Giant Trance E+ 0 Pro Review

The Giant Trance E+ 0 Pro is a real treat! The bike not only looks high-quality, but it also impressed us with a top build spec at a fair price. But is it just as convincing on the trail?

For more information on the group test head to: The best eMTB you can buy

**Giant** Trance E+ 0 Pro | 23.64 kg | € 6,299

There’s a lot to discover on the Giant Trance E + 0 Pro. At first glance, the bike simply looks black, but as soon as you take it out of the garage and a few rays of sunlight hit the frame, the paint job reveals a metallic glitter. Very nice! The beautiful Shimano XTR drivetrain and brakes also caught our eye, which not only look good but perform brilliantly as well. Giant spec a number of in-house components such as the wheels, handlebars and dropper post.

The Giant Trance E + glides as comfortably over the trail as a Mercedes S-Classc on the highway

But that’s not all: they’ve also developed their own app, with which you can adjust the support levels, track your ride and quickly check your battery status. The pairing process is easy, but overall the app is still a bit rudimentary. A highlight of the Giant is its powerful SyncDrive motor which provides up to 80 Nm of torque and is based on a Yamaha PW-X. However, Giant have developed their own software to regulate the motor’s power output, whereby the support levels are set up differently and instead of 320%, the motor supports riders with up to 360% of their own effort.

Giant Trance E+ 0 Pro in Detail

Fork FOX 36 Factory FIT 4 150 mm
Rear shock FOX Float DPX2 Factory 140 mm
Motor/Battery Giant SyncDrive Pro/EnergyPak 500 496 Wh
Drivetrain Shimano XTR 12-speed
Brakes Shimano XTR 4 piston 200/200 mm
Seat post Giant Contact Switch-Remote 150 mm
Stem Giant Contact SL 50 mm
Handlebar Giant Contact SL 800 mm
Wheels Giant AM Disc
Tires Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5×2.6″ / Rekon 27.5×2.6″

**Sensitive**
The rear suspension of the Giant Trance E + 0 Pro literally sticks to the ground and absorbs all bumps with ease. However, it feels a bit sluggish going downhill, swallowing a lot of the rider’s input.

**In a league of their own**
The new Shimano XTR Trail brakes impressed us with lots of power, modulation and reliability.

**Minimalistic**
Giant dispenses with a display. LEDs on the remote control keep the rider informed about the selected support level and the remaining battery capacity instead.

**Too low**
Due to the short head tube and the resulting front-heavy position, we recommend mounting all of the spacers under the stem. Otherwise, the bike pulls the rider too far forward on steep terrain.

Geometry of the Giant Trance E+ 0 Pro

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	406 mm	445 mm	482 mm	507 mm
Top tube	585 mm	610 mm	630 mm	655 mm
Head tube	95 mm	100 mm	110 mm	130 mm
Head angle	66.5°	66.5°	66.5°	66.5°
Seat angle	74.0°	74.0°	74.0°	74.0°
Chainstay	470 mm	470 mm	470 mm	470 mm
BB Height	15 mm	15 mm	15 mm	15 mm
Wheelbase	1,184 mm	1,210 mm	1,231 mm	1,259 mm
Reach	418 mm	442 mm	460 mm	479 mm
Stack	579 mm	584 mm	593 mm	611 mm

Giant Trance E+ 0 Pro in Review

**Helmet** Leatt DBX 3.0 | **Jersey** Deus All Caps Moto Jersey | **Shorts** iXS VAPOR 6.1 Short | **Shoes** Five Ten Freerider Pro

The massive power of the SyncDrive motor becomes evident the moment you only lightly place your foot on the pedal. The bike wants to jump forward, assisting with lots of power even at a slow cadence. Less experienced riders should definitely start off with a lower support level. While other motors feel like highly tuned turbo engines, Giant’s Yamaha motor is more akin to a torquey diesel engine. Paired with the sensitive FOX Factory suspension and a rather upright seating position, the Trance E+ is super comfortable and entirely suitable for long distances. The low front end puts enough weight on the front wheel, but technical uphills still require some finesse. The motor kicks in very abruptly and is more difficult to modulate compared to the competition. You won’t find a variable Trail (Shimano) or eMTB (Bosch) mode here either, whereby you end up switching between support levels much more frequently.

**Tuning tip:** Handlebar with more rise and grippier rear tire

Going downhill, the handling of the Trance E + is predictable and calm. We recommend lifting the cockpit by mounting all the spacers under the stem, otherwise you’ll be pulled over the front wheel on steep descents. The plush suspension absorbs any unevenness in the terrain, but can feel sluggish and as though it is absorbing the rider’s energy. In combination with the 23.64kg weight, the Trance E + feels a bit cumbersome and requires a lot of input from the rider when wanting to quickly change direction or when trying to manhandle the bike over a jump.

Riding Characteristics

Agility

sluggish
playful

Stability

nervous
stable

Handling

demanding
balanced

Riding fun

boring
lively

Motor feeling

digital
natural

Motor power

weak
strong

Value for money

poor
top

Technical Data

Size: S M L XL
Weight: 23.64 kg
Perm. total weight: 156 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment): 132 kg
Motor torque: 80 Nm
Battery Capacity: 496 Wh
Travel (f/r): 150/140 mm
Wheel Size: 27.5"
Price: € 6,299

Rider type

Touring Rider 1

Trail rider 2

Extreme rider 3

Conclusion

The Giant Trance E + 0 Pro scores with its super plush suspension, a comfortable riding position and good value for money. It is a great choice for less aggressive riders and beginners who appreciate the composed and predictable handling. It lacks agility for more playful riders.

Tops

very powerful motor
super comfortable suspension
excellent spec at a fair price

Flops

motor lacks a self-regulating/adaptive mode
low front end robs confidence on steep descents

For more information head to: giant-bicycles.com