2023 Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite 2 Review | Is THIS The Goldilocks Lightweight e-MTB?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ค. 2024
- See the full review here: flowmountainbike.com/tests/20...
Now don’t be confused, but the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite is actually a brand new electric mountain bike for 2023. It’s the ‘Elite’ part that differentiates this bike from the existing Trance X E+ that we reviewed last year, though there’s a bit more to it than just a confusing name change.
Indeed the Trance X Advanced E+ Elite is the first lightweight e-MTB from Giant, which is a pretty big deal. Also a big deal is the fact that it's built around a full-powered motor with 85Nm of peak torque. Along with its slim 400Wh battery, sleek carbon frame and mullet setup, the Trance X E+ Elite certainly had us raising our eyebrows the first time we saw it.
Could it be the ultimate all-rounder? Or is this curious combination just a confused compromise?
We got our hands on the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite to find out!
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Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite Video Review Contents
0:00 - Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite Overview
0:37 - Travel, Wheelsize & Frame Design
1:03 - Motor & Battery
1:34 - What About The Regular Giant Trance X E+?
2:10 - Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite vs Specialized Levo SL
2:20 - Geometry & Sizing
2:54 - Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite 2 Price & Specs
3:41 - Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite Weight
4:13 - SyncDrive Pro2 Motor Tuning
4:53 - Strengths
6:13 - Downsides
8:33 - Range Testing
9:47 - Flow's Verdict
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Giant is seriously making some Fantastic Ebike ! Solid, stable and reliable. I love my Trance e+
The issue with the motor tune settings resetting after charging the bike was due to the firmware/software update from a few months ago or so. I was having this issue with my Reign E+ after doing an update, but it seems to have since been fixed with a subsequent update.
Right on, that's great to know! I suspected it would be a firmware issue, though there was nothing in the app to suggest that there were any problems or that it needed updating. Thanks for the info! [Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam No prob! Could be possible the app itself needed to be updated. I didn't isolate the problem, so I'm not entirely sure what the issue was...
Yeah I had the the issue of the app not saving settings on my e+ elite 1 but also now working after the update a few weeks back
Same here on my Reign, no issues when running latest firmware. Nice review!
Best reviews on YT I have purchased my last the 3 bikes all from your reviews as you point out the pros and cons and as we are similar height makes sizing a no brainer for me
Thanks mate, glad you have found the reviews useful! [Wil]
Great and absolutely detailed review as always! No questions unanswered... That software reset thing looks annoying. I have the full size Trance X E+ I will check it's probably the same but nothing that a software update cannot fix if Giant is aware of the issue.
Another awesome review! This SoCal USA dude is heading down to the Melbourne area this December to visit my daughter and I can't wait! She and my future son in law are going to find a place to rent an ebike so I can ride in the Buxton area wherever that is.🙃
Check out Ride Time Yarra Valley/Warburton
Thanks for the review..I just ordered one (the +2) online ten minutes ago 😅..cheers👌
I love this bike (I have the Reign E+), but I just wish it had a lightly slacker head angle around 64.5 😢
I used to own a Giant Stance with a 500Wh Battery...the average range was over 100kms per charge but in the end I sold it cuz it was too heavy at 26 kgs. I'm really intrigued by these new Giant bikes.
Hi if I went for the model above with the live valve suspension can I convert it to normal air suspension if I wasn't happy with it ? And is there an angled headset to increase the rake
Great to see your review, bought one or two bikes previously based on your opinions. I am actually running a Liv Intrigue +2 in medium, the reach is 10mm less than the medium Trance and 5mm longer than the small Trance. I agree that the climbing can be tricky due to the short chainstays and I'm running in 'high'. I actually fitted a Float X2 in the rear because I have bad knees and it's more compliant. Regarding the 'emtb' or 'trail' mode, it isn't great. Having ridden a Bosch previously, the Giant surges and is laggy by comparison. So I also ride in manual. I like the eagerness the motor has when resting your feet on the pedals and I also like that there isn't as much overrun when you stop pedaling compared to the Bosch. Finally, are you sure you can fit a 160mm fork? I asked my dealer, in New Zealand. They went to Giant NZ, who apparently went to Giant Australia, who went to Giant and got a big 'NO' for running a 160mm fork. I already had a DVO Onyx in 160mm ready to go too... So far I'm happy with the Fox 36 in 150mm though. I was aiming for a bit more plushness with the 160 after wrist surgery.
You can most definitely run a 160mm fork. Just go for it. Generally speaking, most bikes can handle up to a 20mm increase in fork travel.
I have the older Trance E+ 27.5 that I increased the fork from 150 to 160, and got an extra ~7mm of rear travel (now 147mm) by replacing with a longer stroke shock. Works great. There's plenty of clearance in the suspension design for longer stroke. In fact, Giant themselves often do this with their bikes with the 'SX' versions.
@@jasper_of_puppets I did those exact mods to my old Trance. Made a big difference for plushness for my injuries...
Thanks for watching and for the feedback mate, that's great to hear!
Yep; we confirmed with Giant that the frame will handle a 160mm travel fork. That's something I'd be keen to try out, and I'd be curious to see how it would ride with a Float X shock out back.
FWIW, I also asked about up-stroking the shock to 55mm, but that isn't something they recommend due to potential clearance issues.
[Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam I saw somebody on pinkbike with an up-stroked 55mm shock on his Trance E+ Elite. He said he tested it multiple times with no spring in the shock (it was a coil) and had no issues with clearance. I'll be doing the same with my Trance Elite!
FWIW, I've up-stroked 3 different Giant bikes (2 being ebikes) and haven't had any clearance issues. Giant's official recommendation may be to not do it (possibly due to warranty/liability reasons), but on the 3 bikes I've done it to, no issues. I'm gonna try and see for myself how the Trance Elite takes to it. 🤞
Have you tried to decrease the punch of the motor by adjusting it in the "Launch" tab/setting? Not just decrease a torque as you've mentioned in the video.
I just got one , thanks to Will BTW they have fixed the ride control app the settings stay the same after changing
For an inexperienced writer, would you buy this bike or the rise H 10? I’ve been looking at this bike because I feel like I need that extra 85 Newton meters may be in reality I won’t be using that much?
Great review Wil, very comprehensive with interesting comparisons to regular Trace X E+ and Levo sl. When Giant released the Elite I was in the market for my first emtb and was tempted by the Elite as I also own a Trance X 29 2 analogue bike and was considering the model reviewed here. In the end not coming with a piggy back shock was a deal breaker and I ended up purchasing a Rise H15- did the dps get easily overwhelmed on chunkier enduro style trails? Given the relatively high weight of the elite it seem unlikely that Giant would bring out an alloy version of the Elite? In your opinion, how would the Elite compare with the Rise H15?
Cheers Sandy!
I'd love to see a piggyback shock on the Trance X E+ Elite. The Float DPS does a good job, and I didn't find it was getting too overwhelmed, though a Float X would no doubt offer better high-speed grip and big-hit control on chunkier trails. Along with a 160mm fork and some more aggressive tyres, it'd be a pretty darn capable package.
Maybe we'll see an alloy version of the Elite at some point, though it's more likely that Giant will change the full-size Trance X E+ change to a mullet setup. I suspect there's more demand for full-size e-MTBs with big batteries, and if Giant could put shorter chainstays and a mullet setup on the Trance X E+, that would surely be a popular option.
As for the Rise H15, that looks like a ripper bike! Similar weight to this carbon Trance X E+ Elite, but with a bigger 540Wh battery and the de-tuned EP8 RS motor. I've not had a chance to ride the latest version, but the carbon M-LTD model we tested a couple of years back was a great bike!
[Wil]
@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam thanks Wil that makes a lot of sense 👍. As a heavier ride weighing 85kg when fully kitted up, I think I made the right decision based on your feedback for the Trance elite. My mate owned a 2021 Trance X E+ pro 29 1 (what a mouthful!) which I had a chance to ride, nice climber but compromised everywhere else, much more tank-like compared to poppier ride quality of the H15
Im not sure about mullet bikes must test one one day, love my rail 7 with the purion sometimes i think simple is maybe better
Hi Will. Can you increase the rear travel to 150mm do you think ie by swapping out a different shock?
Hi mate! I checked in with Giant on increasing the shock stroke, but it's not something they recommend and it would technically void your warranty. [Wil]
Good review, I’ve got one and your comments about the modes should solve my “range” problem. What sort of pressures are you running in the tyres, how much do you weigh (super personal I know). I got the integrated bar/stem too. I’m pretty happy with the bike overall.
Also I haven’t had the same issue with the app and motor that you did.
@@TheOldmanBarry My Liv seems to be okay. Just need to be sure the changes are made after selecting 'set in bike' I run 40Nm, 50Nm, 60Nm, 70Nm and 85Nm from modes 1-5. Assist ranges from 75% in 1 to 400% in 5. I've managed 44km with 59% battery, 224m climbing, running in mode 1 and 2 to killing a battery in 10km, 500m climbing with full power... It's all dependent on how/where you ride and how fast you want to climb :)
Thanks for watching and for the feedback mate!
Glad to hear you've not had the same issues with the app or motor. We're still waiting to confirm with Giant, but I suspect a firmware update is needed to at least resolve the issue with the max torque settings.
Have you had a chance to check out the full review? We've put a fair bit more detail in there, including information about suspension setup and tyre pressures. There's also further info about range testing and comparisons, which you might find useful; flowmountainbike.com/tests/2023-giant-trance-x-advanced-e-elite-review/
Hope that helps!
[Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam Hi Wil, I did check the full review out. Interesting tyre pressures with the tyre inserts. I’m 88kg (full kit) and running the stock tyres at 22/25 F/R, tried higher pressures but found the bike “skatey” in loose corners. Tempted to go to the low setting and boost the shock pressure. Good tip.
Thoughts on this vs the Orbea Rise, particularly the alloy Orbea's with the bigger batteries? What surprised me is the alloy H30 Rise is the same weight as the all carbon Trance Elite 2 at around 20.9kg in a Large, and thats with a 540wh batttery in the Orbea vs the 400wh in the Giant. Assuming I'm happy with the 60nm of torque in the Orbea, that extra 35% of battery with no weight penalty is kind of hard to pass up. And for those who don't care about warranties, the Rise can be flashed to full torque as well which makes for an interesting comparison.
Those alloy Rise models look pretty darn good! We've not had a chance to test one (only the carbon model a couple of years ago), but no doubt it'll be a great option.
Compared to the Trance X E+ Elite, the main difference is the full 29in setup. The Rise also comes standard with a slightly shorter 140mm travel fork and less aggressive tyres, though I believe it's possible to have those upgraded by Orbea at the point of purchase?
I quite liked the EP8-RS motor on the carbon Rise we tested - it's very smooth and gradual in the power delivery, so the assistance isn't overly punchy, but it does get great range out of the battery.
In comparison, the Yamaha/Giant SyncDrive Pro2 motor offers a load of punch with up to 85Nm of peak torque. If you're looking for a hybrid experience between a lightweight e-MTB and a full-powered bike, it's a pretty appealing option for sure.
We're hoping to get our hands on one of the latest Rise models in the near future, so I should have a better basis for comparison.
[Wil]
Very good comparison between the H30 and the carbon Giant. Strange how they are both in the same weight class. Would love to see a side by side comparison though.
Not mullet so I'm out on the rise
Easy to mullet a Rise if you want @@Nickporter17
I noticed it still has cable routing holes in the frame. Can you still fit an angled headset to slacken it out? Did that with my current analog trance and it changed the ride a lot.
Not sure about the angleset - I'll see if we can find out for you! [Wil]
I am. Interested in this also as the head angle is way too steep for modern bike
How does the bike compare to the Jam2 SL
Hi Will,I am the same height as you,have you looked at the geo on the small?it’s the same wheelbase as my current trance 29er medium,do you think a small could be the way to go,I ride a lot of tight turning trails thanks
For me personally, I found the Medium to fit really well and wouldn't want to downsize to a Small. I didn't have any issues with agility either, since the mullet setup and moderate geometry means the Trance X E+ Elite handles tight trails quite well. [Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam great thanks
I’m currently looking to buy my first e bike. I come from a Stumpy Evo carbon and like riding playful tech with a few jumps. So far I only got to test ride the Levo SL which was mind blowing in terms of handling. I definitely do not want a full powered heavy Enduro tank, but also was not impressed with the fairly weak assistance of the Levo SL. Where would you place the Trance Elite (facing downhill) compared to the Levo SL, once the fork travel has been increased to 160mm?
The v2 SL with 50nm?
Yes, it’s the new 50 nm model.
Interesting, I rode a Trek Fuel Exe yesterday and the TQ 50Nm motor appeared to be slightly more powerful compared to the Specialized 50Nm. But the bike handling on the downhill was not quite on the Level with the Levo SL. But still very good.
@@pootjube The gen 2 SL is set to 80% by default to have the same range unless changed in the app. Perhaps it was that?
Do you think they will do an elite version of the reign ebike ( smaller battery ect)??
Great question. I would bet the barn on that! Looking at the lineup, it's missing a light e-enduro bike which I'm sure will pop up for availability in 2024... My 2 cents 😊
They aren't unfortunately. But they so should be
I’ll wait to see what the norco e fluid is like,the new Bosch motor is supposed to be the goods
You're comparing 55 Newton meters to 85. In other words no comparison.
@@Nickporter17 yeah I don’t think I need 85nm,would more like to compare geometry and battery range
That is a lot of money for a bike with so many niggles and quirks. Would drive me insane having to use the app every ride to set assistance values.
Not the bike for me, but thanks for the review
It was an issue with one of the app updates a few months ago. They've since issued another update and fixed the problem.
As far as the pedal 'shake' when you have your foot and weight on it at a stop, it's a non-issue for me. Just press the down button on the controller a few times and turn off the assistance to the bike. It's like shifting to neutral when you come to a stop on a motorcycle. Done and done.
Saving settings seems to be sorted since last app update. Loving the elite if only I could get the range extender in South Africa.
How does this compare to the Trek e x e ?
Great question!
I've really enjoyed riding both the Fuel EXe and the Trance X E+ Elite, though there are quite a few differences between them.
The main point of difference is the mullet setup on the Trance X E+ Elite, which makes for a more agile character overall. The suspension is also smoother, and I found that offered a more comfortable ride with better cornering grip.
It also has a far more powerful motor. The SyncDrive Pro 2 is a proper full-powered motor with up to 85Nm of torque, so it has some real get up and go.
In comparison, the Fuel EXe utilises the TQ motor which is significantly smaller, lighter and quieter. If you're after subtle assistance that doesn't dominate the ride, it's a great system. However, it doesn't have the same assistance going up steep climbs, so you'll have to work a bit harder.
I found the suspension on the Fuel EXe to be more supportive overall. It soaks up bigger hits with more composure, but it's not as sensitive as the Trance X E+ Elite. That said, it's a more stable and planted bike on both the climbs and descents thanks to its longer and slacker geometry and dual 29in wheels.
Hope that helps, but give me a shout if you've got any other specific questions.
[Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam OK which one should I get LOL .. No don't say I'm getting my Exe Sunday.. but I don't wanna feel I'm missing out on something else. Which I will anyway no matter what I get. 😄
what is the most plushiest cloudy bike you have ridden (any category)?
Great question!
The Specialized Kenevo SL is up there as being one of the plushest bikes I've ridden, and the Enduro and Stumpjumper EVO are also really impressive. Giant's Maestro design tends to be quite good too - the last time I tested the regular Trance X I found that to be nice and floaty.
Going back a bit, I tested the Robot R130 & R160 back when I was living in the UK, and those were incredible at being able to isolate you from the trail while still being nice and poppy. In fact, the R130 is still one of, if not the best bikes I've ever tested. Would love to ride one of the newer Atherton Bikes to see if that same magic is there!
I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting - we've reviewed a lot of bikes over the last decade!
[Wil]
@@FlowMountainBikeTH-cam great anwers, thanks alot
Do you guys get to keep the bikes
Doubt it
@@Nickporter17 I think they do get to keep it
Nope - test bikes are only lent out to us for the review period, then they go back to the distributor. [Wil]
I don’t understand why you would get a bike like this just to tone the motor down to get the most out of the bike, aren’t you better off going for another light etmb such as the Trek exe or the specialised SL Levo and using the 50NM but having a better range or just going full fat etmb in the first place, great looking bike though 👍
It depends on your perspective, but I think there are a few positives behind Giant using the full-powered motor on this bike.
For a start, it means Giant hasn't had to design and engineer a whole new motor. By using the existing SyncDrive Pro 2 motor, a good chunk of money has been saved on development and manufacturing, which is part of the reason why the Trance X E+ Elite is considerably cheaper than an equivalent Levo SL or Fuel EXe.
It also makes for quite a versatile platform. Use the motor in the lower-powered assist modes, and the internal 400Wh battery gives a decent amount of range for a longer backcountry trail ride. The downside is that the temptation of the full 85Nm is always there, so if you do find yourself turning up the power then your available range is going to suffer.
Then again, if you're only heading out for a short one-hour ride after work, you can confidently use the higher-powered assist modes to ride as fast and as hard as you like.
And if you're heading out for longer adventure rides with pals on full-powered e-MTBs, adding on the range extender battery boosts your capacity by 50% and means you can utilise the higher-powered assist modes with less fear of range anxiety.
In that sense it almost gives you two-bikes-in-one, which will likely be appealing to riders who are on the fence about whether they should get a lightweight or a full-powered e-MTB.
Anyway, that's my take on it after testing this bike. It certainly won't be for everyone, especially heavier riders and those chasing a full-powered experience with maximum range, but for others it might just be the perfect compromise.
[Wil]
Love the paint-job, but I'm not a fan of yamaha engine.
Why don’t you like it?