CurtisRider Posted May 12, 2013 Report Share Posted May 12, 2013 I currently have a large Rockrider 6.3 and as much as a I like it, it has always felt a touch too long for me (21 ST, 24" TT) making it a little hard to chuck about when the going gets rough and with the seat down it is still hard to get enough clearance to really manouvre the bike. I bought a medium Giant Trance X5 today (along with some other bits) with the intention of selling it on, however I am considering building it up instead as its a bit smaller (17.5 ST, 22" TT). I'm 6ft 2 and have a short upper body with longish legs (33" inside leg). I'm wondering if I would be better off running the X5 instead of the 6.3 but fear that it may be a little too compact for me being 2" shorter? I currently run a 60mm stem on my 6.3 and still feel a touch stretched, so maybe the trance+an 80mm stem would be about right and effectively be 1" less than what I have now? The X5 seems to also get good reviews, making it more tempting to keep Thoughts? I'd really rather not have the hassle of building it up and then having to take it all apart again but I think that may be my best option right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted May 12, 2013 Report Share Posted May 12, 2013 Sounds like you have it worked out... Makes sense to at least try it. If you sell it on, everytime you go riding you'll be like " goddamn, shoulda tried the Giant son". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewEH1 Posted May 12, 2013 Report Share Posted May 12, 2013 Yeah, although it might be a bit of a hassle it'll be worth it to know which is better, worse case is that you waste a Saturday building bikes - not really a waste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 The trouble is I don't really get a great deal of free time currently, and when I do I want to be actually riding! But yes I guess I will have to do the swap over to see for sure. I have some spare forks, bars, stem and cranks so I could do a quick basic assembly and see how it feels roughly and if it seems to fit ok, then i'll do a proper swap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake. Posted May 13, 2013 Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 Swap it over and take it for a ride!! I seriously doubt you'd regret it, I nearly bought a similar frame on eBay myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezmtber Posted May 13, 2013 Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 For how tall you are a 19" should be right. They normaly come with a 80-90 mm stem A 17" frame would be setup with a 70-80 mm stem I should ride a 17" but prefer a 15" frame. One advantage is you get loads of space for a dropper post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 No-brainer in my mind. Your rock rider is a very average frame with nice parts, and with the giant frame there wouldn't be any weak link really. The Trance X frame is standard I think, so it's the same frame that comes on the Trance X1 which is a £2.5k bike (Maybe a different shock?). Giant's Maestro link is effectively a DW-link design so it'll be much more active than your single pivot. Get it changed over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 The Trance-X is an awesome frame. Get it built up and give it a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 Cheers for your feedback chaps I decided to try building it up Swapped over the bits tonight (not fitted the cables properly just incase i swap back to the other frame). All seems fine apart from the post. at maximum height it is just right for fit, the only trouble is doesnt go down that far due to the seatube having a bend This kind of defeats the idea of going to a smaller frame! I guess this means sourcing a telescopic post but I don't know who makes them other than Titec with the Scoper? There used to be loads around a few years ago! Ideally not wanting to spend much, cheapest new I have seen is £30 posted from the states: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Titec-El-Norte-Scoper-MTB-Expert-QR-Seatpost-30-9mm-350mm-FR-DH-/271111618978?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f1f8301a2 Seatpost issue aside, it seems to feel right just from balancing in my living room. Frame weighs about 500g less than the 6.3 which is another bonus. I may have to go single ring as the front mech sits too low with a 22/36T and the lower linkage fouls the mech but I had wondered about doing that anyway. My Blackspire Stinger also cant go up as high as I would like as it fouls the lower linkage too! It will need some modification to tuck up more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 Reverb? :wink2: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 Just went for a little ride on the road outside my house...ohhhh my it is a little nice to ride! The shorter front end is so much more comfy for me, and with the seat dropped it is still just about manouvreable enough to huck about. I'll give it a ride around some woods this weekend and see if its comfy after a few hours of use. Now to my Manitou Swinger shock and neaten the cables up Post dropped Post at my proper height Rubber Queens may be a little tight for this frame... Reverb is slightly out of my budget! I don't really need a dropper post, I don't ride enough to make the most of it (and it would cost more than the frame did!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake. Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 Gorgeous! It is an entry level frame according to my dad who is a massive fan of giant, but you've done a great job of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 For £130 complete with Shimano cranks+bb, Wellgo MG1s, nearly new sram 11-24T cassette+chain, deore front mech+shifter, seat+post and some other bits and bobs I am certainly not grumbling! Manitou shock wont fit Giant shocks supposed to be pretty good anyway so meh! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake. Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 I'm kinda jealous dude. What you doing with the rock rider now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 My intense 5.5 frame was only 40 quid more than what I paid for the reverb*, get one bought, seriously it makes a hell of a difference once you get used to it! *ok so I got the intense frame cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 Cheers I guess I will have to sell the Rockrider, even though I actually still really like it (if only it was a smidge shorter!), they seem to make ok money so along with the Manitou shock I should be able to recoup the money I spent buying the Giant A few friends have Reverbs/whatever and seem to really like them, but there are many other areas on my bike where money would be better spent I think...if I had any spare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezmtber Posted May 18, 2013 Report Share Posted May 18, 2013 If you can't afford the reverb. Get the giant contact dropper, there around 150 and easily as good. Seal up the cables with lots of grease. The front mech should be a low clamp top pull mech which will sit low and look close to the link. Maestro suspension has no need for lockout or pedalpro just keep sat down when climing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2013 £150 is still way out of my budget unfortunately, hence wanting a scope. Right now I'll just have to make do with buying a shim for my 27.2 CF post (current post is stolen from my girlfriends Specialised as the Giant one has been trimmed). I'll keep an eye out on ebay for a dropper post but they seem to make rather alot used too. What length are the actual posts that go inside the frame? I have 200mm to play with in the frame I don't use grease in my outers as it dries up and goes sticky, I found I replaced my cables and outers far less often when just using some finishline+shifting is slicker and lighter I have a low clamp top pull mech, the reason it fouled is because i'm running a 36t ring, so of course i'm mounting it lower to suit. It functions fine where it is now, so I will leave it I only wanted to fit the Manitou as the giant shock has signs of light scoring on it, so i'll look out for a spare trance shock to replace it with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted May 18, 2013 Report Share Posted May 18, 2013 To make the Rockrider feel shorter you could have just fitted a shorter stem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 I didn't want to as any shorter and it'll feel twitchy as hell upfront. I already have a 65mm stem and thats pretty quick on the steering, I really don't want to be running something like a 40mm. The other reason I wanted to change was because I wanted to be able to run the seat lower on the fun stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 What size shim do you need? I've got a 31.6 to 27.2 aluminium one you can have. The amount the dripper goes in the frame depends on what length post you have and how much it drops, with my reverb it's from about 75 to 150mm insertion I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted May 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 Cheers for the offer but my post is 30.9! I ordered a shim so I could run my 27.2mm FSA CF post, now my seat drops nearly all the way down, certainly enough for the kind of riding I do! Took it for a ride at the weekend and it was REALLY nice, very happy with the way it rides. I'll respray it when I go home for summer as i'm not keen on the red/silver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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