Just thought I would post up my feelings on the bike now I’ve had it for a few months and finally got some decent rides in that I’d done previously on my Trance and 5 spot so I could give a proper comparison.

First off… I LOVE IT

Just had to get that out of the way.

So, today Ive been to glenlivet on the 5. It was my third trip there and each time on different bikes.The last time I went was on the Trance and it was that trip that sealed the fate of it as I had a horrendous time with it and came back knowing I needed a new bike.

Ok today then was a completely different outcome, come back even more impressed by the 5 and finally have found a bike that I want to keep.

I was a bit worried that due to its weight it was going to be a pig to climb on but that wasnt the case at all, in fact I actually set new personal records on most of the climbs.

Descending wise… what different experience from the Trance, I was faster and a lot more confident on the 5 due to the higher front end which I seem to suit. I found I was leaving the brakes more and trusting the bike more. I did every black part of the trail which I didnt feel confident enough to do on the Trance.

A lot of people say that the 5 is a flexy beast and the 29 version is the worst of them all. On one section of trail there is a bit of a compression whilst going round a bend, on the trance I could properly feel the back end get out of shape and flex. Today however I couldn’t feel any flex at all despite hitting the same section faster and harder.

The fit of the bike is almost perfect for me too. I haven’t had to mess around with it much trying different stems etc. It just fits nice.

Im glad Ive changed the brakes too, so much more power and feel to them compared to the old formulas!

Apologies for the rambling but I am happy with a bike and that doesnt happen often!

Couple of pics………

Stupid selfie!…..

Definitely recognise you from your time at Benson!

Cant miss a massive head like that can you !! when were you there?

oh please put it away.
we all know the cliche stw’er look by now 😛

The fit of the bike is almost perfect for me too

Congratulations!

On the other hand, your lid doesn’t match your ride:

FAIL!

Ace. I need to get back to Glenlivet.

Ace. I need to get back to Glenlivet.

Its alot of climbing for not a lot of down !!

Next upgrades will either be wheels or chainset.

I need a new lid actually !

Thank Christ for that. Well done Renton, You seem at peace with your bike, which is a great feeling… until the itch returns again… 😀

Glad you’re enjoying the bike but sort that helmet out.

Whats up with it?

I think quite a lot of the flexy comments is me, but I never said it’s a bad thing! It was with the shit wheels in the demo I rode but I liked the flex in my 224 too, gives the rear wheel a bit of independent action, I don’t care exactly where it goes really… Still want one but I’ve never seen a medium frame at a price I like, I got my whole trailfox for less than a typical used Five frame

Riding it at Glenlivet must be like driving a jetski round a bath though!

Northwind I’ve just had a little chuckle at your last comment.

Pretty much sums it up

Glad you like the bike, I can definitely agree on the whole climbing thing. My new full susser (T129SCR) is a fair whack heavier than my old hard tail and it climbs like a beast in comparison.

I now just need to develop the skill to match the new bikes ridiculous speed when pointing downwards.

Whats up with it?

It might help a little if you were to put it on straight.

10-12 was on 28a as line swine

Possibly know you then mate … 11-13 on 78c as an armourer for me.

Helmet isn’t on correctly in pics. Just plonked it on my head after the climb up.

You might want to do something with the strap too. 😉

Oh get you sss. What are you the fashion police.

Yet again you come along onto a thread with your trolling posts.

You asked what was wrong with it…
Think of it as safety advice.
You wouldn’t want your lid to come off in a crash now would you.

Renton ive noticed over a series of posts you seem very touchy for a military man. As ex army I say military in the loosest raf sense if the word 😉

Btw do the chin strap up if you fall off you’ll do more harm than if you hadnt bothered wearing one

Renton, glad you love the bike. About time you got sorted 🙂

Helmet comments, really?!

Do people not think I may have loosened it off because I was blowing going up the climb.

Not touchy at all to be honest it’s just you get some right dickheads on here that go out of there way to troll and pick on the silliest things.

I am however perhaps getting a little touchy in my old age

I didnt think you could be too touchy after years in the forces. I had some fun times in bosnia winding up the rock apes 🙂

I thought you were having problems turning corners on it? I take it you sorted that out?

Not touchy at all

You’re definitely up tighter than that helmet strap. 😉

pick on the silliest things.

Are you new here?

Davey…

I was having turning issues a while back but that was coming straight from the trance so I gave myself a chance to get used to it and its fine now. Tight switchbacks are still fun though due to the length of the bike

Must admit, I’m tempted to try and get a ride on a Segment sometime and compare that to my Five 26″ and a new 650B thing. All seem to do the same gnar-Enduro type thing pretty well but need to see whether I can justify the expense of moving on my Five (which I love) to get something which might just feel the same!

Ssstu … 😀 fair play.

Not new at all mate was on the previous forum with a different username.

Firestarter …. The fun is slowly been ebbed away it in the military mate. Less manpower doing the same or if not more than before and people are getting fed up with it. In the techy environment lads are leaving in droves.

Davey… I can’t comment on the 26″ five as I’ve never ridden on however I had a 650b trance and didn’t like it at all.

Apart from the 29er wheel my 5 feels a lot like my 2010 Turner 5 spot. Just with a skacker head angle.

It’s my only bike now and yes it’s probably overkill for some of the riding I do but I guess I will not have to worry if I wanted to take on something harder.

I just need to learn how to jump better.

Renton, was it the 140mm Trance?

What were the issue you didn’t like? I nearly went for one but got a 27.5 Remedy instead.

Nice one Renton.

How did you find it on that last ramp up to the start of the red descent? I find that quite a good test of how a bike climbs as I’m usually getting tired by the time I leave the second forest section and that ramp seems to have a lot of people walking anyway.

Well done hitting all the black bits. They may be nothing to the hardcore folk on here, but it would take more than a big 29er to get me to commit to them all.

Mosey.

It was a 2015 trance 27.5 2. I bought the size recommended by giant on there website and it near enough matched the geometry of my previous 5 spot. However something was lost in translation, it felt very small to me and the drop from saddle to bars was quite a lot even with lots of spacers and high rise bars. To give you an idea compared to the five spot the handlebars were about 7-8 cm lower. It may suit some but it wasn’t for me.

Also the rear end felt wooden to me even after having the shock tuned.

I would have liked to try an xl one to see if that was any different but I have a feeling it won’t be.

Ah, yeah that doesn’t sound great. Well bikes are to be enjoyed and if it’s not right then swap it I say.

Enjoy the 5 29″ mate.

Roverpig….

I’m glad it’s not just me that’s tired after that forest section.

That climb is the test for me. On the trance I just wasn’t able to get comfortable enough to get the power down and had to get off and walk.

On the 5 I was able to just sit and spin and the grip from the back end was brilliant. You could feel it just digging in an gripping. I wouldn’t want to stand and stomp on it though.

Still didn’t make it all the way to the top. I ran out of steam.

That one black bit called the gulley drop had me stopped at the top and thinking about it just before I decided to just go for it.

If you’re not tired by the time you come out of the forest then you’re not trying hard enough I reckon 🙂

Fives are not made for stomping but I’ve always found my 26″ version to be a much better climber than you’d think based on the comments you read online. Glad to hear that you’re still having fun with yours.

To much climbing at Glenlivet for not much reward.

I beat all of my PB’s on strava too.

Must admit, I’m tempted to try and get a ride on a Segment sometime and compare that to my Five 26″ and a new 650B thing. All seem to do the same gnar-Enduro type thing pretty well but need to see whether I can justify the expense of moving on my Five (which I love) to get something which might just feel the same!

I’ve not ridden a Segment (yet), but certainly their previous short travel 29er (Gyro) felt a lot different to the 26″ Five. Mind you the new Five is quite different to our “old” 26″ models too. The large is a full 4cm longer, slacker and with that marginally larger wheel it seems much more downhill focussed than the older models. I guess that’s the way the market is going though.

If the wee offpistes they used for the scottish enduro series, right off the trailcentre, are still open they’re actually bloody lovely imo. Though use up that height real fast. If they were down here I’d ride them all the time.

Too much climbing at Glenlivet for not much reward.

Funnily enough, that’s what I like about the place. Lots of climbing (some of which is quite interesting by trail centre standards) then a nice relaxing descent (followed by a fantastic burger and some cake at the bottom), what’s not to love 🙂

Northwind I noticed the signs but a lot of it look pretty cut up to be honest