The Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite generates 150/140 mm of journey and depends on a carbon body, mullet wheel setup and highly effective Big SyncDrive Pro2 motor with a 400 Wh battery. How does it fare towards the competitors in our 2024 gentle eMTB comparability check?
19.7 kg in dimension L | € 10,499 | Producer’s Web site
We’ve already put the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite by the wringer in our massive eMTB group check, however there it didn’t actually match into the full-power eMTB class. That’s why we determined to see if it matches in higher in our 2024 gentle eMTB group check. The Big Trance comes geared up with a strong Big SyncDrive Pro2 motor and 400 Wh battery, producing 150/140 mm of journey on the entrance and rear – which makes it the shortest journey bike in the whole check subject. Nevertheless, the GIANT already secures the title of the longest mannequin identify in the whole group check. Within the model we examined, the Trance X E+ prices € 10,499 and weighs a really common 19.7 kg in dimension L. How does the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite 0 V2 stack up towards the most popular bikes of the 12 months?
Click on right here for an summary of this comparability check: One of the best gentle eMTB of 2024 – 9 of probably the most thrilling bikes in direct comparability
What units the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite aside from the competitors?
With its natural design language and clear traces, the Trance X instantly stands out from the check subject, with the eye-catching “Blue Dragonfly” paint end including a contact of eclecticism. As standard, the Taiwanese bike colossus depend on their confirmed Maestro rear suspension. A flip chip within the shock mount means that you can change between a excessive and low setting to change the seat tube and head angles by 0.7°. We rode the Big Trance largely within the excessive setting. A chainstay protector prevents paint chips and chain slap. The Big Contact SLR Path One Piece cockpit underlines the natural design language and routes all cables neatly by the pinnacle tube. Whereas this may guarantee a clear cockpit, it does make it a bit of more durable to service the bike. The 85 Nm Big SyncDrive Pro2 motor within the backside bracket space seems to be fairly cumbersome, and isn’t built-in as seamlessly into the body as a few of the different gentle eMTBs on this check. That mentioned, it’s probably the most highly effective drive in the whole check subject alongside the Shimano – at the least on paper.
The motor attracts its energy from a completely built-in 400 Wh Big EnergyPak Good battery. For epic backcountry expeditions, you may broaden the battery with the optionally available 200 Wh EnergyPak Plus 200 vary extender, which bumps up the full capability to 600 Wh and matches into the bottle cage on the down tube, although this comes on the expense of your water bottle – you’ll have to hold a bag or hip pack. The cable between the vary extender and the charging port tends to stay out and brush towards your shoe as you journey, making it really feel like a little bit of an afterthought. The motor system is paired with the Big RideControl Go show within the high tube and Big RideControl Ergo 3 management unit. The distant is elegantly built-in into the grip and supplies good haptic suggestions. Aside from the battery cost standing and present assist mode, the management unit doesn’t present rather more data – the MasterMind TCU show of the Specialised S-Works Turbo Levo SL is much better on this regard.
The FOX Manufacturing unit suspension provides a contact of color with its fancy Kashima coating. Big mix a FOX 36 Manufacturing unit GRIP2 fork and matching FLOAT X Manufacturing unit shock, which each provide numerous adjustment choices and ship glorious efficiency on the path. FOX additionally provide the Switch Manufacturing unit dropper submit, however whereas the blingy gold end seems to be nice, the brief 175 mm of journey is simply too brief for the bike.
The brakes on the Big Trance X, in addition to the drivetrain, are provided by SRAM. By way of efficiency, the mounted SRAM CODE RSC four-piston brakes are on par with the newer CODE Final fashions – the one actual distinction is that the brake traces and levers aren’t as near the handlebars. The four-piston brake is paired with a 200 mm rotor on the entrance and a 180 mm rotor on the rear, which is just too small for lengthy descents. Shifting is dealt with by the digital SRAM XX AXS Eagle Transmission drivetrain, which ensures butter-smooth shifting and does away with the necessity for a derailleur hanger by straight mounting to the body. The Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite rolls on extensive Zipp 3ZERO MOTO carbon wheels in a mullet setup, combining a 29” entrance wheel and a 27.5″ rear wheel. As a pleasant characteristic, the wheels include SRAM TyreWiz stress sensors, which let you keep watch over your tire stress through the SRAM AXS app. That is important as a result of, sadly, the carbon wheels are paired with weakly profiled and puncture-prone tires: a MAXXIS DISSECTOR with a flimsy EXO casing on the entrance and a MAXXIS Rekon with an EXO+ casing on the rear. This tire mixture doesn’t do justice to the bike’s potential, and for extra path efficiency, we advocate upgrading to tires with a more durable casing and extra aggressive tread. Particularly for heavy riders, it’s advisable to modify to a MAXXIS ASSEGAI within the mushy MaxxGrip rubber compound and at the least EXO+ casing on the entrance to guard the carbon rims. On the rear, it’s price switching to a MAXXIS Minion DHR II in MaxxTerra rubber compound and Doubledown casing.
Tuning tip: Improve to a bigger rear rotor.
GIANT Trance X Superior E+ Elite 0 V2
€ 10,499
Specs
Motor GIANT SyncDrive Pro2 MG 85 Nm
Battery GIANT EnergyPak Good 400 Wh
Show GIANT RideControl Go
Fork FOX 36 Manufacturing unit GRIP2 150 mm
Rear Shock FOX FLOAT X Manufacturing unit 140 mm
Seatpost FOX Switch Manufacturing unit 175 mm
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 200/180 mm
Drivetrain SRAM XX AXS Eagle Transmission 1×12
Stem GIANT Contact SLR Path One Piece-Cockpit 50 mm
Handlebar GIANT Contact SLR Path One Piece-Cockpit 780 mm
Wheelset Zipp 3ZERO MOTO Carbon 29″/27.5″
Tires MAXXIS DISSECTOR, EXO/ MAXXIS Rekon, EXO+ 2.4″
Technical Knowledge
Measurement S M L XL
Weight 19.7 kg
Perm. whole weight 156 kg
Max. payload (rider/gear) 135 kg
Trailer approval no
Kickstand mount no
Particular Options
Flip-Chip
Vary extender
TyreWiz
Tuning tip:
– Improve tires to extra aggressive fashions comparable to MAXXIS ASSEGAI with MaxxGrip compound and EXO+ casing on the entrance and MAXXIS Minion DHR II, MaxxTerra, and Doubledown casing on the rear.
– Improve to a bigger rear rotor.
The Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite on the path
When gravity takes over, the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite feels properly balanced proper from the primary corners. On groomed circulation trails, the agency suspension and fast-rolling tires make it straightforward to construct up pace by pumping by rollers and berms. On technical trails and unfastened terrain, nevertheless, the tires shortly attain their limits and actually wrestle to chunk into the bottom, shortly changing the grin in your face into an expression of concern. On high of that, the GIANT isn’t very forgiving of errors, requiring an skilled hand and vigilant driving model. It shortly turns into clear that the Trance is the shortest-travel bike in the whole group check, with the suspension reaching its limits quite a bit prior to the opposite bikes on tough trails and with greater hits. Inexperienced riders might want to take it regular over rougher sections, though it will trigger the small rear rotor to overheat. For technical trails, the GIANT sits behind the pack on this group check.
On the way in which again to the trailhead, the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite locations you in a cushty pedalling place, which is partly because of the excessive entrance finish. On the identical time, the highly effective Big SyncDrive Pro2 motor pushes you up the mountain with as much as 400 % help, serving to you attain the summit with out an excessive amount of bodily effort. In different phrases, the motor supplies 400 watts of help when your legs alone churn out 100 watts. Whereas the SyncDrive Pro2 delivers the identical torque because the Shimano EP801 drive, at 682 watts peak energy, it has considerably extra oomph on the path than the Shimano motor, which solely delivers 600 watts. Nevertheless, should you problem your driving buddies on a technical climb, you’ll should actively weight the entrance wheel to maintain it monitoring. On the identical time, the shallow-profiled rear tire shortly spins uncontrolled, requiring skilful weight shifts to generate traction.
If you wish to absorb the views earlier than ripping your means again down into the valley once more, with one foot on the ground and one on the pedal, you need to change to the weaker Good Help mode, as a result of the Energy mode you simply used to climb up the mountain responds very sensitively and jolts you ahead abruptly on the slightest stress on the cranks.
On circulation trails, the agency suspension of the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite 0 V2 means that you can construct up pace by pumping by rollers and berms.
Who ought to take a better have a look at the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite?
The Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite is appropriate for these riders who take pleasure in reasonable circulation trails and lengthy days within the saddle. Nevertheless, should you’re into gnarlier stuff or need to enhance your PRs on technical trails, the Trance X requires an skilled hand and vigilant driving model. Different bikes on this check, just like the Orbea Rise or the Cannondale Moterra, are a more sensible choice for newbies, putting a wonderful steadiness between efficiency and enjoyable on all kinds of trails.
Our conclusions in regards to the Big Trance X Superior E+ Elite
The Big Trance X impresses above all with a chic design language and loads of pace on flowing trails. Once you drop right into a demanding, technical path, you’ll perceive what the Superior suffix within the identify stands for: that’s the kind of rider it requires to get again into the valley in a single piece. Uphill, the motor supplies highly effective help, but additionally requires a lightweight foot in Energy mode.
Tops
- Quick on flowing trails
- Highly effective motor help
Flops
- Tires do not do justice to the bike’s character and meant use
- Not very forgiving of errors
Extra data may be discovered at giant-bicycles.com
The check subject
Click on right here for an summary of this comparability check: One of the best gentle eMTB of 2024 – 9 of probably the most thrilling bikes in direct comparability.
All bikes in check: Cannondale Moterra SL1 | GIANT Trance X Superior E+ Elite 0 V2 | Mondraker Dune RR | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 10K | Orbea Rise | Santa Cruz Heckler SL XX AXS RSV | SCOTT Voltage eRide 900 Tuned | Specialised S-Works Turbo Levo SL | YT DECOY SN
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Phrases: Benedikt Schmidt Photographs: Mike Starvation, Peter Walker
