Mountain Biking - Trance X2 vs. FSRxc expert

Hey guys and gals,

I've been a lurker on the board for a while now never really adding my 2 cents but reading and listening to some of the great advice that flies around the board. I know that there's a lot of "What bike should I get" topics but I'm having some trouble deciding between two bikes. I've been looking for my first FS bike for the past few months and have narrowed it down to these two bikes, both I've ridden just today. I don't know if I have a set style yet as I pretty much want to ride every single trail, path, death trap I see. My budget for a new ride is between 1500-1800 and I'm definitely in need for the local trails around the Boone/Asheville area. The two bikes in question are the Giant Trance X2 and the Specialized FSRxc expert. I can get the Giant for right at 1800 or the FSRxc between 1600-1700. I think I preferred the very fluid ride from the Giant over the FSR and the service plan for the Giant is 1 year free tune ups while the FSR just offers 90 days. The guys over at the Specialized shop are a lot friendlier also. Just looking for some advice. The better advice I get the faster I can get the new ride and the faster I can post some sweet pics. Thanks in advance guys.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/mountain/1288/29375/
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=33103

head angle on the trance is quite steep, on the plus side it's kept the wheelbase shorter than some other bikes in its class, on the minus side it makes descending more sketchy. the free tune-ups are good, but once you learn how to fix the simpler parts of the bike yourself, you won't need them very much.

+1 For Giant Trance X2, you should compare Trance to the Stumpy :D. And if you like to lower your seatpost a lot, then you better pick Giant. And if im not mistaken, the Giant should have better components the FSRxc. You should check 08 Specialized S-Works bike prices, its out of the world.

Weelhots back!!!!!! wooooooooooohooooooooooooo

I'd get the trance ... i've been looking at them for a while .. don't know if I need the extra inch of travel on the X series though.

the trance seems to be a level up from the fsr series as stated before..

Anyway since the weight between Trance and Trance X is negligible, and you get a extra inch on the Trance X, I would prefer the Trance X, unless you are a weight weenie :D

No weight weenie here =P. Although I am still trying to get use to thought of spending that much on a mountain bike. I keep having to assure myself that I'll ride enough to get back what I put in and I'm pretty sure I will. It's just a matter of sucking it up and taking the plunge. At any rate I got a date with a stumpy this weekend to see what a big difference it may be. Thanks for all the great advice and opinions guys

excretion.

wait, I mean-get the gary fisher, or whatever...

08 stumpy or 07?

07, They still haven't received the 08's in any of their models. So they're giving me a stumpy to try for the weekend, seeing as the build is somewhat similar to that of the FSRxc. Looking forward to the sweet ride.

The Trance has a head tube angle of 69.5 whereas the FSR xc has 69. Negligible. It does appear that the Trance has better suspension (debatable), but I'd give a nod to the FSR drivetrain and brakes. It's pretty much a toss up and whichever one fits/feels best is the best bike.

Now, if you start thinking about the Stumpjumper, well then there's no contest.

08 Stumpy has uninteruptted seattube for your info :D, but it might cost more, and 08 Stumpy has a slight tweak on its geometry, if im not mistaken the chain stay length has been shortened

the 08 stumpy is really ugly...

really?

http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2008/bikes/9383-30_l.jpg

yes really ... see above

Did you like the 07? It's so similar, yet they fixed all the ills of the old design: interrupted seat tube, exposed (to mud, dirt) rear shock, and shaved off 5 oz from the frame.