With the RP2 shock’s rebound damping set in the middle, the bike rebounded nicely into its neutral position and liked to stay at the set sag when not absorbing trail obstacles. The Maestro suspension soaked up the small stuff well and offered just enough progression to absorb medium and big hits with an almost-bottomless feel. The 27.2lb (12.3kg) weight on our size XL with a mid-range build definitely wasn’t going to offer any excuses on sluggish climbing performances, either. A quick flip of the lever to ProPedal, however, and it climbed with the best of them. Yet momentum on flats and climbs was unhindered by the added bulk usually associated with such a stable handling platform.Ĭlimbing on the Trance X1 with the Fox RP2 rear shock fully open was perfectly efficient while seated but did get a little bouncy while cranking out of the saddle. Recovery from directional errors was noticeably improved over a standard tapered system, and the new-found stiffness was a boon on high-speed trails like Porcupine Rim, too, offering precision steering that was only limited by rider nerve and slower traffic. Giant’s new OverDrive 2 tapered steerer standard – which bumps the top bearing size from 1-1/8 to 1-1/4in, while leaving the bottom bearing at 1-1/2in – allowed our 15QR, 32mm-stanchioned Fox Float to flirt with the same kind of stiffness as the aforementioned forks.
On steep, rocky and rough descents like Moab’s Portal Trail where 36mm stanchions and 20mm through-axles are the weapons of choice, the Trance X1’s front end held its ground amazingly well.
Similarly, the 17.1in chainstays are short enough to give the bike a playful feel but long enough to keep the rear end stable at high speeds. The bottom bracket is high enough that you can pedal through an impressive amount of rough stuff, but low enough to offer a nice, anchored feeling through turns and on steep trail.
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