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Bike recommendation & Giant Trance X
G'day,
I'm quite keen to get a proper bike and join you guys for some rides on the northern beaches which I've never done and of course do more of the Anderson/Oaks classics which I've done about 5 times on a cheap Trek bike 
So I'm looking for some recommendations here with a budget around $2500. I need disk brakes, dual suspension.
I come from France where my favorite brands come from so my choice is bit more limited here.
However I've always dreamed of a Specialized bike. I have good memories from this french magazine about the bike of the year 1998; the Specialized FSR 
what a revolution it was back then...
http://www.velovert.com/images/photos/couverture... which is this one http://www.aspttvttchalons.com/dossiers/photos/9...
Sooo I had a look at the Specialized website and the FSR XC Expert seems to be a pretty good model. It's available at this Woolys Wheels store in Paddington (is it a good store btw ?).
What do you think of this bike ? I read that the shock may not be suitable enough for occasional down hill (such as the Oaks motorway at the end) ?
Also are the Juicy 3 brakes good enough compared to the 5 model ?
If there are any other similar bikes please let me know
Cheers,
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"Three years on and giant have been victorious in the pursuit of making a great suspension design that someone else thought of appear to be of their own making"
In other words they learned the lesson with the whole NRS/horst link thing so they changed the DW link just enough that Dave wouldn't be bothered to pursue them through the courts
)
I just read the whole thread again and it seems 70% of people here cherish Gian bikes, that's a big proportion
Is Giant the number 1 of MTB sales worldwide ? Actually what is the top 3 brands ?
I will definitely be keeping my options open and will try out the Trance X1 bike.
But I keep asking myself 'are these bikes at $3000 or $4000 really worth that much ? Are they worth it ?'
Obviously over the years bikes have become more and more expensive and are now almost half the price of an used car !
I Also don't understand why there is a difference of $1400 between the Trance X1 and Trance X0, especially considering they have the same frame and nearly the same suspensions. Surely upgrading yourself Juicy 5 -> 7 and XT/LX -> XTR/XT would cost less than $1400 ?
they laft at dr frankenstein as well!!!
Also consider the lighther wheelset the X0 comes with. This wheelset also allows the use of tubeless tyres. Also has lighter cranks, handlebars, seatpost, saddle etc.
The suspension is also a step up. The fork is the F120 RLC vs F120RL (Compression adjustment difference) and the rear shock is a RP23 on the X0 which allows you to adjust the level of Propedal.
But as with all bike parts. Little gains in weight or performance means big jumps in price!
I have an 06 giant trance and the only downside is the weight however the 08 bikes are so much lighter this is no longer a problem.
One of the big differences between the trance X1 and X0 is the wheels. You can look on the site for the tube vs tubeless debates.
I went for the cheaper option and was glad I did because you tent to break or damage parts like rims and derailleurs when starting out. Once I had more of a clue I replaced them with better parts.
I can see the resemblance!
Those that ask the very common question 'is $3000 to $4000 worth it for a bike' need to realise that pricing is a curious thing,There are two perspectives here.
1.The retail price is relevent to the Australian market and is set to attract maximum interest.
2.The retail price is arrived at by the importer/distributor to recoup their overheads and make a profit.
In the case of perspective 1 then the answer is yes because the manufacturer is confident that thier product is the best specced in it's price point and therefore,a real bargain.
Perspective 2 is answered with a loud no however value is certainly a personal thing.In most cases the bikes most common in Australia have the parent company in the USA regardless of asian manufacture.Some frames really are made in the USA or Canada.Yet when the bike that matey wants to have costs $US(X) and here in Australia it costs the equivalent to $US(X)+25%,35% or even 50% then I can't help but feel that we,as Australians,are getting bullshitted to.Yes I've heard all the excuses.Shipping,currency,blah blah.But I bet when costs improve,such as currency exchange,are those benefits passed on to the punter?Just try strolling into Brookvale Bike Factory to purchase a Santa Cruz,of any model,point out that this morning the Australian dollar was fetching 92c US and you deserve a discount,and see what happens.I bet those guys don't rush to phone Neezy and plead your logic.
So back to value.As many are aware,Giant represent top value.This is largely due to Giant being in cahoots with the various component manufacturers in Taiwan.Not to mention clout.Fancy going to a part maker and asking for a gazillion units and closing the deal with 'please give me a great deal,because next season I'll be wanting another gazillion.'
There has been much talk here about he value diffences between certain models and all of you have a firm grasp of how the numbers are crunched.Spending up big early on is a great idea,but the logic gets lost on those who have no appreciation for such things.Believe me when I say that to fork out $4300 full retail on a Trance X Zero represents outstanding value.Those wheels alone retail in Australia for $1500 and there is no such thing as an oem version.Those are fair dinkum crossmax wheels.
Having said all that,for a newbie,a real complete novice who relies on the advice of those around them ,then one cannot go past the cheapest of the Trance line the X Two.
My lovely girlfriend bought one just before Christmas.A happy hardtail rider who was a bit nervous on the really rough stuff is now flogging along like a mad woman.Her favourite riding type is hard pack singletrack so we often go to Sparrow Hill.Her bike is great and cost just $2300.Everything works really well and she's added some bike jewellery to it.
That amount of money is plenty for a new rider and that bike represents value.Present day parts in the Shimano LX group are excellent,especially for riders who simply trail ride.One could only criticize those parts if they broke a little prematurely but then maybe the rider is just that bit extra hardcore.My girlfriend doesn't do drops or jumps.She just likes to get out there and ride.While I ride my Reign or Glory and show off to her...
you seem to have done your homework!
Yes interesting post
Do all the cycology stores usually have the same prices ? The one up at Tuggerah (only one with a website) has the X1 for $2600 which is cheaper than elsewhere in Sydney. Just further to get there lol
but I think it would be easy to get any bike shop to match it, also it's fairly easy to get 10% off retail prices.
I was checking out the X1 today in a bike shop, they certainly look like a weapon.
John.
Seems pretty obvious now with the Trance X1 + 10% off and Spec FSR XC at the same price, the Trance X1 beats the FSR easy on the specs
and snorkel to go with it mate!!
In case I fall into the Manly Dam ?
probably kayak AROUND the dam at this point dammit,looks like its gonna be off limits for quite awhile.
G'day,
I went to Wooley Wheels over the weekend; unfortunately they wont have the Trance X1 till another 2 weeks so I had a look at the X0 and asked quite a few questions about this amazing bikes.
The guy agreed with me that the X1 is better value for money with the X0 costing an extra $1400.
He showed me the 2 adjustments things on the shocks that aren't on the X1 and said that they can easily be adjusted with a shock pump.
After that I had a look at the Specialized FSR XC and it seemed much heavier and a bit less advanced than the Maestro on the Trances.
So if I can find a store that has the Trance X1 a bit closer than Tuggerah I'd probably get it
Does anyone know stores that sell the X1 in Sydney ?
I asked CycleWorld in Burwood; they don't do Giant.
Oh and I also have a question; why do the shocks have a lock ? When and why would you lock it ? For road cycling or when you're not using the bike ?
Bike Addiction at Harbord/Manly if you have tried them already. I found Oliver to be really helpful.
Cheers, Mark
well check it out, thanks.
To lock out your suspension is silly.If one sets it up correctly there is no need to be concerned about unwanted movement.Besides the maestro bikes are designed to isolate those forces,hence the expression 'isolated triangle suspension'.
On my reign I have an RP2 shock and I never even turn on the propedal.On my glory when riding downhill I leave the propedal off and when regular trail riding I set it on by five clicks.In any case just go to Chain Reaction Bicycles in Cronulla,get a great deal on your Trance X1 and learn all about set up in your own time.Hearing about it from others is going to drive you mental.
The shops in Sydney that stock Giant I know of and have used are Bike Addiction and Brookvale Bike Factory. Go to the Giant website and do a search via your postcode. http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/dealers/
The shock lockout is for if you want to firm up the rear end (or front if the fork has this option). It's not a total lock out and I have only used mine when I find I am doing a road section.
Try ABC bicycles in liverpool
yes i know its a long way from the northern beaches
http://www.abcbikes.com.au/liverpool/index.htm
hahahahaha
some mates just got a couple of Yukon sx s from them and they looked after them really well
cheers
Kurt
Just come back from Cranks at North Sydney. They are going to set up an X1 for me for wednesday
I will also need some shoes, which Shimano SPD compatible shoes do you guys recommend ?
If I can't get 10% off the bike I could ask if I could get the shoes for free, good idea ?
I highly recommend crank bros pedals,any type will be fine.Curiously enough I really like Shimano shoes.Look for an M prefix and the smaller the number the cheaper they are.So and M225 will be about $200 yet will last an age.You'll soon learn that cycle shoes last ages because they rarely touch the ground.And always go up one size.
Specialized as a company make and/sell many products apart from bikes,and one such product is shoes.They are also very good.
I reckon you should ditch the 10% discount and get as many goodies as possible thrown into the deal.Buy your new crank bros eggbeater pedals online - try Beyond Bikes dot com - and pay half as much.
Now that you are becoming a committed and dedicated cyclist do become internet savvy and save money on all your purchases.With our dollar getting $US0.94 and 47 pence all in the UK the stuff that we all need gets cheaper.Don't let bike shops shaft you on prices of parts and accessories.If you lack mechanical know how,then most of this website is here to help...
I don't know which Giant is right for you, but I do know that you will get value with Giant.
Here is a link that might inspire you:
http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=112287
and here is a picture:
PS: Is "Yoplait" really French for Yogurt? Is used to be in a TV add here.
Hey there folks.
Here's what I did to buy my first real bike ...
Go to the following stores:
Bike Addiction (Nth Manly)
Dee Why Cycles
Cranks (North Sydney)
Northside Cycles (Chatswood)
With the focus on getting an understanding on what you can get for how much, what level of componentry is needed vs excessive, what feels nice, what's light/heavy, what rides nice ...
Then go to:
www.ebay.com.au or
http://forums.farkin.net/forumdisplay.php?f=33
and buy your dream bike secondhand! I ended up with a 2 & 1/2 year old Santa Cruz Heckler for $1,500 ($5k new) which rides like a dream.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Giant-Trance-2-Mountain-B...
Kurt
Sorry guys but I want the X1
From all the review I read and the specs for the price; it's a clear winner I think !
Nevertheless I agree you can find some real good used bikes, just have to be lucky to find one in good condition I think.
Apparently Giant Australia is getting short of Trance X bikes are they are quite popular.
So for instance Cranks has one X1 left which they set up for me to look at today.
Lovely bike but I was a bit surprised with the frame finish; it looks like it's been sanded with the marks all over. They reassured me that this is normal. Strange because it looks a bit 'unfinished' at first.
I also inquired about whether they would give me a discount on the bike and they didn't seem so keen on it because of the fact that it's the last one etc...
I'll be taking it for a ride around the block tomorrow so we'll see
The frame is finished like this as it is Anodised and not painted. I can't remember the look of the X1 but I think the X0 looks awesome, but I would say that
there was a post on Farkin if i recall about a guy having a drama with a giant
http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=118320
take a read
and also i have one of the boys who has now had hi yukon sx back to the shop twice because of niggling things
chain snap and a multiple amount of brake probs with the shimanos
cheers
Kurt
yes but that is not a Trance X model
As has been pointed out to you,that's what anodizing looks like.
Don't ask for discounts on new models,especially one that has quite possibly become the bike to have worldwide for this year.Ask for free goodies to get thrown in on the deal.Furthermore,and I don't wish to be offensive here,get a grip on reality about the product and the price tag.At full price that bike represents excellent value and you'll get millions of happy kilometres out of it.The time to ask for and receive discounts on bikes is after about september on the current model year or anytime on the previous model years.Clarence street still has 2005 bikes on the floor.
Now,about bike shops and new bikes with problems...
Whenever I buy a new bike I take it home and strip it to a frame.Forks out,bottom bracket out,tyres of rims you name it.You'd be amazed what I've found.Various things not done,bolts too tight or not tight enough,no grease where it ought to be etc...
Then I build it up and set the bar and stem where I wish and levers where I like them and go on my first spin about the place confident in my own handywork.Everyone should learn about their machine.I make no excuses for bike shops and I'm not prepared to spew rudeness about a certain shop's inadequacies however I strongly feel that for any item that a person owns that features moving parts and especially has wheels attached,then it's the owners responsibility to familiarize themselves with the gremlins that sometimes move in and be able to find the solution to eradicate them.
The most common gripe I hear is about bad brakes.Fact; Disc brakes are an expensive commodity to install on a bike.Fact; Cheap hydraulic discs are terrible.However it's hard for any shop mechanic to identify problems on a new set of brakes as it takes about twenty kms for the pads to be bedded in properly.Contaminated pads?Clean them with isopropyl alchohol.Brakes not strong enough?Bleed them.Perhaps switch to a preferable brand of pad.Better yet,buy a set of high quality brakes.
I also hear a lot of moaning about the transmission set up on new bikes.What a load of old guff.Firstly,the chain on new bikes is almost always to long.This is to prevent the derailleur being ripped off when certain bonehead folk insist on big ring/big rear sprocket combo whilst on a full suspension bike as the swingarm moves through its arc.Then the cables stretch a bit and the indexing goes out a bit and ones lovely new bike features gear changes akin to Beijing commuter.All one has to do is invest about ten minutes and turn the adjusters on the shifters and it's fixed.I don't bother to stop any more,finding it easier to ride and adjust at the same time.
Many problems are the fault of the manufacturer not the retailer.
thanks, some interesting comments there. yes you're probably right about not asking for a discount on a new bike. But then I wonder how at Tuggerah it costs $300 less for a new bike ?! Is this because Sydney is $$$ ?
i should clarify that the problem with the brakes on the yukon sx was that they were leaking oil between the calipers
apparently the LBS has said that giant and shimano have recognised an amount of calipers have been released with seals that are too small
so they will repair them for free as they have problems occour
???
and the chain snapped at the joining link on its second ride but i agree that it was too long and i cut two links out on the trail
cheers
Kurt
I have been looking at the Reigns and Trance X's for a while now and have all but decided to get the Reign 1. I visited cranks and also mentioned a discount and was given the same response as Alysum. Fair enough I thought. But I also checked out Cycology at Tuggerah after hearing about em and realised I could get the same bike for almost $300 less. Now unless there is something dodgy about them which I dont know about I would be crazy to buy my bike anywhere else, assuming the level of service and quality is on par with other bike stores. $300 is a fair amount of money, especially for a broke student like myself, but I too am wondering why they are so willing to dish out discounts whereas other bike stores refuse??
They seem like a good bike shop although I have only bought from their and haven't used their workshop so I cannot comment here. As for the discounts, I would assume they have lower overheads being on the Central Coast opposed to being in Sydney. Another thing in my opinion, it is better to sell two bikes at a lower profit then one with more profit. More heads through the door mean more accessory sales and more work in the workshop.
What? In case you offend the retailer. Many bike shops give 10% off everything if your a member of a bike club. Wsmtb club members like myself get 10% off everything at all the Penrith bike shops, you just show your card.
John.
Cyclesport at Thornleigh (my LBS)
Hornsby Cycles
SIC @ St Ives (recons he has stuff he can pull form warehouse)
Blackmans at Parramatta (does big volumes)
Strange Blackmans is advertising the X1 $300 MORE than the RRP lol
imo Blackmans are very expensive, when i was looking for my last Giant which was $2999 they would not sell it for any lower, claiming that they charge more than other shops because of expert setup and ONE free service. I left quickly (not my local anyway), i went to my local shop (which i know but not a first name basis or anything) and got it for $500 cheaper with 1yr free servicing. All you have to do is ask, it helps also to have cash in hand ready to buy on the spot for the right deal, prove that yoy are a proper buyer and not a tyre kicker and you will get a good deal. Hunt around, there are plenty of shops that wnat your business.
you mean they would be more tempted to offer a discount if you pay cash because then no tax ?
Well even if Blackman was cheap I would not buy off him. He is an aeronautical engineer LOL. The comedy of walking in there and listening to his long winded intro was enough to turn me off completely. However, I know he sells a few bikes around that way through his two shops.
i got a massive discount on last year model bike and it was still late last year when i bought it. and when i say massive i mean about 40 percent on a very expensive bike. barney at cycology was more than helpful and i asked him how they managed to give such discounts on a bike that he had to order in and wasn't just stuck with as old stock. he told me it was due to the huge turnaround on bikes and a little profit was better than no sale at all. i think they do very well from the ads they put on mtba but still keep within the boundries of fair play and refuse to post any bikes and stick to the pick up only policy. ive seen some great deals from that shop and would buy a bike from them again any day.
there is still gst to be paid even if you pay cash, it is better for the store as they dont have to pay credit card fees (usually 1.5-3% of the sale price), it is just more appealing i feel, but the main thing is to show that you are ready to buy and not just hunting around still.
on my commute i go through kellyville and always see a red holden ute decked out in cycology livery, long drive up the coast from kellyville, or do they have a local sydney store also?
There are indeed a couple of Cycology stores but I'm not sure if it's a real chain of stores as they all seem to be independent.
For instance the website only covers the Tuggerah store.
I sent an email to ABC Bikes in Liverpool/Fairfield and they said they could match the Tuggerah price okay. That's interesting and certainly closer. Does anyone know anything about that store ?
I recomended them a while ago
they looked after two of the mates at the liverpool shop but when i was looking at GT s last year i spent a good hour with the guy at fairfield he was really helpful
and yes the giant that has been back a couple of times was from them
however i believe it was the manufacturer not the biks shop to be at fault
that being said they really looked after the boys so i recomend them
p.s
they dropped 200 off the price of a yukon sx as soon as interest was showed
so a 1500 bike became 1300 with a set of bling blings thrown on as well
also i wouldnt recomend blakmans either
no interest is ever shown there from the staff
bike barn on the corner before them are the go for and servicing needs
those guys couldnt be more helpful
they also took 100 bucks off the price of an 08 stinky too
cheers
Kurt
Sorry Kurt I must have missed that post. Well that definitely sounds good ABC.
Tonight I am scheduled to give the bike a go at Cranks so I will have to find an excuse if they don't offer a discount.
But generally I thought everything was expensive in that store, even shoes were $10/20 more than elsewhere...
but stores closer to the city or the northern beaches seem to be more expensive
is it a higher income in those areas ????
im not sure
but
shopping around definatley is the way to go
dont just look for cheaper bikes
every thing can be bought cheaper
ask them to price match or do better
get them to do you a package
(shoes, helmet, drink bottles,tools and whatever else you need)
cheers
Kurt
Well Northern Beaches is quite a wealthy area isn't it !
And I suppose Cranks North Sydney is expensive because people who work in North Sydney are on a good pay I suppose...
I tried the X1 tonight in the streets of Kirribilli.
My first impression is....man this saddle is bloody hard and feels like a plank of wood ! But I was expecting this after reading the reviews and the shop said they would replace it with something else. Fair enough.
It's nice and quick uphill thanks to the light weight frame. I thought the rear derailleur was a bit rough and not as smooth as expected for an XT, perhaps some settings need fine tuning ?
It was the first time I was on a disk brakes bike; they are very powerful but I get the impression that they aren't smooth enough - they either go on or off. Apparently that's how disk brakes work ?
This rear Fox shock auto lock is impressive, is this a feature of the shock or the maestro system ?
Like others suggested here, I wouldn't mind trying some other bikes, but not sure what else there is just under $3000 ? The Trance X1 seems to be best specced one at this price !