Hi everyone,
I have had great enjoyment (and education) from reading this forum for a couple of years now.

I have a (strange?) question and would really be grateful for any advice received.

I have put deposit on a Giant Trance 2 2017. The online reviews are great and I was expecting the bike to feel that way but it didn’t. The lad in bike shop was very helpful and knowledgeable. He built the bike out of the box on the morning I came to test it. I rode it around the retail park – some grass verge and dropping off some small kerbs. But it never felt plush!

On the grass verge all of the bumps and undulations felt hard and it didn’t seem as though the suspension was damping the effect at all. Same when going onto tarmac surface from small kerb. Went back to shop, told him. He asked my weight and added some air to both shocks and this helped a bit alright but still not what I expected. He said they provide a tune up service after 2wks of ownership, and the parts would need a bedding in period like that before everything would work smoothly, but Im not convinced about this.
Just to make sure I wasn’t wrong, a few days later I got a spin on a friends 2015 Giant SX. Immediately I felt the plush sensation and that was only on a fire road. Same good feeling on a downhill trail.

I called TFTuned for advice, very helpful chap on the phone. Only thing he could suggest was that the fork seals can go hard if left in storage for long period, and to try lubricating them for a smoother ride. The bike is 2017, its now December so maybe this could be a solution?

I would hope there is a simple fix for this (and I like everything else about the bike. But Id be mad to go ahead with the bike if it doesn’t feel right.

Would love to hear your thoughts – anyone come across this before?
Denis

it probably is a lot to do with seals drying up from the bike sitting around for a long time. However

He said they provide a tune up service after 2wks of ownership

isn’t going to touch the suspension. If not sorted quickly (ie minimum of a lower seal service) it can lead to seals giving up pretty quickly

Does your shock have a lock-out / climb switch setting?..

still nov here

Big-Bud – Member
still nov here

A “2017” bike could have been built around May 2016. The model was likely available in the shops around September 2016.

Hi Trance2017.
The Trance 2 should make you happy – everything else would be a shame!

Are you able to borrow a pump for the fork/damper somewhere?
Don’t have a Trance 2, below how I start with my bike (simple RockShox stuff):

As a first setting:

Tire pressure front and back around 27 psi.

Turn damping on fork and damper to minimum damping (rabbit position).
Sit on the bike (on the saddle) and ask a friend to read the “sag” on fork and damper.
Get off from the bike and adjust the pressure.
Let’s say – as a start – to achieve 20 percent sag.

If this is done pre-adjust the fork damping:
Push the fork all the way down and let the fork quickly go.
The front tire will hopp a bit off from the floor.
Increase the damping. Turn the damping one klick into turtle direction.
Push again… – until you reach the point where the front tire won’t lift off from the floor once you let the handle bar go.

If this is done pre-adjust the damper:
Look for a walk way with a steep kerb.
While sitting on the saddle (!) ride down from the walk way.
You will feel your butt oscillating up and down.
Increase the damping on the damper. Klick into direction “turtle”.
The oscillation will get smaller.
Once you reach the point where you think there is no oscillation at all: leave the damping position and remember the “klicks”.

This might be s “start” position for your Trance 2.
If the bike doesn’t feel right: something is wrong!
Yes – a new fork is a bit sticky to the beginning. But only a bit. The bike should be o.k. right from the beginning!

Further tuning in the trail, tires, fork, damper:
Will go on for some time.
When riding harder you will habe to check the max. travel of fork and damper and and and…

But definitely, with first, very easy set up:
The bike should feel great.

Don’t let the bike shop tell you stories!

Forgot: to start with above you have to unlock of course the fork / damper…

Good point.

Or your rear shock is a Fox Evol or Monarch Debonair. If it is either let all the air out slowly.Then refill the air to 50psi then cycle the shock up and down about 25-50% travel 10 or so times to balance the negative air chamber too. Repeat this at 100psi etc until it’s at your sag pressure setting. I forgot to do this once and it was very stiff rigid suspension. Worth a go.