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Currently in process of buying a new bike to replace my Spesh Enduro, The Enduro is a brilliant bike but seems overkill for vast amount of riding I do, other than the very occasional trip to the alps.
I've already got an xc bike, so was looking for something of an allrounder, for use at the likes of GT, pentlands etc etc..
Have narrowed it down to the Trance 1 or the trance SX, both 2015 models at the smae price. The trance 1 appeals as it looks to be a bit lighter, more of an all rounder, and has a great set of wheels, however the SX has 1x11 (which I'd want to upgrade the 1 to, although i alredy have the cassette so would only need to spend minimal amounts on a new shifter and mech). the real appeal of the SX is the pike fork, which I'd assume to be way better than the Rev on the non SX version.
The issue with the SX it appears to come with a heavy set of wheels, and in reality I have a nagging feeling that its still going to a bit of overkil for the riding I do, which is exactly the point of selling the Enduro.
So is the trance 1 a capable all mountain machine, and will I really miss the 2 cm of extra travel and stiffness afforded to me by the pike
I bought a frame only trance early last year, initially I ran it with 140mm Revs as that's what I had lying around....great trail bike that can 'enduro' if you want, 140mm of travel with the quality DW/maestro rear suspension actually feels like a lot more.
Over time I got curious about the SX model and the 160mm forks too....so I bought some X-Fusion ones that were going cheap on Wiggle, it takes the head angle out to 66 degrees and makes it far more aggressive...to the point I'm postponing buying a planned DH rig this year until something goes drastically wrong with the trance in this guise...and then I may just get a 160mm Lyrik on the front instead, the frame really is that good...very light and doesn't appear to be weak as a result....i'm happy riding it either way, I suspect with a 160mm front end it would be too much like what you sold....get the standard 140mm version, the Revelation fork is still a decent bit of kit that was making the Dirt-100 up until very recently, at 150mm it can get noodly but at 140mm it's fine for trail use....in fact I have one in my Ragley HT and it handled Antur superbly a few months ago.
rally useful, thanks
Other than beefier forks, what does the sx have? I've been looking at a trance 2 but found a guy selling his 2015 trance 2 but with fox 34s and new 1x11 XT group... I think upgraded rear shock too. Fingers crossed on that...
I've already got an xc bike, so was looking for something of an allrounder, for use at the likes of GT, pentlands etc etc..
I don't think you'll find the Trance under-biked for GT and the Pentlands.
I also was wondering which Trance to choose a few months ago, and I bought Trance 2. I've replaced almost all the parts. Now is more SX but in my style. I am very happy.
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The Enduro is a brilliant bike but seems overkill for vast amount of riding I do
So, you're wondering whether or not to get a big bike, or a trail bike? To replace your big bike, cause it's too big?
What Enduro do you have? The 160/160 26er?
If you're looking to down-size to a trail bike, just get the Trance. The Rev is a flexier fork, but if you're not doing the riding to notice the flex - e.g. slamming DH runs, or hitting big kickers into corners - then you're not going to notice it. Don't let the marketeers get you!
The damper in the rev isn't as good as the one in the pike.
Like deviant, I bought the frame only option last hear and built it with Pikes/11 speed/Stan's Arch. It's basically an SX, except I have my forks currently set at 150mm. Weight is 28lbs, with proper tyres (Specialized Grid sidewalls)
Been very impressed with it, covered 1600miles with it last year, mix of trail riding, uplifts, xc and off piste riding.
Will be fitting a works components angleset to slacken off the head angle by 1degree, slow the steering down a bit as I find I'm riding steeper trails a lot more now.
its the 160 version ....
right..mind made up, will go wit the non sx version
Good choice 🙂
The damper in the rev isn't as good as the one in the pike.
Again, the MoCo damper is a good damper, and I'd venture the vast majority of riders wont notice the difference. Especially if you've never ridden the Charger damper.
I replaced my 08 Trance last spring That had been fitted with a 140 mm Rev , whilst remaining 100mm at the rear .
The effective ' slackening' worked well. It ran Stans arch ex on Hope Xc hubs and I really enjoyed riding it. All up it weighed 28.2 lbs.
I replaced it with a Trance SX. I altered the spec a bit with the lbs I bought it from and had XT 2x10 instead of SRAM 1x11 ( it's me and my dislike of SRAM's crazy drivetrain component cost, had I bought it later I would have considered 1x11 XT). Wheels are Hope Enduro.
So. It weighs 31lb. Slightly noticeable on long climbs I think, but it spins up eventually and very nimbly if it's a techy one. Point it down and it's utterly capable. The fork does seem much stiffer than the Rev and better damped.
Placebo maybe, I'm no young dude either anymore, but I do feel much more confident at pace on it than the old bike and am way more inclined to push my comfort zone.
Use it for most stuff. Local forest off piste stuff. The odd bigger old school xc ride. Trail centre and uplift days.
That said , perhaps that's why I'm nursing broken ribs following a crash a week beforecChristmas. 😳
The frame only is like £1000. Buy one and then build it how you like.
150mm forks would be great on one of these. Shop around for deals for stuff.
If I had to buy one of the two, it would be the SX every time.
thought about the frame only option but the bike complete is 1800, so no way am I getting forks and decent wheels, plus everything else for 800.
Decided to buy the normal version, I can always buy a pike at a later date and swap it out with the rev when required. for me thats a better option than having to get a smaller fork and wheels if I decided to do the same with the sx.
yeahhh...arrived today
Few component swaps then first ride on Sunday.
Thanks for all the good advice
Photos 🙂
Once I've finished tinkering!
Still waiting... Here's mine in the mean time. First proper ride out on it today. Huge grins.
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I seem to have parked up by bi-sexual gates too.