Giant Trance E+ Pro Review

Like the regular bikes, the Trance E+ Pro frame is built with highest-quality ALUXX-SL aluminium alloy. The battery pack is neatly integrated into the downtube which flows into the bottom bracket mounted motor. Positioned here, the battery sits as low down as possible in the frame. This keeps the centre of gravity nice and low for better handling. It also makes room in the frame for a bottle cage which is good to see.

As with the regular Trance models the upper rocker link is forged carbon composite which adds stiffness as well as shaving off a few grams. There are sturdy guards on the downtube and over the motor. This protects the bike from rock strikes when you are hard charging through loose terrain. All the cables are routed internally.

The Maestro suspension system is the same as that found on the regular Trance models and offers the same 140mm of rear wheel travel. Using four pivots with two linkages this system offers active suspension performance that keeps on working efficiently even when you are pedalling and braking. The Trance E+ Pro 1, 2 and 3 bikes, have a custom tuned Fox Float DPS rear shock which controls the 140mm of rear wheel travel. The Trance SX E+ Pro is coil sprung and gets a Fox DHX2 shock that offers more consistent performance on long descents.

All the models in the Trance E+ Pro range get a hard hitting 150mm travel suspension fork, apart from the SX model which has a 160mm fork. This gives you the confident front-end control that you need on a hard charging e bike. The E+3 has a Suntour Aion 35 fork while all the other bikes get a Fox 36.

All the bikes in the Trance E+ Pro range use a Yamaha SyncDrive Pro motor that has been custom tuned by Giant. This delivers a maximum of 80Nm of torque to boost your natural pedalling power by up to 360%. The power delivery of the motor is smooth and seamless. Sensors on the bike measure the amount of force that you put through the pedals as well as your speed, so that the motor can add just the right amount of power to enhance your ride.

The Ride Control ONE remote sits neatly on the handlebars and allows you to change the five support modes on the fly. The buttons are easy to use, even with gloves on. LED lights on the remote display the current mode as well as the remaining battery capacity. The walk assist button is handy for pushing up trail sections. All the bikes get a 500Wh lithium ion battery pack which you can charge both on and off the bike.

All the Trance E+ Pro bikes have a one-by drivetrain with a regular size chainring. Custom Praxis cranks offer an impressively small Q-factor for an e bike. The E+ 3 has a Shimano SLX 10 speed drivetrain while the E+ 2 has Shimano XT 11 speed. Both the E+ 1 and the SX E+ 0 have SRAM Eagle 12 speed. The SX E+ 0 gets the top of the range XO1 enduro groupset while the E+ 1 has GX.

All the bikes have disc brakes with four piston callipers and large 203mm rotors to give you plenty of stopping power. The E+ 1 and E+ 0 both have SRAM Code R brakes with their downhill levels of braking power. The E+ 2 has Shimano stoppers to match its drivetrain while the E+ 3 gets Tektro HD Orion units.

Each bike has Giant finishing kit. This includes wide handle bars with a short stem for more control on technical terrain. It is great to see that every bike also gets a dropper post to help you make the most out of every trail section without having to stop and adjust your saddle height.

The Trance E+ Pro rolls on exclusively on 27.5” wheels with wide 2.6” tyres. These wheels are all e bike specific with Boost hub spacing and thru axles front and rear. The Giant AM rims have a 35mm inner width which helps to give these wide tyres extra support, especially when running lower tyre pressures.

It’s great to see high-quality Maxxis tyres on every Trance E+. The Minion DHR on the front is ideal for e bikes as the aggressive tyre profile offers lots of grip especially under heavy braking. These tubeless ready tyres all feature dual rubber compounds and EXO side wall protection.