Thinking of rebuilding 26FS on a hardtail frame
04-11-16, 07:29 PM
#1
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Thinking of rebuilding 26FS on a hardtail frame
I have a 2010 Giant Trance X4 full suspension that I bought in 2011. I am just a hobbyist when it comes to mountain biking while putting in 3000-4000 miles each year on pavement. In February 2015 I bought a used Charge fat bike and have not ridden the Trance on a trail since then. While the Trance is in many, many ways a more capable bike I have quickly grown to prefer the grip and low-speed stability of the fatty. While my speed is nothing to brag about, I have been getting better Strava segment times on the fatty than I did on the Trance unless there is a big climb involved. So for my riding skills and comfort level I rarely miss the full suspension.
In the world where I win the lottery, I'd probably be looking at 27.5+ or 29+ with a Bluto fork and maybe full squish. But I haven't won the lottery yet.
So I was thinking of getting a 26" hardtail frame and moving all the Trance's parts over to it. That would give me a bike for gravel horse trails, non-technical mtn bike trails, gravel & dirt towpaths and bikepacking trips (which I've never done but would like to). 26" frames are obviously becoming more scarce but I did find the On-One 456 Evo II which is a steel frame that could take the 120mm fork that's on the Trance. On-One 456 Evo2 Frame | Planet X. I have looked at eBay and Craigslist once in a while but the 120mm fork seems to be an issue with some older frames.
The parts on the Trance are all in good shape except the rear shock is probably ready for a rebuild/replacement which would probably cost similar to the frame linked above. I can do all the wrenching work on my own so no additional cost there.
I'll take the Trance out again this week to confirm my thoughts about whether I want to keep it around.
Anyway -- just thought I would throw this idea out here to anyone's ideas/feedback/suggestions.
Thanks in advance.
In the world where I win the lottery, I'd probably be looking at 27.5+ or 29+ with a Bluto fork and maybe full squish. But I haven't won the lottery yet.
So I was thinking of getting a 26" hardtail frame and moving all the Trance's parts over to it. That would give me a bike for gravel horse trails, non-technical mtn bike trails, gravel & dirt towpaths and bikepacking trips (which I've never done but would like to). 26" frames are obviously becoming more scarce but I did find the On-One 456 Evo II which is a steel frame that could take the 120mm fork that's on the Trance. On-One 456 Evo2 Frame | Planet X. I have looked at eBay and Craigslist once in a while but the 120mm fork seems to be an issue with some older frames.
The parts on the Trance are all in good shape except the rear shock is probably ready for a rebuild/replacement which would probably cost similar to the frame linked above. I can do all the wrenching work on my own so no additional cost there.
I'll take the Trance out again this week to confirm my thoughts about whether I want to keep it around.
Anyway -- just thought I would throw this idea out here to anyone's ideas/feedback/suggestions.
Thanks in advance.
04-11-16, 10:35 PM
#2
Senior Member
That should work fine. I'm not going to look but I bet your trance has a 70 degree headangle and this is going to end up with a 67.5 which means when you point it downhill it should feel more stable despite not having a rear suspension. The only real problem is it is going to be even more equiped to handle technical trails than the trance you want to replace 
. If those are rear rack mounts on it that would be a big help over your full suspension bike if you are planning on doing bikepacking.
. If those are rear rack mounts on it that would be a big help over your full suspension bike if you are planning on doing bikepacking.
04-12-16, 10:00 AM
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You may need a new seatpost and front derailleur. Plus a headset, I'm pretty sure the Trance uses an integrated type. Add cables to the cost too.
Other than that, the OnOne should be a fun ride. For bikepacking the OnOne has limited space for a frame bag, but you should still be able to use a seat bag like the Revelate Viscacha. And even if all you can fit is a small frame bag, it is still as much or more than the Trance will hold.
Other than that, the OnOne should be a fun ride. For bikepacking the OnOne has limited space for a frame bag, but you should still be able to use a seat bag like the Revelate Viscacha. And even if all you can fit is a small frame bag, it is still as much or more than the Trance will hold.
04-13-16, 05:54 PM
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That EVO II 456 is a very fun ride. Here's mine with a 150mm fork.
Untitled by tk_1971, on Flickr
Just realize that your 120mm Trance fork needs to have a 1 1/8" straight steerer tube or it won't fit the EVO 456 II. The EVO has a 34mm head tube, so a tapered fork will not fit. Since your Trance is a 2010, it may have a tapered fork. You'll need to check this before committing to a new frame. 1 1/8" straight steerer forks are getting harder and harder to find (with reasonable cost).
Untitled by tk_1971, on FlickrJust realize that your 120mm Trance fork needs to have a 1 1/8" straight steerer tube or it won't fit the EVO 456 II. The EVO has a 34mm head tube, so a tapered fork will not fit. Since your Trance is a 2010, it may have a tapered fork. You'll need to check this before committing to a new frame. 1 1/8" straight steerer forks are getting harder and harder to find (with reasonable cost).
04-15-16, 11:18 AM
#5
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Thread Starter
Thanks for the info.
I think the seatpost and FD clamp are the same size; if not easy enough to pick up on the used market. I knew about the headset type difference and cables I would chalk up to regular maintenance. My fork has a straight 1 1/8 steerer. To be honest, I don't know enough about headset angles to fully understand what the difference between the Trance and Evo would make when I'm riding it.
That said, I took the Trance out last night on the local trail and had a good time. While I did miss the traction of the fatty's big ol' tires I had forgotten the benefits of the suspension. I also found some weight specs for the Trance - frame + shock are only about one pound heavier than the EVO frame. I thought the hardtail would save more than that (steel vs. aluminum, I know). So for the time being I'm just going to keep the Trance as is and remember to give it more trail time.
Thanks again.
I think the seatpost and FD clamp are the same size; if not easy enough to pick up on the used market. I knew about the headset type difference and cables I would chalk up to regular maintenance. My fork has a straight 1 1/8 steerer. To be honest, I don't know enough about headset angles to fully understand what the difference between the Trance and Evo would make when I'm riding it.
That said, I took the Trance out last night on the local trail and had a good time. While I did miss the traction of the fatty's big ol' tires I had forgotten the benefits of the suspension. I also found some weight specs for the Trance - frame + shock are only about one pound heavier than the EVO frame. I thought the hardtail would save more than that (steel vs. aluminum, I know). So for the time being I'm just going to keep the Trance as is and remember to give it more trail time.
Thanks again.
