Giant launches the all-new Trance X

With flip-chip technology, the Trance X is designed to do-everything

Jessica Strange

Nov 1 2021

Is it a downhill bike or an enduro bike? Well, it's neither just as much as it is both, according to Giant. The all-new Trance X full-suspension mountain bike is a fast-rolling all-mountain machine capable of conquering the best British trails.

The new Trance X is only available with an ALUXX SL 6061 aluminium frame, boasting a lightweight and robust chassis. Giant has incorporated a flip-chip feature to adjust the frame's geometry depending on the trail and terrain. Built into the Maestro suspension system's Advanced Forged Composite rocker arm, the flip-chip allows you to change the head angle from 63.8 to 64.5 degrees, and the seat tube angle adjusts from 76.3 to 77.0 degrees (in a medium frame). Switching the geometry also changes the bottom bracket drop from 20mm in the high setting to 30mm in the low setting.

With a 27.5" wheelsize and boost hub spacing for lateral stiffness, the frame allows high-volume tires up to 2.6".

Enabling full-trail control is the Maestro suspension system with 145mm of rear-wheel travel and is built for a longer travel 160mm fork. According to Giant, "Maestro's near-vertical wheel path and linear spring curve allow the rear suspension to remain sensitive to both small and big impacts without "packing up" under rapid, successive hits or bottoming out from big hits." Centralising Maestro's moving parts and components, including the linkages, shock, pivots and hardware, provides a low centre of gravity, which helps improve the bike's overall handling on the trail.

Without chainstay or seatstay pivots, the swingarm is constructed from a single piece for supreme rear-end stiffness. Maestro's upper rocker arms feature trunnion shock mounts, which produce a lower leverage ratio on rear shock compression for better pedalling and braking efficiency.

The Giant Trance X is available in three build options and colourways:

The Trance X 1 comes in a black/smoke colourway, a Fox 36 Performance Elite fork with 160mm travel, coupled with a Fox Float X Performance Elite rear shock. The drivetrain is kitted with SRAM GX Eagle components and SRAM Code R brakes - RRP £3,999.

The Trance X 2 is painted in a hematite/slate grey design. Equipped with Fox 36 Rhythm forks boasting 160mm travel, the suspension system is finished with a Fox Float DPS Performance shock. Components include an SRAM NX drivetrain with Shimano Deore brakes - RRP £3,099.

The final model in the fleet is the Trance X 3 in a grey/black colourway. The suspension system features a RockShox Yari RC and Fox Float DPS Performance rear shock. The drivetrain and brakes are provided by Shimano Deore - RRP £2,799.

Check out the full spec and range of the all-new Trance X mountain bikes on Giant's website.

Author block

Jessica Strange

Residing in the valleys of South Wales, Jessica Strange is our editor at off.road.cc. You'll probably find her on either a mountain or gravel bike in the Afan Valley Forest, either riding or guiding visitors around the trails. As a qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica isn't riding her bike, you can bet she's tinkering with one! When not fettling with bikes or blowing her legs out on the trails, self-proclaimed tea-addict Jessica is a colossal sci-fi fanatic.