • 2 3
 @kcy4130: is not carbon. No bikes are actually all carbon. Giant calls them composite which they actually are.
  • 10 1
 @giantbicycles: This does not seem right. An aluminum Advanced Pro?

Reign Advanced Pro 29 = 170/146mm, 29-inch wheels, full composite frame
Reign Advanced Pro 29 = 170/146mm, 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame
  • 1 0
 @makripper: Well, pedantically/technically it's carbon fiber reinforced plastic CFRP. Composites include fiberglass and similar materials in addition to cfrp.
  • 3 0
 @OMC-ride2much: guessing that's a typo, they probably meant to type just the Reign 29
  • 1 0
 @kcy4130: yeah exactly. It's more correct but carbon sounds sexier lol. Oh marketing.
  • 2 0
 @kcy4130: I think there's some truth to that in all types of product sales. You overwhelm people with options and then point them to the one that is more expensive because it has some desirable feature.
  • 13 0
 @giantbicycles: Ok, so:

Advanced = Carbon Front Triangle
Pro= Carbon Rear Triangle
X= More travel than 'Not X'

Out of 8 models listed, 7 are 29ers, and say 29 in the name, except for the one that is 27.5... which gives no indication of that in the name. Why not do it the other way around?

Appreciate the clarification, but it's still 5 different models in 2 different wheel sizes and 3 different travel amounts all called 'Trance'. Honestly, this discussion thread has gone on for so long, and even some of the commenters attempting to clarify things have actually gotten details wrong.

I think I'm about to enter a trance.
  • 5 0
 All of this is leaving me in a half-conscious state characterized by an absence of response to external stimuli! Model name checks out.
  • 1 0
 @exastronaut: I believe “Pro” refers to a better quality carbon frame.
  • 1 1
 A funny thing about the naming system for the 2021 Trances, is that at the same time you could get a bike called the Trance X Advanced Pro 29 0, or you could get a bike simply named Trance
  • 3 0
 @Richridesmtb: I still have a carbon one, and its a great bike
  • 6 0
 Just wait until you find out about Specialized lineup that uses completely different linkage designs on bikes with the same name!
  • 3 0
 @giantbicycles: and...sooo many words...aaaagh
  • 4 0
 @exastronaut: It's really telling when people who claim to know Giant's convention still gets things wrong. They need to modernize and simplify this.

When I got into the sport, Giant was an early search since they're so well known. Utterly confounded by their naming, spend too much time figuring what 'advanced' and 'composite' stood for. Ended up turned off by the brand for some time, when every other brand was so easily understood.
  • 1 1
 @giantbicycles: so when carbon turns out to be the far worse choice from an environmental standpoint compared to aluminum you choose to double down and use it for ALL full suspension bikes?

Heading the wrong way much Giant?
  • 1 0
 @exastronaut: pro means carbon/composite rims and carbon/composite rear triangle along with carbon frame. Trance means it’s a trail bike, X means it’s a mid travel, no X means short travel, Advanced means carbon frame, aluminum linkage rims and rear triangle, Pro adds carbon linkage rims and triangle. The 0 1 2 3, at the end, mean spec, lower the number better the spec, 0 might have xx1 eagle and 3 has no eagle
  • 1 0
 @exastronaut: if you're going to buy one you'll probably figure it out.
  • 2 0
 @edummann: mine is too, it has taken a battering but is holding up well. So much fun on tight trails.
  • 1 0
 @giantbicycles: wonder how long it took him to make sure he'd got all that correct before posting it Smile

Only 1 27.5 option.... do i need to start rethinking my bike choices and go 29er ?
  • 2 0
 @BarryWalstead: I guess you've not been following Giant long.

Pretty sure in the last 10 years Giant has doubled down on 27.5" (there's a whole PowerPoint Giant made floating about that explains why it's so great) across the full range and then a couple of years later done a complete 180 and pretty much gone full 29".
  • 2 0
 @giantbicycles: why do you no longer produce the Anthem SX? It was a fun bike on a fast platform. It was the original short travel trail bike!
  • 4 0
 @giantbicycles: Why do you make this so damn difficult? Here, let me help you out. Try something like this for 2023:

Anthem Advanced = 110/100mm , 29-inch wheels, full composite frame (FlexPoint Pro suspension)
Anthem = 110/100mm , 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame

Trance Advanced = 130/120mm, 29-inch wheels, full composite frame
Trance = 130/120mm, 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame

Chaos Advanced = 150/135mm, 29-inch wheels, full composite frame
Chaos = 150/135mm, 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame

Ruckus Advanced = 160/145mm, 27.5-inch wheels, full composite frame
Ruckus = 160/145mm, 27.5-inch wheels, aluminum frame

Reign Advanced = 170/146mm, 29-inch wheels, full composite frame
Reign = 170/146mm, 29-inch wheels, aluminum frame

PS: I could make myself available if you'd like to hire me to replace your marketing director...
  • 1 0
 @changomc3: Pro only means carbon rims on the road bikes, not all advanced pro mountain bikes have carbon rims (Reign Advanced Pro 29 2 for example). Upper linkage is always carbon even on non-advanced bikes. I could be wrong on this next one, but I'm pretty sure lower linkages are always aluminum, even on advanced pro bikes
  • 1 0
 @kiwi-in-ns: I didn't say a thing about wheel size so I'm not sure what you're on about...
My comment was about how they are doubling down on making all full suspension frames from carbon which it is clear is the worse environmental material compared to aluminum.
  • 2 0
 @BarryWalstead: yeah no recyclable plastic is kind of the opposite of what we should be striving for. The irony is painful because it's so bad for the environment. Plastic Shaming
  • 1 0
 @BarryWalstead: Just pointing out that Giant swings with the wind. They're happy to go all-in on something and tell everyone it's the best thing ever, like 27.5" or carbon, and then a couple of years later fully switch their line-up to something else and forget it ever happened.
  • 2 0
 @kiwi-in-ns: are you new to MTB? They all do it but more subtley. Giant doesn't give a f*ck. They sell the most bikes in the world and build bike for other companies. If anything it's pretty good of them to change things up. The math they had may add up but the market wants what it wants.
  • 45 0
 Another Giant bike with electronic suspension receiving a lackluster review from Pink Bike--why do they keep sending them these Live Valve bikes? haha
  • 8 0
 At least in this case, Giant/Fox succeeded it marketing that the revised Live Valve system is a marked improvement from last-year's version. For someone who's got it in their head that they want this, there's a big difference between "we don't like it" and "we didn't care either way but personally wouldn't spend the money."

There are enough people that buy stuff for the glitz and glam of it that it'll sell as long as it's not actively hurting the bike.
  • 11 1
 @big-red: Is that how you read the review? It's called out as heaviest, slowest uphill and second slowest downhill in it's class, unpredictable suspension response, expensive, complicated, cables all over the place...My take on "Ultimately, I liked the Giant in spite of its electronic suspension and not because of it - I'd love a chance to see what this bike can really do with the system removed" translates to 'we didn't like it before, and although it's better than before we still really don't like it'.
I'm not shy of a bit of glitz and glam, but even at 30% off on the Trance X advanced Pro 29, with nothing else available, I took a hard pass in favour of waiting indefinitely until something else came in stock at full price.
  • 1 0
 @dsut4392: You're definitely right. I watched the vid and the tone used made it sound like it wasn't as big a deal as the words would have you believe. But reading through that again, it's still pretty damning. Still, they did note repeatedly in the vid that it was much better than version 1.0, so I guess there's that.

It makes me all the more curious though about comparing this to a non-LV version and to the previous generation. IIRC, the PB team really liked the last Trance in the 2019 field test and it actually sounds like they enjoyed riding this bike other than the LV.
  • 38 2
 1 day embargo, just so @mikelevy could present a blurry bike.

Usually not a fan of the Giant look, but this one can definitely be seen!
  • 56 1
 tHe SuSpEnSe!
  • 4 1
 Levy actually uploaded the photos of the bikes last week. They've probably wrapped up the field test quite a while ago.
  • 4 0
 @mikelevy: Won my bet! Free Tim Hortons YEET
  • 18 0
 I bet Santa Cruz wished they'd come up with that tactic when releasing their..BLUR
  • 18 1
 Judging from the positive tone of the review, it's probably a pretty solid choice for a lot of people - the version without live valve anyways. As usual though, Giant got all the fundamentals right.

Honestly though, I wish you guys had reviewed the significantly cheaper version without Live Valve, which is probably a lot more relevant for a hell of a lot more riders. Also, wasn't there talk of a 6k USD price limit anyways?
  • 31 0
 Agreed, but this is the bike Giant chose to send us. There was supposed to be a budget cap, yes, but we can't implement it yet as we'd have no bikes at all to test Smile There likely be one on the future, though!
  • 8 1
 @mikelevy: I think that's a reflection of just how absurdly priced bikes have become.

10k+ for something that rides only marginally better than something I bought 5 years ago for half the price? Get stuffed.
  • 4 0
 By the time the $6k limit can be implemented, it will have to be raised to $7,500 due to inflation
  • 7 0
 @basic-ti-hardtail: I just felt this one in my chest. Was saving for an under 2k bike for a while. Now they're all 2k flat. Just barely scraped by. All these 5-10k bikes are like a fun imaginary land to me. More than my car.
  • 13 0
 I have zero interest in a bike that has electronics, not sure who they are marketing this stuff to, but adding complexity and cost to what is already a very expensive hobby, yeah.
  • 12 0
 Big news for me: 472mm reach. Than k you Giant! So glad to not see a meter between sizes again. Average size people of the world rejoice
  • 10 0
 Agreed, the new numbers are much better.
  • 7 0
 Ya, my Trance X large is long at 486 reach but the medium was just way too short to go with.
  • 4 0
 That's why I didn't buy a Reign 29, size gap was ridiculously huge.
  • 11 0
 Seeing you guys really speaking different about the same bike make is a great review as there is no bike for all of us. thank you!
  • 8 0
 Stoked you like it. With these reviews, Henry and I just started talking and it's what you get haha.
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: would be great to hear more discussion about fit of these bikes relative to each other.
  • 2 0
 @jnicol: Incoming podcast and roundtable video! Next week.
  • 13 0
 So the older generation is better and much cheaper?
  • 4 0
 The MTB world has been wrestling with itself the last few years.. no doubt.
  • 2 1
 Typical Covid stuff.
  • 2 0
 I've got the previous generation and... nothing here makes me want to upgrade. For the trails near me, which have a lot of short, rolling ups and downs, it's great. With slightly more XC-leaning wheels and tires my build weighs 27.5lbs/12.5kg at a cost much lower than these
  • 8 0
 I've owned a few Maestro Giants and am currently on a Reign 29. It's a platform that doesn't need the electronic crutch, would be better off with a really good shock tune on analog suspension.

What Giant needs is
A) an actual enduro bike. The Reign is great, but it's a trail bike.
B) reduce product overlap. See my above comment on the Reign-what's the purpose of the equally heavy Trance X?!
C) take the money spend on whole new models and add a size or 2 to the existing ones. Giant resisted making a TCR with the most common fit (56cm equivalent) for YEARS. Now they make that size (they call it M/L) and it's one of their top selling sizes. The Reign 29 also needs a M/L
D) their sponsored pros are on it-release the fricking Glory 29!!
  • 8 0
 Hello Giant, if you're reading this could you please stop submitting Live Valve bikes for review?
I'd potentially be quite interested in this bike, but I've no idea from this review how it'd ride with conventional suspension.
Thanks.
  • 7 1
 Interesting to see this bike gain 5mm rear travel and adjustable geo. I really enjoyed riding the previous version, in fact, it was a hell of a fun bike to descend with. It would be cool to know how this bike feels going down without any live valve factored in.
  • 26 3
 Same. We’re chatting with Fox about trying to do a tuning session to see if we can improve the system’s performance and compare it directly to a non LV version.
  • 9 0
 @brianpark: Are you billing them for the R&D they seem to have skipped out on?
  • 3 0
 @R-M-R: wait until @notoutsideceo hears about this new revenue stream!
  • 8 0
 @brianpark: One more idea: Add a third bike to the comparison to test what the extra cash and weight of Live Valve could've got you with a mechanical system. Specifically, I propose a Fox fork with Vorsprung Smashpot spring and an EXT Storia shock.

I have no doubt electronic systems will eventually improve upon mechanical systems, so let's put it to the test with an apples-to-apples comparison with constant weight and price. Live Valve will earn its keep only when it can beat the best of the mechanical products; until then, let's not get suckered into buying public beta products.
  • 2 1
 @Mr-Gilsch: The only real plus of Outside could be that instead of a gentle spank they could say out loud that this LV has no sense. Now they seem to be afraid a bit to sh*t their own nest Wink
  • 5 0
 So weird, where is the weight hiding on new bikes? I have a medium Revel Rascal/Pike I built up with no stupid light part, even so with that HEAVY frame it's 12.5kg with pedals. As a 65kg person I'd be pretty bummed to spend this much money on a 120/130 bike to have it weigh this much.
  • 2 0
 I recently purchased a carbon yt Izzo, 130mm travel, which somehow weighs exactly the same as my aluminum 160mm Giant Reign. The only obvious answer is the wheels, 27.5 v 29
  • 4 0
 I think it's largely wide rims + frames with holes in the downtube do have to weigh more. Also, as we give 120mm bikes more aggressive angles and smash them into things faster, the frames are going to need to get a bit heavier. We expect a LOT from a modern light trail bike these days.
  • 2 0
 Bikes are all getting heavier as they get longer and basically larger. That's why my new bike is Alloy. It's within a couple pounds of a carbon bike but much cheaper and just as much fun.
  • 3 0
 @Moonie2123: Giant Aluminium frames are lighter then f.ex. Santa or YT carbon frames. Giant and maybe also YT like to spec very heavy wheelsets (>2kgs), cheaper Fox or RS forks are also extremely heavy compared to the good old Pike
  • 2 0
 @brianpark: Might be interesting fodder for PB to unpack in an article, where the weight is.
Break down a couple bikes from recent tests; wheels v frames v components so people can see where the differences lie. Seems like it's always just gross weight listed, and we take educated guesses at where the weight is or isn't. I might try it for my two bikes just out of curiosity.
  • 4 0
 Not sure if it was just for the photos, but the chain appears a half-link off in the close-ups on the video - so the wide teeth are on the narrow links. That would certainly explain the lack of chain security if it were ridden like that at any point. A 3.8g chain guide certainly wouldn't go amiss either though.
  • 2 0
 That's what praxis recommends for their Shimano compatible chain rings. Mid-summer my shop was having the issue that the Stances and Fathoms we got were specced with the super-boost 0mm offset chainrings, so 3 pedals in granny gear and the chain started a life of it's own. Probably a parts availability thing, so curious if they messed it up here as well.
  • 3 0
 @cavemanf8: The review on Flow mentioned the same issue, so it's clearly something going on with those Praxis rings. Availability or not quite having a product ready for everyone's push to 55mm seems to make sense.
  • 7 0
 Best headlines of 2021 candidate right there.
  • 7 0
 @henryquinney gets the credit for that one. The list of possibilities got a little out of hand...
  • 1 1
 @mikekazimer: I know you guys aren't struggling for content right now, but I'd love to see a "top headlines of 2021" that is unrelated to clicks/views. Maybe better content for the podcast. Cheers.
  • 5 0
 Would have preferred Live valve, laugh, love
  • 1 0
 @me2menow: that was my suggestion, but we went with the original.
  • 2 0
 Nope that's a miss imo. Should have been live valve, laugh, love
  • 1 0
 @me2menow: you beat me to comment pahaha
  • 6 0
 So Giant didn't learn anything about which bike to send PB after the Trance X review...
  • 3 0
 I still can't get past that they've made a frame that can:

1) Theoretically accommodate a full-size water bottle
2) Added inside downtime storage so you can ride without carrying a bag

BUT

3) Fudged it all up by making a closing mechanism for the storage lid that only allows you to carry a small water bottle ‍♂️
  • 3 0
 I love most fox products but live valve looks like a gen 1 prototype compared to flight attendant. All the cables and battery pack looking attachments look so unrefined compared to Rockshox’ integrated units. Fox has some amazing shocks but they need to step up their wireless game.
  • 4 0
 "The Giant feels a bit different. In fact, this feels like a more classic trail bike."

Well, that's because that is exactly what the Trance is. Why are you trying to jam a trail bike in the XC/DC category??
  • 2 0
 Not to say that this guy doesn't have any other way to speak or write, but if you got a nickel for every time he wrote "isn't" "hasn't" "not to say" or especially a combination of those three, you could probably afford a live valve bike.
  • 6 0
 That's gotta hurt at Fox...
  • 5 0
 Tell me Henry got that dashing addition to his ear the same night he got lost in the woods due to some fun mushrooms?
  • 1 0
 What's this? What's up w/ the ear? Checked to see if he was missing an ear or something but didn't see anything...
  • 1 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: haha, just an earring
  • 2 0
 @sorryiamtheboss: Aww, main...but maybe a mushroom-shaped earring? At least HQ seems to still rip, didn't turn soft after the event. Good on him for that.
  • 3 0
 This review reminds me of the Trace X review from a while ago. Could be a great bike, except for the live valve. Again would love a test of the bike with out the electronic crap.
  • 2 0
 It’s great without live valve.
  • 5 0
 Do you have to charge the live valve and what happens when it’s batteries die
  • 2 0
 Yes, the battery needs to be charged.
  • 2 0
 Good questions... ¿battery autonomy? ¿Does it need to calibrate? If so, how often?
  • 5 0
 What ?!? No jokes about Henry Quinney in Trance or even Trance X after mushrooms and beer ? Smile
  • 2 0
 Narrow wide rings are awesome. The offset design MRP developed is hot garbage. Like Reverb posts and Crank Bros. pedals, despite a proven track record of poor performance, these hunks of crap continue to get OEM spec. The real bummer is Praxis made the best shifting non-Shimano rings I ever tried. Not sure why they couldn't make a narrow wide ring as good.
  • 2 0
 I also wonder if they tried to remove a link. I had brand new bikes have one or two many links on the chain out of the box before. It happens.
  • 2 0
 @makripper: Nope, chain was the right length.
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: did you try remove a link?
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: Did Praxis send Giant the wrong chainring offset. Is it 0mm or 3mm
  • 1 0
 Is this marketed towards all the riders who constantly forget to either lock or unlock their forks and shocks, then use it as an excuse of why they either did not have fun, or couldn't keep up? Sometimes I don't think my dentist even remembers my name.
  • 3 2
 Interesting that in the conclusion it says this version pf live valve is better than the previous one, because the article to me doesn't read like that. I remember being much more intrigued by LV reading the Trance X review. To me the LV in this review just sounds like a PITA. How was it improved compared to the previous version?
  • 5 0
 I've ridden both and the most noticeable difference to me was how this newer version blends the modes much better and seems less intrusive. With LV 1.0, I could feel it work on the descents, and not in a good way. It really affected the bike's traction, and we were testing it on some very rooty trails in the wet - not ideal. This newer LV 1.5 doesn't seem to do that - it's much less intrusive.
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy: I test rode Live Valve earlier this year, came away feeling that it was most advantageous on the fork if you get out of the saddle and 'honk' the bike around. We've learned not to do that because of having gooey suspension forks, but full-rigid riding racers do it, so perhaps re-learning the habit could be a race-winning move. It seems a self contained Live Valve fork might also forego the rats nest of wires, and could be something which Fox could sell after market (was Terralogic aftermarket?). Do you have any thoughts?

Also, GWAR (Giant Water & Accessory Repository)
  • 3 0
 @DirtBagTim: GNAR: Giant Nosh & Accessory Repository
  • 1 0
 @pipm1: that is better. I was thinking GNAT, but then we'd need a translation to MIDGIE for Scotland
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: so in conclusion, they've finally managed to make an expensive and complex system that doesn't make the bike worse than one without it?
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: Great to see you and Kaz back in the same room!!!! Been waiting for this...
  • 5 1
 Life is a lot better if you don't agonize over suspension minutiae. Promise.
  • 2 0
 No offence intended to any of the other presenters, but if you put Cathro and Levy on everything i would highly consider an outside membership. They're instant clicks when i see their names on anything.
  • 1 0
 Cathro is a brilliant cat, love that guy. Henry knows his shiz, just not sure he's fully recovered from the shrooms, give it time.
  • 2 1
 Lol, Live Valve is such a bad idea for bikes. A electronic wireless rider controlled switch to change between open and firm modes on the fork/shock would be a way better product. The cable systems that do this are mostly all junk.
  • 1 0
 Giant sent the only model that has Live Valve. None of the other carbon or aluminum models or the frame only have Live Valve spec. It is a shame as I think the review would have been outstanding for this model otherwise. Also Giant Australia has all the photos and specs up on their website. Beautiful bikes....especially the frame only.
  • 1 0
 Hey @mikelevy and @mikekazimer - these field tests are entertaining and super useful, thanks for putting them together!

As a follow up that would be super cool, please take one of the favorite bikes from each category (downcountry and trail) and do a field test for the different respective tires in each category.

For example downcountry: (same front rear)
(1) Front: Schwalbe Wicked Will, Rear: Schwalbe Wicked Will;
(2) Front: Maxxis Rekon, Rear: Maxxis Rekon
(3) Front: Vittoria Syerra, Rear: Vittoria Syerra
(4) Front: Specialized Ground Control: Rear: Ground Control
(mixed front rear)
(5) Front: Schwalbe Nobby Nic, Rear: Schwalbe Wicked Will
(6) Front: Maxxis Dissector, Rear: Maxxis Rekon
(7) Front: Vittoria Aggaro, Rear: Vittoria Syerra
(Cool Front: Specialized Butcher/Eliminator : Rear: Ground Control
  • 1 0
 Testing tyres is a bit of a tough one as they each perform differently in different conditions. So one reviewer might say one pair corners amazingly and another would say its sub par.
  • 1 0
 Shimano and Fox still sticking with wires. They just are not going to keep up, keep our interest, or be competitive with SRAM as long as they stick to such conservative things. It's just like how Shimano wouldn't let go of the front derailleur for so long. And don't get me wrong, I'm not pleased about it. I want to see strong competition here. I will stick to SRAM/Rockshox for now but hoping for something better to come along from a great competitor.
  • 1 0
 Are Giant still using those cheap rear hubs?
Any idea how many engagement points those rear hubs provide?

I remember reviewing several Giant "Advanced" models 2-3 years ago, and the blingy carbon wheelset only had about ~20 POE's. Also, as far as i recall, it's specified as DT compatible, but uses the PAWL driver, not the ratchet, so it's basically non-upgradeable.
The feel/weight/durability of the wheels was great - but having such a cheap hub on a high end carbon set was ridiculous and felt pretty basic when putting power down. I'm surprised so many reviewers miss this fact... dont know if giant finally changed this, though (as their website doesn't provide any real spec on the hubs)
  • 2 0
 37:25, talking about a BMX background. It gets later and later each week.

Maybe, just maybe in 2 weeks, we won't hear about anybody's BMX background.
  • 1 0
 Is the background a green screen? Idk seems like an awkward disconnect as though the three of them weren't actually together. Which if they did do that, wow really good job quite convincing, the wood looks pretty real.
  • 1 1
 I agree with what y'all said about the Trance not being made for anything too aggressive. As someone who often uses a bike for unintended use, the last model felt nervous and twitchy when really pushing it on the downhills and the new model's geo did not change dramatically. I would often find myself worried if I was going to make it correctly into the turn, as it would bounce erratically down the trail. I think the Trance should only be bought if it is your last option, bikes like the specialized stumpjumper or trek top fuel would be less of a compromise, just decide which one would be better for 90% of your riding.
  • 2 2
 I know this is only the first review in this field test, but Im very interested to see if any of the other bikes can provide the "confidence" Henry was missing with these Wicked Will control tires. Kaz did a review of the tires earlier this year, and from my recollection... he was not impressed by them.
  • 2 1
 These Wicked Will control tires concern me a bit. Kaz did a review on them earlier n the year... He was not impressed. Too many knobs, too close together. "Lack of confidence" may be an ongoing them in this field test.
  • 4 0
 Nah, they worked as intended in Pemberton. They're not Minions, but they're not supposed to be.
  • 1 0
 I just re-read Kaz's first impressions article and couldn't find where he was "not impressed". Seems to me he thought they did the job for their intended use.
  • 1 0
 @bananowy: Yeah… just re-read his initial review, I must have confused it with another. Sorry Kaz.
  • 4 0
 Heavy, climbs slowly, and not great on the descents? TAKE MY MONEY
  • 2 0
 It just seems like another Giant, that's mutton dressed as lamb. Just trying to eeekkk out another couple of years of production with the help of some tech.
  • 3 0
 Is Henry Quinney Tommy from Peaky Blinders?
  • 1 0
 Can you guys equalize the sound a bit better? I'm trying to watch this at work and can barely hear your voices but my boss hears the intro and transition music down the hall.
  • 1 0
 Basically my SantaCruz Tallboy with a glove box... well, I like it. Waiting for the trance X frame to be shipped any time soon Wink
  • 3 1
 29 lbs, holy shit. That makes me feel better about my full coil Top Fuel being 28 lbs lol
  • 2 0
 Yup. I was intrigued as a back up option should my choice bike not come thru next year. But this is 4lbs heavier and that ain't what I want in a 120mm downcountry bike.
  • 3 0
 @CarlMega: wheelset and live valve
  • 2 0
 Question of the day:
In the history of Pinkbike has the word "slower" appeared more often in any bike test?
  • 3 0
 Anyone remember the Giant NRS designs? Zero sag.
  • 1 0
 I do! I remember them saying someone from Renault F1 designed the suspension, I think... not that it was any good.
  • 1 0
 zero sag is easy with a tight enough shock bushing.
  • 5 0
 We used to call that Not Really Suspension back in the day..
  • 3 1
 I love 120mm carbon bikes but Giant has made a bike here where not a single aspect interests me.
  • 1 0
 Anyone else see Greg Minaars Instagram post with what looked like live valve on an X2? Interested in what's going on there for sure since that shock is great for enduro too.
  • 5 3
 Please stop auto play of videos on Pinkbike
  • 3 0
 FireFox blocks videos from auto-playing by defaultSmile
  • 1 0
 This will answer all questions on Live Valve - www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jz7bcz8HO0
  • 2 0
 How about more shots of the bike itself than MBA bike model dude.
  • 1 0
 What, for the love of god, is up with the jazzy Casio elevator music at the end of this vid?
  • 2 0
 Is Henry six foot tall , six foot two or six foot tool?
  • 3 1
 Give 1 reason to buy this over a carbon stumpy. Go!
  • 2 0
 Thanks for mentioning the frame routing option for people who run moto.
  • 2 3
 Glad it is heavier. Maybe the frame won't crack as easily this time around. Two cracked frames. Sadly I didn't read the details of the 'Composite Confidence' to know the second one wouldn't be covered.
  • 2 0
 Cracked frame should be under warranty not carbon confidence. I’m currently on my 3rd 2020 Reign frame and they never had an issue warranting my second frame because it was a warranty. If you crashed you bike and that’s what broke it, then it would be carbon confidence and that only is good for 1 bike.
  • 1 0
 What's the actual seat angle number? And where do they measure effective from (stack height?) ?
  • 2 0
 Giant supply a non live valve bike for Field Test challenge.
  • 2 0
 Summary of the review "Live valve strikes again"
  • 2 0
 TL : DR - Live valve still sucks
  • 2 0
 frame weight?
  • 2 0
 with or without all the wires?
  • 1 0
 Summary:
Pros - Live valve
Cons - Live valve
  • 2 0
 I spy a V-brake noodle.
  • 2 1
 That head tube is absolutely massive!
  • 2 0
 it basically begs to put the damn live box inside of it
  • 2 1
 Does anyone make 29" wheels with 180mm fork or is that not a thing
  • 4 0
 Propain spindrift
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: oh nice thank you!
  • 3 0
 Cube Stereo 170 TM
  • 1 0
 Kaz has a great poker face.
  • 1 0
 Why is Henry sitting in a chair that's so much higher than the other two?
  • 1 0
 Levy has a ridiculous inseam for his height.
  • 1 0
 It's a sad state of affairs that $7 THOUSAND USD is not a con.
  • 1 1
 "The bike is built around Giant's maestro suspension system." Correction, it's built around Dave Weagle's DW Link.
  • 1 0
 Looks like Giant!
  • 2 3
 Looks like a session.....
  • 1 2
 Biggest story here is the FSA crank spec
  • 11 0
 The crank and chainring is Praxis. And the terrible chainring design is the main reason for excessing chain drops. The way they do it is alternating teeth off the centerline to contact the inside and outside plates of the chain. They claim it's better at shedding mud than other designs, but I've found the chain falls off if you look at it funny, especially compared to Sram, Shimano, Race Face, and Wolftooth rings I've used.
  • 3 0
 @blensen: add to that this thing has a KMC chain instead of the Shimano and no wonder it was dropping off. The Shimano 12 speed stuff has so much retention that a new chain and spocket cause brutal suck and grinding if you skip the lube even just a little...
  • 2 0
 @blensen: Worst chainrings I’ve ever used. On the mtb and gravel bike, totally crap!
  • 2 0
 @blensen: hahahahaahhahaahha. Epic call out. Shows you how much I followed both praxis and Fsa launches
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.072025
Mobile Version of Website