Giant Trance SX 27.5 - Trail Bike of the Year - Contender

What Mountain Bike's 2016 test of the best mountain bikes has found a winner. We'll be bringing you video reviews of the top 12 bikes over the next few weeks, including this Giant Trance SX.
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[@KidBiff]

Been on mine since June 2016. Overall this bike has been AWESOME. I mostly ride in the desert southwest (U.S.), Phoenix mountains, Sedona, thereabouts. Works great, the Fox suspension is over the top cool, especially the Talus Fork feature, the bike climbs like a mountain goat and the downhill bomb runs are handled with ease. the only complaint is the Sram Guide brakes. Junk IMO! I had to warranty them twice in two months for the master cylinder pistons locking up. The local shop mechanic gave me all sorts of excuses why, from some Sram upgraded part, to it, "being too hot in Arizona and the parts in the master cylinder expanding too much and locking up." I finally got fed up with them and replaced them with Shimano XT's. Never looked back. The Sram 1x11 is flawless and I love it (coming from a 2x9). Would I buy it again? Hell yea, but Sram needs to get their shit together on their crappy brakes!

[@two_broberni7233]

They can fix the probleme witb srams brakes i still run them they change the cylinder for a other one now

[@mkim64]

I like Guy. Proper rider, no fuss.

[@ogden99]

I've got a 2015 Trance SX and love it

[@SamoraksTechnicVehiclesYtube]

+Callum Ogden I have a normal Trance and have been looking to go for a 160 fork. Does the front feel lofty at all on your bike?

[@ogden99]

Maybe a little bit but it's dual position so you can nock it down to 140 when you need to 

[@CircusNormal]

+Samorak's Technic Vehicles Why would you put 160mm travel on a normal trance?? It would just void your warranty, fuck up the entire geometry and your rear suspension wouldn't work properly either! Why people insist on thinking longer travel forks are the way forward is a mystery to me however if you want make climbing a real fucking ball ache just so you can tell your mates you have big travel forks then crack on!

[@ogden99]

My 2015 trance sx has 160/140 dual position pikes so think geometry would be fine and why would it void warranty?

[@CircusNormal]

The SX is different as it allows for a slacker head angle. He said he had a normal Trance, maximum travel for that is 150mm and even that is pushing it!

[@deecarter1059]

Tom always has a smile on his face when he passes us over to Guy Kesteven. I think it's because he knows he could easily tell us how the bike rides without handing over to anybody.

[@garywinslow5607]

Love this bike. Would be a great buy if you ride predominantly UK trail centres, where you do a bit of everything. Always get a classy frame and decent kit from Giant too.

[@TallPaulswall]

I went with the trance 27.5 1 2016 love it great bike for all round use..👍🏻😀

[@bkxc]

3:20 Guy has a different outfit on for this one!

[@TomMarvin1]

+BK-XC we made him swap half way through the videos ;)

[@theelusiveone147]

Is there a different between 2014, 2015, and 2016 XS?

[@mackymaca]

Nice review! Worthy of consideration, this rig.

[@Mroscoe47]

1:40 when you ride mountain bikes for a living but still ball is life

[@chefarmstrong]

why is the cable housing so long?

[@thomaswhudson]

How does this bike compare to the newer 2018 Trance 2 or 3? Did they base the new Trance off of this one?

[@leonardonibal5012]

I got the Trance 2 and ny buddy has the SX model and he said its the same as my Trance 2

[@31acruz]

Great video!

[@koukimonzta]

so this is a better choice over the Reign 2

[@aleks.r.1237]

I would definitely replace it for my ltd 2

[@miamoben]

So according to BikeRadar the Trance SX sits somewhere between 7-12 place overall

[@stewartsummerside2971]

The Trance sx is 160mm to 160mm talas I'v got the Trance advanced which is 140mm

[@skelemor3110]

+BikeRadar i got a hack tie a string around wheel hub and it will clean the hub by itself. it works

[@soumilsharma5109]

or u could just use a rag

[@user-wp1qk3we7p]

What's the brand of jersey in 1:11 as well as Guy Kesteven wear in 2:34? They're both awesome

[@Qinton123]

This bike is 160mm front and 140mm back unlike the regular trance

[@sil3ntwar]

+Quinton G Yep 140-160 TALAS fork up front. Works well as 160 can be a bit much for the steep climbs.

[@Tuckersteward]

What is the intro song? (not Darude - Sandstrom)

[@tohjunhong6905]

Dastorm sandrude

[@Tuckersteward]

Toh JunHong you don't even spell it right

[@tohjunhong6905]

+Tucker Steward oz cof ie speff if righffz

[@Tuckersteward]

Toh JunHong ???

[@Stonedassassin100]

Why isnt the Giant Reign a contender?..That bike rips so hard, love mine😋

[@CircusNormal]

+tay420 Because its an enduro bike ya chump!

[@CorzIlla]

Specialised? or Giant ?

[@mickdundee4638]

Giant, why would it be specialized if the frame says Giant and the video says it as well

[@CorzIlla]

meaning- which is "better".

[@mickdundee4638]

Corz Illa giant generally has bikes that give you a lot of bike for your money and in my opinion they look nicer than most specialized bikes but that just my opinion, there really is no "better" bike it's all a matter of preference but to someone who is starting mountain bike riding I would recommend Giant

[@MarinStipkovic]

What's up with the extra long dropper cable?

[@BugleBoy1990]

+stipzao You need that extra loop of cable so you can pull the dropper completely out of the seat tube and disconnect the cable on the bottom of the post to remove it. Any "stealth" mounted dropper post will have that. I think the reason this one seems to stick out more is that the dropper cable is routed over the top of the brake lever instead of underneath it.

[@BugleBoy1990]

+stipzao EDIT: Just realized that they put the seat post as far down as it can go which means that the bottom of the dropper post is even further into the frame than normal. This causes even more cable to stick out since it has to have a minimum length or else you would be unable to remove the dropper post as I mentioned above.

[@fatyowls]

Giant trance or Devinci Troy...?

[@zombiberioni7224]

this bike is nice

[@trongnghianguyen1605]

what's the begin song ?

[@mathieumartin2967]

amazing bike. I don't like its handlebar, 800mm is too big and I don't like its shape. (would be worst if cut). Stem 20mm too long. Best fork ever ridden. Don't think of this bike like a xc-trail bike, it's definitely an enduro. Can't sait summer to test it on my favorite trails and bikepark

[@CircusNormal]

+mathieu frcsnx Its not an enduro bike mate!

[@mathieumartin2967]

+Brody Cross did you ride it?

[@CircusNormal]

Ride what?

[@CircusNormal]

A Trance?? Yeah, I've got one. Upgraded to fuck too!! And its still not an Enduro bike, The Reign is Giants Enduro bike not the Trance!

[@thebikerextreme5975]

Can you guys tell me what the song from the intro is?

[@ciansmart4181]

+TheBikerExtreme Darude - Sandstorm

[@t_rafter15]

darude sandstorm

[@Goodman-4525]

do you guys recommend getting a trance 3(it's WAY cheaper) and swapping a 160 mm fork and swap out the narrow bars and long stem ? +BikeRadar

[@mickdundee4638]

Why do you want 160mm anyway? Most of the money is in wheels and drivetrain, not the extra 2cm of suspension lmao

[@Goodman-4525]

+Mick Dundee because I want (a bit) more travel but I don't want to pay double the price, besides, I don't need XO1 anyway

[@mickdundee4638]

Goodman 4525 where abouts do you live anyway? 140mm is easily enough on most terrain as long as you set up the fork right so it's not as plush towards the end of it by using spacers

[@Goodman-4525]

Hong Kong

[@evanallen3402]

Someone needs cable management

[@evanallen5949]

bro wtf how are you me

[@Chickenjoe_99]

How man times they gonna use the same action shots holy fuuck

[@RxMTB]

Still can't decide, Trance Adv 1 or Devinci Troy RS. blehhhh

[@trinh2010]

Like your videos but the hand talking is distracting!

[@forester424]

140 rear and 160/140 mm adjustable front travel. The presenter got it wrong.

[@juanayala6557]

come on! review the peoples version of it! this is a $4500 bike

[@RobertBrownieJr]

800mm bars are the way forward.

[@iSangreVerde]

Damm I'm early haha