Giant has unveiled a new version of its popular Trance X E+ electric trail bike, with an updated alloy frame, a new motor and redesigned switchgear. The top model in the three-bike range – the £5,699 E+ 1 – also gets a new 750Wh battery that boosts range by 20 percent and even bests the more expensive carbon-framed Trance X Advanced versions.
They, like the two other new alloy E+ bikes (the E+ 3 at £4,699 and the E+ 2 at £5,199) have 625Wh batteries instead.
All three of the 2022 bikes get new RideControl Go switchgear set into the alloy top tube, a new RideControl Ergo 3 bar remote and a slightly more powerful motor – it's now the same sub-6lb, 85Nm SynchDrive Pro unit co-developed with Yamaha that's found in the carbon-framed range.
As of writing US prices had not been confirmed, but it's worth noting that the UK ones remain the same as for the 2021 model... with the exception of the range topping E+1, which is actually £100 cheaper for 2022.
So expect to pay around $5,500 for the new E+ 3 and $6,250 for the E+ 1. There was no E+ 2 in the US range for 2021.
The new frame's geometry is adjustable via a 'flip chip' that alters the head angle, seat tube angle and bottom bracket height between two settings – high and low. It's simple to change and makes the bike either slightly taller and steeper for twisty stuff or slightly longer and slacker for the steeps.
Thanks to the latest adaptive mode technology, the E+ Pro is clever about energy management, too. SmartAssist uses half a dozen sensors to feed real-time data into an algorithm, which then optimizes the SyncDrive Pro’s output and pedal-assistance for you.
There are still five selectable modes overall, each with its own pretty obvious focus: Power, Sport, Active, Basic and Eco.
The three flavors of Trance X E+ Pro
The range starts at with the Trance X E+ Pro 29 3. It uses a RockShox Gold DL Debonair 150mm fork and a RockShox Deluxe R rear shock. Drivetrain is Shimano Deore 1x12. UK RRP is £4,699.
One rung up the ladder is the Trance X E+ Pro 29 2, which wears a Fox 36 Float Rhythm fork instead, matched with a Fox Float DPS rear shock. The drivetrain is Shimano SLX. This one's £5,199, and unfortunately for American riders it may not appear in the USA – at least, this version didn't in 2021.
Giant’s premium Trance X E+ Pro 29 is – you'll never guess – the 1. The suspension improves once again to a Performance-spec Fox 36 fork and Float X Performance shock, while the drivetrain is Shimano’s XT 1x12. You also get that big 750Wh battery pack and larger 220mm brake rotors (the other two have 203mm discs). RRP is £5,699.
All three bikes use the same Praxis Wave 36t 4130 chainring, which is steel rather than aluminum – a good thing, considering the wear an e-MTB can exact on its drivetrain. Tires are 2.6in Maxxis at both ends: an Assegai up front and a Dissector at the rear. They sit on big, 30mm inner-diameter rims for a good stable profile.
One final neat detail: the drop of the Giant Contact Switch dropper posts is tuned for the frame size, so you get 125mm on the small, 150mm on a medium and 170mm on the large and XL. Have they really thought of everything? Look out for our review to find out!
