I received my 16" Trance frame today and it is nice. I will try to get it on a scale tomorrow, but initial feel is light. So, I am surprised that the chain stays have holes at both ends that make it completely open tubing to collect dirt, rocks, and mud. The seat stays are also open ended at the rear wheel to collect stuff also. BUT most surprisingly is the downtube is completely open at the shock/BB- an inch a quarter by an inch and a quarter hole! Tell me that isn't going to collect everything.
Am I crazy or is this strange?
Also, for you who have received the frame, what headset parts did you get?
which Trance do you have?
I was surprised too, when I saw these holes in T1 which came to our office
I do not find any reasonable explamation for them... I plan to get T2 16" and I think I already know how to cover biggest hole - the bottom one, where the shock is mounted. I will use a piece of an old carbon fiber XC under down-tube fender. I will attach it with zip-ties. I think it will protect shock from mud comming from the front wheel and will be durable and light.
Strange, I haven't heard mention by anyone else who has the new Maestro frame design. I thought that where the shock went into the frame the tubing had been sealed off. Maybe you can post some pics of the areas so we can better see these "holes" has me a bit skeptical now on maintance of these bikes
I'll get some pics later tonight when I get home from work. Yea, they are definitely a maintenance concern. I am planning to fill the chain stay and seat stay holes with a liberal amount of silicone, that's what we use to do with the SC Blur's before SC started putting plugs in them this year. Rocks would get in there and rattle around and only came out if you removed the rear hanger/pivot.
I may see if I can fit a fender in there, but I want it 'sealed' not covered.
I have a Reign 2 and it has the same holes, bummer. Now I'm trying to figure out what to cover them with before I get them filled with mud, rocks, etc... I guess they can be washed out.
Giant have gone religious with there knew holy trance..
Holes are usually to drain water induced through headset, seat areas etc, but the big one at the bottom of the down tube is a worry, now thats a desperate way to cut the weight.(hey a great place for a spare tube mini pump, phone, wallet, hey im gunna ditch my camel back and get a trance to save overall weight. Maybe i can put my missis in there.
Holes are usually to drain water induced through headset, seat areas etc, but the big one at the bottom of the down tube is a worry, now thats a desperate way to cut the weight.(hey a great place for a spare tube mini pump, phone, wallet, hey im gunna ditch my camel back and get a trance to save overall weight. Maybe i can put my missis in there.
I think we need to call that post a "tasty dirtburp". I love the holey trance bit! When I burp that thought up again later today I'll get another laugh out of it
not too worried now after seeing those pics of the holes, more worried about the structural integrity of the frame - Will that design be strong enough where the shock goes into the frame? Doesn't seem like a lot of support (alu) in that area to take any serious punishment. OH well guess I'll find out when mine arrives and hope that if anything goes wrong GIANT has good customer service. I'll show the pics to my uncle and see what he says - he an engineer and owns a steel fabrication plant.
as far as I know Giant tests every design very carefully. I am not worry about the strengh and integrity of the desing during normal use. But what if you hit something? a rock or a tree? will this BB area survive? I hope so, cause I am going to get T2, I think
The holes in the chainstays aren't unique to your trance: My 03 NRS had them, and my 04 VT has them. I'd cover them up if I were you. In extremely muddy conditions, they can get nicely clogged. When it happened to me I had to blow it all out with an air compressor. The best part was the pebble that was just small enough to wiggle in there but was very reluctant in coming back out. It was a little frustrating.
A piece of plastic the thick of a credit card..... just glued in there and painted black.
I seriously think it does not affect the stiffness. The part of the metal doing the big work is the one welded to the tube walls (ok, you lose some stiffness but not a lot). As for the rest of the holes, some are to drain water and some for allowing proper welding. If they wouldn't do the holes on the chainstays for example, those would distort pretty easily while welding. The thing is some gases get trapped and while heating they expand inside the piece and exert some forces that can be high enough to distort the tubes... common solution (with steel) is to drill a hole and make a heat treament or straighten with somebody english.
yeah, holes in the frame tubing is not something unusual, almost all bikes that I've looked at had these holes, like was mentioned for proper welding, and some for drainage, like underneath the bb. But, that open ended downtube, that is a concern!! I would probably cut a piece of plastic and seal it in there w/ a small bead of silicone or something. Same w/ the one right behind the Chainrings, that's just asking to suck in the muck!
The frame has holes larger than most frames and I was able to silicone all of them except the hole in the downtube. I haven't been riding any muddy conditions yet with it so until then I am running it open. I will have to make something that will fit perfect and then silicone it, but I don't know what yet. I'll let you know when and how I do it.
Guys, when have you ever completed a ride (hardtail or full sus) and found a pile of mud in front the seat tube? I understand the concern over the holes, and I just recieved my Trance frame today, but the seat tube blocks all the garbage from the rear tire and I don't think that the hole (downtube) will collect any debris. the holes in the rear swing arm on the other hand will be filled in with silicone A.S.A.P.
Can't wait to ride!
Guys, when have you ever completed a ride (hardtail or full sus) and found a pile of mud in front the seat tube? I understand the concern over the holes, and I just recieved my Trance frame today, but the seat tube blocks all the garbage from the rear tire and I don't think that the hole (downtube) will collect any debris. the holes in the rear swing arm on the other hand will be filled in with silicone A.S.A.P.
Can't wait to ride!
I have ridden my trance in some very muddy condition and nothing has ever gotten the frame holes. I would worry less about the holes and more about actually riding the damn thing.
Guys, when have you ever completed a ride (hardtail or full sus) and found a pile of mud in front the seat tube? I understand the concern over the holes, and I just recieved my Trance frame today, but the seat tube blocks all the garbage from the rear tire and I don't think that the hole (downtube) will collect any debris. the holes in the rear swing arm on the other hand will be filled in with silicone A.S.A.P.
Try taking your bike out of your subdivision complex and off the sidewalk!! j/k I have had my whole bike covered in mud after a few races though, and if you ride in adverse elements, snow/rain, then something is bound ot get in there, there is no denying it, not to mention, I don't want to hear any little pebbles bouncing around in my aluminum tubing.
I would worry less about the holes and more about actually riding the damn thing.
What makes you worried about riding the damn thing if the holes aren't a problem?? Do you feel it is weak? I'm wondering because I might try to pick up the Trance as a frameset, and swap over all the components from my NRS, and maybe put on a Talas, instead of the Float100 currently on my NRS. But I would like to hear everyones opinions on the frame and maybe wait a year for Giant to refine it before I pick one up.
Just finished my build-up last night! I rode an NRS for about a year and a half, and just purchased the trance frame from the LBS. Swapped parts over and couldn't be happier with the outcome! I will post pics this weekend.
One word of warning: Don't run housings like Nokon or the others that have individual 'links', because the frame is mean to run continuous housing the whole way. I made it work, but it took longer to run the cables than the whole parts swap.
Actually, you can use cable/housing stops on the frame tabs to use a non-continuous housing. I was going to do that, but my stops were not the correct size so I ended up using full length housing. I think the stops come in plastic and aluminum, the aluminum ones I had were just slightly too large for the frame tabs.
Actually, you can use cable/housing stops on the frame tabs to use a non-continuous housing. I was going to do that, but my stops were not the correct size so I ended up using full length housing. I think the stops come in plastic and aluminum, the aluminum ones I had were just slightly too large for the frame tabs.
I used the IRD Metawire and it only took an hour to set it and get going for the front and rear. I also think that if I got a rock in the frame for some reason I have an air compressor and blow it out. I just don't worry about frame holes I guess.
What makes you worried about riding the damn thing if the holes aren't a problem?? Do you feel it is weak? I'm wondering because I might try to pick up the Trance as a frameset, and swap over all the components from my NRS, and maybe put on a Talas, instead of the Float100 currently on my NRS. But I would like to hear everyones opinions on the frame and maybe wait a year for Giant to refine it before I pick one up.
I think he meant "just ride the damn bike with it's great suspension suystem and don't worry about the damn holes"
As for if it'll break I hope not looks pretty strong to me, but as with all 1st it might have some "weaknesses" but I've shown the design to several engineers and metal builders and they say it's a overkill strong design for the BB area.
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