I’m looking at getting a Trance X 29er, something like this:

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.trance.x.29er.1/11852/56868/

I like to do my own maintenance wherever possible.

These bikes have ‘OD2’ increased fork steerer diameter, which then knocks on to headset cups and stem. http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/technology/overdrive.2/50/

It also has a ‘Powercore’ BB: “The oversized bottom bracket and chainstay area features a fully integrated 86mm wide BB design.”

Anyone know what that means? Does it need special (longer spindle) cranks and BB? What kind of BB does it take?

Overall am I letting myself into a world of pain here with special, hard to obtain, parts and tools, (and trips to a dealer that’s miles away)?

(Ta)

Matt, I am thinking the same thing, but my posts on the other thread have me thinking (a little cryptic but I think you get my meaning!). Will still demo but worried about…

…perhaps I should be thinking cube, lappiere or transition (sorry cryptic again!). You know them well. Would you agree?

BB is just bb90 pressfit,hope do one now so that’s sorted 🙂
OD2 uses a lower bearing which is easily sourced but the upper one is proprietary and only available via giant as a complete £45 headset 😐
Syntace and ritchey do compatible stems though neither are particularly easy to source.

It’s just a press fit bb and od2 uses a 1 1/4 stem

I’ve put a sm-bb91 with spacer on mine

@hurtmore personally I try and DIM as much as poss, it’s less hassle in the end. I don’t think any of the ‘L’ BSs are Giant dealers anyway.

mail in profile if you want to chat

others – thanks for help.

A bit concerned re proprietary lock in on the headset (and forks).

Handy: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/workshop-how-to-service-bb30-press-fit-bottom-brackets-29544/

OD2 is 1 1/2 bottom and 1 1/4 top. So the bottom is the same as a standard tapered system the only difference is at the top.

So, you need a 1 1/4 stem, which isn’t common but there are a few manufacturers. You can also use a 1 1/2 stem with a shim.

Also, the outer dimensions of the headset are the same as a standard tapered system. It’s just the bearing that is a bit thinner. So, you can convert to a normal tapered forks quite easily by changing the top cup (or maybe just the bearing) if you want.

It’s a pain I agree, but I wouldn’t rule out a good bike just because it uses OD2

If I buy OD2 now am I an “early adopter” (with the risks that entails)?

So, you can convert to a normal tapered forks quite easily by changing the top cup (or maybe just the bearing) if you want.

Handy, thx.

Is this Giant’s first year with OD2. Anyone other brands spec’ing it?

(Currently it’s between the Trance and a Whyte T129. I already have a lovely 29r HT that I run rigid and SS, but can gear and sus if I want. I want a bike to cover the rest).

Whyte’s M109 looks lovely too but I may as well go for a fs trail bike more-differenter than the roles my HT can do.

A Santa Claus Tallboy carbon would be the ultimate, but I’m not willing to pay the price for a bike that won’t get frequent use.

Canyon use 1 1/4 stems too

Giant used OD2 on some models (0 and 1) of the Trance last year (but not the lower models). As usual with Giant the frame is the same accross the range, but my X2 uses a stanad tapered fork and 1 1/8 stem. Not sure if the difference is the top half of the headset or just the bearing, but the frame is the same.

I’ve recently looked into this, due to having a Trance X 29er1 that I managed to bend the stanchions and the steerer at the same time 🙁
Frame is standard size for headsets so you can swap to a 1 1/8 fork by swapping the upper headset, Mojo have replacement stanchions from stock in OD2.
I nearly swapped to Revs from CRC but when pricing it up it was cheaper to get the OD2 fox forks fixed than do the swap. Forks were posted to Mojo on the Monday and were back in my hand on the Friday (went through LBS because it was cheaper). Unfortunately the shoulder took longer to fix.
I’m in Reading if you’re close and want to have a look.
HTH
SM

How do you like your Trances folks? A buy in 29?

(sm chapeau ! Do tell how you managed to bend them!!)

Out of interest Matt, are you also considering an anthem 29? I seem to remember that you are a speed machine and the anthem would fly round most of the areas we ride. When I tested one around pItch last year, it took me an hour to stop smiling it was such fun!

Or perhaps you are like me? I was set on athem or epic (cost?) but the my head was turned by the new Trance being 29er, dropper post included, and v positive reviews so far. I didn’t get on with trail bikes such as fuel ex and to a lesser extent stumpy’s (despite both being great bikes) last summer, but I am looking forward to testing Trance and Anthem again head-to-head next week. I also going to try a cube pro 120 AMS which seem to have a strong following from Nirvana but not so much from magazine reviews. Apparently it’s simon’s go to bike!

Well my Trance has those old fashioned little wheels, so I guess it’s not relevant. But it is surprisingly versatile bike. Efficient and responsive enough for general XC duties but capable enough to ride down anything I have the nerve to tackle (which isn’t saying much I’ll admit).

When I’m not riding it I often think about changing to something else, with 29ers figuring heavily in my daydreams. Then I ride it and realize that it really is pretty damn good for anything I ride.

I like the forks on the “1” version, they seem to do the job!
I managed to bend them in a freak accident which involved me landing very wrong on the front wheel, and also being fast enough to bend the bars and leave lovely handlebar shaped bruises across both thighs, I then landed the remainder of my body weight on the top of my head and my shoulder (my head of course was fine, however my shoulder required casualty and 6 weeks in a sling, back to the fracture clinic in March for a further check over)
Ended up with the crown twisted so one stanchion was bent back about 5 degrees and the steerer was bent inside the handlebar stem.
The Giant uppy downy seatpost seems to work fine with my excessive body weight, but it’s only had 6 weeks of use so far so no idea of long term reliability.

Bike seems able to handle pretty well any terrain that I throw at it.

SM

@tm I’m looking at the Trance because I want a trail bike, very happy with my HT for XC, and I don’t really want any functional overlap between the 2. Do you know there’s a Giant store in Guildford http://www.giant-guildford.co.uk/ I sat on a large Trance, its defo too big for me. The reviews, value and built in dropper defo help. I spent last weekend at CYB on my old Blur manually dropping the seat experimentally, even on the countoury-pedally trails it’s a new world. Get you ass of the saddle!

@sm I can’t even begin to picture … that’s like some warped version of bike-crash Twister.

re the Cube, can’t comment, haven’t ridden it. Worth a try I’m sure. I don’t doubt something else will be hot in a few month time. I do still find myself fancying the Whyte.

mind you the trails I most enjoy are the flowy contoury pedally ones (think Pink Heifer or Dreamtime at CYB), rather than the winch up drop down variety.

maybe I do need an Anthem or an M109.

Matt,
What made you think the large Trance was too big? I’m just over 6 foot and I’m riding a large that’s only 10mm from minimum seat post insertion.
SM

@sm it wasn’t a great test (stood on the floor of the shop) but feet were only just on the floor with the dropper at max drop. obviously that’s no real test as the bike wasn’t supporting any weight.

the reach was a bit far too – I asked about a shorter stem and was advised to stick with a 90mm to keep the weight over the front wheel, otherwise (due to slack HA) it would start to be unweighted and floppy.

salesman was a couple of inches taller than me and said he was happy on a medium (tho at the top end of it)

by all the books I need to try a medium, tho there are no more coming until March. That’s no biggie it gives me a window to try others. They told me demos would be hard too as they’ll all get sold!

on my HT I run a 600mm ETT with a 70mm stem and 750mm bars. I’m a bit odd on sizing!

I’m a big fan of short-stem/wide-bars but can see how that may not work on a slacker bike.

Matt,
Now mine’s back running, you’re welcome to try mine, It’s currently got a 70mm stem on it that I’m trying out.
Was the seatpost all the way in?
With My dropper fully dropped and with the bike set up to ride I can just get both my feet flat on the floor.
I’m close to Reading, so probably not that far from you.
SM

If anyone is looking to combat the 1.25″ steerer situation. I bought a length of alloy pipe, 1.5″ OD x 1.25″ ID so I could shim a 1.5″ 40mm stem.
I machined a 1/8″ slot and it works well, a good interferance fit in the stem and then onto the steerer. Works well.

I also have a giant 60mm stem lying too.

Matt

on my HT I run a 600mm ETT with a 70mm stem and 750mm bars. I’m a bit odd on sizing!

That’s the same set up on my medium Kinesis FF29, other than my bars are 736mm

I’m getting an Anthem 29 X1 for trail riding, all dayers, marathons etc and keeping the HT for local riding and towing mini-me round the woods. I’m 5’11” and I’m going for a medium after trying that & the large. The set up is odd though, nearly all the post out (bar 20mm) the 90mm stem flipped & slammed, but it works for me

Now mine’s back running, you’re welcome to try mine, It’s currently got a 70mm stem on it that I’m trying out.

Thx for the offer, I’m pretty sure a large is too big for me, the Giant shop have Anthems so I’ll ty a medium in that first.

stem flipped & slammed

haha same on my HT. I’m only 5’8″ but I think I have long reach and inside leg for my height (short torso!)

The Trance 29ers come up quite big I think. I’m going to post another picture of mine up cos I love it so much 😳

I’m at Cannock most Sunday morning if anyone wants a test ride.

lol Tom, OK we get it!

I have one on long term test. Without spilling the beans too much, I really like it. The large fits me perfectly. It is particularly good on steep and rocky technical descents and plowing through twisty rocky singletrack. It’s a lovely bit of kit that rolls well. I find Giant to be pretty spot on with their sizing range. The large looks big but doesn’t ride big if that makes sense?

The BB creaks like hell already so I need to strip it and the 160mm rotors (180mm are the factory spec) are a bit too small for big mountain descents. I can still stop but would prefer a bit more power.

Hope this helps.

Sanny

I’m up the chase every week, will keep a eye out

Here’s my baby

Still loving mine, bought as a frame only in November to replace a Sultan. Bb as said is a crappy bb92 and i threw away the FSA headset that came with the frame in favour of Hope top and bottom cups. Now sporting a 130mm Revelation that brings it up to 29 lbs. Full bikes are anabsolute bargain if you can accept the silly fork standard.

So, in switching to the Hope headset did you go “back” to a standard tapered setup then?

Yep its 44/56 id cups for standard tapered fork.

It’s even possible to get a straight 1 1/8″ fork to fit-Hope crown race adaptor, different top bearing ( I fitted one out of a Cane Creek S2) & compression ring. Easy.

Thanks. I read somewhere (can’t remember where) about there being problems using other headsets with the Giant frames due to the insertion depth being a bit shorter than normal. But I don’t think that was a Trance 29er frame, so it sounds as if there is no problem there.

Absolutely no probs with the Hope headset,.

Great. Thanks.

@ flimsy
I’m interested in replicating your pipe shim idea. Do you have any resources for piping and is their anything to look out for?

Thanks

Nope, hunted for stock pipe for a quick fix…finally found an off cut on ebay 1.5″ OD 1.25″ ID. cut to length, quick file, 1/8″ slot and it was perfect! Interferance fit into stem and the same onto the steerer.