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Giant Trance X adds travel and 27.5″ wheels

Aluminum frame trail bike targets rowdy singletrack with adjustable geometry

2022 Giant Trance X

Giant’s Trance line is constantly evolving. The trail bike moved to 29″ wheels and short travel, then added the Trance X with more suspension and tougher parts. Now, Giant’s pushing the Trance X more towards rowdy fun with 27.5″ wheels, an aluminum frame and even longer travel.

2022 Giant Trance X
Matthew Sterling rides the Trance X in California. Photo: Ryan Cleek

2022 Trance X shifts focus

It wasn’t long ago that Giant moved the Trance platform to 29″ wheels. Why shift back so soon? Well, the Trance keeps its wagon wheels and carbon fibre frame. It is only the Trance X that moves to 27.5.” That decision is aimed to match the bike’s purpose. As a little burlier version of the Trance, with more travel, it’s all about fun.

How much travel? With the move to 27.5″ wheels, Giant shifts the rear suspension from 135mm to 145mm, and from 150-mm forks to 160-mm. This is still shy of the Reign, Giant’s full-on eduro bike. Instead, the Trance is focused on hitting a wider range of trails than the Trance, but without the single-minded focus on speed of the Reign.

That’s also why the bike only comes in aluminum. Shifting to an alloy frame, though still keeping the composite rocker link, makes for a tough Trance X that won’t break easily, or break the bank. The Trance X 3 starts from $3,600. The top-end alloy Trance X 1 is still in the $5,400 range.

Maestro makes the Trance X change tunes

Giant’s adjustable geometry feature carries over from the previous Trance X 29 to the 27.5 version.Switching from “low” to “high” settings changes the head tube angle from a slack 63.8-degrees to 64.5 and the seat tube from 76.3 to 77.0-degrees. That also changes the bottom bracket drop from 30mm in low to 20mm in high.

The different settings give the Trance X a different feel. In low, the slacker geometry is more stable for riding at higher speeds. Switch to high and the steeper geo is suited for tighter, more technical trails.

2022 Giant Trance X – pricing and spec

Three models will be available, all with aluminum frames and 27.5″ wheels. Each comes in four size, from S to XL.

The top-end bike runs Fox 36 Performance Elite forks with a Float X Performance Elite shock and SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain and Code R brakes (200m rotor front, 180mm rear).

For the Trance X 2, that switches to a Fox 36 Rhythm fork, Float DPS Performance shock, Shimano Deore M520 brakes and SRAM NX Eagle driverain.

The Trance 3 runs on a RockShox Yari RC fork, Fox Float DPS Performance Shock, Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain and Deore M420 brakes.

All three run on Maxxis Assegai 27.5×2.6″ MaxxTerra EXO front tires and Maxxis Minion DHRII 27.5×2.6 MaxxTerra EXO tubeless rear tires.

2022 Giant Trance X pricing

Trance X 1 – $5,400.00
Trance X 2 – $4,300.00
Trance X 3 – $3,600.00