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Mmm, as luck would have it I bought in 2013 and although I had to wait months, the price stayed the same as when the bikes were launched. I recon the new Giant 27.5's Trances are going to be 5-8k more than the 2013 Reign and Trance models

If I compare the geo stats of the Trance size L to my Reign sixer in the same size, I see .1" shorter stays on my Reign, .2"longer TT on the Trance and a wheelbase less than 1" longer. 6 of one...

Yep, thats anything but an accurate technical article - healthy dose of marketing BS in there. The contact patch and roll over comparisons being a case in point. All designed to make the 27.5 look like its closer to sixer where it counts and to 29ers elsewhere. The actual figures show that its closer to 26 in all areas. But wait, that doesn't sound as good...

Its not necessary to have the inside line - just read the Bike mag online article - it makes th same statement and confirms that the new Trance is a better beast than the TX 29er

still rollin on my Hans Dampf SG - cant fault it yet even in slithery muddy off camber rooty stuff as we found Jonkers on saturday. It outshines the Purgatory at the back by a margin, which is fine and safer...

PMB did good getting the WC for sure. I recall watching the WC DH in Stellies in the 90's with Missy Giove et al. So CT actually had its turn.

I have watched helmet cam runs of this track which really flatten it out - it looks like a real DH track in those pics.. I hate helmet cam vids... Nigel - the WC should be in CT - we could manage a track like that down here

Nooit Leftyboy - many dhers now ride Dx style spd pedals just like our man Greg M. Helps hugely with the pedally sections and they still manage to handle the bikes - which being clipped in can also help with, if you know what you are doing of course .... ;-)

I suspect that Ride caters predominantly for the fun rider and marathon junkies where a proper pinned flat pedal is an unknown beast. I enjoy my Dx pedals and 5.10s - far easier to find your cleat with a cage around the spd portion of the pedal and something to stand on even if you miss the cleat. I look at std spds and wonder how I rode with such horrid tiny things under my feet for so long...

Lovely, but not a real mountain bike IMO. Niner wheels, no travel and nearly smooth tyres - no fun at all on the trails bar the thrill of looking at it, and you can only drool so much and it could crack. Post a pic of an Enduro rather - oops, Spez don't even sell that baby here....

Funny thread - back on topic. I'd say that the OP's mate has a legitimate gripe with Spez. No matter what you pay you should get decent service and warranty response from the manufacturer. Their response is a crock so far. Scratches on the fork mean a crash - muppets! If I were him I'd issue them with a fomal letter of demand and keep hammering at them, failing which you could sue them for breach of the warranty.

I think you missed the humour in the comment dude - he was replying to Redlights tjop response.

Really bad news. Rode the switchbacks solo last weekend. Always feels quite remote there largely because so few riders venture onto that track (it needs serious work at the moment) This makes it a prime spot for a robbery.

Tjop comment...

No brakes, brains or suspension.

We had a session last year where we did just that - is a massive confidence builder to raise the skills. Thing is for Enduro, unless you know teh trails, you are riding them for the first time in a race and you then have to use those skills on unknown terrain....

An interesting summary of the Tl/R v UST tech out there... http://www.bicycling.com/mountainbikecom/bikes-gear/pssssst

Cap, thats interesting - could well be the case, then again, the Purgatory is not a proper UST tyre so the fact that it burps does not really prove its the rim, no? I see a Maxxis UST tyre at the back as a test in the near furture... or maybe some second hand Easton UST rims...

I have a front wheel solution - its a HD Super Gravity - wide, stiff and grippy. The back tyre is still a problem. I am currently running a Purgatory 2.3 tubless at the back on DT E540 rims. Its a lot better than the Nobby Nic but not really up to being pushed really hard into corners and off drops. I pumped it pretty hard before descending on my ride yesterday but it ended up trying to burp off my rim and eventually lost 50% of its air with sealant everywhere. Seems to me that it cant stay on the rim properly when landing drops on the back wheel or pushed hard through berms or on off camber fast descents like Vasbyt at Tokai. Its as if the tyre grips the ground better than the rim and tries to come off the wheel. I never had this kind of problem with my XT UST rims and Maxxis UST tyres which seated in the rim groove with a pop. So, is it the rim not holding the tyre on properly or the flimsy bead or sidewall of the Purgatory? I have been advised to try the Purgatory on the front and the HD at the back, but I love the HD where it is. I have also read that the Minion DHF works a treat as a back tyre - anyone know where to get one and which model would be best as a tubeless set up - UST presumably?

NR, how was Dan's skills course on Sunday at Tokai? Recommended?

No doubt the pyga 140 650 will be a beaut but not cheap. You are looking at 10k + over a Reign for the same or more basic build. That said you wont get a new 2013 Reign anywhere. I had to wait 4 months for mine to be made and shipped here... next years Giants will be 650 b and possibly less than 150 mm travel and probably more expesnive than 2013's. August is the release date I believe.

watched the end of first run and the secpnd runs. Great comeback by BS after that crash. Have never seen so many skinny jeans getting ripped in a competition before...

Lol - are you suggesting I take up road riding by any chance - or maybe indoor trainer riding with POV dh riding on the big screen?

The big case is on the court roll 9 July 2013. My bet is not very much will happen then though...

Great Pics there Mr GT. I agree on the trail maintenance - they need some - but those ruts and erosion - which was pretty minor really, did add a bit to the challenge. The course at Welvanpas is not exactly world standard enduro - waay too smooth and for the most part not steep enough. I'd like to see us having to find lines and manage boulder gardens periodically - ie a bit more like Tokai and Jonkers, maybe without the bigger jumps...That said I can't wait to hit Welvanpas for another ride. Read books for skills too - you can't beat Lee McComacks book on bike skills - check out leelikesbikes.com for how to buy it and some online info.