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PRODUCTS
Giant
Trance 1 (frame
only £799)
We
had heard on
the grape vine
that the new
Giant Maestro
design was very
good & as
the time had
come for me
to part with
my beloved Tomac
revolver (I
hope they return.)
I checked out
the angles,
top tube length
& chainstay
length (how
sad is that)
and decided
to try one.
I opted for
the 4.2"
of travel Trance
frame only &
swapped everything
over from my
Tomac.
My
first ride I
set off just
before we closed
on Sunday at
3pm. I then
went like the
clappers around
my selected
route as it
was getting
dark surprisingly
quickly &
visibility in
the woods was
difficult, to
say the least!
I eyed up my
first steep,
technical climb,
would I make
it? Yes, with
ease, the front
not lifting
at all &
control was
superb. I headed
off down a steep
tricky singletrack
descent &
it soaked up
or smoothed
out the bumps
wonderfully.
As if with a
mind of it's
own it decided
to ride the
tree on 'wave
of mutilation'.
Mildly apprehensive,
as this was
it's first real
test, it flew
over it. I was
on a roll &
loving it, before
I knew it I
was riding off
a drop (which
is really a
jump) which
I'd always thought
the limit of
which you could
roll off b/4
you went over
the bars, but
it felt easy.
On to "F
& M"
& I picked
the trickiest
line at the
top &
it flew down
with total control.
Climbing there
was no perceivable
bob, I had the
Fox RP3 on full
pro pedal which
means it only
starts working
when it hits
a bump rather
than the pedalling
motion. The
one downhill
I went down
it felt buttery
smooth,as if
it the back
wheel was remaining
in contact with
the ground but
absorbing all
the bumps. My
second ride
I decided to
head up to 'Summer
lightning' on
a beautiful
sunny but cold
day. It handled
all the twisting
turns with ease,
going exactly
where I wanted
it. On the return
journey the
only thing curtailing
my speed was
my choice of
arctic gloves
(better safe
than sorry)
Which had doubled
the circumference
of my handlebars,
it was like
trying to hold
onto a baseball
bat- at the
wrong end! I
really felt
as though I
could fly down
there with no
braking but
I wasn't sure
I could hold
on any longer.
Never mind,
there'll be
other days.
My
mind was put
at rest, I was
worried I wouldn't
like it as much
as my Tomac,
but I do. The
design is different
& it's nice
to have had
experience of
riding different
set ups now.
The single pivot
Tomac is a lightweight
xc full sus
machine, the
Giant is a little
heavier but
probably a bit
plusher &
feels very 'centred'
with most of
the weight over
& around
the bottom bracket.
If
you fancy a
test ride we
have a small
Trance &
a medium Reign
(6") just
give us a call
01306 740300
This picture
tries to show
you the linkage,
what it does
show is I need
a few photography
lessons!
Tech
details
- 4.2"
travel
- Fox
RP3
rear shock
- Zero
brake jack
- Total
pedalling
independence
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