;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
Pit Pass: Adam Craig's Trance X 29er
13 juillet 2012
When the all-new Giant Trance X 29er was officially unveiled at the Crankworx Les 2 Alpes event in France this week, it marked the completion of a year-long development process for the breakthrough 5-inch-travel trail bike. During that time, Rabobank-Giant cross-country rider Adam Craig was riding, racing, and winning on prototype versions of the bike.
Craig, a seven-time U.S. national champion in Super D racing, was uniquely qualified to help develop this new 29er. He’s a veteran World Cup XC racer who also competes in gravity-oriented disciplines like enduro and Super D—and it helps that Craig lives in Bend, Oregon, a Mecca for the type of trail riding the Trance X 29er is made for.
The demands voiced by Craig and other riders who were part of the Trance X 29er project were clear: they didn’t just want the current Trance X, a bike Craig has ridden to many wins, modified to fit larger wheels. They wanted a bike with the benefits of the larger-diameter wheels—stability, control and traction—but it also had to be more agile and “flickable” than the current crop of mid-travel 29er trail bikes.
To that end, Giant engineers came up with a new frame design to shorten the wheelbase and tuck the rear wheel under the rider. One key frame detail is the single-spar rear swingarm, which allowed engineers to shorten the “rear-center” for crisper handling on the trail.
This prototype version of the bike features the same frame materials, geometry and weights as the production version. The 69-degree head angle and 73-degree effective seat angle give it a stable feel on technical descents without compromising its ability to climb. It features Giant’s race-proven Maestro Suspension, along with the OverDrive 2 steerer tube design and new internal cable routing.
The truest test of the Trance X 29er’s versatility came on July 8, when Adam won the 2012 U.S. Super D championship on a demanding course that included an extended climb (more than 6 minutes) and more than 2,000 vertical feet of rough, loose singletrack descending.
Here’s a closer look at Adam’s prototype Trance X 29er:
ADAM CRAIG’S TRANCE X 29ER
Model: Trance X 29er, Size Medium
Frame: ALUXX SL-grade aluminum with Maestro Suspension (5-inch travel)
Shock: Fox RP-23 High Volume
Fork: Fox 32 Float 120mm
Handlebar: PRO Carbon Prototype, 710mm, 9-degree sweep
Grips: ODI Lock-on Ruffians
Stem: PRO Carbon Tharsis
Seatpost: Fox DOSS
Saddle Fizik Tundra2
Pedals: Shimano XTR PDM-980 Race
Rear Shifter: Shimano XTR SLM 980 10-speed
F. Derailleur: N/A
R. Derailleur: Shimano XTR Shadow Plus M-985-GS
Brake calipers: Shimano XTR
Brake levers: Shimano XTR Race
Brake Rotor: Shimano XTR Centerlock, 160mm F&R
Cassette: Shimano XTR, 11-36
Chain: Shimano XTR 10-speed
Crankset: Shimano XTR
Chain Guide: MRP Chain Guide 1.X
BB: Shimano Press Fit BB92
Hubs: Shimano XTR M-980
Rims: Stan’s Race Gold
Rear Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 29” x 2.25 SnakeSkin TL Ready PaceStar
Front Tire: Schwalbe Racing Ralph 29” x 2.25 SnakeSkin TL Ready PaceStar
Bottle cage: Titanium King Cage
Craig, a seven-time U.S. national champion in Super D racing, was uniquely qualified to help develop this new 29er. He’s a veteran World Cup XC racer who also competes in gravity-oriented disciplines like enduro and Super D—and it helps that Craig lives in Bend, Oregon, a Mecca for the type of trail riding the Trance X 29er is made for.
The demands voiced by Craig and other riders who were part of the Trance X 29er project were clear: they didn’t just want the current Trance X, a bike Craig has ridden to many wins, modified to fit larger wheels. They wanted a bike with the benefits of the larger-diameter wheels—stability, control and traction—but it also had to be more agile and “flickable” than the current crop of mid-travel 29er trail bikes.
To that end, Giant engineers came up with a new frame design to shorten the wheelbase and tuck the rear wheel under the rider. One key frame detail is the single-spar rear swingarm, which allowed engineers to shorten the “rear-center” for crisper handling on the trail.
This prototype version of the bike features the same frame materials, geometry and weights as the production version. The 69-degree head angle and 73-degree effective seat angle give it a stable feel on technical descents without compromising its ability to climb. It features Giant’s race-proven Maestro Suspension, along with the OverDrive 2 steerer tube design and new internal cable routing.
The truest test of the Trance X 29er’s versatility came on July 8, when Adam won the 2012 U.S. Super D championship on a demanding course that included an extended climb (more than 6 minutes) and more than 2,000 vertical feet of rough, loose singletrack descending.
Here’s a closer look at Adam’s prototype Trance X 29er:
ADAM CRAIG’S TRANCE X 29ER
Model: Trance X 29er, Size Medium
Frame: ALUXX SL-grade aluminum with Maestro Suspension (5-inch travel)
Shock: Fox RP-23 High Volume
Fork: Fox 32 Float 120mm
Handlebar: PRO Carbon Prototype, 710mm, 9-degree sweep
Grips: ODI Lock-on Ruffians
Stem: PRO Carbon Tharsis
Seatpost: Fox DOSS
Saddle Fizik Tundra2
Pedals: Shimano XTR PDM-980 Race
Rear Shifter: Shimano XTR SLM 980 10-speed
F. Derailleur: N/A
R. Derailleur: Shimano XTR Shadow Plus M-985-GS
Brake calipers: Shimano XTR
Brake levers: Shimano XTR Race
Brake Rotor: Shimano XTR Centerlock, 160mm F&R
Cassette: Shimano XTR, 11-36
Chain: Shimano XTR 10-speed
Crankset: Shimano XTR
Chain Guide: MRP Chain Guide 1.X
BB: Shimano Press Fit BB92
Hubs: Shimano XTR M-980
Rims: Stan’s Race Gold
Rear Tire: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 29” x 2.25 SnakeSkin TL Ready PaceStar
Front Tire: Schwalbe Racing Ralph 29” x 2.25 SnakeSkin TL Ready PaceStar
Bottle cage: Titanium King Cage
