PRETTY PERFECT

Share | |
Giant's 'phenominally light' Trance X Advanced Sl 0
Giant’s new Trance X Advanced SL 0 goes through Singletrack Magazine’s ‘Grinder’ in the February issue which is currently on sale. Five weeks of intensive everyday testing later and Giant’s ‘phenominally light’ 5 inch Maestro equipped, trail taming monster left tester Matt Letch grinning.

The Trance X Advanced SL has a ‘very strong, very light’ frame thanks to the specially produced T800 raw carbon coming from Giant’s own C-Tech facility andadvanced construction techniques;

“Aesthetically the front end looks very tough with huge main tubes and tapered headtube, it looks like it could handle anything!”

Giant’s Maestro suspension platform which is fully active over all types of terrain and unaffected by pedalling or braking forces let Matt fly up ascents with ease and he ‘even had some breath to speak’ as he climbed;

“With the recent weather we’ve had, it’s ability to grip uphill on icy cobbles is incredible: while others had got off in disgust as their bikes spat traction this just kept going”

A bike that is so good at climbing could be excused for being a little twitchy on the descents but no need for excuses for the Trance X Advanced SL;

“..the rear suspension is so active it just swallowed up anything; rocks, roots, the lot.”

The finishing is ‘basically a wish list of top-notch kit’, with Giant’s new Contact SLR XC Riser Bar’s feeling ‘bang on’. All in all ‘it’s a great, light bike.’

“..the suspension is so capable of swallowing stuff relative to it’s travel it’s surprising what it’ll ride through…it’s totally capable of being raced on and you’re not going to be able to blame the bike if you’re not in the top ten.”
February 11, 2010