The Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite generates 150/140 mm of travel and relies on a carbon frame, mullet wheel setup and powerful Giant SyncDrive Pro2 motor with a 400 Wh battery. How does it fare against the competition in our 2024 light eMTB comparison test?

GIANT Trance X Advanced E+ Elite 0 V2 | GIANT SyncDrive Pro2 MG/400 Wh | 150/140 mm (f/r)
19.7 kg in size L | € 10,499 | Manufacturer’s Website

We’ve already put the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite through the wringer in our big eMTB group test, but there it didn’t really fit into the full-power eMTB category. That’s why we decided to see if it fits in better in our 2024 light eMTB group test. The Giant Trance comes equipped with a powerful Giant SyncDrive Pro2 motor and 400 Wh battery, generating 150/140 mm of travel at the front and rear – which makes it the shortest travel bike in the entire test field. However, the GIANT already secures the title of the longest model name in the entire group test. In the version we tested, the Trance X E+ costs € 10,499 and weighs a very average 19.7 kg in size L. How does the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite 0 V2 stack up against the hottest bikes of the year?

Click here for an overview of this comparison test: The best light eMTB of 2024 – 9 of the most exciting bikes in direct comparison

What sets the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite apart from the competition?

With its organic design language and clear lines, the Trance X immediately stands out from the test field, with the eye-catching “Blue Dragonfly” paint finish adding a touch of eclecticism. As usual, the Taiwanese bike colossus rely on their proven Maestro rear suspension. A flip chip in the shock mount allows you to switch between a high and low setting to alter the seat tube and head angles by 0.7°. We rode the Giant Trance mostly in the high setting. A chainstay protector prevents paint chips and chain slap. The Giant Contact SLR Trail One Piece cockpit underlines the organic design language and routes all cables neatly through the head tube. While this might ensure a clean cockpit, it does make it a little harder to service the bike. The 85 Nm Giant SyncDrive Pro2 motor in the bottom bracket area looks quite bulky, and isn’t integrated as seamlessly into the frame as some of the other light eMTBs in this test. That said, it’s the most powerful drive in the entire test field alongside the Shimano – at least on paper.

The motor draws its power from a permanently integrated 400 Wh Giant EnergyPak Smart battery. For epic backcountry expeditions, you can expand the battery with the optional 200 Wh EnergyPak Plus 200 range extender, which bumps up the total capacity to 600 Wh and fits into the bottle cage on the down tube, though this comes at the expense of your water bottle – you’ll have to carry a bag or hip pack. The cable between the range extender and the charging port has a tendency to stick out and brush against your shoe as you ride, making it feel like a bit of an afterthought. The motor system is paired with the Giant RideControl Go display in the top tube and Giant RideControl Ergo 3 control unit. The remote is elegantly integrated into the grip and provides good haptic feedback. Apart from the battery charge status and current support mode, the control unit doesn’t provide much more information – the MasterMind TCU display of the Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL is far better in this regard.

The 200 Wh range extender bumps up the overall capacity to 600 Wh, but the cable brushes against your shoe when pedalling.
The Giant RideControl Ergo 3 remote not only provides excellent haptic feedback, but also looks great thanks to the stylish integration into the grip.
The SRAM CODE RSC brakes deliver a tremendous performance on the trail and are in no way inferior to the latest CODE Ultimate model, which positions both the levers and brake hoses closer to the handlebars.

The FOX Factory suspension adds a touch of colour with its fancy Kashima coating. Giant combine a FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 fork and matching FLOAT X Factory shock, which both offer countless adjustment options and deliver excellent performance on the trail. FOX also supply the Transfer Factory dropper post, but while the blingy gold finish looks great, the short 175 mm of travel is too short for the bike.

The brakes on the Giant Trance X, as well as the drivetrain, are supplied by SRAM. In terms of performance, the mounted SRAM CODE RSC four-piston brakes are on par with the newer CODE Ultimate models – the only real difference is that the brake lines and levers aren’t as close to the handlebars. The four-piston brake is paired with a 200 mm rotor at the front and a 180 mm rotor at the rear, which is simply too small for long descents. Shifting is handled by the electronic SRAM XX AXS Eagle Transmission drivetrain, which ensures butter-smooth shifting and does away with the need for a derailleur hanger by directly mounting to the frame. The Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite rolls on wide Zipp 3ZERO MOTO carbon wheels in a mullet setup, combining a 29” front wheel and a 27.5″ rear wheel. As a nice feature, the wheels come with SRAM TyreWiz pressure sensors, which allow you to keep an eye on your tire pressure via the SRAM AXS app. This is essential because, unfortunately, the carbon wheels are paired with weakly profiled and puncture-prone tires: a MAXXIS DISSECTOR with a flimsy EXO casing at the front and a MAXXIS Rekon with an EXO+ casing at the rear. This tire combination doesn’t do justice to the bike’s potential, and for more trail performance, we recommend upgrading to tires with a tougher casing and more aggressive tread. Especially for heavy riders, it’s advisable to switch to a MAXXIS ASSEGAI in the soft MaxxGrip rubber compound and at least EXO+ casing at the front to protect the carbon rims. At the rear, it’s worth switching to a MAXXIS Minion DHR II in MaxxTerra rubber compound and Doubledown casing.

The shallow-profiled, puncture-prone MAXXIS tires with flimsy EXO and EXO+ casings offer poor protection for the carbon wheels, which could potentially lead to costly damage.
The Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite’s small 180mm rear rotor tends to overheat quickly on longer descents.

Tuning tip: Upgrade to a larger rear rotor.

GIANT Trance X Advanced E+ Elite 0 V2

€ 10,499

Specifications

Motor GIANT SyncDrive Pro2 MG 85 Nm
Battery GIANT EnergyPak Smart 400 Wh
Display GIANT RideControl Go
Fork FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 150 mm
Rear Shock FOX FLOAT X Factory 140 mm
Seatpost FOX Transfer Factory 175 mm
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 200/180 mm
Drivetrain SRAM XX AXS Eagle Transmission 1x12
Stem GIANT Contact SLR Trail One Piece-Cockpit 50 mm
Handlebar GIANT Contact SLR Trail One Piece-Cockpit 780 mm
Wheelset Zipp 3ZERO MOTO Carbon 29"/27.5"
Tires MAXXIS DISSECTOR, EXO/ MAXXIS Rekon, EXO+ 2.4"

Technical Data

Size S M L XL
Weight 19.7 kg
Perm. total weight 156 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 135 kg
Trailer approval no
Kickstand mount no

Specific Features

Flip-Chip
Range extender
TyreWiz

Tuning tip:
– Upgrade tires to more aggressive models such as MAXXIS ASSEGAI with MaxxGrip compound and EXO+ casing at the front and MAXXIS Minion DHR II, MaxxTerra, and Doubledown casing at the rear.
– Upgrade to a larger rear rotor.

The Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite on the trail

When gravity takes over, the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite feels nicely balanced right from the first corners. On groomed flow trails, the firm suspension and fast-rolling tires make it easy to build up speed by pumping through rollers and berms. On technical trails and loose terrain, however, the tires quickly reach their limits and really struggle to bite into the ground, quickly converting the grin on your face into an expression of concern. On top of that, the GIANT isn’t very forgiving of mistakes, requiring an experienced hand and vigilant riding style. It quickly becomes clear that the Trance is the shortest-travel bike in the entire group test, with the suspension reaching its limits a lot sooner than the other bikes on rough trails and with bigger hits. Inexperienced riders will need to take it steady over rougher sections, although this will cause the small rear rotor to overheat. For technical trails, the GIANT sits at the back of the pack in this group test.

In rough trail sections, GIANT’s light eMTB quickly reaches its limits and requires an experienced rider.
The 85 Nm Giant SyncDrive Pro2 motor provides powerful assistance on climbs, although the shallow-profiled tires struggle to generate traction on loose terrain.

On the way back to the trailhead, the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite places you in a comfortable pedalling position, which is partly due to the high front end. At the same time, the powerful Giant SyncDrive Pro2 motor pushes you up the mountain with up to 400 % assistance, helping you reach the summit without too much physical effort. In other words, the motor provides 400 watts of assistance when your legs alone churn out 100 watts. While the SyncDrive Pro2 delivers the same torque as the Shimano EP801 drive, at 682 watts peak power, it has significantly more oomph on the trail than the Shimano motor, which only delivers 600 watts. However, if you challenge your riding buddies on a technical climb, you’ll have to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking. At the same time, the shallow-profiled rear tire quickly spins out of control, requiring skilful weight shifts to generate traction.

If you want to soak up the views before ripping your way back down into the valley again, with one foot on the floor and one on the pedal, you should switch to the weaker Smart Assist mode, because the Power mode you just used to climb up the mountain responds very sensitively and jolts you forward abruptly at the slightest pressure on the cranks.

On flow trails, the firm suspension of the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite 0 V2 allows you to build up speed by pumping through rollers and berms.

Helmet Endura MT500 | Glasses evil eye traileye ng | Backpack POC SPINE VPD AIR | Jersey POC Reform | Shorts POC Resistance | Kneepads POC Joint VPD 2.0 | Shoes Specialized 2FO Roost Flat | Socks GORE | Gloves Fox Dirtpaw

Who should take a closer look at the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite?

The Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite is suitable for those riders who enjoy moderate flow trails and long days in the saddle. However, if you’re into gnarlier stuff or want to improve your PRs on technical trails, the Trance X requires an experienced hand and vigilant riding style. Other bikes in this test, like the Orbea Rise or the Cannondale Moterra, are a better choice for beginners, striking an excellent balance between performance and fun on all sorts of trails.

Our conclusions about the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite

The Giant Trance X impresses above all with an elegant design language and plenty of speed on flowing trails. When you drop into a demanding, technical trail, you’ll understand what the Advanced suffix in the name stands for: that’s the type of rider it requires to get back into the valley in one piece. Uphill, the motor provides powerful assistance, but also requires a light foot in Power mode.

Tops

  • Fast on flowing trails
  • Powerful motor assistance

Flops

  • Tires don't do justice to the bike’s character and intended use
  • Not very forgiving of mistakes

More information can be found at giant-bicycles.com


The test field

Click here for an overview of this comparison test: The best light eMTB of 2024 – 9 of the most exciting bikes in direct comparison.

All bikes in test: Cannondale Moterra SL1 | GIANT Trance X Advanced 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 | Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL | YT DECOY SN


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Words: Benedikt Schmidt Photos: Mike Hunger, Peter Walker