Giant trance 2 2016 or specialized camber comp 2015

[Pomegranate]

Hi guys.

I am in the process of buying a new bike.... which I have hit a wall on.

I have been mtb riding for about a year and do mostly the popular cape wine lands trails.

I wld say I am too Agressive for my own good...but need to find a mtb that gives me what I want out of a ride.

I intend joining enduro comps eventually... but don't feel I am up there yet to compete with some of the die hards.

 

After endless research and a limited budget I feel my best options are either the new improved giant trance 2 2016 (available soon) or the 2015 spec camber comp.

 

I know the spec should be the obvious choice.. but it is R8k more and only has 110mm travel.

 

Ur thoughts wld be most welcome.

Thanking u in advance

 

Paddy

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

If you're looking at the camber and thinking it "only"has 110mm - what about the stumpy?

 

As for which - difficult choice. With pricing as it is, the default option has and always will be the Giant. But that SWAT stash hole and the Stumpy suspension is just so good. Either way, you'll have a dialled ride. 

 

Camber Comp vs giant:

 

Camber has better rims and fork (29mm ID roval vs 23mm ID Giant; Fox Float 32 - YUK - vs Revelation RC3) But the giant has the dropper.

 

TBH mate - I'd go for the Stumpjumper, rather. It's just a little bit more than the Giant, according to Dollar RRP, but you can get mega deals on the current year models at the concept stores. Plus it's 140 vs the Camber's 110. And it has the Commanfd Post dropper... And the reviews are VERY hard to ignore. Stumpy is getting mega reviews at the moment. Trance will always be the best value proposition though.

 

It's realy Stumpy vs Trance

Camber vs Anthem SX 

[Odinson]

Myles, he's looking at the 2015 Camber, not the 2016.

 

OP, also consider the 2015 Camber EVO models - tad more travel and slightly more relaxed geo. Properly good bikes.

 

From those two choices, it's hard to go wrong, although they are actually very different bikes. 

 

What is your budget, if you don't mind my asking.

[Pomegranate]

Thanks for the reply gents.

The new trance will probably be around R28k. .. The camber is R34k .. The stumpy is R48k I think. We are world's apart.

Was hoping not to spend more than R30k but thst depends on what I get out of this forum.

[nox1111]

At least post some pics - sure everyone knows the bikes, but pics keeps us interested!

[s14phoenix]

For aggressive riding and you are comparing Camber Vs Trance - Trance hands down.

however if you are comparing Stumpy vs Trance then it becomes difficult.

 

If the Trance is cheaper by that much.. I would rather upgrade the trance a bit with a better fork or nice wheels. Or both + dropper post

 

I still love my 2014 Trance nothing wrong with them

 

Suppose if you put the 2 next to each other or have the shortlist in front of you - in my dads words:

 

"kies die een wat die meeste vir jou blink"

 

What about a PYGA??? nice bike too...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Myles, he's looking at the 2015 Camber, not the 2016.

 

OP, also consider the 2015 Camber EVO models - tad more travel and slightly more relaxed geo. Properly good bikes.

 

From those two choices, it's hard to go wrong, although they are actually very different bikes.

 

What is your budget, if you don't mind my asking.

Bugger. Missed that.

 

Fully agreed with you here, odin

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

For aggressive riding and you are comparing Camber Vs Trance - Trance hands down.

however if you are comparing Stumpy vs Trance then it becomes difficult.

 

If the Trance is cheaper by that much.. I would rather upgrade the trance a bit with a better fork or nice wheels. Or both + dropper post

 

I still love my 2014 Trance nothing wrong with them

 

Suppose if you put the 2 next to each other or have the shortlist in front of you - in my dads words:

 

"kies die een wat die meeste vir jou blink"

 

What about a PYGA??? nice bike too...

This

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

In light of recent eureka moments (must have been tired when I read the OP) I must amend my initial recommendation

 

Trance.

[NickGM]

Hi guys.

I am in the process of buying a new bike.... which I have hit a wall on.

I have been mtb riding for about a year and do mostly the popular cape wine lands trails.

I wld say I am too Agressive for my own good...but need to find a mtb that gives me what I want out of a ride.

I intend joining enduro comps eventually... but don't feel I am up there yet to compete with some of the die hards.

 

After endless research and a limited budget I feel my best options are either the new improved giant trance 2 2016 (available soon) or the 2015 spec camber comp.

 

I know the spec should be the obvious choice.. but it is R8k more and only has 110mm travel.

 

Ur thoughts wld be most welcome.

Thanking u in advance

 

Paddy

 

You need to bare in mind that bike companies generally bring out a bike to match each category of mtb riding. For example with specialized:

XC: the epic

Trail (a bit more bumpy than XC):  the camber

All-mountain (A bit more bumpy than trail, etc): the stumpy

Enduro: The enduro (crazy, I know)

Downhill: I can't remember. The demo I think. 

 

Going down that list (generally speaking) the amount of travel increases and head angle gets slacker (ie: the fork is less vertical) to cope with more aggressive trails. It's not quite as simple as that any more, but for the sake of your decision, it's relevant. 

If you want to ride enduro in the long term, don't get the camber. The trance is both cheaper and more appropriate, as it is the parallel of the stumpy (as someone else has pointed out). The two most appropriate specialized bikes for riding enduro would be (wait for it) the enduro and the "do-it-all" stumpy because they (like the trance) have a lot more travel and a slacker head angle than the camber.

 

So if the stumpy is out of your price range, it seems and easy decision. 

[Spank]

Trance FTW!

[Iwan Kemp]

You need to bare in mind that bike companies generally bring out a bike to match each category of mtb riding. For example with specialized:

XC: the epic

Trail (a bit more bumpy than XC):  the camber

All-mountain (A bit more bumpy than trail, etc): the stumpy

Enduro: The enduro (crazy, I know)

Downhill: I can't remember. The demo I think. 

 

Going down that list (generally speaking) the amount of travel increases and head angle gets slacker (ie: the fork is less vertical) to cope with more aggressive trails. It's not quite as simple as that any more, but for the sake of your decision, it's relevant. 

If you want to ride enduro in the long term, don't get the camber. The trance is both cheaper and more appropriate, as it is the parallel of the stumpy (as someone else has pointed out). The two most appropriate specialized bikes for riding enduro would be (wait for it) the enduro and the "do-it-all" stumpy because they (like the trance) have a lot more travel and a slacker head angle than the camber.

 

So if the stumpy is out of your price range, it seems and easy decision. 

 

 

Not to get too technical about "labels", BUT. All Mountain used to be what we now call Enduro before enduro became #enduro. 

 

All Mountain has always been the more technical side of trail riding that includes riding / getting there by pedaling your bike. The Enduro used to fall into that category and the Stumpy was a trail bike with 120mm travel. The lines got blurred with #Enduro and with Spez adding Evo models to first the Enduro, then the Stumpy and finally the Camber.

 

Too many models in too many gaps paralyzing us with choice. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Not to get too technical about "labels", BUT. All Mountain used to be what we now call Enduro before enduro became #enduro. 

 

All Mountain has always been the more technical side of trail riding that includes riding / getting there by pedaling your bike. The Enduro used to fall into that category and the Stumpy was a trail bike with 120mm travel. The lines got blurred with #Enduro and with Spez adding Evo models to first the Enduro, then the Stumpy and finally the Camber.

 

Too many models in too many gaps paralyzing us with choice. 

first All Mountain stumpy was I think in 2010 / 2009 - the 150mm one with the dual crown 150mm fork.

 

Doesn't help that their hardtail is also called a stumpjumper.

 

But yes. All Mountain is LITERALLY All Mountain. You cycle up to get down. Enduro is the competition format based on All Mountain riding, but only timing the downs ie Where the most fun is to be had.

 

There is no such thing as an "Enduro" bike, but it is now a term that, through continuous use, refers to any All Mountain bike. 

 

This is also why there's so much pisstake on the #ENDURO®© #EndurBro #DownDuro #UpnDownDuro etc.

 

It's just All Mountain riding.

[NickGM]

first All Mountain stumpy was I think in 2010 / 2009 - the 150mm one with the dual crown 150mm fork.

 

Doesn't help that their hardtail is also called a stumpjumper.

 

But yes. All Mountain is LITERALLY All Mountain. You cycle up to get down. Enduro is the competition format based on All Mountain riding, but only timing the downs ie Where the most fun is to be had.

 

There is no such thing as an "Enduro" bike, but it is now a term that, through continuous use, refers to any All Mountain bike. 

 

This is also why there's so much pisstake on the #ENDURO®© #EndurBro #DownDuro #UpnDownDuro etc.

 

It's just All Mountain riding.

 

I thought I had sufficiently loaded my reply with disclaimers like "it's not a simple as that" and "generally speaking", but fair point to both of you. In any case I think we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. OP - the camber is probably not the best tool for the enduro job. It's still a great trail bike though. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I thought I had sufficiently loaded my reply with disclaimers like "it's not a simple as that" and "generally speaking", but fair point to both of you. In any case I think we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. OP - the camber is probably not the best tool for the enduro job. It's still a great trail bike though. 

and with a 130mm fork at the front, it's apparently a trail eating monster. 

 

Just ask Martin Hattingh on his thoughts (he's a hubber as well)

[Julian Howard-Tripp]

Not trying to jack the thread, but are there any other trail bikes you guys recommend looking at in 2016? I have a carbon hard tail 29er (my XC bike) but I really have my heart set on getting a more trail orientated bike next year. I am looking seriously at a Santa Cruz Bronson. I also have my eye on the Momsen Vipa Trail which is soon to be released.

 

More suspension (110mm rear + 140mm front) + dropper seat post is the target here. I am looking to have more fun tearing it up down the hills, rougher stuff and getting some bigger air!

 

The only problem I can see is that I will still need to keep up to the rest of the guys on their XC and Enduro bikes. But at least I would be having a lot more fun to compensate!