7-13-07 // Online Exclusive: Giant Bicycle's 2008 Release
The Trance X0's frame is half polished and half bead blasted before being clear anodized for a unique and durable finish.
Chris Milliman |
Giant Bicycles recently invited us to see and ride their new 2008 bikes at Northstar Resort near Lake Tahoe. Their line of full-suspension mountain bikes is slowly expanding as well as getting lighter so they were eager to show off the new hardware on some great Tahoe trails.
New lightweight Maestro-suspended frames have been designed for three models in the Giant lineup: The 4.2-inch travel Trance, the all-new 5-inch travel Trance X and the 6-inch travel Reign. These bikes were the highlight of the show while the Anthem, Trance Advanced, Reign X and Glory frames remain unchanged except for finish. Giant also brought the XtC hardtail back with an exotic aluminum-carbon hybrid frame.
The new frames no longer have top tube cable routing or water bottle fitment issues on small sizes, and their new derailleur hangers have been moved inboard to reduce the chances of them being damaged or torn off. The Maestro suspension on all of these frames functions the same as it did before; although the linkages have been moved upwards slightly, all the crucial dimensions remain unchanged.
The Trance features the same 4.2-inches of travel as before but is 250 grams (8.8 percent) lighter than in ’07 and is said to have a 10.5 percent stiffer headtube.
The Trance X is new to Giant and is the bike I rode in Tahoe. This is a 5-inch travel trail bike with the capability to take some added punishment compared to the Trance at almost no weight penalty. The frame weighs a paltry 6 grams more than the new ’08 Trance yet it’s 13.75 percent stiffer than the ’07 Trance and only 200 grams heavier than the 3.5-inch travel Anthem, a cross-country race bike. A women’s version of the Trance X, called the Cipher, with a shorter top tube will be available in four sizes.
The Reign model has gone on the biggest diet of them all. This frame is now 738 grams (1.62 pounds!) lighter than the 2007 version. The Reign gets 6 inches of travel and has a 23 percent stiffer head tube than before.
The new frames receive substantial weight reductions and stiffness improvements without increasing costs through the use of fewer forged parts, more formed tubing, increased manufacturing control and extensive FEA testing. The best example of creative weight saving is illustrated by the combining of the lower shock mount bolt and lower-forward rear linkage bolt. In 2007 these were separate bolts, but in ’08 one bolt shares dual functions—simpler and lighter.
The new frame finishes are almost all anodized, but start with a polished frame that gets masked and then partly bead blasted. So portions of the graphics are literally etched right into the frame. No more scratches in your paint job, and the polished portions really show off the fine workmanship.
How does the new Trance X ride? After two days spent exploring the likes of Northstar and portions of the Tahoe Rim trail I can predict that Giant will have a hit with the new Trance X. More riding time is needed for sure, but at sub-27 pounds for the Trance X0 model (and the capability to dive into the 25-26 pound range with a lighter parts selection), this bike has more travel per pound than almost anything on the market. And at $3500 retail, it’s half the price of several chi-chi carbon super-bikes from other big-name manufacturers.
The Maestro suspension performs as advertised—it pedals efficiently, absorbs shock well and does so independently of braking forces. Also, Bike magazine managing editor Kip Mikler just completed the B.C. Bike Race, a 7-day stage race in British Columbia, on a Trance X and was happy with the bike’s performance. Look for Kip’s full review of the bike in an upcoming issue of Bike magazine.
Check out a complete gallery of images from Giant's Northstar launch including studio images of the new bikes HERE.
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